The floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained.

(Gen 8:2)

Lord, our God, have mercy on those who have seen first hand the awesome power and destructive force of water. Grant those who suffer and who will yet suffer the benefit of Your mighty healing arm. Light their paths, all those who call upon You,  instill in them the needed stamina, courage, drive and patience to recover and begin anew. Smooth the road of their recovery, Dear Jesus, fill them with hope, O Holy Spirit. Turn Your face to them and give them great strength, wisdom and discernment as tomorrow evolves. We ask this in the Name of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, Hallelujah, AMEN.

The days ahead will be horrible for many. Losses of material possessions great. Days will turn into weary nights as the piles of what was formerly so important now lies in heaps near the road. How quickly man's creations perish. The Great Downsizing has occurred for many. Prayers of thanksgiving fill the ether that many lives were spared, losing only stuff. Stuff that was perishable.

(Mat 6:19-20) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.

Today it seems that nothing will ever be the same again. You would be correct. Tomorrow you will look to the life that courses through your body, the breath that fills your lungs, and the resulting ability to begin the journey anew.

Future treasures [possessions] should be stored in Heaven. Grieve over the piles of that which now lies wet and rotting at the curb. Then say goodbye. The memories contained therein now will be deposited in the archive of your believing, beating heart, safe and secure forever.

We pray for you, each one. Every precious soul caught up in this terrible deluge. In our hearts we attempt to share your pain;

(Job 6:2-3) "Oh that my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my calamity! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas...

Know, dear friend, that you are not alone. Through His mighty grace, prayer warriors from all over the earth are with you moment by moment, praying intercession for your plight. Lift your voice to He who created you. Give Him your anguish and your fears. Lay this heavy burden at the foot of the Cross. Open your heart to His mighty strength and perfect healing. Let Him fill you with His perfect love.

Allow yourself to look beyond tomorrow and to a new beginning, a fresh start, and a revival of Faith in Almighty God, Amen and Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

The floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained.

(Gen 8:2)

Lord, our God, have mercy on those who have seen first hand the awesome power and destructive force of water. Grant those who suffer and who will yet suffer the benefit of Your mighty healing arm. Light their paths, all those who call upon You,  instill in them the needed stamina, courage, drive and patience to recover and begin anew. Smooth the road of their recovery, Dear Jesus, fill them with hope, O Holy Spirit. Turn Your face to them and give them great strength, wisdom and discernment as tomorrow evolves. We ask this in the Name of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, Hallelujah, AMEN.

The days ahead will be horrible for many. Losses of material possessions great. Days will turn into weary nights as the piles of what was formerly so important now lies in heaps near the road. How quickly man's creations perish. The Great Downsizing has occurred for many. Prayers of thanksgiving fill the ether that many lives were spared, losing only stuff. Stuff that was perishable.

(Mat 6:19-20) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.

Today it seems that nothing will ever be the same again. You would be correct. Tomorrow you will look to the life that courses through your body, the breath that fills your lungs, and the resulting ability to begin the journey anew.

Future treasures [possessions] should be stored in Heaven. Grieve over the piles of that which now lies wet and rotting at the curb. Then say goodbye. The memories contained therein now will be deposited in the archive of your believing, beating heart, safe and secure forever.

We pray for you, each one. Every precious soul caught up in this terrible deluge. In our hearts we attempt to share your pain;

(Job 6:2-3) "Oh that my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my calamity! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas...

Know, dear friend, that you are not alone. Through His mighty grace, prayer warriors from all over the earth are with you moment by moment, praying intercession for your plight. Lift your voice to He who created you. Give Him your anguish and your fears. Lay this heavy burden at the foot of the Cross. Open your heart to His mighty strength and perfect healing. Let Him fill you with His perfect love.

Allow yourself to look beyond tomorrow and to a new beginning, a fresh start, and a revival of Faith in Almighty God, Amen and Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

THE GREAT MERCY OF GOD

Look to the rock from which you were hewn And to the quarry from which you were dug. (Isa 51:1)

O Lord, our Maker, be with us in this moment of study. Bring our gaze around to see the depth of love and cherished anointing You give us. You are our Creator, we are Your created, Amen

Time after time our Lord mourns over the rejection we foist upon Him. As He created us, so He loves us, The depth of which we simply cannot fathom. The Lord cries in His heart over our repeating rejection of His gift, His LOVE. Here, God laments over Zion, the beautiful city, His people, His Bride:

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born. When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!'

Time and time again He saves us. Time and time again we turn away and reject Him and His mercy:

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.

How many of us would be so forgiving, so merciful to follow so much rejection to then offer His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our unending sins?

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by HIS grace you have been saved), AMEN

(Isa 51:1) (Psa 51:5) (Eze 16:5-6) (Eze 16:6) (Psa 40:2-3) (Rom 5:6-8) (Eph 2:4-5)

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

THE GREAT MERCY OF GOD

Look to the rock from which you were hewn And to the quarry from which you were dug. (Isa 51:1)

O Lord, our Maker, be with us in this moment of study. Bring our gaze around to see the depth of love and cherished anointing You give us. You are our Creator, we are Your created, Amen

Time after time our Lord mourns over the rejection we foist upon Him. As He created us, so He loves us, The depth of which we simply cannot fathom. The Lord cries in His heart over our repeating rejection of His gift, His LOVE. Here, God laments over Zion, the beautiful city, His people, His Bride:

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born. When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!'

Time and time again He saves us. Time and time again we turn away and reject Him and His mercy:

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.

How many of us would be so forgiving, so merciful to follow so much rejection to then offer His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our unending sins?

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by HIS grace you have been saved), AMEN

(Isa 51:1) (Psa 51:5) (Eze 16:5-6) (Eze 16:6) (Psa 40:2-3) (Rom 5:6-8) (Eph 2:4-5)

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

WHY LORD?

For in the image of God He made man, and to Noah, God blessed him and his family. God commanded them:

(Gen 9:7) "As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it."

Thus God set in motion the natural progress of human and animal life. Birth, Life, Death. God ordained it to be. God, having all knowledge, made all that we are and allowing even the animals (of which we are, although advanced) to move forward in their short time on earth naturally functioning and growing as God intended.

In the latter chapters of the book of Job, the Creator provides an education in natural animal behavior. God says;

(Job 39:13-16) "The ostriches' wings flap joyously With the pinion and plumage of love, For she abandons her eggs to the earth And warms them in the dust, And she forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may trample them. "She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned;

WHY LORD?

(Job 39:17) Because God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.

But what if God gave the ostrich the same wisdom and understanding that humans have, would that then prevent the wrongful placement of a foot from crushing the buried egg and spare the life of an offspring?

God knew when he created the natural, the flesh, that in the normal course of life, sometimes things go wrong. This applies to the ostrich and it applies to you and me. When a six year old child develops cancer and dies, or when a baby dies in childbirth, or a 15 year old commits suicide, our cry is WHY LORD? Sometimes there is no WHY. Sometimes, things just go wrong.

(Gen 2:7) Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

And from Man, God made Woman. In the garden, He set in motion the natural progress of our life. It was perfect. It was flawless. God was so very pleased.

(Gen 3:1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Perhaps it is here where the WHY entered into our lives. Satan, Sin and Death was introduced and then things began to go wrong.

God created us to love Him. To love Him out of our God ordained free will. Our free choice. He gave us intelligence, passion, wisdom, discernment, but most of all, He gave us freedom of choice. With that choice comes consequences. Good...or bad. Life, ordained by God progresses naturally, as He willed.

When the horrible happens, when it seems that life can be so very unfair, and when our hearts are broken and we suffer loss, and we cry to our God, WHY LORD? Sometimes there is no why.

Be assured, when we cry out in anguish, God hears our voice. He knows our pain. He knows the depth of our mourning and grief. He is right there with us when we cry out WHY LORD? Trust in Him. Feel His mighty arm around you.

Find peace in His love for you.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

WHY LORD?

For in the image of God He made man, and to Noah, God blessed him and his family. God commanded them:

(Gen 9:7) "As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it."

Thus God set in motion the natural progress of human and animal life. Birth, Life, Death. God ordained it to be. God, having all knowledge, made all that we are and allowing even the animals (of which we are, although advanced) to move forward in their short time on earth naturally functioning and growing as God intended.

In the latter chapters of the book of Job, the Creator provides an education in natural animal behavior. God says;

(Job 39:13-16) "The ostriches' wings flap joyously With the pinion and plumage of love, For she abandons her eggs to the earth And warms them in the dust, And she forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may trample them. "She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned;

WHY LORD?

(Job 39:17) Because God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.

But what if God gave the ostrich the same wisdom and understanding that humans have, would that then prevent the wrongful placement of a foot from crushing the buried egg and spare the life of an offspring?

God knew when he created the natural, the flesh, that in the normal course of life, sometimes things go wrong. This applies to the ostrich and it applies to you and me. When a six year old child develops cancer and dies, or when a baby dies in childbirth, or a 15 year old commits suicide, our cry is WHY LORD? Sometimes there is no WHY. Sometimes, things just go wrong.

(Gen 2:7) Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

And from Man, God made Woman. In the garden, He set in motion the natural progress of our life. It was perfect. It was flawless. God was so very pleased.

(Gen 3:1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Perhaps it is here where the WHY entered into our lives. Satan, Sin and Death was introduced and then things began to go wrong.

God created us to love Him. To love Him out of our God ordained free will. Our free choice. He gave us intelligence, passion, wisdom, discernment, but most of all, He gave us freedom of choice. With that choice comes consequences. Good...or bad. Life, ordained by God progresses naturally, as He willed.

When the horrible happens, when it seems that life can be so very unfair, and when our hearts are broken and we suffer loss, and we cry to our God, WHY LORD? Sometimes there is no why.

Be assured, when we cry out in anguish, God hears our voice. He knows our pain. He knows the depth of our mourning and grief. He is right there with us when we cry out WHY LORD? Trust in Him. Feel His mighty arm around you.

Find peace in His love for you.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Self Sanctification

A big part of our personal relationship with Christ, our Lord, is a two-step process. We are saved by GRACE through FAITH. Step one is our sincere faith, step two is His Grace. Prayer and Faith are always combined into one effort in our direct step that we take in all our dealings with and for our God.

Let us visit with Brother EDWARD MCKENDRIE BOUNDS as he teaches us about CONSECRATION and SANCTIFICATION:

'You shall sanctify yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. 'You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you. (Lev 20:7-8)

Here we are told to sanctify ourselves, and then in the next sentence we are taught that it is the Lord who sanctifies us.

Here is the two-fold meaning of sanctification, and a distinction that you always need to keep in mind. God does not consecrate us to His service; we must wholeheartedly commit or consecrate ourselves to Him. But we do not sanctify ourselves – it is the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Consecration is the intentional act of the believer and is the direct result of prayer. No prayer-less person can ever understand the idea of full consecration.

Courtesy of E.M. Bounds, Power of Prayer, Christian Arts Gifts, 2007

Consider what E.M. Bounds has written and apply what you have learned to your walk with Christ. Do you find yourself searching constantly for where God wants you to serve?

When you were born, our Lord endowed you with talents, characteristics, and a unique combination of interests that evolved as you grew. We have a tendency to look beyond that which is already in us when we think about how to serve Jesus. Look to those gifts that God has already placed in you. Use them to bring glory to our Lord. Pray that these gifts bring about glory and honor to our Creator as you apply and use them serving others. This, as we pray, is how we CONSECRATE ourselves to His service. Watch how quickly God will SANCTIFY your efforts, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Self Sanctification

A big part of our personal relationship with Christ, our Lord, is a two-step process. We are saved by GRACE through FAITH. Step one is our sincere faith, step two is His Grace. Prayer and Faith are always combined into one effort in our direct step that we take in all our dealings with and for our God.

Let us visit with Brother EDWARD MCKENDRIE BOUNDS as he teaches us about CONSECRATION and SANCTIFICATION:

'You shall sanctify yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. 'You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you. (Lev 20:7-8)

Here we are told to sanctify ourselves, and then in the next sentence we are taught that it is the Lord who sanctifies us.

Here is the two-fold meaning of sanctification, and a distinction that you always need to keep in mind. God does not consecrate us to His service; we must wholeheartedly commit or consecrate ourselves to Him. But we do not sanctify ourselves – it is the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Consecration is the intentional act of the believer and is the direct result of prayer. No prayer-less person can ever understand the idea of full consecration.

Courtesy of E.M. Bounds, Power of Prayer, Christian Arts Gifts, 2007

Consider what E.M. Bounds has written and apply what you have learned to your walk with Christ. Do you find yourself searching constantly for where God wants you to serve?

When you were born, our Lord endowed you with talents, characteristics, and a unique combination of interests that evolved as you grew. We have a tendency to look beyond that which is already in us when we think about how to serve Jesus. Look to those gifts that God has already placed in you. Use them to bring glory to our Lord. Pray that these gifts bring about glory and honor to our Creator as you apply and use them serving others. This, as we pray, is how we CONSECRATE ourselves to His service. Watch how quickly God will SANCTIFY your efforts, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

...The despised...God has chosen...

(1Co 1:28)

Holy Spirit you are always welcomed in this heart and in this house. Be with us all, guiding and revealing as we study God's Word together, Amen.

Our Creator, our God thinks and acts on a completely different level than His creation. We often pat ourselves on the back over how intelligent and creative we are, while God smiles. He smiles on us in the same manner as a human dad would smile when his child demonstrates the ability to tie his own shoes. Our Earthly endeavors pale in the presence of His mighty abilities.

Have you noticed that the Lord often selects those who are, shall we say, lacking in one area or another. The Bible uses a word, PECULIAR, referencing those God selects for really HUGE tasks. Many, if not most of the great biblical patriarchs had some serious baggage when God called them to service. God loves to take the rough stone, the ugly rock, shape it and polish it to fit His lofty purposes.

(1Co 6:9-11) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Just as God the Father did for select individuals under the Old Covenant, Christ Jesus does for all who believe in the New. By His death and through His blood, all of our sins are washed from us once and for all. Do you Believe?

(Eph 2:1-3) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

(Tit 3:5-6) He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

(Isa 55:8-9) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Your Bible is brimming with the most beautiful and incredible events that clearly demonstrate the limitless love our Creator has for His creation. There is a powerful reflection of His great desire that not one of you perish, but longs for you to call His name, to believe, to be saved. Its all in the Book!

Lord Jesus, thank-you for filling us with your Holy Spirit. For taking our place and purchasing us as Your own. Grant us wisdom and discernment in learning and knowing Your ways as we obey the commandments and love You as You love us, Hallelujah, Amen

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

...The despised...God has chosen...

(1Co 1:28)

Holy Spirit you are always welcomed in this heart and in this house. Be with us all, guiding and revealing as we study God's Word together, Amen.

Our Creator, our God thinks and acts on a completely different level than His creation. We often pat ourselves on the back over how intelligent and creative we are, while God smiles. He smiles on us in the same manner as a human dad would smile when his child demonstrates the ability to tie his own shoes. Our Earthly endeavors pale in the presence of His mighty abilities.

Have you noticed that the Lord often selects those who are, shall we say, lacking in one area or another. The Bible uses a word, PECULIAR, referencing those God selects for really HUGE tasks. Many, if not most of the great biblical patriarchs had some serious baggage when God called them to service. God loves to take the rough stone, the ugly rock, shape it and polish it to fit His lofty purposes.

(1Co 6:9-11) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Just as God the Father did for select individuals under the Old Covenant, Christ Jesus does for all who believe in the New. By His death and through His blood, all of our sins are washed from us once and for all. Do you Believe?

(Eph 2:1-3) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

(Tit 3:5-6) He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

(Isa 55:8-9) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Your Bible is brimming with the most beautiful and incredible events that clearly demonstrate the limitless love our Creator has for His creation. There is a powerful reflection of His great desire that not one of you perish, but longs for you to call His name, to believe, to be saved. Its all in the Book!

Lord Jesus, thank-you for filling us with your Holy Spirit. For taking our place and purchasing us as Your own. Grant us wisdom and discernment in learning and knowing Your ways as we obey the commandments and love You as You love us, Hallelujah, Amen

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

The fruit of the Spirit is ... faith

(Gal 5:22)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – I do believe; help my unbelief."

But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: – For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. – But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? For we walk by faith, not by sight--

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

(Eph 2:8) (Heb 11:6) (Joh 3:18) (Joh 3:18) (Mar 9:24) (1Jn 2:5) (Gal 5:6) (Jas 2:20) (2Co 5:7) (Gal 2:20) (1Pe 1:8-9)

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

The fruit of the Spirit is ... faith

(Gal 5:22)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – I do believe; help my unbelief."

But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: – For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. – But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? For we walk by faith, not by sight--

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

(Eph 2:8) (Heb 11:6) (Joh 3:18) (Joh 3:18) (Mar 9:24) (1Jn 2:5) (Gal 5:6) (Jas 2:20) (2Co 5:7) (Gal 2:20) (1Pe 1:8-9)

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

I'M BORN AGAIN, HALLELUJAH !

Lord Almighty, thank-you for the many blessings, and thank-you for the breath of life in us today. May Your Holy Spirit be with us as we continue to study and treasure Your written Word, Amen.

What exactly is being Born Again? Is that even possible? The short answer is YES, it is not only possible, it is mandatory. Jesus was asked the same question one evening. A well respected teacher and member of the Jewish ruling council named Nicodemus received the following reply from Christ;

(Joh 3:6-7) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

Here is how I understand being Born Again; Remember Adam? His choice to disobey God resulted in SIN and DEATH being unleashed upon the world. Every single person born of a woman from that moment on came from the seed of Adam. In the seed was sin and death, sort of a long fused death sentence. When you are born, you are already a full blown sinner on death row. Only one thing changes that...BEING BORN again, but this time, from sinless seed. Jesus is the second Adam. Jesus was SINLESS.

(Rom 8:1-4) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

By accepting the precious gift from Christ Jesus, we are cleaned of all our sins, Filled with the Holy Spirit, and promised eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Through our FAITH and with the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, He took our place and was executed. He agreed to die for each of us, and take away all of our sin with Him, through His blood, forever. We become new, the old sinful self dies with Christ. After Christ died on the cross, Father God lifted Him up to life again, and That, my dear brother and sister is my understanding of being BORN AGAIN.

Here is our closing Scripture for today:

(Joh 3:3) Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

(Joh 3:7) You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

(1Pe 1:23) For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

CLOSING PRAYER; Holy Spirit, you are always welcome here and we truly cherish Your kind guidance and Godly council as we read our Bibles. Blessed is our Creator, our God, our Lord and our Savior, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

I'M BORN AGAIN, HALLELUJAH !

Lord Almighty, thank-you for the many blessings, and thank-you for the breath of life in us today. May Your Holy Spirit be with us as we continue to study and treasure Your written Word, Amen.

What exactly is being Born Again? Is that even possible? The short answer is YES, it is not only possible, it is mandatory. Jesus was asked the same question one evening. A well respected teacher and member of the Jewish ruling council named Nicodemus received the following reply from Christ;

(Joh 3:6-7) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

Here is how I understand being Born Again; Remember Adam? His choice to disobey God resulted in SIN and DEATH being unleashed upon the world. Every single person born of a woman from that moment on came from the seed of Adam. In the seed was sin and death, sort of a long fused death sentence. When you are born, you are already a full blown sinner on death row. Only one thing changes that...BEING BORN again, but this time, from sinless seed. Jesus is the second Adam. Jesus was SINLESS.

(Rom 8:1-4) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

By accepting the precious gift from Christ Jesus, we are cleaned of all our sins, Filled with the Holy Spirit, and promised eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Through our FAITH and with the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, He took our place and was executed. He agreed to die for each of us, and take away all of our sin with Him, through His blood, forever. We become new, the old sinful self dies with Christ. After Christ died on the cross, Father God lifted Him up to life again, and That, my dear brother and sister is my understanding of being BORN AGAIN.

Here is our closing Scripture for today:

(Joh 3:3) Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

(Joh 3:7) You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

(1Pe 1:23) For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

CLOSING PRAYER; Holy Spirit, you are always welcome here and we truly cherish Your kind guidance and Godly council as we read our Bibles. Blessed is our Creator, our God, our Lord and our Savior, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Oh, HELL

Father God, Almighty Creator, we come before you with thanksgiving in our hearts, lifting up this prayer through Christ Jesus asking your blessing on this monologue that is bound to touch some nerves. The GOSPEL must be shared. We prayerfully invoke the Holy Spirit as we progress, your will, not ours, Amen.

HELL Defined, Fausett:

A perpetual fire was kept to consume this putrefying matter; hence it became the image of that awful place where all that are unfit for the holy city are cast out a prey to the ever gnawing "worm" of conscience from within and the "unquenchable fire" of torments from without. Mar_9:42-50, "their worm dieth not." implies that not only the worm but they also on whom it preys die not.

HELL Defined, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:

The English word, from a Teutonic root meaning “to hide” or “cover,” had originally the significance of the world of the dead generally, and in this sense is used by Chaucer, Spenser, etc., and in the Creed (“He descended into hell”). SHEOL; HADES; GEHENNA):, “to cast down to hell” is used (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) to represent the Greek tartaróō, (“to send into Tartarus”). Here it stands for the place of punishment of the fallen angels: “spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits (or chains) of darkness” (compare Jud_1:6; but also Mat_25:41). Similar ideas are found in certain of the Jewish apocalyptic books (Book of Enoch, Book of Jubilees, Apocrypha Baruch, with apparent reference to Gen_6:1-4;...

Hell is real. Hell is eternal. Hell is promised to all unrepentant sinners who fail to acknowledge Christ as Lord. By the way. We ALL are SINNERS!

(Rev 20:12-15) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

So, how do you get your name written into the Book of Life? Lets look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans Chapter 10:

(Rom 10:8-10) But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

[PARAPHRASE]

When God created the earth, He created Adam, a perfect man, the FIRST man ever. Adam disobeyed God directly and allowed himself to become INFECTED with sin and death. This infection was then passed, through HIS seed to all future men and women on this earth, even to this very day. When you were born, you were born a sinner through the INFECTION passed by Adam's original seed. The INFECTION of sin and death will progress in your body unless you decide to accept the medication that will cure you.

That medication is Christ Jesus, the only other perfect man to ever exist. Adam was the first, Jesus was the last. Jesus shed His blood and gave His life to release you from the terminal sentence of SIN and death eternal. (HELL). God gave us the cure for the original sin. The medication is a full and continuing dose of Jesus the Christ. God has been offering you this medication every day of your life to this very moment. He offers it to you because He LOVES YOU. [PARAPHRASE]

(Joh 14:6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

(Act 16:30-31) ….he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Through Christ, the cure is had. The SIN and DEATH is defeated. Hell no longer looms in your future. BELIEF and FAITH for the rest of your earthly life is what is needed to activate the GRACE of this wondrous cure.

Accepting the Lord's salvation will bring many changes to your life. Sin will no longer be attractive. You will thirst and hunger for the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit will enter and take up residence in your body becoming your constant guide and counselor.  You will be at peace with yourself and a member of God's Royal Family, Amen.

If you have never given yourself to Jesus, now is as good a time as any.  There is no past sin so great that the Lord will not forgive you through accepting Him as your Lord and Savior.  Lets pray together. When we are finished, and you have truly asked Christ to save you, to come into your body, find a good Bible based church or assembly, a home Bible study group, and be baptized and discipled, introduced to a whole new beginning as a Child of God.

Pray with me; Oh Lord, my God, Oh Jesus, I want to be cured, to be healed of SIN and of ETERNAL DEATH. I believe that You are Lord, the very Son of Almighty God. I Believe that you died for all of us on the cross, was buried and on the third day was raised from the dead by the mighty hand of Your Father God, to live again forever. I believe that You ascended into heaven and sit this moment on the right hand side of Your Father's throne, waiting to return. I give myself fully to you this very moment. Please come into me, save me , cure me, fill me with the Holy Spirit, be my savior now and for evermore. With all my heart I pray, Amen and AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

HAVE YOU BEEN SAVED?

Oh, HELL

Father God, Almighty Creator, we come before you with thanksgiving in our hearts, lifting up this prayer through Christ Jesus asking your blessing on this monologue that is bound to touch some nerves. The GOSPEL must be shared. We prayerfully invoke the Holy Spirit as we progress, your will, not ours, Amen.

HELL Defined, Fausett:

A perpetual fire was kept to consume this putrefying matter; hence it became the image of that awful place where all that are unfit for the holy city are cast out a prey to the ever gnawing "worm" of conscience from within and the "unquenchable fire" of torments from without. Mar_9:42-50, "their worm dieth not." implies that not only the worm but they also on whom it preys die not.

HELL Defined, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:

The English word, from a Teutonic root meaning “to hide” or “cover,” had originally the significance of the world of the dead generally, and in this sense is used by Chaucer, Spenser, etc., and in the Creed (“He descended into hell”). SHEOL; HADES; GEHENNA):, “to cast down to hell” is used (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) to represent the Greek tartaróō, (“to send into Tartarus”). Here it stands for the place of punishment of the fallen angels: “spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits (or chains) of darkness” (compare Jud_1:6; but also Mat_25:41). Similar ideas are found in certain of the Jewish apocalyptic books (Book of Enoch, Book of Jubilees, Apocrypha Baruch, with apparent reference to Gen_6:1-4;...

Hell is real. Hell is eternal. Hell is promised to all unrepentant sinners who fail to acknowledge Christ as Lord. By the way. We ALL are SINNERS!

(Rev 20:12-15) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

So, how do you get your name written into the Book of Life? Lets look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans Chapter 10:

(Rom 10:8-10) But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

[PARAPHRASE]

When God created the earth, He created Adam, a perfect man, the FIRST man ever. Adam disobeyed God directly and allowed himself to become INFECTED with sin and death. This infection was then passed, through HIS seed to all future men and women on this earth, even to this very day. When you were born, you were born a sinner through the INFECTION passed by Adam's original seed. The INFECTION of sin and death will progress in your body unless you decide to accept the medication that will cure you.

That medication is Christ Jesus, the only other perfect man to ever exist. Adam was the first, Jesus was the last. Jesus shed His blood and gave His life to release you from the terminal sentence of SIN and death eternal. (HELL). God gave us the cure for the original sin. The medication is a full and continuing dose of Jesus the Christ. God has been offering you this medication every day of your life to this very moment. He offers it to you because He LOVES YOU. [PARAPHRASE]

(Joh 14:6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

(Act 16:30-31) ….he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Through Christ, the cure is had. The SIN and DEATH is defeated. Hell no longer looms in your future. BELIEF and FAITH for the rest of your earthly life is what is needed to activate the GRACE of this wondrous cure.

Accepting the Lord's salvation will bring many changes to your life. Sin will no longer be attractive. You will thirst and hunger for the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit will enter and take up residence in your body becoming your constant guide and counselor.  You will be at peace with yourself and a member of God's Royal Family, Amen.

If you have never given yourself to Jesus, now is as good a time as any.  There is no past sin so great that the Lord will not forgive you through accepting Him as your Lord and Savior.  Lets pray together. When we are finished, and you have truly asked Christ to save you, to come into your body, find a good Bible based church or assembly, a home Bible study group, and be baptized and discipled, introduced to a whole new beginning as a Child of God.

Pray with me; Oh Lord, my God, Oh Jesus, I want to be cured, to be healed of SIN and of ETERNAL DEATH. I believe that You are Lord, the very Son of Almighty God. I Believe that you died for all of us on the cross, was buried and on the third day was raised from the dead by the mighty hand of Your Father God, to live again forever. I believe that You ascended into heaven and sit this moment on the right hand side of Your Father's throne, waiting to return. I give myself fully to you this very moment. Please come into me, save me , cure me, fill me with the Holy Spirit, be my savior now and for evermore. With all my heart I pray, Amen and AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

HAVE YOU BEEN SAVED?

IT IS FINISHED

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

(Joh 19:30)

--Lord, our God, grant us wisdom and understanding as we study Your Word through the Holy Spirit, Amen.--

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith -- I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. -- By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. -- Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father. -- Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

(Heb 12:2) (Joh 17:4) (Heb 10:10-14) (Col 2:14) (Joh 10:17-18) (Joh 15:13) NASB

--Thank-you Father God for the privilege of washing ourselves in Your Holy Word. May the lesson be deeply etched into the archive of our hearts, In Christ, AMEN.--

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?