What In Hell Do You Want?

Hell: a place of eternal torment.

Before looking at hell with its eternal suffering, it is imperative to get a good understanding of who God is, as well as His nature. 1 John 4:16 tells us that God is love - "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." He is the originator of love and all His actions are directed by love. Jeremiah 31:3 informs us, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." God wants to bless us into serving Him. He has already gone to death and hell for me and for you.

You have probably heard people say "hell is right here on earth," well I'm here to tell you that's not so my friends. You may be having some disappointment and struggles, and lots of depressing things may  be going on, but according to the word of God, what's going on here does not compare to what's happening in hell. Job says in chapter 21:30; "That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." 2 Peter 3:7 shows that hell is not burning now, and John 5:28-29 conveys the same message, so you can be assured that there is no hell here on earth. Each person will be punished beginning at the exact same time.

Remember, God doesn't send people to hell - they choose to go. Hell was not prepared for us; it was prepare for the devil and his angels because of sin. Let me share with you a few things that the word of God says about hell:

Isaiah 5:14 says, "Hell has enlarge herself, and opened her mouth without measure." The word also declares that in hell there will be torment with fire and brimstone, there will be weeping and wailing, gnashing of teeth (i.e. everybody biting each other), the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night. 

Now ask yourself this question: what in hell do you want?

God is calling each of us - not out of fear of hell, but out of love. He wants us to get rid of every sin in our lives so we can enjoy an everlasting heavenly home with him. Let's not be deceived by the devil - he's actually going to be thrown into hell himself according to Revelation 20:10. Keep in mind  that everything that glitters is not gold and everything that's good to us is not good for us. So my friends, be as wise as a serpent, but as harmless as a dove!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen… and AMEN!

What Jesus Did on the Cross!

This Sunday will be Passover - some folks call it Easter; others might call it Resurrection Sunday, but today we're going to use the word Passover. I thank God for Passover, for it was on that day and what He did on that cross that makes it possible for us to live spiritual and have the victory.

Jesus was an amazing man in the natural - He had such a wonderful attitude - even while hanging on the cross. I'm pretty sure that His attitude was MUCH different from what ours would have been if we had been in the same situation. It was even different from the people that were hanging around the cross on that day. I want to share Jesus's attitude, because it’s the one we must have as we carry our financial, emotional and career-related crosses today.

On that fateful day, there were hours of light and hours of darkness. While Jesus was hanging on the cross during the hours of light, He was forgiving as the Bible tells us in Luke 23:34-35, "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." When we are walking in our hours (or days) of light, that's what we should be doing - Forgiving. If some of us are being honest with ourselves, we would admit that although the light is shining on us, both naturally and spiritual, we are still not forgiving. Let’s learn to forgive people. Jesus did it and He was hanging on the cross with nails in His hands and nails in His feet. You and I aren't dealing with even half of that!

As we continue to read through the 23rd book of Luke, we find the second thing that Jesus did in verse 43, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily (or truly) I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." In other words, Jesus told the thief that He was taking him (the thief) with Him (Jesus) to paradise. In Jesus' hours of light, He spoke the truth - are we speaking the truth? Are we forgiving our enemies? The people around the cross were sinning against the Lord even as He was dying for them... and us. Not only was He forgiving and speaking the truth to them; He was also leading them into good pasture. My friends, we must be like the criminal hanging on the cross with Him - we have got to cry out to Him. At this very moment, He’s ready and more than able to carry us out of whatever we are in. Whether we are a thief or a convicted murderer, Jesus is ready to take us to Paradise with Him. All we have to do is say, "Lord remember me... have mercy on me" and be sincere in doing so. If we will do that, He will prepare a table for us right in front of all our enemies, even when we are getting just what we deserve.

The third thing He did while on the cross where He was hanging bleeding, dying and hurting was to make sure that His mother was going to be taken care of. In John 19:26-27, the scriptures tell us that "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Women, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." Not only did He take care of His mother (mother speaks of safety and comfort), but also He also took care of His good friend John. That’s the same thing He’ll do for me and you. When we are carrying our crosses (situations and burdens), if we'll just remember to call on him sincerely, He will make sure that we are taking care of.

When we call on Him, He will forgive us. He will speak the truth to us; He will lead us to green pasture; and He will make sure that we are taking care of. He did it for that thief on the cross and He will do it for us. Thank God for Passover!

With all that said, let the Church say amen… and AMEN!

Walking in Integrity!

Integrity: uprightness of character, honesty, state of being complete or undivided.

The Lord desires that we always act the same - it doesn't matter whether we are sitting in Church or if we're standing in the grocery store - He desires integrity. Too often I've seen too many people in the Amen section at Church, but once they're out of that environment, they let their hair down (so to speak) and you began to see the real them. That's not walking upright or honest before the Lord. God is a God of integrity, so it should be a high priority for us to follow in His footsteps.

In today's world, integrity is almost a thing of the past. In these perilous time, there are Pastors lying in the pulpit; Teachers crooking the truth; and Politicians saying anything they have to just to get your vote. It's like the word integrity is almost unheard of, but it's just as important today as it ever was. Back in the day, a hand shake was as good as a done deal or an agreement - not so much these days. These days, some people's signature doesn't even count for much because they are not upright in character. Friends, when we walk with an undivided heart our words are our bond - when we say yes, it means yes, and when we say no, it means no.

Some people lose their integrity because of fear; others because of gain. For instance, the Prophet Balaam loved rewards; he tried to curse God’s people for a reward (Numbers 22:6). We could say he had a divided heart even though he was a Priest and a Prophet, he still tried to cursed God's people (definitely not an upright heart). On the other hand, Daniel had an excellent spirit of integrity. He walked upright before God, he took a stand and did not bow down to the King (I'm sure you're familiar with the story). In turn, God took a stand for him (Daniel 6:22). People of integrity have no problem seeking God and allowing Him to be their strength; they will go the extra mile with a smile knowing that God is in control.

Psalms 25:21 says, "Let integrity and uprightness preserve (keep) me, for I wait on thee." We are consistently going to be in the company of people who talk right, but walk left - just remember that walking in integrity is rock solid. Deuteronomy 32:4 informs us, "He is the rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without  iniquity, just and right is He." What an awesome example of integrity! If by chance we have allowed our integrity to slip away, just know that it's not too late to repent and ask for forgiveness. God is a God of forgiveness and of love; He will welcome us in with open arms.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen… and AMEN!

How Often Must We Forgive?

Forgiveness: To pardon, to give up resentment. to grant as a favor, a gift.

Hello friends! I know that this is a recent blog posting, but I'm posting it again because all signs are pointing me in that direction. This past Sunday, the Pastor at my hometown church preached about forgiveness. Later, I went to visit a family member and she was telling us about her sister-in-law who's Pastor was also preaching about forgiveness. Later still, we turned on the radio and the Pastor on the radio was talking about what? You guessed it - FORGIVENESS! This is no coincidence - God is wanting His people to forgive and love one another as He has, and still loves us. So here we go:

No matter what we perceive has hurt us or has caused us shame and grief, we must always remember to forgive. Forgiveness is our path to healing, not to mention, it's what God expects us to do.  If we offend someone; we must quickly repent. If someone offends us; we must quickly forgive. Ephesians 4:32 reminds us, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." 

Forgiveness is big with God, because it's an expression of His love. When we choose not to forgive, we are putting limits on ourselves... as well as on the Lord. We are holding back on His love, His joy, and His peace that we should be showing one to another - instead we carry around all sorts of unprofitable weight. one might say, you don't know what they did to me and you are right, but I know what Jesus did for you -- He died.

Matthew 18:21-22 says, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." (In case you were wondering - that’s every 2 ½ minutes!!)

Forgiveness is a choice - if we are on the receiving end of someone’s unkind words or if there were unkind deeds that were done to us in the past, we have a choice. We can choose to forgive and move past barriers that will separate us from others (and from the Lord) or we can tie God hands with our unwillingness to forgive. How easy is it for us to forget that we have made mistakes in our life?? Keep that in mind next time you're holding a grudge. We must forgive others so that we too can be forgiven.

We have no excuse for holding grudges; for not forgiving others... while Jesus was hanging on the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Surely we can do the same, right? Especially since we're not hanging on a cross! Forgiveness is a gift - one that we can all use and one that we all need.

With all that said; let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

God Gave Us a Mission!

Mission: an assignment or task to be carried out

We are on a serious mission -- to get back to our savior. On this mission we are and will continue to be given commands. It's so incredibly important that we don't turn to the left or to the right - instead we must remain focused.

That's not to say that we don't or won't make mistakes (an error arising from human weakness). Sometimes these mistakes are a result of misunderstood motives, misjudged appearances, and misplaced trust. These things happen, so it's imperative that we stay focused. Proverbs 14:12 tells us, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Let's take the military for instance - when a soldier is sent out on a mission, he or she has been sufficiently trained, and they don't allow themselves to become distracted. Distraction from their main focus could cause them their life. They are always watching and waiting for the right moment to carry out their assignment. The Lord has also equipped (or trained) us. Ephesians 1:3 declares, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."

He equips us with His word, His spirit, and the power to pray. Our mission is to get His word first for ourselves so that we may be a witness unto His people. We are commanded to go and teach and preach the word and also to help others. We must remember the Lord did not save us just so that we could live comfortably, happily, and self-centered. No, we have a mission! We have a mission given to us by the ultimate Commander-in-Chief and that's to take His message of salvation into the enemy camp. We must never forget that we are on an assignment and we cannot let ourselves get caught up in the cares of this life. When we do, we become easy prey for the enemy, which results in mission failure.

Jesus fulfilled His assignment when He came to earth to do God's will; to save sinners, to bring everlasting righteousness, and to destroy Satan's works. Now it's up to each of us to complete our assignment. Our Commander-in-Chief loves each of us to the point that He died for you and me!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen… and AMEN!!