Keep Doing This In Remembrance of Me - (Recipe Included)

 

Today, is Good Friday, which marks the anniversary of the most sacred event that has ever taken place in the history of mankind.  Today is the anniversary, of the death of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.

It has been approx. 1,989 years since Jesus was nailed to the torture stake, taking his last breath, and laying down his life as a ransom for the entire world. He gave himself as a sacrifice, a perfect lamb, the Lamb of God, buying back what Adam had so foolishly and selfishly lost. Jesus poured out his own blood so that ALL may have life. On this day, God gave his beloved, and only begotten Son for all of mankind, to repurchase us, making a way, when there was no way, reconciling us back to him. That's how very much he loves you.  Imagine the great pain and suffering Jesus had to endure, and the great pain it must have been for his Father to watch his precious son be tortured and ridiculed, knowing he had the power to stop it at any moment.  But he also knew that, Jesus sacrifice would save the world. We were bought with a price...a price we could never repay. An incredible gift of love. Free to all who would accept.

The night before Jesus was to be crucified, he had one last meal with his disciples.  They were in Jerusalem, and people all over the city were celebrating what was called the "Passover Meal", where they were remembering their enslavement and bondage in Egypt many years prior. On the anniversary of the date that they were delivered, they would have a meal of lamb with bitter herbs which represented their years of enslavement and bondage in Egypt.  God used Moses to warn Pharaoh of the plagues that would come upon Egypt if he wouldn't let the Israelites go free from captivity. There were 10 plagues, and the last plague was the one which Pharaoh finally let God's people go. But first, because of his hardheartedness he refused, even when being warned that the first born in every house, including his own, would die.  God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites that to escape that plague, they needed to sacrifice a lamb and smear the blood on the door of their houses, so that God's angel would know whose home to "Passover" when the plague came upon Egypt.  It was quite an event and represented the future sacrifice of our Savior Christ Jesus, who was called the Lamb of God...who's blood has delivered mankind from the bondage of sin. -See Exodus chapters 7-12 for the account.

On the night that Jesus was arrested, but before he was betrayed, Jesus and his 12 disciples celebrated the Passover meal.  It was during this time that Jesus made a new covenant with them.  "When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles.  And He said to the, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering. For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." After taking the cup, He gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you. Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table. Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him."

It's interesting to read a couple other prospectives from the disciples that were there that night.

This is the account according to Mark: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is My body.  Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they drank from it. He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."-Mark 14:22

This is the account according to Matthew: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, " Take and eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father's kingdom.""-Matthew 26:26-29

Paul wrote later of the event, saying, "The Lord Jesus, on the night that He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

Jesus wanted his followers to keep doing this in remembrance of him until he returned. It would serve as a reminder to us as to what he did for each of us.  You may be familiar with communion...that's what some churches call it. Maybe you go to a church that observes this on a regular basis. Perhaps your church does communion only on occasion. Jesus didn't say how often it needed to be done, the point was just to keep doing it.  You may be like many who don't belong to any particular church, who don't even go to a church...what can you do?  Well, your not alone.  Many faithful Christians don't belong to a church, and many no longer attend for one reason or another but continue to love God, serve him and share the gospel.  I too found myself in that camp.  Wanting to observe what Christ Jesus had said to do more often, I set out to find a recipe to make some unleavened bread, and find some Kosher Passover wine.

Unleavened bread is what Jesus used and it contains no yeast, so it doesn't rise like regular bread, its really more like crackers. It's represents Christ's perfect body. The wine I researched and found most liquor stores carry, it's a Kosher Passover wine. The clerk usually knows right where to direct you if you say its Kosher Wine for Passover. I made the bread, and bought the wine, and made some time to sit down in a quiet room where I read the accounts, and prayed and then had a little bread and a little wine, and reflected in appreciation of the incredible gift that was given on my/all of our behalf.

You don't have to make it a big ordeal. Your mate may not feel comfortable doing this together, which is totally fine for you to partake on your own.  The point is your doing what Jesus commanded, and I promise you will feel really good after doing it too. Taking and making the time to show honor and appreciation to the Father and the Son for this incredible gift is something you will always feel good about doing.  Remember not only are we being observed by the Father and the Son, but we are being observed by all the others in heaven...all the Angels, and we are showing Satan and his wicked demons who's side we stand on!

As time draws near, those who are paying attention, know were deep into the time of the end.  Now more than ever, is the time to get ourselves right with God, repent over our past wrongdoings and draw close to Him. As things continue to decline, know that our deliverance draws near.  We need to pray to have on the whole armor of God every single day.  Stay in his word, whether you read daily or if you aren't able to read but have time while driving to and from work, maybe listen to the audio Bible on YouTube.  I love starting my day on the way to work with a dramatized version of the Bible on.  It sets the tone for my day, and helps me stay close to God, even though I may not have time to sit and read as often as I used to.

I hope this post gives you some ideas on how to "keep remembering" Christ Jesus the way he commanded us to.  Please find below the recipe I found for the Communion/Passover bread.

It's actually pretty tasty, and I also listed the brand of wine I purchased.  Don't feel weird or strange eating, sipping a little wine and reading alone. I have done it myself.  Just remember, you are NEVER alone.  Sending you each love and wishing you a blessed evening.

Brand of Wine: Mogan David Blackberry Wine-Kosher for Passover

Recipe:  https://discover.hubpages.com/food/How-To-Make-Communion-Bread

                                                      Blessings and Joy~

                                                                 Lisa

FEAR NOT!

If you were asked to make a list of things you were fearful of, how long would it take you to make a sizeable list? Would it be fair to say that Pre-Covid your list may have been much shorter than it would be today? We are constantly bombarded with more and more things that cause worry and fear. Most of us have spent the last 2 years worried about getting Covid, and how we and our loved ones would fare if they, or we, got the virus. I know I have been really worried for my loved ones! What kinds of things are you fearful of? Are you fearful of where the world is headed? Are you worried when you see other countries have lost their freedoms, and our country seems to be headed in that same direction? Are you fearful for your children, and what kind of world they are going to grow up in? Is it fear of losing your job, or perhaps losing your home? Maybe it's ALL OF THE ABOVE! We certainly live in perilous times! As if worrying about any of the things I just mentioned weren't enough to weight down our hearts, we now see the nations positioning themselves in a threatening way that's prompting talk on the news of a possible Third World War!

For those that are paying attention to what is happening in the world, fear of what the future holds is very real. There are definitely different kinds of fear. One fear is a natural instinctive response to danger. Then there is fear over things we cannot control. And there is healthy, reverential fear of displeasing God, and a desire to serve Him acceptably with reverence and awe. But what kind of fear gives us anxiety and keeps us up at night worrying about things that are out of our control? That kind of fear is incredibly destructive. Not only does it weaken our immune system, it can lead to many diseases, and even lead to premature death. In addition to physical damage, it can also cause psychological symptoms of being overwhelmed, upset, feeling out of control or even feeling a sense of impending death.  Keeping fear under control, and in check, especially in the times were living in, takes real effort and an understanding of its source, and the damage fear is meant to do.

You may be wondering what I mean by that. Well, its important to understand where fear comes from. The Bible says, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control."-2 Timothy 1:7 So fear doesn't come from God. In fact, John said, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."-1John 4:18  God's word tells us that "....God is love."-1 John 4:7-12, not that he just has love, or he just gives love, but that he is the very essence of love. Since God is love, fear cannot come from God, because fear and love are incompatible. When we are filled with Him, with his love, that love will cast out any fear we may have. Unhealthy fear comes from the devil. The Bible says, "...Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."-1 Peter 5:8 In the animal kingdom, when gazelles sense a lion, their immediate response is to freeze out of fear. Most will overcome their fear and flee, but often one will remain frozen as if paralyzed, and will be overcome and devoured by the lion. Our enemy, Satan, is like that lion, roaming around the earth, looking for someone to devour, and he uses fear as a tool to paralyze our faith. 

Recently a pastor said something that really struck me about fear. "I say this a lot, that the spirit of fear is probably the most accepted demonic spirit and stand in the church, and in every Christian's life. We accept it, and we don't reject it, and we don't seek deliverance from it. From the pulpit to the ushers, people are struggling with fear and no one seems to fight it. But the Lord doesn't want his people to struggle in fear. He did not give us fear. It is the opposite of faith. So when we walk in fear, were not walking in faith, and we cannot please God if were walking in fear." 

It's so true if you really think about it. What loving father would want their child to live in a constant state of fear, or be consumed with worry? Surely not a loving father, and certainly not our heavenly Father. He assures us of this in his word, over and over again. In fact, "Fear not" is used at least 80 times in the Bible. God wants us to turn to Him and to trust Him.  The enemy, however, uses fear to limit our victories, and he uses it to decrease the hope that God gives. He knows that when were fearful or living in a state of fear, were not experiencing the peace that God gives. God says in Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Satan the devil is liar and a thief, who comes in looking only to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to steal our peace and joy, destroy our relationship with God, and ultimately wants to kill us. He uses fear to manipulate our minds and to control our reality. Don't allow the enemy to set up fear as a resident inside of you!

Another pastor said this of fear, "When were in a state of fear, it can also cause us to stay in a stagnant state. Often when we find ourselves in circumstances beyond our control, fear will try to get in, to set up shop inside of us, and at the same time we may be struggling to keep the faith. Whatever we have fed the most is what we allow to have the victory in us.  So if we feed on fear the most, fear will have the victory. If we feed on faith the most, faith will have the victory. What ever you feed the most is what will prevail.  The more you pour into faith, the more faith will pour into you. The more you pour into fear, the more fear will pour into you." 

So exactly how do we overcome and conquer our fear? Well the first step is to remember whose we are! Isaiah 43:1 is one of my favorite scriptures that reminds us of who we belong to. It says, "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." This scripture was written for the nation of Israel, but when Jesus came, he opened the way for all of mankind. Thus we too became heirs, as adapted children of God, also belonging to Him. "..he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.."-Ephesians 1:5 When we truly believe we are God's children, fear loses its hold on us. 

The second thing we need to do is to pray. We can overcome our fear by praying. When we pray, we can ask God to fill us with his love. When he fills us with his love, and his presence, there is no room for fear, and fear will leave just as the scriptures say. Just as a child when afraid, is comforted by their father, when we turn to God, our heavenly Father, he will also comfort us. 2 Corinthians 1:3 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our trouble, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ."

Another thing we can pray for, is for God to help us to really get to know Him. Ask Him to teach you how to trust in Him, and to know and understand the promises that he has given to you. When you draw close to God, and truly get to know Him, you will experience a peace, and a love, and a trust like you have never known. You will also experience his faithfulness and his unfailing love. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."-James 4:8  When you fully experience God's love, you will have nothing to fear, and nothing can separate you from God's love either. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?....neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height or depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "-Romans 8:35-39

The third thing we can do to overcome our fear is to study God's word the Bible. By meditating on his word it will give us strength and courage. God's word is not just another book.  Not only is it inspired, but its actually alive and active. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."-Hebrews 4:12, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..."-2 Timothy 3:16,17

When we read God's word, we not only learn about Him, we also learn how much he loves us.  We see account after account where God protected his children. We learn about those who had remarkable faith during extremely difficult and scary times. God had these events written down to encourage and to benefit us. Recently, I keep coming upon the account of Elisha and his servant....where during the night, the entire city was surrounded by an army with horses and chariots. The next morning the servant got up and went out and saw they had been surrounded. Fearful, he asked the Prophet Elisha what they should do. Elisha told Him, "Don't be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Elisha prayed that God would open the servants eyes so that he could see, and so God opened the servants eyes. Then he could see the that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire, all around Elisha for protection. You can read the account in 2 Kings 6. 

We don't know exactly how and when things are going to occur. But one thing we can be assured of, is that God is watching over his children, even when we cannot physically see his invisible army, they are there. Luke says, "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered...."-Luke 12:7 The angelic hosts have many different assignments and some of them are to watch over God's people. The account with Elisha and his servant shows this. There are other scriptures that show angelic protection too. Psalms 91:11 says, "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;"  Psalms 34:7 says, "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." (the healthy reverential fear) Matthew 18:10 says, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." Hebrews 1:14 says, " Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those wo will inherit salvation?"

As the day of the Lord draws near, I pray that we all find encouragement and comfort in God and his holy word, the bible. We know that God is in complete control, even when things in the world seem completely out of control. Be confident in Him. Don't allow yourself to live in a constant state of fear and worry. Instead, strengthen your relationship with your heavenly Father. Go to Him in prayer, throw all of your anxiety and worry on Him. He tells us to do just that! "Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous one to be shaken."-Psalms 55:22  Remember, he is a God of love and comfort. He sees all of our trials, all of our struggles, our worries, and our greatest fears. He has this, he has US.  Keep the faith, keep your eyes on Him, and stay close to Him in prayer. You are not alone. We are in this together, and we have our Father and his angelic hosts for protection.  No matter what happens in this world, whether we face death or not, nothing can separate us from God's love and what he has in store for those who love Him. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."-1 Corinthians 2:9

I thought I would share a few scriptures that always bring great comfort to me, I hope you too find comfort in them:

Psalm 34:4-"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

Psalm 46:1-"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

Psalm 91:4-70-"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you."

Psalm 23:4-"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Isaiah 41:10-"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Deuteronomy  31:8-"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 3:22-"Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

Psalm 115:11-"You who fear Him, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield."

Joshua 1:9-"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 35:4-"say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come,

he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Matthew 10:28-"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be  afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

Matthew 10:31-"So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Psalm 118:6-"The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

Luke 12:32-“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom."

Philippians 4:6-7-"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Deuteronomy 31:6-"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Isaiah 41:13-"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

Hebrews 13:6-"So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?”

Deuteronomy 3:22-"Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

Psalm 56:3-4-"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

Luke 12:7-"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Psalm 27:1-"The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?"

1 John 4:4-"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

                             Blessings & Joy~

                                     Lisa

The Greatest Gift of Love

Christmas. What does Christmas mean to you?  For most its a fun, busy time that we all look forward to every year. It's a time that's centered around family, gift giving, food, holiday lights and trees. But in all the hustle and bustle and celebration, do we really take the time to ponder what Christmas is really all about? The birth of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, Yeshua Hamashiach (meaning:Jesus is Lord-in Hebrew). 

Think of it, when Adam and Eve sinned against God, he could have wiped them, and the Devil out, right then and there. But God's great love for mankind, as well as his great mercy and justice didn't allow him to do so. He didn't create any of us to be robots, but he gave mankind and all of those in the heavenly realm free will. The ability to decide to obey or disobey God.  So when Adam and Eve chose to disobey, that set us all on a course separated from God and eventual death, because we would all inherit that sin and imperfection from our first parents.  Imagine it to having a perfect brand new bread pan. You bake a loaf of bread and it comes out perfectly. Every time you make a loaf of bread you admire how perfect the loaf of bread is that comes out of that pan. Until one day you drop the pan and put a big dent in it. Every time you bake bread in that pan from then on, it has a dent or imperfection on every loaf. So too our first human parents were created as perfect beings. When they chose to sin, they were no longer perfect and every person born from them, would inherit that imperfection. There was no way man could ever fix it on their own, as that one act of disobedience set us on the path to destruction.  Genesis 3:17-19 tells of the curse that their disobedience brought upon the them and the earth.  (Interesting side note, that in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, God tells of the curse that is put on the earth when Adam and Eve sinned, and in Revelation, the very last book of the bible the curse is lifted. Revelation 22:3 says, "No longer will there be any curse...").

So what did God do? His unfailing love moved Him to come up with a plan...a Savior for mankind.  This plan would reconcile us back to Him. A true rescue mission. He knew that since Adam had been created perfect, he needed to balance out the scale with another perfect human. But since Adam and Eve sinned, all their children would inherit sin, therefore in order to save mankind, he had to send us a redeemer. 

The Bible doesn't tell us, but just imagine for a moment what the conversation between the Father and the Son may have been like when they watched Adam and Eve willfully sin against God. Imagine the Father talking to the Son about how they would need a redeemer, and what needed to be done. God chose his one and only Son for the mission. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." They both knew that Christ Jesus had to come to earth to die in order to save us. They knew that he wasn't going to come to earth and just live out his life to a ripe old age and peacefully pass away in his sleep.  No, they knew he was going to come to earth and was going to die a horrendous, and torturous death. Now think about the incredible love that, that took on the part of God to give his only begotten Son for mere mankind. How many of us would give our only child for someone else? I'm sure its safe to say not many. Now think about the Son's great love for the Father and the willingness to do his will, as well as His great love for mankind.  Five times in John 10:11-18 we are told about Jesus willingly giving of Himself for the salvation of sinners. In John 10:11, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep." In verse 17 he says, " The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again." Verse 18, Jesus says, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." Romans 5: 6-11 says, " You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

We know from the scriptures that the Father and the Son made man in their image, out of the dust of the ground. Genesis 1:26, "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image...." Now imagine the great love and incredible humility it must have taken on the part of the Son, to not only be willing to come to earth on this mission to become a mere human...a creation that he created with the Father...to go from God to flesh...as John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word (the Son-Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Think of it....he was implanted in Mary's womb. He appeared in the smallest most vulnerable human state there is. A tiny embryo. He could have just appeared as a grown man, but he didn't. Think of the very moment the Son left heaven, no longer there. Doesn't it make you wonder what the heavenly hosts must have been thinking? It showed everyone watching in heaven and on earth, just how much mankind meant to God. Can you even imagine the incredible amount of self control it must have taken for God to watch his Son be tortured and to be crucified on the cross? We know that our actions can hurt God's heart. The events that lead up to the flood that God brought upon the earth is a good example. Genesis 6:5-6, "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth and his heart was deeply troubled." So imagine how God must have felt. The pain his heart must have felt watching his only begotten Son go through what he did. Doesn't that just deepen your appreciation and love for our heavenly Father? He loved us, he loved YOU that much!! That pretty incredible!!

Think of the power it took to transfer the Son of God into a man, and carefully place him into Mary's womb. What a honor for her, to be chosen to be the Jesus's mother...to have found favor with God.- Luke 1:26-28 Imagine having an angel appear to you and tell you that you were going to miraculously become pregnant by God, and that you were going to give birth to his Son! Luke 1:35 says, "And the Angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of The Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy-the Son of God."

Imagine what Joseph must have gone through, at first thinking Mary hadn't been faithful to him when he found out she was pregnant, and they hadn't yet been together intimately.  It was only until a angel appeared to him and told him that she was conceived by Holy Spirit, that he understood the miracle that had taken place. Matthew 1:18-23 says, "This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save people from their sins." All of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophets: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us)".

Every detail about Christ Jesus appearance was foretold. Some scholars believe there's over 300 prophecies about Jesus from his birth to his life and to his death. The very first one right there in the garden of Eden, right after Adam and Eve sinned where the Devil was told by God, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."-Genesis 3:15. This was approximately 4,000 years before Christ Jesus even appeared on earth as a human. Jesus, and only Jesus, fulfilled all the prophecies about the coming Messiah. In a recent sermon, Pastor Gary Hamrick at Cornerstone Chapel stated some fascinating facts, "its mathematically impossible for all the old testament prophecies spoken hundreds of years before Christ, to just accidentally be fulfilled by one person. The odds that one person would even just fulfill just 8 of the 300 prophecies about the Messiah, are 1 in 100 quadrillion! That's the odds! Statistically speaking you have better odds of being struck by a satellite that fell from outer space, which is about 1 in 21 trillion. But the fact that Jesus just filled 8 out of the 300 plus prophecies, its 1 in 100 quadrillion! Dr. Peter Stoner who was chairman of the Science Division at Westmont College, also the Chairman of the Departments of Mathematics and  Astronomy at Pasadena City College, before he died in 1980, wrote a book called Science Speaks. And mathematically he talked about how it is completely mathematically impossible in order for anyone other than Jesus to be the Messiah, based on how he fulfilled all of these ancient prophecies. This is what doctor Stoner wrote in his book, Science Speaks, "Any man who rejects Christ as the Son of God, is rejecting a fact proved  perhaps more absolutely than any other fact in the world." 

What an incredible miracle it must have been when Mary gave birth to the Son of God!! When the heavens were opened to the shepherds, when an Angel first appeared to them,  “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Then “suddenly,” “there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13-14). The joy in heaven must have been an absolutely amazing at such a miraculous event! 

Another incredible thing that happened at Jesus’s birth was the Magi that followed the star to Jesus. They followed a moving star from the East to Bethlehem, looking for the newborn king to worship him. When they found Jesus they found him with his mother Mary, and were overjoyed and bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Read the account at Matthew 2:1-12) Treasures that had a much deeper meaning than just a demonstration of their wealth. Bible scholars tell us that gold represented value, authority and everlasting kingship. Frankincense represented worship as it was used as a incense in worship. And Myrrh which symbolized death as it was used to preserve the body after death. How fitting each gift was for the Son of God and what he was to endure and the Kingdom that he was to be King forever over.

It’s amazing to me that not only did these men bring expensive gifts for Jesus, but since King Herod was out to murder this newborn King for fear he would lose his kingdom to him, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream warning him of the danger and telling Joseph to flee to Egypt with Jesus and Mary. The gold would no doubt provide the money they would need to get to Egypt and begin a life there. The Magi were also warned in a dream not to return the way they had come, because King Herod wanted them to report back to him where Jesus was, so he could murder him. So the Magi heeded to warning and returned to their country by another route. 

What an incredible account! If you haven’t watched the movie The Nativity, I highly recommend it! We try to make sure we watch it every year around Christmas. It's a very realistic and accurate movie of the account. It’s also a very touching and beautiful reminder of God’s incredible love for mankind. Sometimes we may feel we’re nothing to God, or maybe we have felt God doesn't care about us. Yet nothing could be further from the truth! He loved us so much that he did all of this for US! 

As we spend this time with our loved ones celebrating and giving gifts, let us be sure to reflect on the Greatest Gift of Love, the true reason of the season, and what it means to each of us personally. What the Father and the Son did for you and I, and how God loved us first, and gave us the greatest gift of all, his Son so that we may have life everlasting!

                                                     Blessings and Joy~

                                                                Lisa

Here is the trailer to the movie The Nativity, your family would love it!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiSfup00uZY&ab_channel=MovieclipsClassicTrailers

You can hear the sermon I referenced here, I highly recommend it...it's so good! Pastor Gary Hamrick-Cornerstone Chapel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq4EY7Tblm4&ab_channel=CornerstoneChapel-Leesburg%2CVA

  

Our Faith Is Being Tested

When covid came on to the world scene, it opened my eyes to many things that I had been clueless about. To say it has been eye opening would be an understatement of the century! Ha!  Talk about scales falling off of your eyes! I'm confident most of you would agree this has been a very long and grueling almost 2 years....and it only seems to be getting worse. Most people have lost faith in something along the way.  Perhaps you have lost faith in the government...our judicial system, our voting system, our healthcare system, the school system, or the media, just to name a few. But in all of this disillusion in almost all aspects of our lives, have we lost our faith in God during these trying times? 

As we watch what's going on around us, and as we go through these various trials do we wonder where God is? Are we frustrated or disappointed because it seems like God is delaying?  Are we feeling like all of our prayers are going unheard? It may feel that way, but be assured, God's timing is perfect, he is never late, and he hears all of the prayers of his children. God see's the whole picture, and he see's things we cannot see. While we wait, with what may seem like a delay to us, it's actually a perfect opportunity for us to prove to God what were made of.  

 1 Peter 1:6,7 says, "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of our faith-of greater worth that gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."  God will use circumstances and trials to test our faith, and at the same time when going through difficult times, we can use them as a opportunity to develop and deepen our faith. 

The dictionary defines faith as the complete trust or confidence in someone or something.  The bible gives a definition of faith as well, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."-Hebrews 11:1 God's word goes on to say, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."-Hebrews 11:6 So faith is crucial to our salvation, because it is impossible to please God without it.

 

 It's important to keep in mind that when we go through trials and suffering, there are benefits, even though it may not seem like it at the time. "...suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."-Romans 5:3-4 Trials teach us to trust in God, and by trusting in God, it creates a bond with him. Our difficulties not only shapes our character, but it can actually strengthen our relationship with God. 

I can honestly say, it has been my personal experience, that ever since I began to really lean into God, that is when my worry subsided, and I developed a true sense of peace, despite the absolute chaos going on around us.  Am I exhausted, tired, and over it? Am I anxious for justice and for every lie to be revealed? YES! But I do know that God's timetable is different than mine, and he knows all things and sees all things, therefore I trust his judgment and timing 1,000%!  We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:7, that we need to "Walk by faith."

At times that can be extremely difficult.  Especially if your someone who is being personally affected by what is going on around us.  Maybe your children are being forced to wear masks at school, perhaps you have lost your job, or your uncertain if you will even have a job because of the mandatory vaccine mandate. Very real talk on the news about countries requiring vaccination cards, and those who have completely lost their freedoms in other countries where they were once free. This is all very shocking, and now more than ever we need to strengthen our faith, encourage one another and lean into God. James 5:16 say to "....pray for one another."

When we look at examples in God's word that he gave us to encourage us, we see many who were faced with incredibly scary and hard circumstances, yet their faith in God is what got them through. Think of Abraham...it was by his faith that he was willing to sacrifice his one and only son to God.  Of course God did not have him follow through with it, but it was because Abraham was righteous and faithful to him, that God called him his "friend." -2 Chronicles 20:7  Imagine that for a moment. Faith so strong that it pleased God to the point that he would have it recorded in his word, that he considered you to be his friend!

Think of the faith of the three young Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were told to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar's image. They refused to worship anyone but God, and so they were thrown into the fire. To the King's surprise, not only were they unharmed, but God sent an angel who appeared walking around in the fiery furnace with them. When they came out of the fire, not a hair on their heads were harmed and their clothes didn't even smell like smoke.-see Daniel 3:16-28

Consider Daniel's faith when he was thrown into the lions pit, he was saved by God when he shut the mouths of the lions, and those who tricked the King to throw Daniel into the lion's den were themselves eaten by these very lions.-see Daniel 6:1-28

Think about Noah. The bible says that the end days would be just like in the days of Noah. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." It took a lot of faith on Noah's part to trust God and obey him when he told Noah to build the ark, to fill it with two animals of every kind and to fill it for food for all of them. Prior to the flood it had never rained. Imagine the mocking and the things Noah and his family must have gone through before it started to actually rain.-See Genesis 6:1-22

These of course are just a few of the faithful ones who are recorded for us as outstanding examples of faith in extremely difficult circumstances.  Its hard to know exactly how things are going to play out and when. We do have God's word though that tells us what is coming.  Now is the time to pray for one another, to build each other up. Now is the time to bolster our faith, to draw close to God, and to show him exactly what were made of. Its defiantly going to be biblical!! Now is the time to "Wait on the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."-Psalms 27:14 Stay strong my friends, were not in this alone...we have each other, but most importantly, we have our heavenly Father who loves us dearly, and is there to comfort us.

                                                        Peace & Joy!

                                                              ~Lisa

Are You Forgiven??

Hello friends! I'm sorry it's been a while since I made a post. Life has been a little crazy for the Honnell household, as our only daughter just got married!  We have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law, and we are thrilled to have him and his entire family join ours!  After the wedding and after everyone went back home, it was time to get things back in order. While working, I listened on YouTube to Elijah Streams as I often do. Steve had Robin Bullock on his program and they were discussing how guilt is a tool the Devil will use to steal from you.  It really struck me and after praying as to what I should write about today, I felt God's prompting me to share this bit with you.

"One of the biggest things that he (Satan) has is guilt. He try's to put on God's people guilt. Guilt will rob you, and the number one thing it takes away from you is your perception. You can't perceive what God is doing, what he wants to do, what he wants to do with you, what he is doing around you. Because your in guilt, and your focused on some past failure that you've done. And it just zeros our vision in until you have no spiritual perception. Now your void of revelation, you can't receive a revelation from God. You can't live by every word that's coming out of his mouth, because all our pondering on is everything you failed at. And so he keeps on laying that on the people, laying it on the people. And guilt is fear based. Everything the enemy does is fear based...and your afraid that your either going to mess up, have messed up, God has abandoned you, he won't forgive you, or something. And he heaps this on God's people until they can't see a path forward, and so what you've done is when you allow him to lay this guilt, and lay this guilt, it finally get's to the place where you've opened yourself up for an attack where he could possibly even take your life in it. Because you have to remember something...when the Devil attacks someone he's not attacking them to hurt them....Christians get in the ring with the Devil thinking their going to fight. And they say, "Oh I've been fighting with the Devil", we write songs about fighting with the Devil...the Devil isn't getting in the arena with you to fight you, he's getting in the ring with you to KILL you! But Christians are getting in there to fight, and their opponent is getting in there to kill. Well there's a big difference! If you took two boxers and you put them in a ring, and one of them has the idea "We're going to fight", and the other one has the idea, "I'm going to KILL this guy", and he has murder in his heart to kill him, there's no contest now. And so Christians are getting in the arena with the Devil, "I'm going to fight him, I'll just fight this and that...and he's in there saying, "I'm going to KILL them as fast as I can". So in order to kill you he has to steal something from you, because he came to kill, to steal and to destroy. So he steals something. He comes to steal the Word of God out of your heart. He steals hope from you. He steals your desire to serve God and to move in the things of the Spirit. And he does a lot of this by bringing guilt on you from something you have done wrong, and you can't shake it. Because as soon as he can bring the guilt on you he will set it up and cause it, and then he will tell you, "If you were really what you say you are, you would have never said that, or done that, or you wouldn't have been in that situation." And so the next thing you know, your like this...(Puts his head down in shame), and the more it goes on the more you feel bad. And the more you feel bad, all your perception of the Spirit world has been dimmed...it's gone. That's the way he hit Adam. As soon as Adam sinned, he hid himself because he was afraid. He was guilty, and he couldn't see any goodness of God. He was afraid. So men, when their countenance starts to fall, they start to get down. And now while their countenance is down, don't think the Devil will miss this opportunity. He will come immediately and start setting up something to kill you with it. He's not trying to hurt you, he's trying to kill you....he could get you in the middle of a situation that your not even supposed to be in. But your so brow beat, as we say, that you can't see. You have no spiritual perception. And so if Christians could grasp that. You have something out of John 1:9-it says this "If we confess our sin, he is FAITHFUL and he is JUST to forgive us of our sin, and to cleanse us from all the unrighteousness that is connected to that sin." So when you go to God and you say, "Lord, I did this and I did that, forgive me, I confess it before you." That's not when he found out about it...that's when you get forgiven of it. And so then you confess it, you spewed it out of your mouth, it's left your spirit, it's come our of your being, and now God will take that and wipe that away, cleanse you as if you have never done anything wrong. And what you have to do next is this...if you truly repented of that, stand up on your feet, square our shoulders back, and say, I'm forgiven, he's forgiven me, I'm clean, and I'm going to walk the rest of this day as if I have never done that at all, and I'm going to refuse to let my mind think on it." -Robin Bullock, Episode 24 on the Intelligence Briefing with Robin and Steve-YouTube

There was much more to the program, but that part really struck me. The Bible says that the Devil is the father of the lie. Speaking of Satan, John 8:44 says- "...for he is a liar and the father of it." He doesn't want us to believe or feel that we can be forgiven and reconciled back to God.  He wants us to be deceived into believing that our sins aren't forgivable, because if he can get us to believe this he can keep us from drawing close to God.

If we have a sin that haunts us, and we believe in our heart that it's too bad of a sin, surely God would never forgive that sin...then its really like saying that God gave his only begotten Son to cover the sins of the world...but just not our particular sin. In a way, that's like saying our sin us unique, and Christ's payment is inadequate. How far from the truth that is! Acts 2:21 says, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." God also had recorded in his word, these words, found in 1 John 1:9-" If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Take a moment and think of all the different men and women in the Bible that had sinned serious sins, but who were forgiven.  Think of the story of King David and Bathsheba.  Adultery, deception and murder were serious sins he committed, and yet after being remorseful, and repentant, God forgave him.  Think of the Apostle Paul who before becoming a apostle, his name was Saul.  He murdered, harassed, and persecuted Christians. Yet God forgave him, and he became one of the Apostles. One of the 12 Disciples, Peter, denied Jesus 3 times, and Jesus even had to rebuke him...yet he forgave him. Rahab the prostitute had a sketchy background yet she was used by God and is listed in Jesus lineage. Even Mary Magdalene repented of her prostitution and became one of Christs disciples.

The Bible is full of people who committed really bad sins, and through God's amazing love and grace, they were totally and completely forgiven.  Despite what Satan would love for us to believe, there is absolutely NOTHING that can separate us from God's love...NOTHING! Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." How awesome and absolutely incredible is our God!! How loving, forgiving and merciful is he!!

We have to remember, we're ALL imperfect. Unfortunately, we all sin...everyday. Whether we do, think, say or feel things we shouldn't...we all sin. Jesus didn't come to this earth to die for perfect people. He came here to die for imperfect people...for sinners. Romans 3:23 says, " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  It's when we acknowledge, and confess our sins to God, that we find forgiveness. Oh the joy in the heavens when we do that! Luke 15:7 says, " I tell you that there in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Over and over God has shown us in his word of those who have sinned horrible sins against God, but who were redeemed and used mightily by him!

So if you, or someone you know has had a blockage with their relationship with God over a past sin, take heart!! Be encouraged that we can have victory over sin!! 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, " But thank God! He gives victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."

I hope this post encourages you go to your heavenly Father in prayer, confess your sins, and be confident in his loving mercy, and desire to forgive you. God is the very essence of the word love! He loves us enough to ask his only son to die for us. There is no greater love than that! And through that great sacrifice, we can be confident our sins are indeed forgiven!!

                                                        Blessings & Joy!

                                                                 Lisa

Salvation...How To Be Saved

Salvation. What does it mean to be saved? How does one become saved? And how does it affect your life by becoming saved by Christ Jesus. Those are questions you may have had at one time in your life. Perhaps you have never been a religious person, but you are one of the many, who instinctively are coming to the realization that we are in the middle of something much bigger that a political battle.  If you are feeling this way, you are absolutely right! We are right in the middle of a battle between GOOD and EVIL. The events unfolding around us were foretold long ago by Jesus to his disciples, when they inquired of him what would be the signs of his return. Centuries ago the Apostle John wrote the Bible book of Revelation under divine inspiration, the things that would happen far into the future...and we are seeing those things unfolding now. 

So what exactly is salvation? The Oxford Dictionary defines it as 1. Preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.  2. deliverance from sin and it's consequences, believed by Christians to be brought by faith in Christ.

John 3:16 tells us what salvation is. It says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life."

God tells us in his word in John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Again, John confirms this in John 5:24," Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life."

According to these scriptures, salvation is attained, by the belief that Christ Jesus is the Son of Almighty God, and that he died for all mankind.  Jesus himself said that he came "to give his life as an exchange for many."-Matthew 20:28. He left heaven, and came to earth just as he himself says in John 6:38, " For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me." Our salvation depends on whether or not we believe, or have belief in, Christ Jesus and what he did for you and I.

What does belief mean? Again the Oxford Dictionary says, 1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists. 2. trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something. So we must accept, trust, have faith and confidence that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he came and took the form of a man, in order to save us from eternal punishment, and after 3 days, just as he said he was raised up, and back to heaven.

Not only are we given eternal life, through Christ Jesus by our belief in him, we have our sins and trespasses forgiven. Romans 3:23 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Thanks to our first parents, Adam and Eve, and their rebellious disobedience, they lost perfection for not only themselves, but also for all of their offspring, you and I, and we inherited sin and imperfection from them. We were all destined for eternal death. But God loved us SO MUCH that he immediately came up with a plan to reconcile us back to him...and that plan was the giving of his only Son, so that Christs perfect life would buy back that perfect life of Adams.  God's word tells us in Ephesians 1:7,"By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness." Also, in 1 Peter 1:18,19 it says, "For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, that of Christ."

So is that all we need to do...just believe? Or is there more?  God tells us in Romans 10:9-10, " Because you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." This however, does not earn salvation. For salvation through Christ Jesus is a gift.  There is nothing we could do to "earn" salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10, " For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  

This scripture was very eye opening to me as a ex Jehovah's Witness.  All my life I was required to keep track and turn in my time spent in the ministry...not just to tell people about God, but to save myself, to "earn salvation" based on my works. I came to learn after leaving, that, that was a very twisted belief. As the scriptures clearly state, " it is not by our own doing; it is a gift of God".  Romans 6:23 confirms this once again, when it says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This scripture makes it clear that because of our inherited sin, we die...but the gift God gives is eternal life. Because of Christs ransom, even though we may die in this life, his death made a way for us to have eternal life after this one. 

Romans 10:13 says that "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." So it is through Christ Jesus our Lord, that we attain this gift of salvation. "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."-Acts 4:12 

The scriptures go on to explain that in addition to our belief, we need to be baptized. Mark 16:16 says, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."  Also Acts 2:38-39 says, " And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." This scripture sites two things that go hand in hand, repentance...which is a sincere regret or remorse for our sins, and baptism.  Baptism is a outward symbol to God and others who's side in this battle between GOOD and EVIL where we stand. It identifies us as a follower of Christ. Jesus himself was baptized, showing the way for all of his followers. Keep in mind the myriads of heavenly hosts that are watching and taking note who's side we stand on...the angels and the demons...including Satan himself who are watching to see who in which we are choosing to worship. "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..."Joshua 24:15

Baptism by water immersion also represents the death and burial of the old life of willful sin, and washing us clean, and walking in the new life as a follower of Christ Jesus. "For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

There are many more scriptures in addition to the ones shared here. God has made it very clear in his word what we must do order for us to be saved. We must: Believe and have faith that Christ Jesus is the Son of Almighty God and that he left heaven to do will of his Father who sent him.  That will was for him to purchase us back to God, to reconcile us back to the Father.     

 In addition to faith we must confess, or tell others about God and his  great unfailing love. Telling others that he loved us SO MUCH that he sent his only Son to die for us personally. We must also   repent. Have a true sincere regret or remorse for our sins. We are all imperfect, and all fall short of the Glory of God, and we sin daily...but after coming to know him and all he has done to rescue      us...we must be careful not to willfully practice sin. It means we make a sincere effort to walk in    Christs footsteps, and allow God to guide us through his word.           

I recently came across a post from CJTRUTH (Official) on Telegram. I thought it fit perfectly with my post today, and so I wanted to share it with all of you. He posted this: 

We are living in difficult times but whatever happens here in the future, there is one thing on the line and that is where you will spend eternity when you die. By the way, there is a 100% chance you will die but ultimately where will you spend eternity? This is the question. 

Today, you can know for sure. You can know for sure by accepting Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. It says in the Bible, “ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. What an incredible promise. You can have that today. You just have to admit there is nothing you can do to save yourself but it is only what God’s Son, Jesus, did for us on the cross. That he died on the cross and 3 days later rose from the grave and conquered sin and death. 

Come to the cross today. He will forgive you all of your sins and remember them no more, no matter what you have done. If you want to do that today, pray this prayer below. 

Prayer

God, I know that I am far from perfect. Help me comprehend your forgiveness and your plan for restoration. Jesus, give me the courage to accept you as the only doorway to God. I admit I am a sinner and that Jesus died for my sins on the Cross so I could have eternal life. Thank you for giving me the gift of eternal life. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer of salvation above, I want to welcome you into the family of God! After you have done this, you will want to take that next step and grow your relationship with God. This is a good place to start. This is how you form deep relationship with God that can help you on your new journey with God. God bless you all! 

www.salvationcall.com

It is my hope and prayer, that if you never taken the steps to be saved, that you do so now!  Time is short, and being on the side of God is such a blessing and protection for you and your family!!  In the days ahead, we will see more and more evil.  We will see, come to know, and experience things that will be extremely difficult to deal with. Now is the time to take a stand! Stand Tall for Truth! We need God and each other more than ever right now! Keeping all of you in my prayers!

                                                   Blessing & Joy!

                                                            Lisa