SAVED by MERCY ~ SAVED by GRACE

NOT by Our OWN Righteousness!

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Scriptures taken from the KJV (King James Version of the Bible).

Believing is putting your trust in God and having confidence that he will fulfill his promises…GOD DOES NOT LIE!

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Jesus is Yeshua (Yeshua means SALVATION in the HEBREW language) JESUS is the WORD! He is God!

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:14 And the Word was made 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.

According to Scriptures, even some of the disciples/followers of Jesus had difficulty recognizing that Jesus is our Messiah

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

His disciple Thomas had difficulty believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that He had risen from the dead…

John 20:27-29 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Believers are born again (regenerated) when they believe. For a Christian to lose his salvation, he would have to be unborn again -unregenerated. That would mean that he would have to “NO LONGER BELIEVE”…once you “TRULY” believe, you will never stop believing…because the HOLY SPIRIT will not leave you. The Bible gives no evidence that the new birth can be taken away…when you “TRULY” believe, you trust in Yeshua and are filled with HOPE which becomes the path that the Christian walks. That hope lies in knowing that God does NOT lie!

However, the Bible does talk about quenching the Holy Spirit which I will talk about in a future blog. Quenching is not the same as being in unbelief…

John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I can find no place in the Scriptures of the Bible that says: In order for you to be saved that you have to walk the isle, join a church, pay tithes, fill out a card or cry and sob in sorrow for others to witness or do your due diligence (works). It says over and over again…BELIEVE! There are over 150 Scriptures in the Bible that address “Belief”. Even Abraham, thousands of years before Jesus, found favor with God because he believed…yet he lied about Sarah several times and took a concubine because he was impatient for the promise of God to materialize, but through all of that God loved Abraham and to this day is still keeping His promise to him.

Paul asks two very fundamental questions:

Romans 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

To put it to you as simply as possible…Who will bring any charge against those whom are believers?

Matthew 7:1-4 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

It says in the Scriptures:

It is God who justifies.

Who is he that condemns? We are not called to condemn, but we are called to share the Gospel with our fellow man…ALL who are made in the image of God…nowhere in the Scriptures does is tell us to make the decision whether or not the person we shared the Gospel with accepted “the TRUTH”. We plant the seed…God will make it grow according to “HIS WILL”. Just because we can’t physically see the change in someone, doesn’t mean that Heavenly Father isn’t working on them…maybe He doesn’t need or want to use them in His ministry on this earth…HE JUSTIFIES THEM because HE LOVES THEM!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Paul makes one of the most incredible claims in all Scripture and the diligent hard working Christian sometimes refuses to accept Paul’s claim…but if you don’t believe this claim by Paul…that must mean that you nullify everything else that Paul teaches about GRACE and SALVATION! It’s not up to us to “Cherry Pick” out of the Scriptures what we want to apply to our lives and to the lives of others. The “WORD” speaks plainly.

Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. another Translation “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

What an AMAZING promise! Surely, you may think that there must be an error in the text made by whomever transcribed it! You’re maybe thinking that Paul must have said, “God justifies the one who tries to do his best (WORKS). God justifies the nice person who always meant well (the GOOD PERSON), who loved his family (even unbelievers love their family), devoted his time and money to help the needy (there’s many a non-Christian who donates his money and time to charities)(WORKS), went to church (there may be a lot of unsaved people sitting in the pews; people who know who Jesus Yeshua is but doesn’t believe in and trust HIM), a person who reads his Bible and prays every day.” About now, you’re saying to yourself… Paul could not have meant, “God justifies the ungodly, could he? That’s unthinkable!” But the FACT IS: THAT is EXACTLY WHAT it SAYS! We are ALL ungodly because we are ALL SINNERS!

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord...

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast

The Bible is clear about the penalty of sin, but scriptures on salvation reveal that we have received a powerful and life altering gift through the death and resurrection of Jesus Yeshua. All we need to do is accept the gift and salvation and eternal life are ours.

Christ Jesus, who died for the sins of the world—and more than that, who was raised to life—who now sits at the right hand of God is also interceding for us.” Jesus Yeshua is our HIGH PRIEST in Heaven. We are only asked to “BELIEVE” that He is the Son of God and that He died for our sins and rose from the dead to sit at the right hand of God!

John 5:23- 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

So ask yourself these questions? Do You Believe that Jesus – Yeshua is the SON of GOD and the He died and rose from the dead to save you from your sins? Then who will bring a charge against you? No one will, because Christ is your advocate. Who will condemn you? No one will, because Christ, the One who died for us, is the One who condemns. We have both Grace and Mercy and through our advocate who is also our judge and especially awesome: HE IS OUR SAVIOR.

When Jesus the Messiah- Yeshua HaMashiach was dying on the cross at Calvary, there were 2 thieves on crosses next to him…one of the thieves mocked Jesus and the other thief BELIEVED!

Luke 23:42-43 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.⁴³And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Jesus – Yeshua did it ALL! His last words are “IT IS FINISHED”! He made it so easy: JUST BELIEVE WHO HE IS. There’s NOTHING left for you to do… If you are blessed in the sense that the Holy Spirit uses you for “HIS GLORY”…just remember this…GOD doesn’t need you to fulfill his plan for mankind.

God means what He says and says what He means! My hermeneutics are “literal”, however, that being said…study the scriptures yourself and make up your own mind! Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit…

Pick Up Your “SWORD”!

When are you going to start using your “SWORD”?

Did I get your attention?

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made 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.

Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Without the “SWORD of the SPIRIT”, how can you discern the WILL of GOD? The WORD of GOD is fully understandable if you “Trust in Jesus the Messiah – Yeshua HaMashiach”. The Holy Spirit comes to live in you and you become the Temple of God!

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

When you ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and understanding, He will show you the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE!

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

So when you have Jesus – Yeshua…you have it ALL! You are a bearer of the Sword of God because the Spirit of Jesus lives in you…

It’s Only Going to Get Worse!

Choose Jesus – Yeshua while there’s still time!

If you haven’t read Revelation, I implore you to do so right now! It’s the only book in the Bible that tells us that you will be blessed for reading it.

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Those of us who have “faith alone in Christ alone” have been given the Holy Spirit to guide us and we are expected to obey the command given by Jesus to communicate to everyone around us the Gospel, we must fulfill the “Great Commission”. For time is getting short…

ALL four of the Gospels as well as the Book of Acts, Jesus gives us the command to share the Gospel with the world.

Matthew 28:16–20 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Mark 16:15–16 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Luke 24:44–49 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.⁴⁵Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,⁴⁶And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:⁴⁷And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.⁴⁸And ye are witnesses of these things.⁴⁹And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

The Apostle John records what Jesus said on the day of the Resurrection.

John 20:19–23 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.²⁰And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:²³Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Just before the Ascension of Christ to Heaven, Luke records this message from Jesus – Yeshua.

Acts 1:6–8 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Jesus has made it perfectly clear that we have been called to share the Gospel with the world! My position is this: I believe in a Pre-tribulation rapture, but I don’t want my fellowman to experience even a second of the “Tribulation”…for just as in the days of Noah, those who don’t have “faith alone in Christ alone” will suffer the consequences. When Jesus comes to take possession of the Earth and set up his 1000 year Kingdom, only the raptured believers and believers who survive the Tribulation will live and reign with Christ.

Matthew 24:37-39 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Sadly, in spite of all the warnings given throughout the entire Bible and especially spoken of by Jesus – Yeshua in the Gospels and Revelation, the world will be both surprised and shocked when Jesus comes again!

Warning others of the imminent end of the world and the consequences of sin isn’t just a “New Testament” calling. The Prophets (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel to name a few) of the “Old Testament” also warn of the end times.

Isaiah foretold the birth of the Savior Jesus the Messiah – Yeshua Ha Mashiach

The Plan of Salvation

ALL have sinned!

Scriptures taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

1 John 1:8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

There is a penalty for sin!

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 3:18 “Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God”.

You cannot save yourself!

Titus 3:5 He saved us— not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

James 2:10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.

Salvation has been provided!

Ephesians 2: 8-9 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ⁹not from works, so that no one can boast.

John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

2 Corinthians 6:2 For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time,
and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.

If you don’t believe you can be saved Jesus said:

Luke 18:27 He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Revelation 3:20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. https://jesusamazinggrace.com/2020/03/18/my-sheep-hear-my-voice/

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. ¹⁸So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

My Prayer:

Heavenly Father, in your great mercy lead those who have gone astray back to the fold and into the arms of Your Son and our Lord, Shepherd and Savior.

In the name of Yeshua Hamashiach ~ Jesus the Messiah

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN

Do YOU ask yourself: “Am I truly a Christian”?

If you answer “YES” to the following questions you are a Christian!

Do YOU BELIEVE that Jesus is the “Son of God”?
Do YOU BELIEVE that He came into the world and lived a sinless life?
Do YOU BELIEVE that He died on the cross for your sins?
Do YOU BELIEVE that He rose from the dead?
Do you claim Jesus – Yeshua as Your LORD and SAVIOR?

JOHN 3:16

The “moment” YOU BELIEVE, you are saved by the “Grace of God”. There’s nothing you can do to add to or take away from Heavenly Father’s “FREE gift of GRACE”!

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Believing and trust are synonymous. When you put your “trust” in Jesus-Yeshua. You become a “new man or woman” in Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells within you! So ask and allow the Holy Spirit to work inside you so that you can serve our Lord and SAVIOR- Jesus Yeshua with all your heart, mind and soul. Recognize that “all” are made in the image of God and that there’s only one race on this planet…The Human Race. When times get tough, keep in mind that the Lord disciplines you because HE LOVES YOU! You may have to get knocked down in this life so that you learn to “look up”! There’s nothing too big for Jesus-Yeshua to handle…so believe and trust in Him and you will be saved!

Christians Doom others to an Eternity in HELL!

To put it in as simple of an explanation as I can…John 3:16-17 is the “GOSPEL“! Those who believe (Christians) are commanded to go into the nations and proclaim the Gospel to all who will hear. The Bible teaches that as the church we are the body of Christ. We are to love the people of the world! When we share the GOSPEL, we bring Glory to God and to His SON! We are here on this earth for this very purpose!

So why do we sit in the Pews on Sunday for 60-90 minutes and console ourselves that we have done our part? Whose “Glory” are we there for…ours or our Father in Heaven? How many hours are there in a week? There are 168 hours in a week! How many of those hours do you spend in “true worship” being amazed by the truths given to us by God? How many of those hours do you spend reading your Bible and getting to know your Father in Heaven? How many of those hours do you spend contemplating what you can do for the Glory of God and His SON? Once you leave the Church building, does God even cross your mind? How many hours do you share what the Son of God did for us on the Cross?

Therefore isn’t is selfish of a Christian to keep the “Love of Christ” and what He did for mankind to himself? Shouldn’t the Christian consider the consequences of the persons to whom he doesn’t share the Gospel with? If you read your Bible, you will see that this consequence is burning in Hell for eternity!

Romans 10:13-14 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

NOW don’t exclaim that you’re “NOT a PREACHER”! Are you a follower of Christ? If so, you are a preacher! Keep in mind that today’s society is designed that a “preacher” needs to have a piece of paper from a theology school and give a sermon, but that is not the way it has always been. Is the Holy Spirit living in YOU? If you are a follower of Christ, then you become a disciple of Christ…therefore, you are qualified to “preach the Gospel”.

Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells his followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

Qualities of discipleship include going to share the Good News to non-believers, teaching, loving God, loving others, standing out, denying ourselves, being firm in God’s word, fellowship with other believers, imitators of Christ, dedicated and steadfast.

So now I ask you…why don’t Christians share the Gospel? Sharing the Gospel is called Evangelism and it shouldn’t be scary…it’s simply sharing the Gospel with the world, whether the world is your next door neighbor or someone that you meet by chance in a grocery line or at a Doctor’s office. It could possibly be someone far far away that you many never actually meet i6gn person (with the internet that’s a common scenario).

Are You Ready to go Home with Jesus?

If Jesus Comes Tomorrow…What Then?

ALL Scriptures: KJV

John 14:1-4 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ²In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.⁴And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Please keep in mind as you read this blog, that the song that I’m quoting verses from isn’t exactly correct when it comes to theology, but it does ask some pretty direct and critical questions. The questions are designed to make us think about our relationship with Jesus the Messiah – Yeshua Ha Mashiach.

This is the 1st line of a “humbling” song that I discovered on YouTube: “If Jesus comes tomorrow to spend some time with you…would you answer all His questions or lie to hide the truth?”

We all should know that there’s nothing that can be hid from Jesus – Yeshua, but is it possible that you should ever be so unwise as to think that you could? The Bible starts with the first two humans Adam and Eve trying to hide from God in the Garden of Eden when they’d sinned and unfortunately for mankind, their sin not only brought them loss of righteousness and separation from God; at the end of the day it brought them and the entire world the death sentence.

Hebrews 4:12-14 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ¹³Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Jeremiah 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The 2nd line of the song: “Would you welcome Him with open arms or even let Him in? If Jesus comes tomorrow, what then?”

Are you ready? Have you forgiven your family members, friends or acquaintances of perceived wrongs…have you asked their forgiveness or forgiven yourself? Will Jesus find you rejoicing in His love and peace or will He find you angry, tired, and in conflict with yourself and others? Will He find you sharing your faith with the weak and the lost? Is there anything in your life that you regret? Is there anything in your life that you have not repented of? Is there anything in your life that could keep you from sitting at the feet of Jesus? Are you allowing this world to keep you from the Light of Christ?

John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Collosians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

The 3^rd’ line of the song: “If Jesus calls your number, could you leave today? Are you ready to lay down your worldly goods and walk away?”

No one knows when Jesus will be coming back for His Church/Bride, but we do know that He is…He has told us to be prepared…He will arrive when we least expect it. His return to rapture His church is imminent, but He makes it clear that only the Father knows when that is going to happen. Have you allowed your love of the world to get in the way of your walk with God? Are you doing your best with the last moments of your life to serve Him, to share Him, to bring as many people to Him as possible before the end comes?

Jesus said in Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Mark 8:35-36 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.³⁶For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The 4^th line of the song: “Would it take a month of Sundays, to tell Him of your sin? If Jesus comes tomorrow, what then?”

1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Heavenly Father gave us a way out, but because we have a way out do we continue to sin? God Forbid!

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

John 8:7-11 When a woman was about to stoned as an adulteress, Jesus was there: So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.⁸And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.⁹And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.¹⁰When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?¹¹She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

When Jesus – Yeshua said “Sin no more”… my heart tells me that He meant you know when the flesh is leading you to where you shouldn’t go, so it’s your place to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and then you do your best to “sin no more” as Jesus commands us. Ask yourself these questions: Do you recognize your own sin? Do you blame your sins on others? Do you enjoy your sin? Are you so wrapped up in “ME” and the world that you don’t see your sin for what it is? The Apostle Paul said many time in regard to sin: “God Forbid”!

The entire Bible from the beginning to the end addresses sin. From the Garden of Eden and through all the words of Jesus in the New Testament, it’s made clear that God, our Father, abhors sin. This is why He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins, to cloak us in His righteousness because He knew that man could not live without sinning. It’s also true that the Old Testament focus is more pointed toward sin than the New Testament, but that still doesn’t mean that you should sin “willfully”. I want you to notice that Jesus – Yeshua didn’t preach fire and brimstone to the people, but His language was absolutely clear when He did preach about sin. Jesus knows that you know when you sin, so he doesn’t hold it over you or accuse you…but I do believe He expects you to repent and turn the other direction from your sin.

Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

I believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and that Jesus – Yeshua, my Lord and Savior will bring me home to the Father’s house before the sky turns black as midnight. But for those of you who don’t believe in Pre-Trib or for that matter, those of you who don’t know what to believe or possibly you don’t believe at all…this 5th verse is for you. The people of the church are the Body of Christ, His church is not a building and in the last days, He will not leave His body behind to be destroyed by the evil of the earth or the wrath of God! He saved Noah and his family from the flood and Lot and His Family from the hail and brimstone that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah. They didn’t have to suffer the wrath of God, so I believe He will save His body – His Bride the Church and take us home to the dwelling that He’s been preparing for us for the last 2000 years and this will happen before He deals with the the last 7 years that was promised during the time of Daniel the Prophet.

The 5^th line of the (chorus) song: If the sky turns black as midnight in the middle of the day

The following verses tell us that the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll. I remember when Mt. St. Helens, a volcano in Washington state blew it’s top…it was an eerie feeling as I watched out the window and the darkness rolled in like a tidal wave…of course, the news had informed us that it was the result of the volcano blowing up and the cloud of ash headed our way…so it wasn’t scary, but it certainly was unexpected. I personally believe that if you have given your heart to Jesus and are born again, you will never see the scenario of the following scriptures. The Pre-tribulation Rapture will rescue us from the wrath…but for those who aren’t believers you need to think about and be warned about what lies ahead!

Ezekiel 32:7 “And when I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud And the moon will not give its light.

Isaiah 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

Revelation 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

The 6^th line of the (chorus) song: “And somehow you knew that Jesus would soon be on His way”

When Jesus is on His way to rescue us from the wrath that is about to befall all unbelievers on this earth, we will be caught up to Heaven and to the Father’s House to be protected. The reason I believe this to be the case is because Jesus loves us and HE already paid the price for our sins. He isn’t going to allow His Church/Bride to be beat up! Yes, we may face many trials in this life, but he sent the Holy Spirit to be our comfort and the Holy Spirit lives inside the people who make up his church. The 1st seal cannot be broken and the antichrist cannot come to power until the Spirit or comforter is removed from the earth. Since the Holy Spirit lives in the believer, HE WILL NOT Abandon you or me!

When people believe that the Rapture and the 2nd coming of the Lord are the same scenario, they don’t recognize that when we’re raptured, Jesus – Yeshua meets us in the clouds as a Bridegroom embracing His Bride and at the 2nd coming He comes to the earth as a Lion of Judah to take back the earth and to sit on His throne as the King, the sovereign ruler of ALL.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

**1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.**

The 7^th line of the (chorus) song: “Would you have to beg forgiveness or could you reach out and take His hand”

Have you noticed in the Gospels of the Bible that when Jesus puts out His hand and touches someone, they are immediately healed from sickness, deformity and even death! How foolish of us not to take the hand that He offers us…there’s no strings attached to His gift of LOVE! All we have to do is believe that He’s the Son of God and that He died for our sins and rose from the dead! When you do this with all sincerity in your heart (God knows our Hearts!), you will be saved and will receive the gift of eternal life!

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 7:14 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

The verse in Matthew 7:14 leads me to believe that there will be many who don’t reach out and take His hand or accept His invitation!

If Jesus comes to- morrow, what then?

If you have the time to listen to this song, it’s very beautiful and the young man really does a nice job presenting the song.

National Day of Prayer! PRAY for the UNBORN

A Person is a Person ~ No Matter How Small!

This coming Thursday is a National Day of Prayer and I am praying today and everyday that the American people will send their prayers to Heavenly Father to stop our country from the sin of abortion! To stop the taking of the most innocent lives on this planet!

It was a heartbreaking day when the decision in favor of Roe vs Wade was made. Back in 1973, I don’t believe that as a whole, the American people had any idea of what this meant in regard to our standing as a nation in the eyes of God!

Look at the times we are living in! People are afraid to die, yet they selfishly have chosen to be a society that allow the death of a child in the womb. During this time of concern that the people of the our country have been experiencing because of Covid-19, we hear their cries of frustration as they have been afraid to go outside or to work and sick of the quarantine. People have been Afraid of the numbers of the deaths as they mount up. Afraid, afraid, afraid!!! It completely confounds me that people are so outraged and afraid…

I’d come to believe that as a society we’d become numb to death, even embracing it. Between TV, Movies and Video games, we are entertained by death! More often than not, there are times that it seems as if this country has little or no respect for life and especially little or no concern for the the UNBORN!

Other than the life of His perfect Son in place of our sinful lives, I believe that truly the most precious gift that Heavenly Father has ever bestowed upon man is our children.

I’m sickened that the killing of innocent life has been transformed into politics instead of the morality that leads us to Godliness. As a nation, our compasses no longer point to truth…to the Word of God. Many who claim they are Christians and say they don’t believe in abortion, continue to support the rights of women to choose the death sentence for their child. Because of their support the politics of the country shoves abortion upon those of us who are pro-life.

God makes it perfectly clear that He hates the shedding of innocent blood, so I’m speaking up! We all should speak up, because if we don’t, we are allowing others to be led astray…away from God when he’s beckoning us to him. Do you want to shepherd people to God or away from God? What does it say about you and your walk with Him? Are you’re unwilling to rebuke wrong when you see it…bring it to the world’s attention? Rebuking is not the same as judging…God is the judge, but we are required to show our fellowman the right path to Him.

So, all that being said, I ask you…where’s the outrage and alarm when we talk about the number of babies who die every day from abortion? Just in the USA, there are 71+ abortions per hour! How many have given a second thought to the millions of innocent lives that we’ve taken by the abortion industry? Just in the USA, there are 61.8 million since 1973? These figures don’t take into account the number of chemical abortions!

Talk about a PANDEMIC! WE – here in the USA have been experiencing the abortion pandemic for nearly 50 years! There are those who say that abortion has been around forever and I realize that’s the case, but it’s only been this last 50 years that it’s become not only okay, but the thing to do in our country…any excuse is accepted as the right of the woman to choose death for the child in her womb. More and more people say that it’s not their problem…I’m here to say that in my opinion, it’s most likely the shedding of innocent blood that will end this world!

Don’t you know that abortion is the leading cause of death around the world? This article I’m writing isn’t about statistics, but if you don’t know them you should, then you need to wake up to how devastating these numbers are: More than 42 million abortions took place globally in 2019 according to the tracking service Worldometers, once again finding abortion to be the single largest cause of death across the planet for the year (figures provided by WHO).

As Christians, we have to stand up against this Pandemic, this holocaust against the unborn! We have to make our voices heard!

Psalms 94:16 Who stands up for me against the wicked? Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?

If we don’t stand up, I believe that we are going to experience the Wrath of GOD unlike anything that this planet has ever experienced…how much longer do you think he’s going to put up with the shedding of innocent blood?

I recognize that to a degree, I am repeating myself, but I can’t scream loud enough! Abortion is a despicable and reprehensible act against the most helpless of our world and it’s spread unlike any disease has ever spread in the history of the world! If abortion is an abomination to me…what must it be to God? I do wonder how long it will be before Heavenly Father pours out His wrath upon us? How long before He says He can no longer stand our heathen, pagan ways! How long before He destroys us ALL!

We deserve every ounce of wrath that He has stored up in His bowls. Especially, here in America, where over the last 50 years, we’ve slowly but surely degraded to the point of hideousness! In a land where His gifts have been plentiful…unlike any other land on this planet. But His gifts haven’t been enough! Everything about us is disgusting: our entertainment, the way we dress, the way we talk, the way we squander the gifts that have been given us…our government, our wars, our self righteous attitude toward the rest of the world. Talk about inciting a fall from Grace… I believe that as a nation – WE ARE THERE!!!

When you’re thinking that you don’t have to worry because you believe in God…perhaps you have a misunderstanding about what belief in God means. Maybe people think they believe, but in truth, they do not. There’s a huge difference between believing in God and serving and obeying God.

James 2:19-20 (KJV) ¹⁹Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

A Powerful Prayer

Prayer by Pastor Joe Wright

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says: ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.
We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it moral pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have coveted our neighbors’ possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our fore-fathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh GOD, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen!”

2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”

“Are You HIS People?”

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;

America is spiraling to HELL at a faster pace everyday! How much more will our Father in Heaven put up with? We need to remember “Sodom & Gomorrah” and recognize the path the people have chosen is leading us as a nation to destruction! Everyday that HE holds back His wrath gives us one more day to turn it around. As believers, we need to pray for forgiveness for our nation and beg Him to heal our land! But to be totally honest, in my heart of hearts I’m afraid it may be too late for America. I search the Scriptures and I find nothing that tells me that America even exists when Jesus – Yeshua comes back!

Thankfully, if we are blessed to wake up in the morning, it’s not too late for us to share the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah – Yeshua Ha Mashiach with one more person! The end is coming soon, so time is short, however, we’re told that when the “Fullness of the Gentiles” has happened, then Jesus will return to take us HOME with HIM! The more people we share the Gospel with… a neighbor, a stranger, a friend or family member, the sooner we will no longer be encumbered by this state of dual citizenship that we have to endure, but we will be citizens of the Kingdom and share in His Power and Glory.

HIS WAY…Not Our Way!

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jeremiah 29:11-12 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ¹²Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

To KNOW the LORD, we must read HIS WORD

How much time do you spend getting to know our Father in Heaven and the plans that he has for you? Be honest and ask yourself “how much time do I actually waste” in a day? How much time do you spend surfing the internet or browsing social media? How much time do you spend thinking about things that are not pure, or that you know for certain would offend a HOLY GOD? How much time do you spend in Prayer? How much time do you spend as an ambassador of/to Christ or to put it bluntly…when was the last time that you spoke to someone with the hopes and prayers of winning them to Christ? How many times have you… whether accidental or on purpose put yourself above others – whether it be in the way you dress, the car you drive or any other aspect of your life that makes you feel that you have it all together? Have you been a good steward of the gifts that God has given you? How many times have you exaggerated a situation to make it either look good or possibly worse than it actually was? Just how many so called harmless little white lies have you told within the last 24 hours? Are you a slave to the world or as Paul, are you a slave to our Lord? I could ask you to ask yourself many more questions, but what I’m getting at here is to show you how our thoughts and our ways are soooooo very different than those of our LORD and SAVIOR!

Do you embrace the greatest commandments given to us by JESUS – YESHUA?

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.³⁸This is the first and great commandment.³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Mark 12:30-31 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

As you can see, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Although we live in different times than when these Scriptures were first written down, they’re alive and well in our age too! The verses spoken by Jesus – Yeshua in Matthew and Mark, were the same ones he spoke in the “Old Testament” Book of Deuteronomy several thousand years before he actually set foot on the Earth as a human, but he was also DEVINE. The point is that He does not change! Therefore if we study HIS WORD, we KNOW HIM! We need to have a wake up call listen when Jesus tell us that the Path to Destruction is Wide and the Path to Salvation is Narrow.

WOE, WOE, WOE!

Scriptures tell us…. “WOE” is not a good thing!

Mark 14:21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Most of the prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel used the term “WOE” frequently; the Blue Letter Bible website tells us that “woe” OR “woes“occurs 107 times in 98 verses in the KJV. Jesus used the term “WOE” 8 times in Matthew 23

https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?criteria=woe+OR+woes&t=KJV

Link to the Blue Letter Bible Website…very useful when studying Scripture.

WOE is generally the precursor to God’s Divine Judgement! Especially in the Old Testament, God says WOE to the inhabitants of Jerusalem when they worshiped Idols, the Philistines recognized WOE unto them when they had stolen the Ark of the Covenant, Job also stated that sin leads to WOE and in Revelation…WOE, WOE, WOE is a familiar phrase when the Angels declare the wrath of God.

The following are some definitions and uses of WOE:

The Dictionary of Bible Themes categorizes the uses of the word woe in the Bible: “Woe as an exclamation of judgment on others,” Woe means “grief, anguish, affliction, wretchedness, calamity, or trouble.” “Woe as an exclamation of misfortune on oneself,” “Woe as an exclamation of sadness over others,” “Woe may give way to forgiveness, comfort, and deliverance” Zondervan, 1999).Matthew 26:23–25 “The Son of Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed!

Anyway you look at it, it was a desperate time for the man Judas or as Jesus referred to him as “a devil”.

John 6: 70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

Matthew 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Judas returned the 30 pieces of silver back to the chief priests when he heard that Jesus was condemned; he realized that he’d betrayed innocent blood.

Romans 3: 10-18 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
“Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Mark 14:21 is a clear reference to Judas and what was to follow when Judas betrayed Jesus. A man who’s destiny was to be intertwined with and is integral to “the story of salvation of us ALL when Yeshua shed His blood for our atonement and died on the cross for our sins”.

It’s not my place to say whether or not Judas is in Heaven or Hell and to be sure I’m not advocating for Judas, just like YOU and ME, he has only one advocate – Jesus – Yeshua. However, like all of us, he had the freedom to choose good or evil. Obviously Judas chose evil!

The purpose of this blog is to wake us up to the fact that consciously or unconsciously we are all guilty of judging our fellowman. If we go to the Scriptures, we find Jesus’s words and also in a letter to the Romans written by the Apostle Paul speaking to this matter:

Matthew 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged.²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:37-38 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:³⁸Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Romans 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.¹¹For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.¹²So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

We all need to think twice before we take it upon ourselves to judge someone when ultimately we have NO RIGHT to make a judgement. We have only “ONE JUDGE” and he knows the content of our hearts. He alone only knows whether or not there is “true repentance” and He alone can judge fairly.

Judas had been able to hide his deceit from the other Apostles, but Jesus knew his heart and when Mary, the sister of Martha anointed him with fragrant expensive oil, Jesus knew why Judas was making a fuss about it:

John 12:5-6 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? ⁶This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

During the “Last Supper” before Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb, He stated clearly that there was one who was eating with them that would betray Him.

When Judas left Jesus – Yeshua and the disciples at the last Supper, he went to the Chief Priests to seek payment or reward for the betrayal of Jesus.

Matthew 26:11-14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, ¹⁵And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Matthew 26:21-25 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. ²²And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? ²³And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.²⁴The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.²⁵Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

Admittedly, there is NO ONE more guilty of shedding innocent blood as Judas was, it’s beyond us to think that we know whether or not, Jesus – Yeshua will intercede for him.

I’ve heard it said by some that Judas was a “pawn” in the scheme of the plan of God, but I prefer to believe that God does not use us as pawns, but as with His faithful servant Job, God will allow Satan to work his wiles on us, but only to a point and ultimately, we have been given the freedom to choose whom we will follow.

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.