Posts tagged ‘Faith’

Christ Is Coming Soon, Let’s Get Ourselves Right While There’s Still Time

By LaVrai, 15 January, 2010, No Comment

Folks have probably been saying this since HE ascended back to Heaven to sit at the FATHER’s right hand, but Jesus Christ is coming shortly. I don’t say it lightly, but with fervent urgency. Is HE coming tomorrow? Next week? Next year? According to the Scriptures, no one knows the exact time. But HIS coming is sure and soon, as the signs of the time suggest.

The latest sign — a devastating earthquake in Haiti — serves as an urgent reminder that we all need to take stock of ourselves and where we stand in our relationship with Christ Jesus. It’s been estimated that about 50,000 Haitians have died since the quake struck a few days ago. These people were just going about their normal business — walking home from work; headed to the grocery store; taking a bath; sleeping in bed; playing with their children; sitting in a classroom… some were likely even in church. And what happened in Haiti could easily happen where we are now. Just because a group of scientists have said the danger is elsewhere, doesn’t necessarily make it so. GOD IS SOVEREIGN and HE can easily bring calamity at any time. As the saying goes, tomorrow is not promised… live each day as if it were your last.

Well, I say this to each and every brother and sister in Christ Jesus — get right today, right now! We have no idea when the heavens will break and Christ Jesus will be revealed for every eye to see HIM — even the ones who pierced HIM. Take a look at the letters written to the churches in the Book of Revelation. Yes, they were letters written specifically to local churches at the time, but as any student of the Bible will tell you — what occurred with the Church in its founding days is still occurring today.

Bible Notes: The LORD Our GOD Truly Is A Merciful GOD

By LaVrai, 4 September, 2009, 4 Comments

Case in point: King Manasseh of Judah

I was reading Isaiah 35 (which prophecies about the healing ministry of our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ, (as David Guzik explains here) and the next chapter involved King Hezekiah, the faithful king of Judah who turned the people back to the true worship of the LORD and away from idolatry. King Hezekiah fell deathly ill in the “prime of his life,” as the king himself put it (Isaiah 38) and the LORD granted him mercy and added 15 years to his life. According to the commentary in my study Bible, King Hezekiah was mostly mourning his death because he had no heir, no son to take his throne and carry on his name. Which makes sense since we don’t hear of the king having any other children in the accounts found in Isaiah 38, 2Isaiah 38, 2
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,

WP-Bible plugin Kings and 2 Chronicles. Apparently three years after the LORD acted to extend his life, King Hezekiah had a son, Manasseh — who took over the throne at 12 when his father died.

Now the accounts in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33 both open with the fact that King Manasseh “reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem,” which I thought was an indicator of how well he must have ruled, that he had kept his father’s standard of holiness unto the LORD. But alas, the next verses reveal a very disgusting king unworthy of the throne.

2 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.”

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; …

In addition to sacrificing his children in fire and worshiping creation instead of the CREATOR and honoring all kinds of demons and setting up idols in the LORD’s temple and practicing black magic — King Manasseh also “shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another… (2 Kings 21:162 Kings 21:16
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. from...: Heb. from mouth to mouth

WP-Bible plugin).”

Video: Dr. Charles Stanley On GODly Living

By LaVrai, 5 July, 2009, No Comment

This video from InTouch Ministries’ the Rev. Dr. Charles Stanley is a blessing and a great aid to Christians concerned about walking faithfully with Christ Jesus.

“It’s becoming more and more unpopular to be a follower of Jesus Christ in our country. For example, it’s unpopular for you to say that your beliefs are according to the Word of GOD. And that you stand by those beliefs. It’s unpopular to say that this is GOD’s Word and our final authority for the way we ought to live and what we believe. It’s very unpopular to name the name of Jesus Christ in a public prayer, in a class room, often times in an office or wherever it might be. It’s becoming more and more unpopular to say that Jesus Christ is the only way even though that’s what the Bible says crystal clear when Jesus says I AM the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the FATHER but by ME. It’s more and more unpopular for us to refuse to agree with those who are living in sin, living a corrupted life, immoral, absolutely on the road to destruction. It’s becoming very unpopular. So what that says is this: we’re living in a society that desires and is working diligently to get all of us to agree. But to agree with the wrong thing on the wrong side.” – Dr. Charles Stanley

What do you do when you’re confronted with these things? Dr. Stanley offers some Biblical instructions in this two-part playlist (the second part will play automatically after the first), which is about 13 minutes long.

Originally aired on June 21, 2009ne 21, 2009
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin – A Call To GODly Living

Read the sermon outline here, the original full-length video here

Video: Jesus In China – America’s Future?

By LaVrai, 23 April, 2009, No Comment

This is an amazing documentary from PBS Frontline & The Chicago Tribune on Christianity in China. It was originally released on June 24, 2008ne 24, 2008
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin, but I don’t remember seeing it. If you missed it, please watch this short video (less than 30 minutes) about the lack of religious freedom in China and how Christians truly in love with Jesus Christ are standing up and being knocked down only to stand back up for their faith. It definitely is a humbling experiencing, just to see a glimpse of what our brothers and sisters in communist China go through on a daily basis. I couldn’t help but think of the growing aggression towards Christians here in America while I watched this… Let us remember to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world. It isn’t just us here in America whom GOD loves so dearly.

You can check out the main story along with related features and other videos here… (The video is also available for your iPod or whathaveyou).

Revelation 2

8 … ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”‘

2 Corinthians 4

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Guns May Soon Be Allowed Inside Arkansas Churches

By LaVrai, 12 February, 2009, 4 Comments

(Rick Gershon/Getty Images)

The Arkansas House recently passed a bill 57-42 that calls for a ban on firearms in certain places… the law used to ban guns in churches and bar. The revised bill has dropped churches from the ban.

The Arkansas House on Wednesday approved a bill allowing concealed handguns in churches, despite hearing arguments that lawmakers should put their faith in God, not guns.

The bill, which passed on a 57-42 vote and now heads to the Senate, removes churches and other houses of worship from the list of places where concealed handguns are banned. Currently, the only private entities where concealed weapons are banned are churches and bars.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, said she introduced the measure after a series of church shootings across the country. She said it would be up to each individual church whether to allow the concealed guns.

“It is time we changed our concealed-handgun law to allow law-abiding citizens of the state of Arkansas the right to defend themselves and others should a situation happen in one of our churches,” she said.

Pyle said at least 20 states have similar laws allowing churches to decide whether to permit concealed guns.

Read the full article here…

Turn to your neighbor and say, “Neighbor. Please don’t accidentally shoot me while you’re praising the LORD.”

And I suppose it will be less of a hassle for gunmen looking to shoot up a church…

As for GOD’s people using firearms responsibly, try this woman’s testimony…