Peace Light                    

Psalm 56:13

For You have delivered my soul from death. Have

You not delivered my feet from falling, that I may

walk before God in the Light of the living?  (NKJ)

     There is one thing that human beings do quite well and it's living blindly in this dark world.  We tend to stumble around in the darkness searching for the easiest path to a victorious life.  But sooner or later we discover that without the proper lighting and guidance, all paths but one are a dead end. And after dead end after dead end, many of us simply give up our search for the good and happy life that ends so quickly. And when we give up it can get really dark and awfully lonely.  And the darker it gets, the lonelier we are, and the lonelier we get the darker it becomes.  And when we are dark and lonely, it is so easy to simply lose our appetite for living and focus on the final dead end.  But this short life-journey doesn't have to dead end in darkness and despair, for when we embrace the Light of God, our paths get brighter and brighter, and we are never alone.

     Most people will never find their way out of the darkness because they don't know they are living in darkness.  Many people choose to remain in the darkness because they love their sin too much.   Some are afraid of the Light and fear it is just another dead end.  But many who are exposed to the Light of God's amazing grace will walk down this new path and discover a whole new meaning with a whole new purpose.  And even though their lives don't always get any easier, they know their Guide will get them safely through to the other side. There will be plenty challenges on this path to Heaven and when the darkness of the world is beating at the door of your heart to get back in, your Savior is right there to keep that door shut so you can continue safely on your way.  And the moment you step out of this life and into Heaven you will instantly know that it was well worth the difficult journey. 

                                        A Whisper of Hope                        

Receive My Peace, dear child...and your deepest needs will be fulfilled.  I, the Prince of Peace, will pour Myself into your neediness, for My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match.  My Peace will live and grow in you forever.

Hosea 14:9

Let those who are wise understand these things.  Let those

who are discerning listen carefully.  The paths of the LORD

are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in

them.  But sinners stumble and fall along the way.  (NLT)

                         Peace I leave you. My peace I give you.   

                                               (John 14:27)       

                                Glorious Heaven   

Isaiah 57:1-2

The righteous pass away; the godly often die before their

time.  And no one seems to care or wonder why.  No one

seems to understand that God is protecting them from the

evil to come. For the godly who die will rest in peace.  (NLT)

    For people who are committed Christians, trusting in the blood of Jesus as the Christ, God promises that the moment we breathe our last breath in this life we will instantly be with the Lord forever.  This promise is rooted in the Scriptures and we can trust it fully. What a cruel joke it would be if this life was all there is—that we go through all the pain and suffering and anxiety just to die and rot in the grave.  The lies that tell us this life is all there is or there are no consequences, is from the devil and its infection has spread throughout the world.  It has caused us to live in greed, taking what we can while we can, and doing it anyway we can, regardless of the consequences. 

     But this short life is just the beginning of a very long life, and what we do in it has a great bearing on the next. There are many views about the afterlife and many people are easily fooled by the deceitful traps that give a false sense of hope. These lies are deadly, for if we take them into the grave, it's too late to change our minds.

     As a believer in Father God and His amazing redemptive Plan to save man, through the blood of His Son Jesus, you cannot afford to second guess God's motives, especially when it comes to who lives a long life and who does not. You must simply trust Him in everything. If you doubt your Sovereign God, you can easily be pulled into the deadly traps of Satan—traps that are not easy to escape from.  But when you belong to God and become His child, nothing will be able to snatch you from His Mighty Grip and you can rest a sure that when you awaken from this life's nightmare, you will be in the Glory of Heaven with Jesus and that, my friends, will be a glorious place to be.

                                  A Whisper of Hope                  

The moment you become My child...you become a citizen of Heaven and you are not left on your own to defend your citizenship. I will carry you in My arms right through Heaven's Gate.  With Me, dear child, you will always sleep in perfect peace.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with

a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and

with the trumpet call of God.  First, all the Christians who

have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with

them, we who are still alive and remain of the earth will

be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and

remain with Him forever. So comfort and encourage each

other with these words.  (NLT)

              “When I awake, I will be fully satisfied,

                   for I will see you face to face.”       

                                  (Psalm 17:15)       

                                             December 28

                         Light Cleansing                                         

1 John 1:7

But if we are living in the Light of God's Presence,

just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each

other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us

from every sin.  (NLT)

     Living in God's Light is a far cry from living in the darkness that most people are trapped in and don't even know it.  Living in darkness is just another way of saying that you are indulging in the evil, sinful things that separate us from goodness and glory of God and His Light—that you would rather live for the moment, enjoying the pleasures of the flesh rather than living for God in righteousness.  Most people who live in this darkness cannot give up their sinful ways, nor do they really care about what lies beyond this short life.  It is our fallen human nature that leads us into this darkness and in many cases, it kills us before we can get out.  This life is short and before we know it (if we make it that long) we are old and wondering where the time went.  And without God's Light we are also left wondering if this life is all there is, and if it is, what a cruel joke it has been. Most people spend their busy lives just trying to survive without much thought of death until it hits close to home, and then they only ponder it for a bit before putting it on the back burner for another day. 

     The Light of the World has been shining for over 2,000 years and is still lighting the Way in this dark world today, even though its future is looking bleaker every day.  The dark forces that rule our world have tried their best to put out this Great Light and have failed miserably.  The Good Hope that God's Light brings into our dark world has the power to transform even the darkest life into one that is like a bright shining city on a hill, glowing for all the world to see.  The Saving Son Light of God is the only Light that can resurrected what is dead.  He is the only One who can give us a new life that far exceeds anything this wicked world can promise. Step into His Light, my friend, and bask in its healing Power.  For when you do, you will wonder why you waited so long!

                                      A Whisper of Hope       

Step into the Light, My child...and forever be changed.  Your life will take on a new meaning and it will never end.  You will see this world as it truly is.  The darkness that surrounds you will never again hold you captive to its evil ways.  You will be free!

Isaiah 5:18, 20

Destruction is certain for those who drag their sins behind them,

tied with cords of falsehood.  Destruction is certain for those who

say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is

dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.  (NLT)

                   God is coming to destroy your enemies. 

                        He is coming to save you.  

                                         (Isaiah 35:4)      

                                                   December 27

                          A Glorious Day                         

Zechariah 9:16

When that day arrives, the LORD their God will rescue

His people just as a shepherd rescues his sheep.  They

will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown.  (NLT)

     What a glorious day it will be when the Lord returns to rescue His people from this evil world—the day when He comes with the fire of vengeance in His eyes to rescue His people and put an end to the evil in our world.  The Lord takes no pleasure in the death of anyone, but His justice must take place and reign throughout the land.  No unrepentant sinner will be spared; they will pay the price for their sins.  Those of us who have put our hope and trust in the blood of Christ as our sin payment in full, we are in safe keeping until King Jesus returns to make all things right.  But for those who love their sin more than God, their day of reckoning is close at hand and they will pay the price and be condemned.  Their sentence will be final and it will be eternal.  They will share the Lake of Fire with Satan, which is far removed from the glorious new heavens and earth!

      What a glorious day it will be when we are able to live in the Presence our Holy God. We will slip into our glorious new bodies that will be perfect in every way.  We will never again be separated from the Glory and goodness of God.  We will never grow old and die.  We will never be sick or get hurt, and sadness and tears will be no more.  The new heavens and earth will be our Home and they will be so incredibly beautiful that the old will never come to mind.  What awaits God's children in the future is beyond our finite comprehension, but the Scriptures explain all we need to know for now.  Put your life in the hands of God our Redeemer, my friend, and become a part of the Greatest Escape in the history of mankind, one that puts the great Red Sea escape to shame.

                                       A Whisper of Hope                                              

Come to Me, dear child...and I will give you rest.  Come into My arms and let Me wipe away your tears.  Let Me whisper in your ears the words of hope that will comfort your weary soul and bring My everlasting peace into your precious heart.

2 Corinthians 4:4

Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the

minds of those who don't believe, so they are un-

able to see the glorious Light of the Good News

that is shining upon them. They don't understand

the message we preach about the glory of Christ,

who is the exact likeness of God.  (NLT)

               But the day of the Lord will come 

                 as unexpectedly as a thief.        

                                 (2 Peter 3:10)                         

                                                  December 26

                                  Blessed Babe

Revelation 22:16

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things

in the churches.  I am the Root and the Offspring of David,

the Bright and Morning Star.”  (NKJ)

     Our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ came to us just as God had promised; a Babe born to a virgin, in a stable, and wrapped in the swaddling clothes of a servant.  Jesus was the long awaited for Messiah, the One who would set Israel and the world free from the evil masters that controlled our existence; Satan, sin, and the fear of death.  The Savior came to not only save us, but to expose the Enemy as well.  He came as a Light for the lost—a Shepherd for His people.  Jesus came to do for mankind what no One else could do.  He came in love and filled with mercy and grace and power to fix the human race debacle. Jesus knew that without His sacrificial blood, we would have absolutely no chance of standing justified before Him on the Day of Judgment.  Our world that Satan stole would be unrecognizable without Jesus—it would be a world consumed in the darkness of evil with no way out.   

     And there really is Good News to proclaim; Jesus is alive and the world has His life-saving Light.  We are no longer trapped in the darkness of evil that consumes our world—we can get out! We can put on the robe of righteousness that Jesus purchased with His life's blood.  We can now live in the Son's Light and experience the joy of the Lord.  You have been given an inedible gift and to reject it is the worse decision that you will ever make, because you will never know the One who created you—the One who personally clothed Himself in a mere human body to save you from eternal destruction and to crown you with eternal life.

                                          A Whisper of Hope 

I am always with you, dear child...when you belong to Me; even in your darkest hour, I am there.  I loved you before I created you and I gave My life so that I could raise from the grave and bless you with eternal life.  I saved you for Me.

Luke 2:11

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will

find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”  (NKJ)

     All the world will know that I, the LORD, 

              am your Savior and Redeemer.

                                  (Isaiah 49:26)

                                                          December 25

                                    A Saving Birth

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walk in darkness will see a

great Light—a Light that will shine on all who

live in the land where death casts its shadow.  (NLT)

     Our Sovereign God loves everyone He creates.  He loves us far above anything else in creation.  So much so that He refused to leave us living in the darkness that sin has cast upon our world without a way out.  God knows how helpless we are without Him; that we are easily pulled into this darkness that hardens our hearts and kills our souls.  Before the day of man's first sin, the Lord had a Plan that would save us from our sin and the darkness of the grave—a Light that would shine brightly and bring us Hope.   Without the Light of God's Son there would be no life, only darkness.  Without God's Light we would be stumbling through the darkness, hopelessly lost, and living in constant fear.  Without His saving Light we would all end up falling into the eternal abyss that has no bottom.  Without Jesus there would be no forgiveness, no redemption, and no joy.

     At the right moment in time, our Savior came into the world—for a child was born to us, a Son is given to us.  And the government will rest on His shoulders. These will be His royal titles:  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His ever peaceful government will never end.  He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David.  The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this! (Isaiah 9:6-7) The LORD clothed Himself in humanity, bringing hope to all who would listen and believe.  God so loved the human race that He personally saved us from certain doom. We have reason to rejoice my friends, not only during the Christmas Season, but every day of the year, for the Savior has come and saved.

                                            A Whisper of Hope 

I came into the world, My child...born as you are born and grew as you grow.  I put on a human body to save you from your bondage to sin and death.  I have broken the chains that once held you captive and arranged a stay in your death penalty for eternity.

John 12:44-46

Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust Me, you are really trusting

God who sent Me.  For when you see Me you are seeing the One who

sent Me.  I have come as a Light to shine in this dark world, so that all

who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the darkness.  (NLT)

                    Let us be glad and rejoice and honor Him.

                                              (Revelation 19:7)

                                                 December 24

                                  Our Advocate

Zechariah3:1-2

Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing

before the angel of the LORD.  Satan was there at the angel's

right hand, accusing Jeshua of many things.  And the LORD

said to Satan, “I, the LORD reject your accusations, Satan. 

Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you.  (NLT)

     The children of God have the greatest Defender in the universe.  Jesus Christ is our advocate who sits at the right hand of the Father pleading the cases that Satan brings against us in an attempt to discredit God and steal our souls.  Although Satan is the greatest accuser of all time, he is no match for Jesus Christ who crushed the serpents head.  Jesus humbly came into this evil world to put Satan's power over man to shame and to set us free from our fear of death.  Christ Jesus shed His life's blood for our forgiveness.  Jesus paid the price we could not and defeated death. Satan's power has been broken and God's children are free.  Satan knows his days are limited and he is putting up a horrific battle to take as many unsaved people into the eternal Lake of Fire as he can. Satan is our mightiest foe and should never be underestimated.  He will stop at nothing to prove God wrong and he will do anything to destroy you. 

     When we commit our lives to God we are under His care and control and He becomes many things for us.  He becomes a wise and loving Father, One who leads us down righteous paths, guides our every godly step, and teaches us His Holy Way.  The Lord becomes our Protector, our Defender and our everyday Savior, protecting us from our enemies, defending our right standing, and saving us from our enemies.  He also becomes our Refuge—a Place we can run to for safety and comfort, a place we go for forgiveness, encouragement, and peace, because we know He is always with us. The King of kings and Lord of lords, my friends, is also your Advocate and if that doesn't bring you a great sense of peace, then you don't know the God who saved you.

                                         A Whisper of Hope 

I Am your Savior, dear child...and as your Advocate, your slate is wiped clean.  It is not in your best interest to defend your sinful nature alone, because Hell's Accuser is crafty in all his deceitful ways.  This why you need the Truth standing with you.

1 John 2:1-2

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will

not sin. But if your do sin, there is someone to plead for you

before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the One who pleases

God completely.  He is the sacrifice for your sins.  He takes

away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.  (NLT)

             The LORD is good.  When trouble comes 

                        He is a strong Refuge.

                                         (Nahum 1:7)

                              Lies bring Death      

Genesis 3:4-5

“You won't die!” the serpent hissed.  “God knows that your

eyes will be opened when you eat it.  You will become just

like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”  (NLT)

     This is the oldest recorded lie in the history of mankind.  When this lie was whispered to the first man and woman they fell for it, hook, line, and sinker, and it changed the course of time for mankind.  Being cursed with sin, Adam and Eve and their descendants could no longer live in the Presence of their Holy God and were banned from the Garden of Eden. Although it is well within God's sovereign power to make us worship and love Him, He chose to create us with a free will to choose to love and follow His ways or not.  But because of God's great love, mercy, and grace, He had a Plan that would bring us back in His Presence. Because of the blood of Jesus, we can be cleansed of our sins and be in His Presence once again.  And then one day, physically live with our Creator, Savior and King in a new Heaven on Earth with a glorified body that will never again be exposed to evil and sin and its power to enslave and decay—we will be God's holy people and He will be our Holy God forever more.

     But in this life we must continue to be on our guard, because the lies of the devil are still lurking in the darkness, ready to deceive, destroying, and kill our souls. It still amazes me that the Lord would forgive and wipe our slates clean after all the wicked things we do and think. Oh, the patience God has while watching us indulge in the evil that is totally disgusting to Him, and yet He is so full of mercy and grace and love in spite of our wicked ways.  Our Lord God and Savior has the Power to save any life no matter how wicked or evil it is.  He not only has the Power but He has the love to save as many of us as He can. Never doubt the love of God, my friends, for it can save you no matter what you have done.  Jesus is calling you softly with whispers of Hope and nudges of love.

                                    A Whisper of Hope                

Listen closely, dear child...for My whispers of hope.  They can bring you out of the cold and into My warm embrace.  I have vowed to save My children bring My vengeance against the the wicked and evil.  Come close and I will draw you near to Me—forevermore!

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit

power and signs and miracles.  He will use every kind of wicked

deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction be-

cause they refuse to believe the Truth that would save them.  (NLT)

             A false witness will not go unpunished,

                and he who speaks lies shall perish.

                                  (Proverbs 19:9)

                           When the Thrill is Gone

Proverbs 30:8, 9

Give me neither poverty nor

     riches!

 Give me just enough to satisfy

     my needs. 

For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say,

 “Who is the LORD?” 

And if I am too poor, I may steal

     and thus insult God's holy name.  (NLT)

     We have a gracious God who delights in giving us good things. He is a faithful Giver, especially to  His children. The LORD is the One who created and provides everything we need.  Without His generous provisions mankind would not survive.  Our Creator did not create us and then leave us on our own.  Instead, God gave us the wisdom and the desire to depend on Him for our survival and to enjoy our lives.  Prior to Adam and Eve's eviction from Eden, they were fully satisfied with the good things God had given them. But since that eviction day, mankind has become self-focused and greedy.  There are people who have received much, thanking only themselves and God is the furthest thing from their minds. And there are those who have very little and they blame God for their misfortune. This is not right, because no matter what we have, we should be thankful for our lives, because without this life there can be no eternal life, and for this reason alone, we need to give God all of our thanksgiving and praise.

     When the Lord God is not a part of our lives, we are easily duped into believing that the world is our provider; that mother earth is our God and it is up to us to take what we can. When we pursue only worldly things that have no eternal value, they quickly get old, and as the thrill fades, we begin looking for more of the same.  When the Lord is not in the forefront of your life-journey, you are living in vain, my friend.  When you refuse to acknowledge God as your provider, you are inviting the devil into your life, and when your sinful nature partners up with the devil, the darkness will consume your soul.  But when you humbly rely on the Lord to provide, He will give you exactly what you need, when you need it, and it will satisfy the desires of your heart.

                                  A Whisper of Hope 

You need Me, child... You will perish without Me.  On your own you will not only work in vain, but the darkness will swallow you up.  But when you rely on Me for everything, you will receive more than you can ever imagine.

2 Chronicles 16:9

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to

strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.  (NLT)

    Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth

        but not have a rich relationship with God.

                                       (Luke12:21)     

                               Soundly Safe

Zephaniah 2:3

Beg the LORD to save you—all you who are humble, all

you who uphold justice.  Walk humbly and do what is

right.  Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you from

His anger on that day of destruction.  (NLT)

    Those of us who believe that God's Word is literal and true, know that the LORD is going to put an end to the evil in this world and destroy all godless people.  We also know that we are living in the “Last Days.”  We know that the One who saved us is going to meet His Church in the sky to usher us into the present Heaven, where we will celebrate the Great Wedding Feast—the final union between the Church (the bride) and the Jesus Christ (the Bride Groom).  King Jesus will rescue His bride from the wrath of God.  The death and devastation brought on by God's mighty wrath will be so horrible that many will want to die, but can't.  The suffering of those who refuse Christ Jesus will be like never before in the history of mankind.  What the Bible tells of the Final Days of God's Wrath will seem mild when it is all said and done. But we have reason to praise and thank God, because He has made a Way for anyone to escape the heat that is about to come upon this wicked world; something you would be wise to avoid at all cost.

     The Church of Jesus Christ, is not a building where people gather once a week so they can feel good about themselves in spite of their sin.  It is not an organization or corporation that takes your money and deals in justification.  The Church, my friends, is made up of true believers who have been born again as the adopted children of the Living God.  They are sinful people who recognize their need for the Savior.  They are people who were once lost in the darkness of this evil world, but have found the Way out. They are repentant sinners that have sacrificed their old lives of sin for a life of righteous living. They are being made a new creation in Messiah Jesus.  They are people who were once deceived but now they know the Truth that has set them free from the power of sin and the fear of death.  If you have made the decision to live in Messiah Jesus, He is living in you and your life is now on a sound foundation and your salvation is safely in His hands.

                                    A Whisper of Hope

Just ask, dear child...and I will save you from the destruction that is immanent for those who deny Me.  Most people in this world disbelieve in the wrath of God to come, because they do not know Me.  So they continue to live in darkness, loving their sin more than their Savior.  Do not follow suit!

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted

 and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from Heaven. 

He will come with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, bring-

ing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who

refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.  They will be

punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from

the Lord and from His glorious power.  (NLT)  

                Return O LORD, deliver me!  

        Oh, save me for Your mercies' sake!

                                   (Psalm 6:4)

                                Pride is Sin

Habakkuk 2:4

Look at the proud!  They trust in themselves,

and their lives are crooked, but the righteous

will live by their faith.  (NLT)

     Pride in layman terms, is a soul killer. Pride is the root that grows deep into our sinful nature. It is pride that tells us, “we are gods”—that we are in control.  Pride tells us that we are better than others.  Pride causes us to hunger for the forbidden; those things that can secretly satisfy the pleasures of our carnal flesh. It was the pride of God's most beautiful and powerful angel, Lucifer, that tempted him to rebel against the LORD God Almighty and lose his righteous standing in Heaven. Pride is a self-adornment disease that decays the soul and destroys our relationship with God and those around us.  The pride that lurks within, hangs on to its crown of deception at all costs, for pride cannot lose face in the eyes of others, especially those who are below its kingly standard.  But saddest thing about the disease of pride is that its misguided, self-indulging ways blind us from seeing the glory of the LORD. Pride will lead us down a dark path of self-induced destruction that separates us from the saving Truth that is found in death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, our Lord God and Savior.

     Don't let the terrible sin of pride rule in your life, my friend. Instead, see yourself as a humble servant of the Lord, dedicated to doing what is right, and not what makes you feel good.  See yourself as a child of the Living God and open your heart and mind to His life saving Way.  Look at everyone as better than yourself, and most importantly compare yourself only to Jesus Christ. For He is our creator and he creates all people in His likeness and we all come into this world the same way.  So be of humble heart and live ever so faithful in your thanksgiving to the Lord who graciously gives us every good thing.

                                      A Whisper of Hope 

Be of humble spirit, My child...and I will draw you near to Me.  I will show you how to walk upright and holy without letting it go to your head.  I made you to walk with Me as My child, just as I made all those around you.  Be humble and contrite and be all I created you to be for Me.

Romans 12:3

As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning:

Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring

your value by how much faith God has given you.  (NLT)

“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble”

                                        (James 4:6)

                         Making Change

Micah 6:6

What can we bring to the LORD

to make up for what we have done?  (NLT)

     Although this is a great question, I believe the greater question is this: what can we bring to the LORD for what “He has done”?  I believe we can answer both of these questions much in the same way, with the latter question being a bit more pressing for us now that we are living towards the end of the church age. What our Lord God and Savior has done, He did for every living person in the world.  The Lord became our sin and has given us the glorious, undeserved gift of eternal life.  This once in a lifetime gift is wrapped in forgiveness, bound in the ribbon of protection and secured with the bow of salvation. This glorious gift is one that is easy enough to accept, but not so easily secured, because what the LORD really wants from us is our undying love, selfless commitment, and total submission—qualities that are really foreign to us in our current fallen state. 

    The LORD calls us to sacrifice our old life of sin—out with the old and in with the new; cleansed by the blood of Jesus and resurrected a new creation.  It looks easy on paper, but it takes the Power of God to pull off, because our sinful nature is too deeply rooted for us to fight on our own.  There are always enjoyable sins that are so hard to let go of that we often hang on to them as long as possible, trying to justify their power over us.  Change is never easy and it always requires sacrifices we don't necessarily like, but are needed if we are to live in God's Light.  We owe God for sacrificing His life for us, but He won't force you to accept His sacrifice.  But when you do, He will help you make the change from loving sin to loving Him. Without Jesus' death there would be no forgiveness and no eternal life.   We would never know who the One who created us is, nor would we have His joy and promise to get us through this difficult life and to the other side.

                             A Whisper of Hope 

Dying to self is a sacrifice, My child...one that only I can help you with.  The power that sin holds over you is powerful, but its power has been broken by Me.  I not only defeated its power but I defeat its sing as well.  And I can do the same for you.

Romans 12:1-2

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies

to God.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind He will accept.

When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? 

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this word, but let God transform

you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know

what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and

perfect His will really is.  (NLT)

    You must display a new nature because you are 

         a new person, created in God's likeness—

                    righteous, holy, and true. 

                            (Ephesians 4:24)

                                Grace and Favor            

Jonah 3:10-4:2

When God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways,

He had mercy on them and didn't carry out the destruction

He had threatened. This change of plans upset Jonah, and

he became very angry. So he complained to the LORD about

it. “Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this,

LORD?  That is why I ran away!  I knew that you were a

 gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and

filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel

Your plans for destroying these people.  (NLT)

    There are some things our Lord wants us to learn from these God inspired words of Scripture, living words that will help us in this difficult life-journey that is not so easily understood. One of the things God wants us to know is His character, that He is a living God who is filled with mercy and grace and compassion for all people, including pagan Gentiles. The Lord wants us to know that He is a sovereign and patient God—a God of second chances and One who is all knowing, all seeing, and in control of His creation. God has given the people of this world chance after chance to change their wicked ways and return to Him so He can teach them how to live. Our God wants us to be gracious and merciful as He is, because we tend not to be so gracious or merciful to others. Instead, we like to condemn others for their wicked ways while overlooking our own sinful ways. We tend to compare ourselves with those who are far away from God when we should be comparing ourselves with the likeness of Jesus Christ. The Lord wants us to understand, respect, and fear His authority over our lives and all creation—that it is by the Power of His Word that we even exist.  It is because of His mercy and grace that He gives us the chance to change our evil ways and turn to Him. God is still giving us time—time we should use wisely while we still live in this time of His gracious favor.

                                     A Whisper of Hope

Waste not a moment, dear child...for you know not the hour of your time's end.  Use godly wisdom, rather than your limited earthly wisdom.  My wisdom is meant to save, rather than to deceive.  Come to Me and I will teach you how to live forever.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-9

But let us who live in the Light think clearly, protected by the

body armor of faith and love and wearing as our helmet the

confidence of our salvation.  For God decided to save us through

our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us.  (NLT)

             For the Word of God is full of Living Power.

                                           (Hebrews 4:12)

                                  Warning!

 Revelation 3:18

Because you obeyed My command to persevere,

I will protect you from the great time of testing

that will come upon the whole world.  (NLT)

     The great and terrible time of testing is drawing near.  The Lord could, at any moment, snatch up His Church and unleash His anger upon this world that hates Him.  We lost our world to Satan and it has been in decline and decay since that very day, but the Lord has numbered its days.  Although we do not know the day or hour, God has been gracious enough to give us many signs in the heavens and many messages that are written in words that we can read and understand. Many of these warnings have come straight from the mouth of God when He walked upon this earth, so it is very important that we understand who our God is, because although He is a saving God, He plays no favorites aside from His people Israel.  The Lord is perfectly divine in both His character and kingship, which makes Him perfectly just and right in everything He does. He cannot and will not let the unrepentant sinners go unpunished, for if He did He would not be who He claims to be.  Instead, He would be a liar and a fraud and that is simply not possible, because God can only be God.  He is true to His Word and you would be wise not believe otherwise!

     The way Lord Jesus is going to protect His Church (Christian believers) from the seven years of His wrath being poured out upon this evil world is by simply taking us to live in the present Heaven until it is over.  And this is where we will remain until we return with the King to set up His Kingdom on Earth forever. But until this time of great testing we have the Holy Spirit and the promises of God as our hope. If you are living in the Light of God's saving grace you are forgiven and protected.  But if you are not, you should heed the warnings that have been graciously revealed to you by your Savior.  They are not hearsay, nor are they mythical.  They are absolutely true!

                                           A Whisper of Hope

Live in Me, dear child...and I will live in you and protect you.  Do not live in the world, for it cannot protect you from the fire of My testing.  But for those who belong to Me, I have already taken their testing and have set them free from harm.

Daniel 12:1-3

At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over 

your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish 

greater than any since nations first came into existence. But

 at that time every one of your people whose name is written 

in the Book will be rescued.  Many of those whose bodies lie 

dead and buried will rise up,some to everlasting life and some 

to shame and everlasting contempt.  (NLT) 

 Since everything around us is going to melt away,

     what holy, godly lives you should be living.

                                   (2 Peter 3:11)