Inspiration

CALLED

 

Jesus says in Matt. 9:13 ‘…for I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.’ There are many in the world who believe being good and righteous is all that is needed to get into Heaven. This attitude is understandable but it would mean Jesus suffered a humiliating and painful death for nothing. But Jesus isn’t agreeing with that thought, is He? No, in fact Paul said in Romans 3:10, 12 that there is ‘no one who is righteous’ and ‘no one who is good.’ Even Jesus tells us that ‘there is no one good except God alone.’

 

Therefore, how does one get to heaven? Simply by accepting the fact that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, and anyone who accepts this truth and invites Jesus to be their personal Savior.

                                            

 

Inspiration

I AM WILLING

 

Matthew 8:3: Jesus says “I am willing.” Yes, He is willing to heal us, willing to forgive us, willing to save us, willing to die for us and willing to be patient with a love so profound that we cannot understand nor appreciate it. God’s love is unconditional; He forgives and He forgets. What would you do if you were a witness to the humiliation and torture and crucifixion of your only child? Could you then be willing to forgive and forget? God did.

 

While God’s love is unconditional, there is a condition for all who want to experience that love and forgiveness; we must be willing to believe in and accept His gift. I believed and I am saved. If you haven’t made that choice I urge you to consider it today.

 

Nick's Ministry

ASK-S

 

When I read Matt.7:7 and Jesus tells us to ‘ask, seek and knock’ and it will be granted, I couldn’t help but to think of a great acronym for His advice. I took the liberty of adding one letter, S, because this ingredient is necessary to validate the first three letters.

 

S is for sincerely, the fourth letter. We cannot expect God to honor any request or even ‘hear’ us if we are not genuinely sincere in our approach to Him. My own experience has proven to bear out what I am saying. In all my attempts to find God and understand the Bible and to ‘hear’ Him ‘speak’ to me, failed until the day that I sincerely wanted to know the truth at the age of 37. I asked, He heard, and it has been an exhilarating spiritual experience ever since. This is why I always end my letters asking people to read His loving Word for an exhilarating experience.

 

Nick's Ministry

HOW TO PRAY

 

When Jesus told the Disciples how to pray He told them to pray in ‘secret’ to the Father, and do not pray using repetitive phrases; Matthew 6:6.

 

The Lord’s Prayer, as it is commonly known, is merely a model (things to think about when praying to the Father) and is not necessarily a ‘prayer’ to repeat and repeat, time and time again. This is not my opinion, it is Scriptural; see Mt.6:7: Jesus says “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”

 

For those who believe it is an actual prayer to be repeated, so be it; the words are beautiful.

 

Jesus said it and I believe it. You too, can learn the truth simply by reading His Word today.

 

 

 

 

Inspiration

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

 

Matthew 5:44,”But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

 

Jesus is telling us to not only pray for everyone, but to love everyone. It’s so easy to love those who love you and so difficult to love those who would do you harm. We need to work and develop a loving attitude; work I say because it will be work for many, if not all. It’s so easy to get riled up and angry but if we work at it we can eventually develop an attitude of response to all things in life in a loving way.

 

I will be the first one to admit the way I respoind at times is not always the way Jesus would desire for me; however, I will listen to my own advice today and WORK at it. 

 

Inspiration

READ THE BIBLE

 

It’s always satisfying when one’s opinion is confirmed and especially if it’s confirmed by Jesus. John 4:4 Jesus answered,”Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

 

Comes from where, from the mouth of God? How can we ‘hear’ God if He doesn’t speak to us as he did to the Prophets of old? The Bible is the inspired word of God and when we open His word He will ‘speak’ to those who are sincere and desire to know the truth.  

Romans 10:17 says: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

 

 

 

Inspiration

MY BELOVED SON

 

 

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Mt.3:17)

 

Would you like God to be well pleased with you? If we understand why God was pleased with Jesus it would be possible. Jesus pleased His Father because He obeyed Him and He loved Him. Isn’t this what Jesus told us when He replaced the 10 commandments with: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart’ and ‘love your neighbor as you would yourself.’ see Mark 30:30, 31.

 

 

 

 

Inspiration

THE INTERVENTION

 

God had to intervene when Herod attempted to kill Jesus because he, as well as all of Jerusalem, feared the arrival of the One who was described as the King of the Jews by the Magi (wise men). Again we see prophecy being fulfilled in Jesus, Mt. 2:6 that tells of the ‘ruler, the shepherd of the sheep’ that will come out of Bethlehem, (Micah 5:2).

 

There is so much prophecy fulfilled in Jesus that one has to wonder why people have a problem accepting Him as Lord and Savior. We know why as evidenced by the stubbornness and hard heartedness of people throughout history.   

 

Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world as we read His declaration in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

                                       

 

 

 

Inspiration

BE ON THE ALERT

 

Jude 1:4:”For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

 

This is the last book I will be writing about in this book, however I believe it is most appropriate because it gives us pause and time to think of Jude’s message.

 

We should always be on the alert for false teachers; they come in many forms such as: organizations, cults, self- proclaimed preachers and even some religions. As Jude said they are actually godless people who try to create a following to achieve their own agenda which does not necessarily lead to the God of the Bible.

 

Jude is an excellent example of why it is so important, so very important to heed the last word in all my letters:

 

Please, please read the Bible to discover the truth.

 

 

 

Inspiration

DO NOT IMITATE EVIL

 

3^rd John 11: “Dear friend, do not imitate evil but what is good. Anyone who does good is from God. Anyone who does evil has not seen God.”

 

There are so many different ways evil has permeated society that it is not only difficult to do good, but it is so easy to do evil. Every time I use the word evil I always think of him, the d-evil; fitting I’d say.

 

We must strive to imitate Jesus, as difficult as it may be; but at the very least we should try. I find it very helpful if I think more of God during the day; to take a moment and look up and say ‘thank you Lord.’

 

My mentor once said the following: “If it isn’t in faith then it isn’t of God;” i.e. whatever it is we might do or say. This is a difficult statement but it does make one think and puts us or keeps us on the right track. For more on good and evil I pray that you will: Read the Bible.   

 

Nick's Ministry

DO NOT IMITATE EVIL

 

3^rd John 11: “Dear friend, do not imitate evil but what is good. Anyone who does good is from God. Anyone who does evil has not seen God.”

 

There are so many different ways evil has permeated society that it is not only difficult to do good, but it is so easy to do evil. Every time I use the word evil I always think of him, the d-evil; fitting I’d say.

 

We must strive to imitate Jesus, as impossible as it may be; but at the very least we should try. I find it very helpful if I think more of God during the day; to take a moment and look up and say ‘thank you Lord.’

 

My mentor once said the following: “If it isn’t in faith then it isn’t of God;” i.e. whatever it is we might do or say. This is a difficult statement but it does make one think and puts us or keeps us on the right track. For more on good and evil I pray that you will: Read the Bible, it’ll tell you.                                                                                  

 

Inspiration

HOW WE KNOW

 

1^st John 5:1-2: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.” Christ means Messiah.

 

If we love God, if we carry out His commands, then we will know the truth’s of the Bible. The commands of Jesus are: To love Him and to love others as we would love ourselves.

 

You can’t believe in God unless you accept the fact that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). The only way you can accept Jesus as the Christ is to do so on the basis of faith. I can guarantee if you step out in faith and truly accept Him you will experience God’s love; you will experience a change in your life and best of all you will be born again (born of God).

 

It isn’t rocket science; it is simply a faith step to know Him and to love Him.

 

Inspiration

LIVE THROUGH HIM

 

1^st John 4:9-11: “This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

 

The choice is yours: if you want to live you must accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. You must believe He died on the cross and rose again to be with the Father where He now is. If you do you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven; if you don’t you will be separated from Him and spend eternity with Satan in a place you don’t really want to go to.

 

Faith is the key ingredient for one to believe; knowledge helps one to develop faith; the best place to obtain knowledge is the Bible; this is the 130^th time I have asked you to read the Bible. Are you listening?

 

I can understand if you don’t believe what I’m saying and I’m not asking you to, but I am asking you to: Discover the truth for yourself by reading the Bible.

 

Inspiration

HOW GREAT A LOVE

 

1^st John 3:1: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

 

John is speaking to the believers and because of God’s unconditional love for believers we are called His children; a privilege indeed.

 

When the world looks upon Born Again Christians it cannot accept the choice they made and their way of life to be the only way to God, yet it is. When Jesus said in the Gospel of John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me,” He wasn’t just exhaling hot air; He was telling a gospel truth.

 

If you want to know more about Jesus and become a believer I would suggest you:

 

Read the Bible to receive God’s unconditional love

 

Inspiration

IF YOU DO SIN

 

1^st John 2:1-2: “My dear children, I write this to you so you will not sin. But, if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

 

John is reminding the believers to live a life worthy of a child of God. We are a new creation since we accepted Jesus as our Savior; therefore we should make every effort to live a sinless life.

 

However, if we do sin, John is reminding them that Jesus is our perpetual atoning sacrifice. It is He who will be with us on judgment day when all will be judged. When that day comes for you will you be ready? Will Jesus be your intermediary between you and God, or will you be standing alone to be judged on the merits of your life and whether or not you accepted Jesus as Savior when you had the chance?

 

You might say, ‘what chance, when did I have a chance?’ If you are reading this letter this is your chance to accept Jesus as your personal Savior; you have no excuse.

 

Read the Bible for your chance to have Jesus atone for your sins.

 

 

Inspiration

THE WITNESSES

 

1^st John 1:1-2: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.”

 

What greater testimony does one need than that of people who lived with, ate with, and served for 3 years?

And in addition there were more than 500 witnesses who saw Jesus after His death on the cross.

 

To not believe in Jesus is to not believe in His-story (History); to not believe in history is a shame.

 

Why not make Jesus your friend and part of your life, if you haven’t already done so. The best introduction a friend can make is to meet Jesus in the Gospel of John; I am your friend and I really would like you to meet Him; I pray daily that you will: read the Bible, it is truly the source of life, 

 

 

Inspiration

SPOTLESS AND BLAMELESS

 

2^nd Peter 3:13-14: “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

 

Yes indeed, I, for one am definitely looking forward to that great day when I will be in His presence in my new home. I pray many of you have that same vision.

 

Is it possible to be found spotless and blameless? No it is not; the only way is through Jesus as our mediator. He is the ‘way, the truth and the life…’ (John 14:6).

 

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior (without Him you are lost), let me introduce you; read the Gospel of John and you will have the opportunity to develop a relationship that will last for eternity.

 

 

Inspiration

BEWARE OF him

 

2^nd Peter: 2:1: “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce false heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves.”

 

Not much has changed since then and nothing will change until He comes back and, ultimately, deals with Satan. There will always be those who want nothing other than to propagate their agenda and take people down the primrose path of destruction.

 

If you want to win a battle, preparation is the key to victory and the proper way to prepare to battle Satan and his army is to be armed with the armor of Jesus Christ which you can pick up in the Bible.

 

 

Nick's Ministry

HIS DIVINE POWER

 

2^nd Peter 1:3-4: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through him you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

 

It’s interesting to think of the differences from the creation of Adam to the advent of Jesus and today; Personally, I don’t see any. As God was, is and always will be the same; man was, is and will always be the same. Unfortunately for us there is a vast difference between us and God; He is pure and man is….you fill in the blanks.   

 

But because of His great and never ending compassion and love, He has presented us the greatest gift possible; the sacrifice of His only Son so that ‘whoever believes in Him will have everlasting life’ (John 3:16) and not be subjected to the ‘reward,’ if you will, to be given those who will not escape from the consequences of their choice and the corruption of the world.

 

If you are not participating in His divine power it is because you have chosen to remain on the path you were born. You can alter that path by knowledge of the only and true God and you can find Him in the Bible.

 

 

Inspiration

RESIST HIM

 

James5:9: “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.”

 

And you thought you were the only ones suffering; sorry but the world offers much suffering and there is plenty to go around. But we (those who know Jesus as Savior) need not feel we suffer alone; we have the strength and peace offered to us by our Father; actually we can rejoice in that knowledge because we know that He will never allow temptations greater than we can handle.

 

I must repeat this point because of its importance in our daily lives. We know Jesus said He would never allow anything to come upon us that would be beyond our ability to cope, so we can have peace in that knowledge and rely on His strength. Therefore when things seem to be beyond our control it is merely Satan’s way of trying to discourage us and to keep our eyes off Jesus; this is just the time to resist his tempting and look to Him.

 

 

 

Inspiration

WHAT WILL BECOME?

 

1^st Peter 4:18: “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

 

A provocative question indeed; yes, it is difficult for the righteous to be saved because they feel they are good people and their good deeds will be sufficient. And the ungodly and sinner might very well feel hopeless because they might feel unworthy.

 

This kind of philosophy is quite human and totally wrong in God’s eyes. The Bible says He didn’t die on the cross for the righteous, no, He died for the sinner. Aren’t you glad to be a sinner (just kidding)? On the serious side though we are all born sinners; it is our natural destiny because of the Curse levied on the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned.

 

So what will become of the sinner is entirely up to the sinner; God fulfilled His part on the cross; the rest is up to the sinner’s to alter their natural destiny by choosing to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. Please remember no action, no choosing, is a choice. The best place to prove what I just wrote is the Bible

 

 

Inspiration

ONCE FOR ALL

 

1^st Peter 3:18: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

 

This verse and others supporting the same basic truth of the fact that there is nothing more man can do to be with God, is one of my favorite Scriptural verses. When man attempts to ‘help’ people find God, the result is not necessarily what one would expect. I’m trying not to be critically harsh but sometimes it is necessary to be straight forward to make a point.

 

I do make a distinction between Christianity and religion; the former being founded by God and the latter founded by man. Religions tend to make one believe that it is their way or no way. Because there are so many (in excess of 3,000) religions or cults today it really does nothing more that to pour tons of confusing methods or facts or information on a society that is reeling from being overly informed; to the point of apathy in many instances. I think I am getting confused myself trying to write about what I’m trying to say in non-critical terms.

 

The Bible has been the same since its introduction. It is the inspired word of God, has no error, no contradiction and no need to add or subtract anything. In fact God, in the book of Revelation, warns man not to change anything in that book or he will be cursed. Need I say more?

 

 

 

Inspiration

A PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE

 

1st Peter 2:6: For in Scripture it says: “See I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” This stone is precious to those who believe and it is a stumbling block to the unbeliever.

 

Personally, I like the idea I can live my life without shame, proud, if you will, of being a child of God, but always with humility. We can stand tall and walk proudly, but always with humility. We can be proud we are among the chosen people of God, His family, and we can shout praises to Him forever.

 

Have you ever considered God made a choice and we are part of that decision? Yes, He chose to send His Son to pay for our sins and now He leaves us to choose our destiny i.e., to be with Him or not. One of the best parts of God’s plan was to give us autonomy; independence and the right to make our own decisions.

 

What will your decision be? You do have to make one, you know. Not making a conscious decision to accept or reject is actually making a decision. A non-decision simply means you stay on the path into which you were born. To know that path you should read the Bible, it contains the answer. I can give you a hint though, it doesn’t lead to Heaven.

 

 

 

Inspiration

NEW BIRTH

 

1^st Peter 1:3-5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

 

Now there is a revelation I want to be part of, and I will be, as will all believers. How can we be sure? In verse 4 (“…and into an inheritance that can never be perish, spoil or fade…”) it says our salvation cannot be lost; once we have accepted Jesus into our heart as Lord and Savior. The Word of God states this in many places and in no uncertain terms; no guess work needed.

 

As Jesus told Nicodemus in the garden (John 3) man must be born again; a new birth, if you will, through the Spirit from above. And we are under the protection of God until that time when we will see Him face to face.

 

Reading the Bible is not only informative, it is exciting and is the reason I always suggest you read it.

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration

PATIENCE

 

James 5:7: “Be patient, then, bothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.”

 

I am reminded of Revelation 6:10 when the Saints asked the Father when their blood would be avenged and He told them to be patient because many more Saints would be martyred before the end. It seems everyone is impatient, but we must remember God has a plan and it will be carried out according to His time table.

 

There are many questions about the conditions in the world today and I am asked for my opinion which I hesitate to offer because the only thing I know for sure is what I just said; God has a plan and our best course of action is to believe it and remind ourselves each day that He is in control. Remember the words of Jesus when He said not to fear because He has “overcome the world” (John16:33).

 

I don’t know about you but I will live the rest of my days in His peace knowing that He is in full command.

 

If you would like to know more about His plan I suggest you read the Bible and He’ll tell you.                                                                           

 

Inspiration

PRAYER MINISTRY

 

1st Thessalonians 5:16: “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in all circumstances.”

 

Hobbylobby.com is a ministry to pray for. They run a full page ad in every paper in which they advertise. Go to their web site and see what they do for Jesus and for the lost. See how they encourage believers.

 

Bunny (my wife); Vista Knoll Nursing home patients; District Prayer Ministry; Dennis P.; George and family; Angela, cancer; Nick (me); Military; Virgin; Jeremy;

 

Rms.11:29, “For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

 

Inspiration

TWO KINDS OF WISDOM

 

James 3:17-18: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” I am most fortunate of men because these verses describe God’s gift to me when He presented my wife of 57 years.

 

The other kind of wisdom is worldly because it does not come down from Heaven; it is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil, disorderly and contains every kind of evil practice, (Verses 15 and 16).

 

True, Godly wisdom is wise and understanding and is demonstrated by the kind of life lived by the person who has been given that particular gift. I do believe it is a gift as you will find very few people who possess it.

 

A wise person does one other thing; reads the Bible. 

 

Inspiration

IS YOUR FAITH REAL?

 

James 2:14: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him?” This is a deep and penetrating question and one that has created much controversy.

 

The battle is between faith saving someone and good deeds saving someone; there are some who contend faith without good deeds is dead faith and is no faith at all, and someone else will try to say they are saved because they perform good deeds. Who is right, who is wrong? Of course God is the final judge of a man’s heart.

 

I can’t believe anyone who claims to faithfully believe in Jesus as Savior does not perform good deeds. I do believe that people who do not perform good deeds are probably not believers in Jesus as Savior anyway.

 

I believe verse 20 is the proper approach: “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” The key word here is, ‘useless;’ James says it well when he poses the question of whether someone will help a brother in need by providing for him or simply tell him to ‘have faith, go you way and I wish you well.’ When a brother is in need that will be the time your faith will be tested and you will know if you love your brother as Jesus has commanded us.

 

 

 

Nick's Ministry

QUICK/SLOW

 

James 1: Two contradictory words to heed. Verses 19-20: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

 

People who are slow to listen are usually preoccupied with their own thoughts and can’t wait to speak, they are thinking about what they want to say and make very poor listeners. Those who speak quickly, usually without thinking and not listening, are also preoccupied.

 

James’ advice is excellent; by listening we will have a more meaningful response and a more profitable conversation. Unjustifiable anger speaks for itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration

CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS

 

Hebrews 13: Paul concludes Hebrews with exhortations of love (love your brothers (and I will add your sisters also); Do not forget to entertain strangers; remember those in prison; marriage must be honored; do not love money; always remember the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. With the Lord on our side what can man do to us?

 

Verses 1-2: “Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without it.”

 

Paul continues exhorting them to remember their leaders; not to be misled by strange doctrines or false teachings and most important is to remember to continue offering praise to God.

 

Paul finishes his letters by praying that God will equip them with everything they need that is good for doing His will. The book of Hebrews is very interesting and informative; I urge you all to read and meditate upon Paul’s thoughts; of course the only way you can do that is to read the Bible.

 

 

 

Inspiration

TO SAVE COMPLETELY

Hebrews 7:25: “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

 

Such beautiful and heart warming words; completely, not partially, not something we have to work for, not something we have to hope for, but complete. I can’t help but think of John 3:16 that says, ‘anyone who believes in Jesus will never perish, but will have eternal life.’

 

Want to be saved? Confess your sins to Him, believe He died for you and rose on the 3^rd day, ask Him into your heart, in faith, and you will be saved. The Bible says it; Jesus says it; and all the disciples are in agreement.

 

It’s okay if you think what I have just written is my personal opinion, however, if you will just take the time to read the Bible you will discover the truth supporting my words.

 

Inspiration

TO SAVE COMPLETELY

Hebrews 7:25: “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

 

Such beautiful and heart warming words; completely, not partially, not something we have to work for, not something we have to hope for, but complete. I can’t help but think of John 3:16 that says, ‘anyone who believes in Jesus will never perish, but will have eternal life.’

 

Want to be saved? Confess your sins to Him, believe He died for you and rose on the 3^rd day, ask Him into your heart, in faith, and you will be saved. The Bible says it; Jesus says it; and all the disciples are in agreement.

 

It’s okay if you think what I have just written is my personal opinion, however, if you will just take the time to read the Bible you will discover the truth supporting my words.

 

Inspiration

HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE

 

Hebrews 5:8: “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of salvation for all who obey him, and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

 

He was obedient; He suffered; He was made perfect; (even though He was God and therefore already perfect) and He is the Savior of the world for all those who choose to believe.

 

How much more does one need to know the Way of salvation? In faith we can believe, we can trust and we will never be disappointed. Do you have faith? Can you trust in Jesus? Can you believe Him when He says He is the ‘Way, the Truth and the Life’? If so, you too, can become a member of His Family by confessing your sins to Him and ask Him to come into you heart. It becomes crystal clear to see and understand this when you read the Bible.

 

Inspiration

LIVING AND PIERCING

 

 

Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

There is opinion today the Bible is not what it says about itself, and then there is opinion the Bible is exactly what it says about itself. Personally I am of the latter belief. I believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God, written by 40 different authors covering a period of 1,500 years and I also believe it is without error or contradiction. It’s interesting to note that every time Archeologists discover something new pertaining to the Bible it enhances its credibility. Hmmmm.

 

Scientists demand proof before they believe anything; the Bible requires faith. It is my personal opinion that proof of the validity of the Bible is given to each believer after they believe; I know I have all the proof I need after 45 years of believing in Jesus Christ and His claim that ‘He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.’ John 14:6.

 

If you would like to have proof that the Bible is the living word of God I suggest you read it. Read the Bible first, criticize it later, if you must.  

 

Inspiration

DO NOT HEARDEN YOUR HEARTS

 

Hebrews 3:7-8: So, as the Holy Spirit says:” Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert.”

 

Paul is trying to tell the Jews not to be so stubborn and hard-hearted as their forefathers were when they were travelling in the desert. They were disobedient then and continue to be so, and because of this, they will never have peace with God; until the end times. That is why God said they will ‘never enter my rest’ (verse 11).

 

Hard-heartedness, disobedience, ego, whatever the reason people refuse to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, it will be an eternal separation from God for those who choose to remain in the lost state in which they were born.

 

If you are not a child of God and wish to be, I would suggest, as Paul did when he told them not to live with a closed heart; but to ‘hear’ Him speak and that is accomplished by reading the Bible.

 

Inspiration

SLAVES-BEFORE AND AFTER

 

Hebrews 2:14-16: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.”

 

The children referred to here are the descendants of Abraham, but as you know, His people by and large, refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah, resulting in Jesus turning to the Gentile nation. The important issue here is the fact Jesus came to redeem those who would eventually accept Him on faith and faith alone.

 

Before one accepts Jesus as Savior the devil is their master and they are his children; conversely when one accepts Jesus as Savior they become children of God. Everyone is a child of someone; the big question for anyone is: ‘Who am I a child of, Satan or God?’ If you will remember Jesus told the Jews in John 8:44, after they claimed they were the children of Abraham: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire…”

 

If you don’t know who your master is you should read the Bible to discover Him. 

 

Inspiration

HOW DOES HE SPEAK?

Hebrews 1:1-2: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.”

 

When Jesus gave up His Spirit on the cross a new age began called the Church Age; the Old was done away with and the New began. Jesus left us His words by inspiring men to record almost everything He said and did. The Bible says if everything Jesus did was written the world would not be big enough to store the books.

 

It’s interesting to note Paul’s reference to the ‘last days’ in verse 2. It seems by that reference Jesus’ appearance signaled the beginning of the end. I personally believe what Paul said is the truth and we are, as we have been, in the last days since the appearance of Jesus.

 

Think about it for a moment; He came to save His people and when they refused to accept Him He turned to the Gentiles and now he speaks to them. The Bible is truly the living Word of God; Paul states it emphatically in Hebrews 4:12 when he says “…the word of God is living and active…”

 

To my knowledge there is no other book ever written that has been in circulation as long as the Bible and it has changed so many lives to the good.  Now is the time to read the Bible and hear Jesus speak. 

 

 

 

Inspiration

PAUL’S PLEA

 

Philemon 1:8-9: “Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love.”

 

Paul is appealing to Philemon to take back Onesimus who is his slave but had left him and somehow wound up with Paul. Obviously Onesimus accepted Jesus as his Savior while he was with Paul and now wants to return to his owner; Paul wants Philemon to receive him, not as a slave, but as a brother in the Lord. Paul could have ordered him to take him back without punishment but he wanted Philemon to receive him as a brother.

 

I love the way Paul appealed to Philemon, mentioning the fact that he owed his life to Paul but yet didn’t want to use that as an advantage. As Paul exemplifies, love is the best and perhaps the most effective way to accomplish delicate matters.

 

We can learn a great deal from Paul, the sacrifices he made, the willingness he demonstrated and never getting to the point of total frustration and quitting his ministry; truly a committed and loving man of God.

 

Inspiration

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Titus 1, 2&3: “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness-a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.” Titus 1:1-3.

 

Titus consists of 3 chapters stressing the qualifications of various offices in the Church; therefore I combined all 3. Paul also discusses the false teachings of various individuals; to be aware and stay away from them.

 

I like verse 11 in Titus 2 that reads: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” Verse 14: “… who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do good.” While we may not know how God accomplishes this I believe what it says.

 

 

Inspiration

BE PREPARED TO PREACH

 

2^nd Timothy 4:1-2: “In the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.”

 

Considering my last letter it is apparent what we must do, based on what Paul is telling Timothy in this chapter; we must preach (talk about) the Word of God anytime, anywhere. We must be ready to help those who might say things in ignorance, but when you do it is always best to use the Bible when we try to correct someone. I’m sure you are not interested in someone’s opinion as opposed to the literal word found in the Bible; I know I’m not. When I receive a criticism (I do) my replies are always specific Bible verses supporting my issue.

 

And we must remember to do all things with patience and in love; sometimes my patience wears thin and my wife is quick to remind me, thank God. What more can I say other than to read your Bible.

 

Inspiration

THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE

 

2^nd Timothy 3:15: “and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Paul wrote those words to Timothy.

 

I believe reading or quoting Bible verses are extremely powerful as opposed to preaching or commentaries. In fact Paul does say in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active…”

 

My commentary in letters is simply my attempt to further emphasize the living word of God. There are so many books on the shelves of bookstores and homes it boggles the mind as to which one to read, or even believe; this is the reason I always tell people to read the Bible. It is not a difficult read if one stays in the New Testament, especially the Gospels; my favorite is John. The Old Testament is wonderful and its major emphasis is the Creation and the history of Israel and the lives of particular mighty men of God. And it is filled with prophecy fulfilled in the new testament.

 

With a desire to know the truth and a sincere heart:

 

Read the Bible and let God speak to you.

 

Inspiration

 

APPROVED BY GOD

 

2^nd Timothy 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

 

If only all believers would aspire to be workers for Christ, our world would be better for it. I have found it doesn’t take much to create an opportunity to sow the seed of salvation. Sometimes one word dropped at the proper time is sufficient.

 

I received a letter from an individual who says he wants to keep his relationship with God private; I have a heavy heart for him because he is ignorant to what Jesus has to say about that subject in the Gospel’s. I find this type of thought occurs when people think they are born again when they are simply being religious.

 

Verse 19 settles all questions of relationships with the Father when He says, ‘…the Lord knows those who are his…

Inspiration

A SPIRIT OF POWER

 

2^nd Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Paul continues, telling Timothy God has saved and called us for His own purpose.

 

Jesus has conquered death and given all who believe life eternal; in humility we walk in strength and power, i.e. we should. We have so much given to us, we should ‘shout from the roof tops’ of our Savior’s saving grace.

 

Let’s live our lives in His love; let’s exemplify Him. It’s much easier to achieve when you are family and to be family all you have to do is: Read the Bible and meet your family after you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.

 

 

 

 

Inspiration

LOVE OF MONEY

 

1^st Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

 

I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard people misquote this verse saying, ‘money is the root of all evil.’ People who read the Bible know better. It’s interesting to note the number of things taken out of context or just plain old ignorance; and they try to convince you their view is the right one. The most horrifying part is that they are betting their eternity on ignorance.

 

I’ve heard the expression ‘ignorance is bliss.’ When it comes to your eternal future I don’t think you want to be ignorant, because when it’s too late, it’s too late and ignorance won’t help.

 

Don’t want to be ignorant? Read your Bible.

 

 

Inspiration

RESPONSIBLE FOR FAMILY

 

1^st Timothy 5:8: “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

 

It’s too bad society has lost its sense of responsibility; unfortunately we live in a world that seems to shun it. Welfare is the product of irresponsibility; it only spreads the burden of support that should be shouldered by family; yes, there are exceptions.

 

If providing for our family is pleasing to God, how do you think He feels when we don’t? The only way we are going to bring back our sense of responsibility is to be responsible as individuals.

 

Read the Bible, it’s your responsibility to make the right decision.

 

Inspiration

A TRUSTWORTHY SAYING

 

1^st Timothy 4:9-10: “This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially those who believe.”

 

Paul’s point in this chapter is to stress the importance of discernment; knowing right from wrong, or better said, being able to discern false teachings of the Devil’s helpers. They preach misleading doctrine such as telling their followers not to marry or to abstain from certain foods, (verse 3). Verse 4 says ‘everything God created is good.’

 

There are religions or cults that preach this type of false doctrine today plus many other things that prevent us from knowing the truth. There is a book called, Fast Facts on False Teaching by Ron Carlson and Ed Decker, I would strongly suggest you purchase a copy, if for no other reason than to acquire a bit of education so sorely needed today.

 

Naturally the best book is a book called the Bible by God.

 

Inspiration

A GREAT LESSON

 

 

Acts 5:1: “Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the Apostles feet.”  There was nothing wrong in what they conspired to do except for the fact that all were doing the same thing and sharing all their possessions with everyone. As a result of deceiving the disciples, they died instantly.

 

The lesson to be learned here is when we do or say something, are we considering the fact that we are in His presence? We cannot see God but He is omnipresent, therefore He is everywhere simultaneously and that includes being with us at all times.

 

Personally I find myself, at times, at odds with a proposed action or something to say resulting in my awareness of God’s presence. Please note I am not an angel and am certainly not perfect. I struggle as we all do but it’s nice to be reminded at times of our behavior, (My wife does a terrific job on me in this area).

 

PS Faith + Jesus =’s Salvation.

 

 

 

Inspiration

GOD’S DESIRE

 

1^st Timothy 2:3-6: “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all…”

 

The Bible says God wants all to be saved and to prove His desire He offered His only Son Jesus as a sacrifice to pay for the sin’s of the world. Jesus, the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father obeyed God’s desire for you and me. I can’t wait to be in His presence to thank Him because I know that He is not only my Savior, but He is the only Savior for the world. He said he is the way, the truth and the life and I believe it; I hope you do because there is no other way, according to the Bible. This why it is imperative to:

 

Read the Bible and discover the way, the truth and the life.                               

 

Inspiration

THE WORST OF SINNERS

 

1^st Timothy 1:15-16: “…of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

 

Can you imagine Paul accusing himself of being the worst of sinners; actually, prior to his conversion, he would have to have been exactly as he admitted. Was he any different than any other sinner? No, in the sense he committed acts contrary to God’s will.

 

This means there is hope for everyone, no matter what they have done as long as they, in faith, accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is certainly amazing what can be discovered when one reads the Bible. Perhaps you will come to know the reason I end all my messages in the same way:

 

Read the Bible and you will discover hope in Jesus.

 

 

Inspiratiion

HE IS OUR BODY GOD

 

2^nd Thessalonians 3:3: “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

 

Do you walk through the day knowing you have the ultimate body guard? Indeed as Paul tells us, He is our strength and protector; He will never allow trials or tribulations to enter our lives without Him to protect us. We can rejoice in everything no matter what, if we only remember He is with us at all times.

 

Yes we suffer sickness, injury, financial problems, etc. but we will be victorious in the end. Remember God is our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer and has given us the gift of Jesus. He is our Father and will always be there for us (believers). The Bible is replete with this truth. He’s also there for non-believers who seek Him.

 

If you are not a believer yet I suggest you read the Gospel of John; it will show you the way to Him.

 

To be saved, to be inspired, is to read the Bible.