Proverbs 29:2  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Our Country is not and should not be rejoicing right now - the righteous are definately not in authority.

I was sad to see the news headline - "Obama signs hate crimes act" (click if you want to read article). I was pretty sure he would, after all he is a supporter of the gay agenda.

But know that whatever laws, courts, and government officials may say, the Bible still says it is  SIN!

It is NOT hate speech to stand by what the Bible says.  We are not called on to act in violence, but in love to reach out to those who are trapped in sin, whether it is sexual sins, drugs, alcohol, pride, false religion - whatever the sin and situation, our job as Christians is not to react in violence, but to speak the truth in love - that they need to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. God can deliver from any sin or false religion and He will forgive because of what Jesus has done for us. 

God will take care of the judgment. No one lives in sin and gets away with it.

Thankfully though as I said, God loves each of us and is willing to forgive and save those who will turn from their sin and come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, offering nothing else for their salvation, but the finished work of Christ. He suffered all our punishment on the cross. He shed His precious blood to wash away our sin (1 John 1:7) On the 3rd day He arose in victory. He loves us and wants to save (that is deliver us from the condemnation we so richly deserve).

If you have never trusted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, why not today?

If you have - stand for the truth of His Word. Sin is sin. With love stand for what is right and reach out with the good news that Jesus will save and deliver!

There have been several news articles lately that I thought I would take a few minutes to comment on. I will post the link to the article and then my thoughts. Please feel free to add your comments and thoughts.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211950/Premature-baby-left-die-doctors-mother-gives-birth-just-days-22-week-care-limit.html  This article is about a premature baby in Great Britian that was left to die because it fell 2 days short of the set medical guidelines of babies to try to save. The mother deliever at 21 weeks and 5 days instead of 22 weeks. The little one was strong enough to live 2 hours on its own then died. The mother begged them to save him but they refused. In this article the mother tells of reading where here in the US a baby born at 21 weeks was saved and lived. Are these the kind of wonderful changes Obama and his healthcare will bring to us with socialized medicine.  I think we can do without it people!

http://news.aol.com/article/coroner-says-doctors-had-to-let-kerrie/697884  Here we read of another medical case in England (land of socialized medicine remember) where doctors felt they had to let a 26 yr old suicide victim die, because she made her wishes clear to refuse treatment. Here she would have been committed and given help and maybe seen there was hope for the future. I personally do NOT see any advantage to socialized medicine which is all Obamacare is, well socialized and communist leaning. If you doubt me read the healthcare plan. Much of of it sounds like choices (yeah, right) given under communist Russia!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558820,00.html This story concerns student's first admendment rights. It amazes me that people do not get what the constitution actually says about religion. This was entirely of student origin and they have a right to freedom of expression, including religious expression. The person who complained doesn't even have a kid involved according to an interview the cheerleaders gave that I heard. The constitution restricts government from est. a religion (ex a state religion like Spain and the Catholic church or England and the Church of England, but it never says that religion is to be kept separate from all parts of government. Read it for yourself.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/24/elementary-school-students-reportedly-taught-songs-praising-president-obama/?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g2:r1:c0.202709:b27956166 0 A teacher in NJ teaches elememtary school children to sing Obama's praise. It is shameful! Some of the words and tunes were from religious songs and that is just blasphemy. I can see why many are comparing Obama to Hitler and the anti-Christ!

http://www.livescience.com/culture/090924-childhood-spanking.html#comments It amazes me the nonsense people will believe about spanking. Thankfully most of the comments on this article show many still believe in spanking and some even for the right reason - that God said to. What I was appalled at in the comments though is how few seem to know how a spanking should be given. A spanking isn't abuse, or beating. It should not leave permanent damage, but it is okay if it leaves a read mark or small (I repeat small bruise) If you doubt we are to spank a child check out these Scripture references - Pr 20:30  The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
 Pr 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
 Pr 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
 Pr 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

God never intended for a child to be abused but they must be disciplined! One should never spank a child when one is really angry, cool down first.  First talk with the child explain why they are getting a spanking, then administer the spanking, then talk with the child again and spend some time loving the child soon afterwards. Pray together about it. You don't just spank and leave them. Spanking is just one tool of training a child, a big part of it is communication with the child and it should all be done with LOVE - LOTS OF LOVE!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091001/ap_on_sc/us_sci_before_lucy_7  Personally I just think these people who buy into this nonsense show how foolish they are. Read these verse - they fit very accordingly! Romans 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
 19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (KJV)

So what are your thoughts on some of these stories?

When a person dies often the phrase "Rest in Peace" is placed on their tombstone, but are they actually at peace? The answer to that question depends on what that person did with Jesus Christ while they were alive.

We have heard and seen many news stories lately about  several well known people who have died recently - Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Farrah Fawcett, Dominick Dunne etc. Invaribly someone speaking of them places these people in Heaven and at rest, but are they? According to the testimony they left - probably not.  We can't know for sure about these souls but we can know for sure that if they died in their sin, trusting anything or anyone, but Jesus Christ alone as their Saviour, they are in the torments of hell.

Where would you be if you died today? After Ted Kennedy died they read part of a letter he sent to the pope and part of the reply he received from the vatican. It makes me angry to think of it. They were both so empty of anything of true spiritual value.

The man was dying and the catholic church had absolutely nothing to offer him. Jesus would have given him forgiveness and assurance of Heaven.  All the vatican could give was "Commending you and the members of your family to the loving intervention of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Father cordially imparts his apostolic blessing as a pledge of wisdom, comfort and strength in the Lord." If Senator Kennedy died trusting that he is in Hell today and for eternity. He knows now too late there is no such thing as purgatory!

But you who are reading this are still alive - you have time right now to make sure you will rest in peace when you die and as an additional blessing - that you can live in peace with God right now.

God's Word makes it plain how we can know we are saved and at peace with God - It tells us :

All of us are sinners - Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God 

That sin separates us from God -Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

If we do not do something before we die about the sin that separates us from God, it will cause us to be eternally separated from God in eternity in the torments of the lake of fire.  Romans 6:23a says "the wages of sin is death" This refers to the second death, which is described in Revelation 20:14-15, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

There is good news though - We can be delivered, saved from this future. Instead of being at odds with God, we can have peace with God and instead of being separated from Him, we can be reconciled to Him. The same verse that gives us the bad news that "wages of sin is death" goes on to give us the best news ever Romans 6:23b, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Jesus is God in the flesh. He is 100% God and 100% man! He lived and never sinned. He did not have to die. He died in our place to take our punishment for us. He suffered everything we would suffer in Hell on the cross and even knew separation from God the Father. He shed His blood to cleanse away that sin that separates us from God and died and rose again to reconcile us to God.

Carefully read these verses and see how we can be reconciled to God and have peace with Him -

Telling what Jesus would do for us Isaiah 53:4-6 says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (Jesus)."

Colossians 1:19-22 says, "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight"

If you will believe what God is telling you in His Word and trust Jesus Christ to save you, He will reconcile you to God and give you peace -  Romans 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and later the chapter tells us : Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."

Hebrews 7:25, says "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

Jesus is alive right now and wants to give you freely the gift of eternal life. He bought it with His blood and paid for it with His life. He has victory over sin, death, hell and the grave and wants to give it too you also in Himself - He asks you to believe and trust Him. Will you?

Ephesians 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I (Jesus) 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.

May you rest in peace now and eternally in Jesus Christ.

In one of the most detailed astronomical images ever produced, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured an unprecedented look at the Orion Nebula. This turbulent star formation region is one of astronomy's most dramatic and photogenic celestial objects. More than 3,000 stars of various sizes appear in this image. Some of them have never been seen in visible light. These stars reside in a dramatic dust-and-gas landscape of plateaus, mountains, and valleys that are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. The Orion Nebula is a picture book of star formation, from the massive, young stars that are shaping the nebula to the pillars of dense gas that may be the homes of budding stars.

Many scientist and educators today would have you believe all this just happened by chance. Common sense tells you no way that happened.

The Bible says in Psalms 19:1 -

Genesis 1: 14-19 records God's creation of the sun, moon and stars - it says -

Gen 1:14 ¶ And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 
 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Notice verse 16 - He made the sun and the moon then it says He made the stars also. Millions and Billions of these beautiful creations and it just says 'He made the stars also.' - No big deal, NO PROBLEM, Simple and easy for Him - 'He made the stars also'. This was just a little thing to God - He made the stars also.

You know what is a big deal to God? YOU and me. He spoke creation into existence, but Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came personally to make a way of salvation for you and me.

All of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) and sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2), in fact if it is not dealt with it will result in eternal death, that is separation from God for eternity in the torments of the lake of fire (Romans 6:23a and Revelation 20:14-15) but the Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Because He loves us and did not want us to be separated from Him for eternity, Jesus came and took our punishment for us. He died in our place, He suffered pain, agony and knew separation from God the Father for us, He shed His precious blood that our sin could be washed away.   1 John 1:7 says, 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.  On the third day after He died and was buried Jesus arose bodily from the grave in victory. He is alive and willing to save each person who will trust Him alone for salvation.

He bought salvation for us with His blood - if we will come to Him and accept the free gift of salvation He offers -He will take our sin and give us His righteousness. Only His righteousness can get us into Heaven.  What will you do with the invitation to salvation that the Creator of the Universe offers. What will you do with the love He offers you? Will you reject Him or trust Him?

Have you ever noticed how a flower or plant will move to face the sunlight? I love to watch it happen. Light is an amazing thing. One dim light can warm up the atmosphere of a dark room. It can dispell the fears of the shadows. It can illuminate a book for reading. It can shed brightness on a path for safe walking. Light is a wonderful thing.

Jesus is the light of the world - John 8:12, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." 

Unfortunately there are many people who prefer to stay in the darkness of the world than to come to the light that Jesus Christ offers. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Some will follow a false light, Satan, who appears as an angel of light in false religions but it only leads to bondage, and eternal darkness. People get caught up in the false beliefs of churches that teach they must do something to help save them - take communion, be baptized, do good works, confession, sell or pass out literature etc. These people will work and work and hope they will be saved only to be disappointed in the end because they rejected the true light, Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:14b -15, "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

See salvation is not by works, but is a gift of God in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

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

The choice is yours, will you walk in darkness of your sin? or false religion? or will you repent and come to Jesus. 1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
 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.

Our garden as you can see in this picture is growing wonderfully in the sunlight.... Wouldn't you like to grow in the light of Jesus Christ?

In the news recently I noticed a headline that amazes me everytime I read it -Helping Christians Reconcile God With Science.  Everytime I read it I think, they need to get it straight on who needs reconciling.  Science IS NOT the benchmark and we don't reconcile God to great and mighty, infallible science.

NO, NO WAY, NO HOW! 

God is God.  HE is the ONE who is INFALLIBLE. HE is the ALMIGHTY. If anything or anyone needs reconciling it is to God.

God gave us His Word so we could know the truth. We don't change or reconcile it to fit our ideas, we believe it by faith and let God change us. Science that disagrees with God and His Word is nothing more than false science, as mentioned in   1 Timothy 6:20-21a, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith."

Elevating science above God and His word is nothing more than setting up another idol and that is what many have done - set education and science up as idols to be worshipped and followed at all cost.

There is nothing wrong with good education and science, but if it lifts itself up against the Word of God - there is a problem.

This is just another example of man's sinfulness and why ALL of us NEED to be reconciled to GOD.

You see our sins separate us from God - Isaiah59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  It is our sin, the sin of unbelief ( the sin from which all the others stem from), that results in us being condemned to Hell.  Part of Romans 6:23 tells us that "the wages of sin is death"  That death is eternal spiritual separation from God in the lake of fire - Revelation 20:14-15, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

John 3:18 makes it plain what condemns us, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

God has given us a way to escape that condemnation.  God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, left the glories of Heaven, took on a body like ours so He could lived a sinless life, and then willingly take the punishment for our sin, shedding His blood to cleanse our sin, so that we could be reconciled to God. Jesus suffered and died on the cross for you and me, was buried, then bodily arose the 3rd day in victory over sin, death, satan, hell, the grave - all for us.

Here is what the Bible tells us about these things :

Jesus took our place - 2 Corinthians 5:21,"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Jesus shed His blood to cleanse us - 1 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."

Jesus died and arose again to reconcile us to God,  Romans 5:8-10, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. "

2 Corinthians 5:19a "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself"

Colossians 1:19-22 "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight"

Jesus arose from the dead is the only way of salvation for any of us. If you will be reconciled to God it must be through HIM -

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Joh 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 the choice is yours. Read the verse carefully and let the Holy Spirit deal with your heart about the truth of God's Word.  Believe God, Repent of your way, and trust Jesus as your Saviour  and Be reconciled to God today before it is too late!

Well Miley Cyrus chimed in on the subject of gay marriage according to this news acticle "Miley Cyrus gives gay marriage her blessing" So we know what she thinks, BUT what does the God say?

Does God give His blessing? I  don't think so -not from what the Bible actually says.

Another news report had Miley saying we are all God's children, but the Bible makes it clear we are NOT all God's children. The only ones who are God's children are the ones who have repented of their sin and trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. John 1:12, says, "But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. That is the ONLY way to become the child of God - believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.

I can't say whether, Miley is a Christian, I do know she spoke without knowledge of what the word of God says though.

God makes it clear over and over in the Bible, homosexuality is a sin.

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Lev 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Some will say that is Old Testament so lets see what God has recorded in the New Testament -

Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.(KJV)

That is the time we are living in. Many people do not want God in their knowledge. They want Him out of their schools, their government, their lives. The result is what we have today  - a society that doesn't know right from wrong, where violence is increasing along with vile sexual sins - a society where the people become nothing more than animals. Paul said in that passage those who do those sins were worthy of death. Read it again and see the different sins mentioned. I am not saying homosexuality is the worse sin in the world - it is a sin though, just as adultry, fornication, drunkeness, murder, theft, pride, idolatry. They are all sins and must be repented of for a person to be right with God.

Does God love the homosexual? Yes. He loves the person, but He hates their sin. He loves all of us in that He made ONE way, One glorious, wonderful way for each and everyone of us sinners to escape the condemnation of our sin and an eternity in Hell separated from Him, ONE way to be reconciled to Him and our sin forgiven.  That way is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus took all our sin, whether lying, homosexuality, pride, false religion,(all of it is bound up in the sin of unbelief) and He took it all, and He took our punishment for our sin. He suffered in our place, shedding His blood that our sin could be washed away and we could be reconciled to God. He died in our place. On the 3rd day after His death and burial, He arose, bodily alive in victory over sin, death, Hell and satan. Jesus will save all who will turn from their sin, and their way and trust Him to be their Saviour.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

1John 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 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

What I hate most about Miley speaking out without knowing what she is talking about is that she has a lot of influence over young girls and now many of them who do not have the influence of truth in their lives will just believe since she thinks it is okay - it must be okay. How sad.

You have the choice today - who are you going to believe - society, this world, tv stars and pop idols or God and His Word? What will you do with the gift of salvation that God offers you today? Will you throw it away or receive it with thankfulness and joy?

Well now it is....

Ok, I know Corny with a capital C but it made me grin.

Today is indeed though what has come to be called Palm Sunday. It remembers what we call the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  The people were thronging Jesus, praising Him, ready to make Him King.

John records the incident as follows :

John 12:12  On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
 14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
 15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

That last tells us it was fulfillment of prophecy. That prophecy had been given hundreds of years before this happened and is found in Zechariah 9:9

Was Jesus glad and rejoicing at his reception? Luke tells us Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

You see He knew they only wanted a king to deliver them from the Romans. They wanted someone to provide for them physically not spiritually. They were not really believing God and receiving Him for who He really was.

Today many times people are still guilty of that. They will act like they are turning to God when they are in trouble, but it isn't real. Don't you think God knows the truth of the heart?

Many today want the way of salvation to be what they want not what it actually is. They want it to be a bit of religion they can fit into their life where they want it. They want to belong to a church, have religious ceremonies that look pretty and makes them feel good, but not a real relationship with Christ that changes their hearts and lives. They don't want to get down to the nitty gritty and admit they are a hell bound, hell deserving no good sinner that can not save themselves, but that is what we are.

Each of us is a sinner who deserves Hell and is going there. God, in His great love and mercy, gave us ONE and only ONE way to escape that deserved fate and that is through the FINISHED work of JESUS CHRIST!

Jesus came to Jerusalem that day knowing at the end of the week many of the same people screaming praises on Sunday would be screaming crucify Him, but He came for that reason. He came to die. All of us are under the condemnation of eternal death and separation from God in the torments of fire, BUT Jesus came and took that punishment for us. He suffered our Hell on the cross including separation from God the Father. He GAVE His life for us (no one took it - He GAVE it) It is recorded in John 10:17-18, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." And that is what Jesus did - He laid down His life, He shed His blood to cleanse us from our sin and died in our place and right before He died He said (as recorded in John 19: 30) ...

It is finished

Finished means just that - completed, ended, finished! Everything needed for our salvation was finished on that cross. He paid for all our sins. Just as He said - He laid down His life and three days later He took it up again, when He arose from the dead in victory.

He offers you salvation as a free gift. You may choose your religion, your works, your morality, but none of those things will get you to Heaven. ONLY the blood of Jesus can remove your sin and reconcile you to God. Only Jesus can be your Saviour.

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

Will YOU believe God and receive His gift?

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Last night at our midweek service at church we were studying Romans 10. It is a great chapter and makes how to be saved and how not to be saved very clear.

Paul had a strong heart's desire for his people, Israel, to be saved but their problem as he stated in verse 2 & 3 is still the problem of many people and churches today:

Romans 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

There are a great many people today very religious and in doing so believe they are earning salvation, but they are doing what those verses say - they are trying to establish their own righteousness and have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.  In other words they haven't read and believed the directions.

The Jehovah Witnesses are full of zeal - going door to door with their pamplets but they believe they are earning eternal life. The Mormons like wise peddle miles and miles giving out their false doctrines thinking it will help them in the eternity, but it won't. Millions of Roman Catholics cling to the traditions of men that they have been taught and follow them faithfully, but they haven't believed the truth of God's Word - they are establishing their own righteousness rather than submitting themselves to the righteousness of God. I could go on and on with false religions who are full of zeal but not according to the the knowledge the Word of God gives. The Muslims, the Hindus etc.

But there are plenty of others, even in Baptist churches, who are going about trying to establish their own righteousness rather than repent and submit themselves to the righteousness of God. Some think if they belong to the church, tithe, are baptized, do good works they are good enough to go to Heaven. There are even many moral people in the world who think that because they are better people than church members they must be okay and going to heaven also.  EVERYONE of these has one thing in common - they are believing a LIE!

Many have fallen into the trap that Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 10:12, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

You see none of us can be good enough for Heaven on our own. It is not our righteousness that gets us into Heaven - it is the righteousness of Christ. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, became our sin, took our punishment on the cross, died, was buried and arose again that we could have His righteousness. 2Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The key there is IN HIM.

Apart from Jesus Christ we have no righteousness. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 64:6a, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" The very best we can do in God's sight is nothing more than filthy rags. Do you think that filthy rags will get you into Heaven? If so, you are destine for a horrible disappointment.

The only way that we can be saved, born again and have the righteousness of Christ, which is the only thing that will gain us entrance into Heaven is to believe God and receive it as the gift He is offering. We can NOT earn it or work to keep it, we must believe God and accept it as a gift. We receive it by believing on Jesus - Ro 4:24 "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;" It will be imputed to us IF we believe on HIM. It is only received as a gift - 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 is very plain about this : "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

The chapter we studied last night shows just how simple it is to be saved - Romans 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise,.....Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So we see from those verses the righteousness we need comes by faith. We are saved through the Lord Jesus Christ alone. When it says confess the Lord Jesus, we are confessing that He is our only way of salvation - that we believe He suffered and died on the cross for our sin, that His blood was shed to cleanse our sin, that He died, was buried and arose again for us personally to provide us individually salvation.  It is not in the words you say, but what you believe. You must turn from your way (repent) and believe God - salvation can NOT be earned, Jesus bought it for you with His blood. He died and arose again, and will save you if you will believe Him, come to Him and trust Him to save you. If you will reach out in faith to Him to receive the gift of salvation that He bought you, He will save you and keep you forever HIS!

The choice is yours.

Overwhelmed? Feel a little like the t-shirt design I saw -

?

My daughter who is an accountant and in the middle of tax season was feeling some of that this morning and called. I told her what I will tell you now.

Step back, Take a breath and Chill for a minute. Put on some good music, and spend some time in prayer.

No it won't make everything instantly ok and right, but it will give you some perspective. It won't make what is stressing you go away, but it will enable you to handle it better.

This advice is to ones who know Jesus Christ as their Saviour. He helps us handle the problems of life. He is our rock - the joy of the Lord is our strength. 

Joy isn't giddy happiness, it is deeper, a bedrock, even in the midst of stress, sadness or just everyday life.

But laughter is also good for us and helps us deal with stress. Take a moment and laugh. It helps. It has been proven medically but God told us long before drs did -  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22.

If you are not saved, you don't have the slightest idea of what I am talking about...... BUT ...... YOU CAN! 

Jesus wants to be your Saviour - He loves you. He will be your strength in whatever you are facing and give you peace that will pass understanding if you will let Him.

Jesus gave Himself and died on the cross to purchase your salvation. He paid for all the sin you have ever committed or ever will. He took your punishment ( and mine). He died, shedding His precious blood to wash away our sin, and then He was buried - but praise God, He got up bodily alive forever more the 3rd day with victory for everyone of us who will repent of our sin and trust HIM alone for our salvation.

To those of us who have done that - Jesus is our Strength. Sometimes we forget to tap into the strength He offers, but He is there for us, if we will turn to Him.

Lean on Him today and draw from the strength and joy He offers.

Here are some videos from You tube that will help you take a minute to rejoice and maybe even laugh. Enjoy :

Jesus is the Blessed Hope to the Christian and we can look forward to His coming again. I enjoyed this song this morning by the Happy Goodmans - He's Coming Again -

Something to make you laugh ( I had a hard time choosing - go to youtube and look up Aaron Wilburn and listen to some of his other stuff also - most of it is good for a clean laugh.)

Hope you took a minute to chill and that you will continue to spend time with the Lord today and let Him be your strength.