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“Peter’s Letter to Christians In 1 Peter 4 Is About How To Live In The World While Suffering For Faith In Christ. “

Notice, this does not say we should be reluctant to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in case we suffer for it. As more and more people suffer for their faith in Jesus, as more Christians are persecuted, it will become even more important to share the Good News.

Why? In part, because there will not be any Good News to be had. But most importantly, because every person that we reach with the Good News of Jesus Christ will have the ability to go to Heaven if they choose to accept Jesus as their Savior.

Can you imagine is such a time of darkness, how it will help another to be able to look forward to Heaven :). How it will help another to be loved and give love 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

Does America, As A Nation, Still Do This?

“Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.” -Isaiah 58:2

Does America, as a nation, still do this?

If we are no longer a Christian nation, can we still expect God’s Blessings?

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

Suffering Matters

A good friend sent this 🙂

“God’s Word shares with you “That having been justified by faith, you have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also you have access by faith into His Grace in which you stand, and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God. Not only that, but you also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, Hope. Now Hope does not disappoint, because the Love of God has been poured out into your heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”(Romans 5:1-5). So what does that all mean? IS it possible that suffering matters? Does suffering have a purpose? YES! Whether it’s suffering in relationships, in health, in your profession, or in your spiritual walk, it ALL has a purpose! It’s shaping who you are and who you become!

Your Heavenly Father continually offers His Courage and Strength to you, not just some of the time, ALL the time! Also, He shares with you to give Him your pain and doubt, that He knows what it is like to have these burdens. Do you remember that His Only Son, Jesus Christ suffered, died and was Resurrected, just for you personally? If you thought some of these moments on earth involve suffering, imagine the eternal suffering He saved you from by your choice to accept Him. BELIEVE that this suffering forever has NO comparison! What an Awesome God you have, that paid for your sins in Full, offering to you His Salvation from this eternal pain! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

No doubt these “shaping” moments hurt, but you may also know His Joy, Peace, Rest and Healing Touch offered by your Heavenly Father’s Love for you!! May you hold your head high and look around when you’re feeling weighed down, because what comes next IS SO worth it! God has carefully chosen you personally for His Will and Purpose. Accept His Task for you, do not hesitate! Truly, His Extended Hands through you, shall impact many for His Good, Forever and Ever! In Jesus’ Name. Thy Will be done. Amen. Peace.”

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

How Do We Live In Times Of Great Persecution?

Early Christians lived in times of great Christian persecution. And sadly, one day we will too.

It wasn’t just that early Christians could be put to death, it was that they could be forced to suffer every day. Have you ever heard the saying, “death by a 1,000 paper cuts”? That is exactly what it was like for many. No food, no housing, no water. Everything that they own was taken from them time and again…Those that they loved were threatened, they were cold, hungry, thirsty and tired… Their freedom was sometimes taken and often threatened simply for sharing God’s Truth! And the freedom of those they loved was sometimes taken as well.

We, as Christians, will also one day face great persecution. Some Christians already are! What can we do? What should we do when evil “appears to prevail”?

Share The Gospel. Share that our Hope is in Jesus. Pray. Answer God’s Call. Share that we are not home yet, Heaven will be our permanent Home!

Hug each other. Share all that we have, whether is is food and housing or medical care and other practical assistance. Or as Peter said, make sure that we love others unconditionally as God Loves us 🙂

John shared a verse that is truly wise:

“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” – 1 John 4:20.

We need to love one another as God loves each of us!

Our time is coming…

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

War Is Coming!

No matter how much we fear it, no matter how much we dread it, war is coming. The only question is how will we behave?

Will we love one another? Will we love our enemies? Will we reach out in kindness? Will we share whatever we have? Will we love as God has called us to love?

Will our family, friends, strangers and enemies know us by our love?

Will God?

Prepare, Pray and Be Ready!

We Need Not Be Separated From God!

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”-Isaiah 59:1

How comforting this verse is! No matter how difficult the times we live in become, God will Save us 🙂

Isaiah 59:2 goes on to say:

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

While our sins may indeed separate us from God, Jesus has made a way for us to be forgiven and repent.

We need not be separated from God. It’s our choice, given to us by God Himself 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready 🙂

Be Not Afraid In Times Of Darkness

Elijah Proclaims a Drought

” And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.””-1 Kings 1-4

For just a moment, picture what this was like. Everywhere one looked, there was a drought. And a drought back then had a much greater effect than it does now. Back then, a drought could easily mean no food and no water! (now, in the United States we often just get it somewhere else). But can you imagine, looking all around, with hungry children to feed, and there was no where to get food or water! It must have been quite frightening.

Today, we look around and often feel surrounded by darkness. We look to our Lord and see the light, but the darkness that appears to surround us, does worry us, but there is Hope for us. It is written in God’s Word:

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”-Matthew 4:4

God’s got us! We need not fear! And these passages remind us that God does take care of His people. Who are His people? Those who accept His Son Jesus as their Savior 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

“Prophecy Against The Shepherds Of Israel”

“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? ³You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. Theweak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. ⁵So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; ⁶they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.”

“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, ⁹therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.”-Ezekiel 34:1-10

Today, many Pastors and Priests teach their “flock” not what the Bible says, but what the people wish it said:

“For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires.”=2 Timothy 4:3

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

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“Preach The Word”

” I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 1-5

Need more be said?

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

Warn The Wicked & Save Your Soul!

“Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’”-Ezekiel 33: 9-11

It’s always difficult to tell someone, anyone, that they are heading in the wrong direction. But the truth is, if we truly love them as God has commanded-we will.

“Love Thy Neighbor” means being Honest with them!

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!