Your Sacrifice

Psalm 116:12

What can I offer the LORD

     for all He has done for me?  (NLT)

     In my humble opinion, and from the deepest depth of my heart and soul, I believe that the best thing a true believer can offer their Creator, Provider, Protector, Savior, Advocate, and Lover of their soul is the very life that He created and then saved from eternal death.  Our holy and just God came to save the people of this wicked world from the darkness and damnation that is rightly deserved.   And He did it by physically suffering, dying, and taking our punishment.  Our Lord God, Christ Jesus, was murdered by religious thugs for crimes He did not commit.  He did this to satisfy God’s anger against His people who no longer followed His ways and a world that blatantly turned against its Creator.  Our God is a Saving God and He has been more than patient with this evil world, which is probably more wicked than it was in Noah's days before He destroyed mankind with the flood.  And yet, our Lord God has given this wicked world fair warnings and another escape route so that everyone (not just a select few) will have the chance to change their evil ways and avoid the destruction and eternal condemnation that is coming. 

     But this fallen world tells us a different story.  It blames God for all the pain, suffering, sickness and injustice that appears to have no end—that God does not care and has left us to our own demise.  But our merciful God is not at fault my friend, it's because this wicked world is governed by evil and its people have turned away from God and chosen Satan instead.  We cannot know the ways of God this side of Heaven, but we can know that the Lord is giving the lost and misinformed people of this fallen world more time to hear the Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ.  But as God's redemptive plan draws to an end, there is still time to nail your sinful life to the Cross of Christ and be born again in Spirit and Truth.  For with the blood of Jesus covering your sins, you will not escape the terrible wrath of God that will be poured out upon this evil world.  

                     A Whisper of Hope

I sacrificed My life for you, dear child...now it's time to sacrifice your life for Me.  I came to die for you, so you could live.  I shed My blood to cleanse your sin and paid the price that belonged to you.  I came, I died, and paid your debt!

Romans 12:1

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?  (NLT)

                     “I assure you, unless you are born again,

                you can never see the Kingdom of God.”

                                  (John 3:3)

       Remain Forgiven

Luke 21:34-36

But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed

down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life,

and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come

as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole

earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be

counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to

pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  (NKJ)

     It is so amazing that the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth left His glory behind to give us fair warning about the coming wrath the He will unleash upon this evil world that is governed by the Prince of Darkness.  Satan has been successfully deceiving mankind since the dawn of time and it will continue to be so until Jesus returns to rid the earth of evil and to set up His Kingdom.   The warning clearly shows that we have a merciful and gracious God who created us to be His children forever, for He did what needed to be done to make it so.  Unlike Satan and his band of fallen angels, God gives His people a second change to be redeemed and forgiven for our rebellion.  The Lord loves His people, Israel, and all human beings above all His creation and He takes no delight when we sign the eternal lease for the eternal Lake of Fire with Satan and all his fallen angels. 

     Sadly there will be many who call themselves God's people and Christians who will be caught with their pants down when the Lord removes His Church and unleashes His deadly wrath upon this earth for seven dark and bloody years.  Our God is a patient God who has given us gracious time to choose His Way or the Devil's way.   When you choose God’s Way you die to self and are born again in Christ Jesus, no longer living and thinking as the world does.  Instead, you live and love like Jesus, because the moment of His return, you do not know. So remain alert, and stay free from the darkness.  For a moment of pleasure is not worth the risk, my friend.  Be forgiven and remain forgiven!

                                  A Whisper of Hope

I provided the Way, My child…because of My Great Love for you.  Don’t be tempted and fall for the lies of the Enemy who wants to destroy your life and kill your soul.  Remain in the Light of My saving grace and and all will be forgiven.

Revelation 3:10

Because you have obeyed My command to persevere,

I will protect you from the great time of testing that

 will come upon the whole world to test those who

belong to this world.  (NLT)

          Do not be misled.  Remember that you cannot

                 ignore God and get away with it.

                              (Galatians 6:7)

                   Honor and Respect

Malachi 1:6

The LORD Almighty says to the priests: “A son honors his father,

and a servant respects his master.  I am your Father and Master,

but where are the honor and respect I deserve?  (NLT)

     When we become a born-again Christian, we become a new person, dedicating our lives to God and His purpose, like a priest does.  We also become disciples of Jesus Christ—messengers of the Good News of Salvation through the death and resurrection of our Lord God and Savior.  The message of forgiveness and eternal life is for everyone living on the face of this earth, and Jesus has given us the Great Commission to proclaim this Truth to the world.   But as disciples and holy priests, are we living a new life of repentance and devotion to the Lord?  Are our actions honoring and respecting our Mighty God and Savior?  Do our lives reflect the kind of reverence and respect that God so rightly deserves?   Our Lord God not only created us and sustains us, but He also saves our precious souls from eternal condemnation.  As holy priests we must live righteous lives before God and the world, thanking and praising Him for His gracious provisions, especially His saving grace—the undeserved gift of salvation that saves us from eternal condemnation in hell. 

     As a disciple you must stay connected to God, so you can know His will, stay repentant, and to be re-energized.  We owe God our very lives, because He chose not to give us what we deserve, rather He chose to give us what we don't deserve.   As Christians, we have a high and holy calling because we belong to God.  He gave it all so you could have it all. Christ Jesus was not forced to become a man of flesh and blood and sacrifice His life for a wicked world. He gladly volunteered to take the sins and punishment of the world.   The blood of Jesus is the only Way to forgiveness and eternal life. The Lord God is our Father, Provider, Healer, and our Source for eternal life.  The least we can do is give Him our life in return, honor Him in our living, and respect His authority with our obedience.

                                  A Whisper of Hope

Honor Me, child…and I will honor you in return.  Show Me respect and I will bless you richly.  Live to please Me and I will guide you safely through this difficult live until you reach Home.   You will fail Me from time to time, but I never forsake My children, nor will I ever stop loving you!

Revelation 1:5, 6

All praise to Him who loves us and has freed

us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. 

He has made us His Kingdom and His priests

who serve before God His Father.  (NLT) 

                And you must love the Lord your God

             with all your heart, all your soul,

                    all your mind, and all

                         your strength.

                          (Mark 12:30)

                   Promised Peace

Micah 4:3-4

The LORD will settle international disputes. All the nations

will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into

pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will

come to an end. Everyone will live quietly in their own homes

in peace and prosperity, for there will be nothing to fear. The

LORD Almighty has promised this!  (NLT)

     What an awesome change this will be for a world that has been at war with itself and its Creator from the very beginning.  Mankind has been fighting and killing, cheating and stealing, slandering and suing one another since the beginning of time.  But our Lord God and Savior put a plan in place to save us from the chaotic living that sin brings and bring His righteous rule into our world where we will live together in peace and prosperity forever.  Although many people have dreamed and tried to create utopia in this fallen world, every attempt has failed miserably, making matters even worse.  But unlike the many failed attempts of utopia, we Christians know and can trust that Jesus, our King, will return to set up His perfect Kingdom on Earth.  Jesus, the King of the universe, is also our God and Savior, and only He has the power to end the evil in our world. 

     Upon His return, King Jesus will reign in this world for a thousand years and there will be no more killing or wars, no disease or sickness, no suffering or pain, and absolutely no injustice at all.  It will be a safe haven for every person, because Jesus will remove all unrighteousness before it can spread to others. And after His thousand-year reign, Satan, the fallen angels, and those who have rejected Christ Jesus will be sent into the eternal Lake of Fire forever.  And our God will create everything new and perfect for those who are faithful and called by His Name.  God's promise of eternal life in a body that will not grow old or get sick makes this difficult life a whole lot easier to cope with.  Knowing you will live in a perfect world without sin and evil is like a perfect dream come true.  Utopia, as we understand it, is not even close to the incredible future that God has planned for His children.

                                A Whisper of Hope

It is true, dear child…that I have a glorious future planned for all those who are called by My Name.  I know it seems too good to be true, and maybe a little far-fetched for your human mind to grasp, but nonetheless, it is true.  And one day, in the blink of an eye, it will become a reality for you!

Revelation 20:1-4

Then I saw an angel come down from Heaven with the

key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 

He seized the dragon—that old serpent, the Devil, Satan

—and bound him in chains for a thousand years.  The angel

threw him in to the bottomless pit, which he then shut and

locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until

the thousand years were finished.  Afterward he must be

released for a little while.  (NLT)

                        Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God, 

                         the Almighty, reigns.

                             (Revelation 19:6)

                           Life in God

Ezekiel 18:30, 31

“Therefore, I will judge each of you according to your

actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! 

Don’t let them destroy you!  Put all your rebellion behind

you, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. 

For why should you die?  I don’t want you to die, says the

Sovereign LORD.  Turn back and live!”  (NLT)

     The Sovereign Lord God feels exactly the same today as He did back in the days of Ezekiel, because God never changes!  Because He loves people above all His creation, He gives us a change to repent and live today, just as He was doing back then!  This is why He personally came to save His chosen people and the world.  God gave Israel and the world the only Way to escape His wrath and eternal condemnation.  He has woven into the very fibers of every human being, the desire to live forever.  And because of this God given desire, most people fight hard to hang on to this short life as long as they possibly can, regardless of the pain and suffering it brings. God did not create us to die, but to live in fellowship with Him forever.  But because sin has infected our world with death, all its inhabitants must die.  So the Lord came to give us the Way to escape our second death, which is even more frightening than the first.  And God's Church, the body of Christ, is the bearer of this Good News that not only saves us from a fiery end and eternal damnation, but gives us the guarantee that our earthly death is not death at all, but the beginning of a very long and perfect life. 

     God does not force us to listen to His message of Good News or accept His gift of salvation. Instead, He graciously gives us a chance to hear the Good News and make our own decision.  Sadly, most people will reject the saving grace of the Cross of Christ so they can continue to indulge in their own ways and the sin they love.  We have two basic choices: Heaven or Hell. You can choose God’s Way or Satan's way.   You can selfishly live this life your own way hoping for the best, or you can live God's Way knowing the best is yet to come.  You can live in the darkness of this fallen world and follow the crowd, or you can live in the Light of the World and be transformed into His Likeness.  You have been blessed with a free will and a sound mind, my friend, use it wisely while it’s still on the table.

                                A Whisper of Hope 

Turn to Me, My child…for I don’t want to lose you forever.  I want you to live and enjoy the glory of My Presence now and in the Home I am building for you—an eternal Home where there is no more pain or tears or suffering.  But you must choose the Way I have provided, for it is the living Way!

1 John 4:9

God showed how much He loved us by

sending His only Son into the world so

that we might have eternal life through

Him.  (NLT)

                                                  

               His ways are everlasting.

                        (Habakkuk 3:6)

                    Saved by Death

1 Peter 1:6

So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead,

even though it is necessary for you to endure

many trials for a while.  (NLT)

     No matter how difficult this life is for the Christian who is solid in their faith, they have the confidence and courage to look ahead to the glorious future God has promised.  His promise of a new eternal life with Him gives us a joy that cannot be measured or taken away.  It is this inner joy of salvation that sets the Christian apart from the rest of the world.  Unlike the billions of people who do not embrace this promise, Christians have the advantage of knowing the plans of God—plans that exceed anything from this fallen world, because we know that this fallen world and everything it embraces is quickly fading away and will one day disappear.  Our Lord God and Savior Christ Jesus, knows firsthand how hard, cruel and wicked this evil world is, especially for those who are called by His Name. He knows what it’s like to be hated and persecuted. He knows all the slander and lies that we face.  He knows what it's like to go without. He knows what it feels like to be hurt, brutally beaten, and nailed naked to a dead tree. He knows what it’s like to suffer like no human has ever suffered, and die a godforsaken death.  He was unjustly condemned to die a criminal's death and was punished by God for the sins of the world, yet He Himself lived a sin free life.

    Our Lord God took on human flesh to die the death we all deserve—so we would be spared the sinner’s death of eternal darkness and condemnation.  It is so essential to our spiritual health that we rely on the Cross of Christ to save us from the wrath that we all deserve.  We cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we try, because we cannot be good enough to stand in the Presence of our Perfectly Holy and Righteous God.  When you live apart from the Living God, going with the flow of this dying world, you will never find the kind of joy and hope that helps you endure the calamity this world dishes out.  You will become discouraged, disappointed, and left hopeless.  But when you put your future in the hands of your Lord God and Savior—hands that were nailed through with rusty spikes, nothing from this fallen would will ever take your joy away, because you will know that the glory of Heaven awaits all those who die to self for the glory of Christ Jesus.

                           A Whisper of Hope

Don’t be fooled, My child…you cannot be good enough to receive the gift of salvation.  You cannot live apart from Me and escape the condemnation that sin brings.  Only My death and blood can save you from the eternal punishment you deserve.

Romans 5:1-4

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight

by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus

Christ our Lord has done for us.  Because of our faith,

Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege

where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look

forward to sharing God’s glory.  We can rejoice, too, when

we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are

good for us—they help us learn to endure.  And endurance

develops strength of character in us, and character strength-

ens our confident expectation of salvation.  (NLT)

          He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of

          Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God

                              (1 Peter 1:19)

                God is With Us

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)

     The Lord has never left us to our own demise, even though we chose to live apart from Him.  He knew we could never defeat the evil without Him.  Throughout the history of mankind God has been directing and implementing His perfect Plan for Redemption. Nothing slips by our Sovereign God. He is always with us, guiding our ways for the good of His Kingdom.  The Lord created us in such a way that we would always need His help, especially while we live in this evil world.  God has graciously given us His written Word so that we might gain the wisdom to live wisely and righteously and walk in His ways.  God also gave us His Son, who saved us from our sins and the condemnation that this evil world will suffer at the end of time.  And in the greatest love, selflessness, and humility, our Lord God, Christ Jesus gave up His life so ours would not be lived in vain.   And to help us achieve perfection, the Lord sent the Holy Spirit, who helps us accomplish what would have otherwise been impossible for us—overcoming the evil that hold us in bondage to sin and death. 

     The Lord God is not the supreme dictator who forces you against your will.  Instead, He is your loving Father in Heaven, who gives you opportunities to choose the path of your choice.  God allows you to make mistakes, which helps you learn from first-hand experiences.  He gives you the mental capacity and the ability to research and weigh all the different options you have.  He gives you the plain truth and the common sense to see how your choices will affect you and what the end results will bring.  Most people choose to take the world’s path, opting to go after those things that satisfy our selfish human desires, which unbeknownst to them, leads into a darkness that is difficult to navigate and eventually leads into the abyss.  God’s path, on the other hand, is brightly lit with the glory of the Lord and you can see clearly what lies ahead.  You are able to choose the right path that is not only the best for you, but also for those around you.  And by remaining in the Light of the Living God, you will gain personal access into God's Presence where He comforts you in your times of trouble, gives you the courage to stand firm in the right choices you make, and the solid guarantee that you will make it safely Home—a glorious destination that awaits your arrival into the Savior's loving arms.

                                                            

                               A Whisper of Hope

I Am with you always…dear child.  I do not slumber nor do I get distracted.  I Am always there to help you in every way.  I watch over you every moment of your life, even when you are walking away from Me.  I love My children as a Father should.  You are safely in My care…ALWAYS!

Jude 24

And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep

you from stumbling, and who will bring you into

His Glorious Presence innocent of sin and with

great joy.  (NLT)

                                                                      

                      For you were once darkness,

            but now you are light in the Lord.

                       (Ephesians 5 :8)

                  Sweet Victory

2 Timothy 2:21

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can

 use for His purpose.  Your life will be clean, and you will

be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. (NLT)

     The sacrificial death of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, was the final and complete atonement for mankind’s rebellion against the LORD.  We are now able to come into the very Presence of God to confess our sins, because the barrier between God and man has been removed.   And He not only forgives us anytime we come to Him, but He also remembers them no more.  We become a new creation, for the old life of sin is nailed to the Cross of Christ, and our lives are set free from the power of sin and the fear of death and we are able to be in a personal relationship with Him.  And when these earthly bodies give up the breath of life, God will raise them from the grave and transform them into new glorified bodies that will never again suffer or die, and we will live perfect lives with God forever. But in return for this incredible gift, we must live in Christ so we can be used by God for the good of His Kingdom.  We must continually bring any new sins before the Lord, because although the power of sin has been broken and our sins have been forgiven, our nature to sin remains with us until we go to be with the Lord forever. 

     But until that day we will not fully escape our nature to sin.  So for now, we must rely on the Lord’s mercy and His amazing grace.  We must also rely on power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit's indwelling to help us live in repentance until our sanctification is complete, because without the Him, we are putty in the hands of Satan.  Our human wills are far too weak to stand alone against the dark forces of evil that are eating people alive and creating total chaos in our world.  From the moment we are conceived in our mother’s womb this evil battle for life begins and with the first breath we take the battle intensifies for not only our physical survival, but for the condition of our hearts, control of our minds, and eventually, for where we spend the rest of our eternal lives.  Although Satan is the god of this world for now, King Jesus is Lord over it all and is in control.  Nothing escapes His knowledge and nothing can stand in His Way.  The devil knows this and he knows his fate.  And this evil Beast will go down fighting hard and he will take most of the world with him.  But when you stand steadfast and strong with the Savior, the victory is sweet, it's pure, and it's lasting!

                                 A Whisper of Hope

The victory is yours, my child…if you so desire, because I have the sovereign power to set you free from the decadence of this dying world.  You have at your disposal the same Resurrection Power that defeated My death and My grave—the Resurrection Power of God that brings sweet victory to those who love the Truth.

Titus 3:4-5

But then God our Savior showed us His kindness and 

love. He saved us, not because of the good things we 

did, but because of His mercy. He washed away our 

sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.  (NLT)

               He is the eternal King, the unseen One

              who never dies; He alone is God.

                          (1Timothy 1:17)

                        Let It Go

Titus 2:12-13

And we are instructed to turn from godless living 

and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil 

world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion 

to God, while we look forward to that wonderful 

event when the glory of our great God and Savior, 

Jesus Christ, will be revealed.  (NLT)

     Turning away from the godless lifestyles that this world embraces is never an easy task, because our nature to sin is much like gravity; it is a powerful force that holds us down.  And the first step in battling the gravity of sin is to know what it is, recognize its source, and know the consequences it carries.  Sin is any act of disobedience against the holiness of God.  Sin came from the devil and is therefore, evil in its nature.  Sin caused mankind and the entire universe to be cursed with decadence and death.  So we are not only born with the nature to sin, but we are also destined to die in our sin as well.  But our merciful God created a great redeeming Plan through His Son—a Plan that sets us free from the power of sin, forgives all of our past, present, and future sins, and gives us eternal life when our earthly bodies die.  Although God’s Plan is simple, it is not an easy plan to act upon, because this evil world has poisoned our minds and hardened our hearts.  We have been brainwashed into believing that the main purpose for living is to seek whatever makes us happy by attaining things that give us pleasure and make us feel good about ourselves.  These are all lies, my friend, for God created us for His good pleasure and to reflect His glory. 

     So don’t be duped into following the smooth sounding lies of this godless world being lead to Hell by Satan; lies that sound good and seem right for you, but in reality, are misleading and extremely deadly.  Instead, listen to the Voice of God and discover your true purpose in living and where it all leads.  God’s Word will not only define your sinful behavior and its immediate affects, but also the eternal consequences.  God’s lifesaving Truth is a life-changing transformation that is not by any means, an easy transition to make, because most of us try to hang on to some of our sins like hanging on to a cliff for dear life.   And letting go of our sins can sometimes feel like pulling healthy teeth that are well rooted in.  But God can break you free from the sin that is holding you down and bring you into the saving Light of His Son, so you can bathe in His glory forever!

                                     A Whisper of Hope

Follow the Way…dear child, and I will break you free from the dark world of sin and lead you safely into the Light of My Glory forever!  

Ephesians 2:1-2

Once you were dead, doomed forever because of

your many sins. You used to live just like the rest

of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty

prince of the power of the air.  He is the spirit at

work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.  (NLT)

           The Lord of hosts—He is the King of Glory

                     Harbingers

Jeremiah 23:16-17

“This is My warning to My people,” says the LORD Almighty. 

“Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,

filling you with futile hopes.  They are making up everything

they say.  They do not speak for the LORD!  They keep saying

to these rebels who despise My Word, ‘Don’t worry!  The LORD

says you will have peace!’  And to those who stubbornly follow

their own evil desires, they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’”  (NLT)

     These same warnings from God to His people Israel thousands of years ago are the same warnings to His Church today.  Just as God’s message to the nation of Israel was being falsified prior to the Church Age, so, too, is God's Word being compromised by many false teachers in our churches and our schools.  The false hope found in man-made religion is leading the world and America down a very dangerous path that I call complacent secularism—thinking that everything will be just fine and things will correct themselves; that this is America, and it will always be America.  This is not so, my friend, for just as Israel turned their backs on God and suffered the dire consequences, so, too, is the Lord’s anger burning against the detestable sins of America.  How can He not be?  We are losing our morality and turning away from God’s righteousness to do whatever our sinful natures crave.  We have, as a nation, legally sacrificed millions of our unborn children to be thrown away like garbage.  We have slowly removed the Truth of God’s Word from our homes and schools, from our governing, and sadly God’s Truth is even being removed from our churches as well. 

     Many people will never know the Truth because their minds are being poisoned with lies and false hope.  The future of this country and the world's freedom looks rather bleak.  Can God save this country?  Of course He can!  Will He save America?  His Word tells us not!  So what can American Christians do for God, our country, and this dark world?  We can live godly lives in our homes, in our schools, in our work place, and in our communities, but most importantly in our hearts.  By living and loving like Jesus the world will see the powerful hand of God graciously at work.  And amidst all the bad news that is consuming the airways and media, we must be steadfast in spreading the Good News of our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ and sound the trumpet of warning.  We must not hide in the Truth we know.  We must reach out to the lost and deceived.  We must not hide God’s Light from the world, we must shine it and sound the harbinger trumpet.

                                 A Whisper of Hope

Listen closely, dear children…to all the warnings I have so graciously given you.

Ezekiel 33:3, 4, 6 

When the watchman sees the Enemy coming, he blows

the alarm to warn the people.  Then if those who hear

the alarm refuse to take action—well, it is their own

fault if they die.  But if the watchman sees the Enemy

coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people,

he is responsible for their deaths.  They will die in their

sins, but I will hold the watchman accountable.  (NLT)

         “Return to Me, and I will return to you,”

                says the LORD of hosts.

                        (Malachi 2:7)