S2: Ethan and Olivia – “But I don’t want to!”

“My room is fine mommy,” said Olivia. “No, it’s a mess sweetheart. Look, there are toys and clothes all over the floor. I can’t even walk over to your bed without stepping on something. Honey, I’m not asking you to do a lot, just put away your toys after you are finished playing with them. It would really help me out if you could do this for me,” explained Mrs. Johnson. “I don’t want to put my toys away”, said Olivia. Picking up her favourite pony she said, “See, I’m playing with Isabelle. I don’t want to put her away now.” Feeling the tension building inside her, Mrs. Johnson silently prayed, “LORD, grant me patience.” Not wanting to have an unprofitable argument just now, she simply replied, “Well, how about we leave this talk to later?” “Okay mommy.” “Actually, I could use some help in kitchen baking some cookies, would you mind giving me a hand?” “Yum, I love cookies. Will you let me lick off the extra chocolate chips?” “You’ve got a deal little one!” 

Being someone who thoroughly enjoys baking and cooking, Mrs. Johnson’s only insistence, other than having a private bath in the master bedroom, was a roomy kitchen. In no time at all her island counter was littered with mixing bowls, unwashed baking sheets, dirty utensils, etc. “Now be a good mommy’s helper and clear a spot on the counter for the next batch of cookies,” asked Olivia’s mother. Staring at the mess of dishes on the counter, Olivia replied, “Umm, mommy, I don’t think we have enough room.” “Oh that’s not a problem, just move the old dishes into a pile in the centre, we’ll clean them up sometime later,” answered Mrs. Johnson. “Where mommy, there isn’t any room for it anywhere?” “So what do you think we should do about it?” gently probed her mother. After a moment of trying to work it out in her mind, Olivia hesitantly answered, “Clean up our dishes?” “I think that is a great idea sweetie. So how is this different than keeping your room clean?” asked her mother, gently. “It’s not?” answered Olivia. “You’re pretty smart little one,” said her mom, giving her daughter a kiss on the forehead.

Life Lesson

Each of us is frequently faced with the choice of either doing what we want for only ourselves, or choosing to do what is right to help someone else. Olivia didn’t see anything wrong with her room being messy, while her mother, being many years older and wiser, understood her daughter needed a nudge to do what was right. 

Copyright © 2019 George Elliott

S1: Ethan and Olivia – “You shall not steal”

“You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15, ESV).

Olivia and her older brother Ethan lived with their parents in Faith Town, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was on a Saturday morning in late April, when Ethan was having an early breakfast with their father in the kitchen. Actually, this was a practice Mr. Johnson had started with his son ever since he was a small boy. Many years earlier as a sales executive with his firm, his own father spent a lot of time travelling for work, which sometimes made things quite difficult for his mother and older sister. On the special weekends when his father was at home, he always made an extra effort to spend quality time together with him in the early morning before anybody else was up and about. This made him feel rather special, and the feelings of love and closeness made the times when his father was away, just a little bit easier to manage. Their routine always involved his dad cooking breakfast for the two of them, which they sometimes shared in the kitchen, or at others, in the family room watching cartoons on television. It was true his dad was not the most talented cook; but he tried really hard and did it all out of love for his son, which he would come to look back upon fondly in future years. 

Mr. Johnson observed from his son’s demeanour he was preoccupied; something was clearly on his mind. Not wanting to pry, Mr. Johnson patiently waited; Ethan would confide in him when he was ready, of that he was certain. Still upstairs, Mrs. Johnson noticed her husband was already up and about, and remembering today was Saturday, headed off to the master suite bathroom for a relaxing bath. Knowing how much this time meant to her husband, she would not intrude on his private time with their son. Besides, she deserved to have some personal quiet time to herself; and what better way to spend the time than with a soothing, fragrant bath! The privacy door of their bathroom had a full-length mirror attached to the interior, bathroom-facing side. Undressing, Mrs. Johnson could not help but admire her swollen belly, a sure sign of the new life growing with her womb. Following the birth of their youngest child, Olivia, five years ago, the doctors told them it was unlikely she would be able to conceive again. The problem had something to do with a defect in the lining of her uterus, making it difficult for an embryo to implant itself. The Johnson’s were understandably devastated, both having envisioned raising a large family; this was not something they were prepared to hear. No, this could not be happening; the doctor must be mistaken. At the recommendation of some close friends, the Johnson’s decided to travel out of province to Alberta, to be a well-recommended specialist, who had helped other couples in similar situations successfully conceive a child. 

With the appointment date set, the Johnson’s left the two children with their grandparents, who conveniently also lived in the same town. To say the least, they were utterly devastated when the prognosis was exactly the same: a damaged uterine wall, with a chance of conception in the next twelve months of less than 1%. For a young Christian couple with their whole lives ahead of them, being told they were unable to be “fruitful and multiply” was just too much. Over the next two years, they tried very hard to focus on their existing children, whom they cherished and loved endlessly. Fortunately, the Johnson’s had a solid support network at their church, a select group of whom had quietly devoted themselves to prayers of intercession on their behalf. Almost two years to the day from the initial diagnosis, Mrs. Johnson woke up with a different feeling in her belly; one she had felt before….but of course this was impossible, right? Not wanting to get up the hopes of her husband, she purchased a home pregnancy test kit and waited for the results. Although it could not have been longer than a couple of minutes, the waiting seemed to go on for hours. But then a single beep signalled it was time to check the results. Her longing desire of both wanting to know, and not, held her emotions in torment for a brief moment; and then she turned over the test strip…..2-3 weeks pregnant!! No, it couldn’t be. This was simply not possible! And yet, she also knew the test kits of today were virtually foolproof!

No, she could not go to her husband just yet, not without solid medical proof. When they first received the bad news of being unable to have additional children, yes, she was heartbroken, downtrodden, and terribly sad. However, for her husband, the news was utterly devastating; a whole segment of his world had just crashed and dissolved around him. He did his very best to bury the hurt deep down inside, locking it away where it couldn’t harm anybody else. A few days later she had her appointment with their family doctor. Yep, it was true, she was definitely, 100% no-mistake pregnant! Dr. Allison was in disbelief, she had never seen anything like this happen before, nor could she offer a medical explanation for this miracle. Mrs. Johnson thought to herself, “A miracle. Yes, it must be. Images of the prayer group at church, kneeling in earnest petition for God’s healing of her broken womb came into her mind – praise God for small miracles! Now, yes, now, she needed to tell her husband, the man whom she loved with her whole heart and soul; he was going to flip over the roof when she told him her good news! These were the thoughts which came flooding into her mind, her new baby proudly showing outwards to the world; a true gift from God, who had heard her sobbing prayers, crying out night after night for answers. 

Back in their kitchen, Ethan had finally summoned the courage to speak with his father about something which had been weighing heavily upon his young heart. “Dad, I have to tell you something.” “Of course son, you can tell me anything that’s on your mind; it will be okay I promise.” “Remember a few days ago when I was hanging out with Jason?” “Yes, sure,” replied his father. “Well, his mother, I mean, Mrs. Cooke took us shopping at Wal-Mart because she did not want to leave us alone at home. Jason’s mother said she would buy each of us a small toy if we could behave ourselves in the store. On the way out through the checkout, I saw Jason slip a Kit Kat bar from the shelf into his pocket without telling his mother. I remember Mrs. Hudson in our Sunday school class telling us how the Bible says taking something without paying for it is sin. Dad, I know what he did was wrong. Do you think I should tell his mom? Wouldn’t he call me a tattletale, and not want to be my friend anymore?” “I see your problem son. You did the right thing telling me about this, I’m very proud to see you know the difference between right and wrong. Let me think about this for a few moments, maybe I can come up with something,” replied Ethan’s father. After several minutes had passed finally said, “How about you tell Jason I want to talk to him? Perhaps I can show him why what he did was wrong. You won’t need to feel guilty about not telling his mother, and having him get all mad at you.” “Thanks, Dad, you’re the best; I love you.” “I love you too, son. Come on, let’s go watch a little T.V., okay?”

Life Lesson
God’s commandment to not steal does not have any conditions attached; stealing an object from someone else, regardless of its monetary value is irrelevant. A child swiping a piece of candy is just as guilty in God’s eyes as the teenager who takes $100 from their dad’s wallet; both actions are wrong, and in His eyes, sinful. That’s the real problem, isn’t it? When Adam and Eve willingly chose to disobey God’s instructions in the Garden of Eden, sin was permitted entrance into our world, with everything and everyone touched by its insidious effects. Blessedly we can have forgiveness and a full pardon when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the One who loves us and paid the price for our sins. Let us never neglect to be thankful for His most gracious and precious gift – Himself!

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8, NLT).

Copyright © 2019 George Elliott

The right – left train

The Pastor’s sermon began in this way, “We are now in the final days of human rule upon the Earth and very soon, although we don’t know the exact day, God will commence His final judgment upon all the world. Pounding upon the pulpit he exclaimed, Do you understand? Do you really, really understand? Do you?! Not one of us will leave this world without a ticket to either heaven or hell. If you want to get to heaven your only way is by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s imagine we all are going on a train journey today, and agree to gather at the local rail station later this afternoon. Hold on pastor you say, “I don’t have a train ticket!” Well, this is a very special train, and you don’t need a ticket! Upon arrival at the train station, I want everyone to form a line with your family, directly in front of the big overhead sign marked DEPARTURES. 

Now, remember, you don’t need an actual physical ticket to get on board the train, everything has all been arranged for you. However, the security staff will need to sort everybody out, just to make sure each person is directed to their assigned seat. When you arrive at the boarding security checkpoint inside the terminal, one of the station agents will hold a scanner in front of your heart, to ensure everything is a-okay. Remember now, this is rather a special train which travels at very high speeds, so they need to do a final health check of sorts. Some of you may possibly be directed towards a separate line from others in your party. Don’t be alarmed, this is just part of the process to ensure everybody gets to their correct destination. So you are not surprised, I can tell everybody right now how some of you will be directed towards the left-going line, with others going to the right. Not to worry, the staff have undergone extensive training on the proper use of the heart-scanning device, because they don’t want to make any unintentional mistakes. Please rest easy knowing each one of us will board the correct train safely and on time.

Those of you who are directed into the left line will board a black-coloured train, in contrast to those in the right line who board a white-coloured train. With the exception of the different colours, both trains appear otherwise identical to one another. Once again, some of you may be separated from your family at this point, but don’t worry, you may be assured the security folks have done their jobs correctly. Once onboard your designated train there will be automated signs and voice prompts, guiding each person to their pre-designated seating. Now, remember, I told you before this was a special and unique train, so the experience will most certainly be new to everyone. After everybody in the black and white-coloured trains have been seated, there will be a few safety announcements about keeping your hands and feet inside the train, not to move about while in motion, and so forth. 

Just before the trains get underway, an announcement will be made for everybody to place both hands on their armrests, your left hand on the left side, and your right hand on the right. Understand? There is nothing to worry about, this is just one final, “just in case check” that you have boarded the proper train, and are occupying the correct seat. I know this is quite a lot to remember, but we are almost ready to go! With both hands resting firmly upon the armrests, you should see an illuminated green light mounted on the backside of the headrest in front of you, got it? In the very unlikely situation where instead of a green light, you see a red one, just keep your hands steady in their place; you are on the wrong train! An attendant will come for you and direct you to the other train, ensuring you safely arrive at your proper seat. Now this situation will almost certainly not occur, as the security staff are well trained, and have done a thorough job scanning you already. Once everybody has a green light, the doors will close and lock, then the train journey can begin! 

What I need to explain to you now, and is critical for everyone to understand is this. All persons on the black-coloured train are destined to be delivered to the entrance of hell, while those seated on the white-coloured train, the golden gates of heaven. Now, now, don’t fret. Everyone has been seated on the proper train, God made sure of that! If you had previously repented of your sins beforehand (I have been warning you for years and years…), confessing your sinful nature to God, that you were in desperate need of Jesus to save you, and received the Holy Spirit; then you are on your way to see Jesus in heaven – hurray! If you are on the train bound for hell you should be very happy; after all, you are getting exactly what you wanted, right? You chose to live your life apart from God, turned your back on Jesus’ free offer os salvation. In short, your days were spent living your life believing this world is all there is, and doing what was right in your own eyes. Come on now, rejoice; you made it! You are one of the many who will get to live for an eternity separated from Jesus. 

What, this is not what you wanted? Gee, I’m sorry. As I have told you already this is a special train, and once onboard, there are no funds, no change of itinerary, and no stops at other destinations. But you say, “My child is on the heaven-bound train, and I want to be with her!”  Now, now, it’s going to be alright, try not to worry. I know it’s sad and frightening for you, please try to be calm. Yes, I think I can see your little girl crying for you; she obviously loves and misses you terribly. Now don’t worry, in a few moments, God is going to wipe away all her tears, turning her sorrow into joy. Why in no time at all your precious little girl won’t even remember you, and will go on to live a blessed life in heaven with Jesus, while you scream and suffer in hell. This madam is the consequence of you trying to live your life less than fully committed to Jesus, desiring to do things your own way. For years He patiently called you, urging you to repent of your sins; but you steadily refused, and now it is just too late.”

---

My friends…can we be friends…? Good. My fictitious story is intended as a light-hearted introduction to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, there most certainly is life after we pass from this world; but it is not like any of the make-believe worlds of Hollywood, secular fiction, etc. No, there are only two places where we will reside for eternity;

1. Heaven – Kingdom of God.
2. Hell – Lake of Fire.

Sorry, your ignorance will not save you from judgment. Many years ago, one of my wife’s relatives “accidentally” (yes, I believe it was an accident), stole a small personal item from the store, only to discover it later. Fortunately, upon its discovery the item was returned to the store manager with their apologies, which was the end of the matter. According to the family, this person placed the item in their purse by mistake, intending to pay for it at checkout: well, that is the story I was told anyway.. :). Even though the item was returned and the store suffered no financial harm, the manager would have been within their rights to have called the police and pressed charges. Did the offender understand theft was wrong and illegal? Yes, of course. Would it matter in the eyes of the law whether it was taken in error or with intention? No. Did this woman break the law and was deserving of punishment? Yes!

Do you understand my comparison here? In the eyes of the law, a transgression is a transgression, is a transgression. If the law is broken there must be a punishment to atone for the offense. God has made a whole list of laws for us to follow, which may be summed up perfectly in the TEN COMMANDMENTS. 

Here, I will list them just in case you have forgotten;

1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his Name in vaine.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy sonne, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattel, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5. Honour thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
10. Thou shalt not covet.

Exodus 20:3-17, KJV.

Historically, many of our laws are based on these commandments, whether the lawmakers understand this or not. God has many attributes which we could use to describe Him, some of whom I have listed below.

GOD IS _____________________.

1. All – loving.
2. Forgiving.
3. Righteous.
4. Holy.
5. Without sin.
6. Pure Light.
7. Perfect.
8. Just.
9. Patient.
10. Compassionate.

Let’s focus in on just three of God’s attributes, shall we? 

All-Loving

God loves us with love our finite human understanding will never be able to fully comprehend. Because of His immense love for us, He wants us to be with Him eternally in heaven. His love for us is so vast, He sent His only begotten Son, JESUS, to take upon Himself the punishment for our sins. Each of us has inherited our sinful nature because Adam and Eve sinned first, back in the Garden of Eden. God understands our imperfect human nature and has provided a Way for us to be saved – now isn’t that wonderful news! 

Forgiving

Because God loves us so very much, He is able to cleanse our sins with the blood of JESUS; that’s why He gave Himself for us on the cross. Through faith and believe in Jesus, we may be forgiven and cleansed from our sins. Now in case, it isn’t obvious to you, sin is any action or thought which is contrary to God’s laws, as embodied in the Ten Commandments listed above. 

• Have you ever lied, even one time only? Then you are a liar. 
• Have you ever been angry with someone? Then you are a murder. *
• Have you ever stolen anything, even time from your employer? Then you are a thief.
• Have you lusted after someone, or had sexual thoughts for anybody not your wife or husband? Then you are an adulterer.
• Have you worshipped any false gods such as wealth, possessions, power, etc.? Then you are an idolater. 

Shall I go on? In order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven on your own merits requires you be 100% absolutely perfect, meaning the slightest transgression of any one of these commandments even ONE TIME ONLY, is sufficient to sentence you to eternity in hell (Lake of Fire). Nope, you are not perfect. You are sinful. You are worthless in the eyes of a holy God. You are guilty. You are ETERNALLY DOOMED!!!!!

Unless….you repent of your sins against GOD, freely confessing (AND MEAN IT!! – YOU CANNOT FOOL GOD!!!!) your desperate need for HIS forgiveness, and that you believe JESUS CHRIST died for you, then, and only then, can your sins be wiped out clean! 

Salvation and eternal life is;

• A free gift from GOD alone.
• Something we do not deserve.
• A gift which cannot be earned through good works.
• A gift which cannot be purchased with money.
• A gift you cannot receive through any of the world’s false religions.
• A gift which will never fade away, depreciate, or become worthless.
• A gift which may only be received by faith and belief in JESUS CHRIST.

* “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Matthew 5:20-22, KJV.

Just

If you willingly choose to disregard my warnings and reject the Name of JESUS CHRIST, then God’s justice requires Him to punish you. If you refuse His free and gracious offer of salvation and eternal life through His Son JESUS, then you alone will bear the punishment for your many sins against HIM, which is not going to pleasant at all! Ask yourself this question. If hell was not such a horrible place of torment and agony, why would JESUS spend more time talking of the absolute horrors of hell over the majesty of heaven? Please think about it will you still can.

Thank you for reading…

 

https://wp.me/PAx0v-M2

 

Unplanned

I had the opportunity to see this movie a couple of weeks ago at one of our local theatres, and hope many of you will as well. To my pleasant surprise, there were a good number of young college-aged youth in attendance – praise God! Here in Canada the issue of abortion, or how the media and politicians often phrase it as the “woman’s right to choose”, tend to be banned from public discussion or debate, which is very sad. If the mother of an unborn child refuses to stand up and protect his/her right to life, who will?

As I see things, the underlying issue is not a “woman’s right to choose”, but whether or not human life, regardless of age, sex, culture, etc., is precious and valuable. The passion and vindictiveness of the “progressives” attack on our most innocent members of society are truly frightening, and in my humble opinion, fundamentally the outcome of a life being lived apart from the one true God. I see news reports on a daily basis about those in the abortion business (yes, it’s all about the MONEY), proudly bragging about how many women we have helped (murder their baby), and are doing “god’s work”. Now I know with certainty the God whom I serve, and His Name is JESUS CHRIST. The “god” they are referring to is the “god of this world”, or Satan – whether or not they realize this is another question. They will have much to answer for at the coming judgment.

What did God command Noah and his family after the Great Flood? To go forth and repopulate the Earth! Jesus desires an intimate relationship with every human being, that they may repent of sin, and be forgiven by His grace and shed blood. By what right do the so-called “defenders of women’s health” work tirelessly to destroy what God has miraculously created? This is wrong. This is evil. This is wicked. This is immoral. This is anti-life. This is murder. In Canada, abortion is considered legal (according to man’s laws), up to the moment of birth. Has anybody else been following the reports for the last year or so about the aborted baby parts business? Truly disgusting horrific, and wicked. May God judge them according to His perfect righteousness.

Back to the movie, I cannot recommend highly enough you make every effort to watch it, especially if you are pregnant and considering abortion. Yes, there are some graphic scenes, although they are not prominent throughout. You didn’t think abortion was painless and clean, did you?

Thank you, LORD, for creating countless new lives, conceived in your image, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I pray you will change the hearts and minds of our country so that no longer will our most vulnerable and innocent be deemed unimportant. Each and every life you create is important to You; may our hearts be compassionate towards those who need our love the most.

God bless,

 

https://www.unplannedfilm.com

https://www.lifenews.com

In the beginning

The Creation of the World

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters. And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.” – Genesis 1:1-8, ESV

https://answersingenesis.org/

 

http://www.creationmoments.com/

 

http://www.creation.com

 

 

It’s all about JESUS

The Great Commission

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”  Matthew 28 16-20, KJV

Greetings, and Welcome!
Why Jesus? Specifically, who is He? Both of these questions are perfectly reasonable, deserving  to be answered. First off, please be assured God loves you; after all, He created youin His image.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:26-27, KJV

“Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the bellyI knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5, KJV

“For thou hast possessed my reins:
thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:13-14, KJV

“But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter;
and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8, KJV

Does it make sense if God created you (and me), He must know everything about us? Consider the artist who creates a brilliant masterpiece; does he not enjoy it, taking pleasure in what his hands have created? Of course, yes. Likewise, it is God who has created us for His pleasure; so clearly, He loves us. Scripture upholds His perfect love for all creation. Isn’t this truly marvelous! The Creator God of the universe loves ____________________________________________ (insert your name)!

Simply stated, Jesus Christis the Son of God, through whom all things were created, and by whom, the universe continues to exist. All His creation, along with the Holy Bible, God’s written word to us, singularly, and consistently, upholds the name of Jesus; the only true and living Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
John 1:1-5, KJV

Let’s examine two common passages of Scripture, both recorded by the Apostle John.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17, KJV

and,

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”John 3:36, KJV

The Apostle John, who walked with, and was taught directly by Jesus over a period of about (3) years, records;

1. God loves the word He has created.
2. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (born as a human baby).
3. We are saved from judgment through belief and faith in Jesus.
4. Jesus came save us, not condemn us for breaking God’s commandments; this is our sinful nature.
5. Everlasting and eternal life is open to anyone who believes in Jesus.
6. Everyone choosing to reject Jesus has the full wrath of God upon them, destined for eternity in hell.

” Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.  O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Psalm 8, KJV

The Psalmist David wrote these words; how God created humans to be a bit lower than the angels in Heaven. Only a loving God with infinite patience and care would do this; we are truly are a blessed creation!

Ok, God loves me; where does Jesus come in? I am so pleased you asked! Here is the problem. God created a perfect, ideal, and sinless world; however, Adam and Eve disobeyed God, eating of the forbidden fruit. This is perhaps the saddest moment of all human history, whereby sin first entered into our world. The Apostle Paul wrote these words so that we would know and understand the truth; “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”Romans 5:12, KJV

Up until this point there was no death; animals did not die naturally, no creature ate another for food, everything was absolutely perfect; Adam and Eve, and all their descendants would have lived forever. This is the real reason we have wars, strife, murders, disease, anger, pain, suffering….and on it goes; all because Adam and Eve willingly chose to disobey God– this is the simplest definition of SIN!

Blessedly there is good news; let’s continue on!

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” Romans 5:6-11, KJV

A careful and plain reading of this passage of Scripture tells us;

1. Jesus Christ died (on the cross) for the ungodly (you and me!).
2. God allowed this to happen (actually, He planned for it), out of His perfect love for us.
3. We are justified (made “right” in the eyes of God).
4. Previously, we were enemies of God.
5. Now, we can be reconciled to God, because we have been forgiven!

Stated simply, God has provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins, through faith and belief in His Son, JESUS CHRIST. Yes, the cost of eternal life is free; however, you must, I repeat, MUST, repent of your sins, and turn your life completely over to JESUS.

FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED – PLEASE READ ON FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!

Original Sin

The Real Gospel Message

God Bless,

 

 

Why vegan?

A fair question, to which I may choose to respond with; Why not? All kidding aside, this really is a good question, which for me, has two primary answers.

Answer #1

• Because God created a perfect and sinless world, absent of diseases and death.
• His original commandment was for all creatures, including humans, to eat plants.
• Prior to original sin there could not have been death; the Bible states plainly that “everything was very good”.
• Humans were given the task of having dominion over everything God created; i.e. “caretaker”, not “carnivore”.
• All saved humans will NOTbe eating animals in the soon-coming Kingdom of Heaven.

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
Genesis 1:29-31, KJV

How much clearer evidence do we need? Yes, humans caneat meat, however we were created to be vegetarians. Since death had not yet come into being, all animals must also have been vegetarian; right? If not, if animals were killing and eating one another, how could God’s creation be “very good”?

“They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat:
for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isaiah 65:22, KJV

When God creates the new heaven and earth (Isaiah 1:17), there will be nomore death, no diseases, no decay; everything will once again be perfect, just as it was before Adam and Eve sinned. After the fall of man, God allowed humans to eat meat if they so desired, this point I cannot argue; Scripture plainly records this. However, there is nothing in human physiology requiringus to eat animals; rather, it is a testament to how well-designed (created in His image) we are.

“And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.

These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.

And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it. Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean. And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean. But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you. And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even. And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination. Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.” Leviticus 11, KJV

If you are a typical Christian it is quite likely you have never read these passages before; most people have not. Not to worry, I won’t hold it against you. God gave very specific and direct instructions to Israel (these are notceremonial laws!), about what could, and could not, safely be consumed. Certain animals such as lobster, catfish, and pigs, are in our environment to help keep things clean, and may carry harmful, if not fatal, pathogens, and other nasty things which may harm us. Why take the chance? Why not simply adopt the diet God designed for us? Now, if you are a meat-eating Christian, please, please understand, I am in no way judging you; this is a non-salvationissue you should consider taking to God in prayer.

Answer #2

• Modern factory farms and animal husbandry are cruel, filthy places; and not in accordance with God’s commandments on ‘having dominion over the earth”.
• The entire food production process is about one thing; delivering low-quality food as cheaply as possible to the consumer.
• There is nothing, I repeat nothing, we can get from animals which is not available in a much better, high quality, plant based, whole food source.
• Over consumption of processed foods are causing unnecessary harm to all of us, and our environment.
• What do the largest, strongest animals on earth (gorilla’s, blue whales, rhinoceros, horses, etc..) eat? Plants, Plants, Plants.

 

Links

• Forks over Knives
• Engine 2
• Readers Digest
• Risk in Red Meat?
• Prevention.com – 10 Reasons to Stop Eating Meat
• Amazing Facts Ministry – Health Secrets (Part 1)

Disclaimer:The folks behind these resources may not be Christian (I have not checked); however, they do understand, and believe in the value of adopting a whole food, plant-based diet. Amazing Facts is a ministry of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, of whom I am in disagreement with some of their biblical teachings. You may find this video resource useful, as it clearly upholds God’s health and eating plan, clearly outlined in the Bible.

There are many, many resources out there. I challenge you to give a plant-based diet a chance for at least (2) weeks to see how you feel. What have you got to lose?

P.S.  – No I do not believe one’s dietary choice has any bearing on our salvation – Click here to learn about the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST.

God Bless,

 

 

 

 

Why abortion is murder

Everywhere we turn nowadays, the media, corporations, government, schools, universities, athletes, celebrities, and so on, celebrate abortion; the murder of our unborn innocents. How sad it must make God, to see the pinnacle of His creation, discarded and thrown away like yesterday’s refuse. Make no mistake, God loves each and every life which is so horrifically terminated; after all, He is the One who created them. The ongoing revelations of the business practices; precisely how Planned Parenthood, and other providers of murder see themselves, are utterly shocking and horrifying. What is so compassionate about a fetus’ body being torn apart in the womb? This is the reclusive, true, meaning, of “Women’s health”, so widely touted as progressive, fair, compassionate: truly, we live in wicked, evil times.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” – Psalm 139:13-14, KJV

Called in the womb
“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearten, he people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me.”  – Isaiah 49:1-2, KJV
I formed thee
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou calmest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” –Jer. 1:5, KJV

God causes women to conceive
“And God remembered Rachel, and God heartened to her, and opened her womb.” – Genesis 3:22, KJV 

Contrary to the beliefs of our so called “experts”, no human being has ever been born because of evolution. Tragically, many so-called “civilized” countries, including Canada, legally consider an unborn baby a “non-person” until the moment of birth. Think about it: after 40 weeks of gestation in the womb, a new human life breathing, kicking, laughing; has zero legal status and protection until their emergence from the mother’s birth canal! Truly, our “advanced”, “tolerant” society, has become wicked, decadent, and evil in the eyes of God Almighty. He is not pleased, nor will His justice be withheld from those who support, fund, and practice such wickedness. It is an absolute guarantee no pro-abortion supporter or practitioner, will escape; they will all suffer God’s righteous vengeance for all eternity. Mercifully, if you are a woman who has had an abortion; if you are truly remorseful, and have repented of your sin, God is faithful, and is willing and able to forgive, heal, and cleanse you from all sin.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness –1 John 1:8-9, KJV. Having read the bible, both Old and New Testaments many times, I see no condition or limitation on this promise. Continuing, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:12-14, KJV.

Apart from God; your life, my life, all life, is simply not possible. Through His Father, Jesus Christ is The Creator of all things, He gives life, and upholds all things by His divine power. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything that was made.” – John 1:1-3, KJV. Also, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” – Colossians 1:16-17, KJV.

If you are pro-abortion, man or woman, with no regard for protecting our most innocent; you have been duly warned: eternal damnation awaits. On the other hand, if you are a woman thinking about having an abortion, please stop and reconsider. Are you prepared for the life-long grief and remorse that awaits you? Do not believe those who tell you there are no consequences: they are liars, all of them; do not be deceived! Are you a man who is pressuring your wife or girlfriend into having an abortion? You are guilty of murder in the eyes of God: yes, you heard correctly. You are under a veil of deception if you believe God does not notice, nor care; He most certainly does. Finally, if you are a woman who previously had an abortion; you can have true and lasting forgiveness, but only through genuine repentance, and belief in Jesus Christ: He will not abandon nor forsake you.

Thank you for reading,

---

 

Resources

http://www.chooselife.ca

 

http://www.lifenews.com

 

https://www.livingwaters.com/movie/180movie/

 

Love is Kind

Our LORD is kind to us
“And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.” 2 Samuel 2:5-6

“Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.” Proverbs 31:21

“O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” Proverbs 117:1-2

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.  The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.” Proverbs 19:21-22

The wise person does not hesitate to speak kindness to others
“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Proverbs 31:25-26

Scripture contains many references about God’s kindness towards us; our very existence depends upon it! Each one of us has sinned against a holy God; we truly deserve judgment, not His kindness! Nothing we have done in the past, nor will do in the future, can earn us God’s kindness; it is His free gift to us! We are utterly undeserving of God’s kindess; and yet, through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, and able to receive eternal life!! Therefore, how small a thing is it for us to show love and kindess to others, even when we believe they don’t deserve it?

Blessings,

Love is Patient

Christmas is a special time to celebrate the perfect love, God has for us: Jesus Christ came to bring the Gospel message; providing a way for us to be saved. This was truly a wonderful message! More than 2000 years later, the same message of repentance, and forgiveness remains unchanged. No matter what you have done in the past; regardless of the sins you have committed; you can be forgiven! God’s patience is very wide, desiring to save everyone who truly repents of their sins. Scripture tells us plainly we are to become more like Jesus in our daily lives.

May the grace of our Lord fill you with joy, peace, and love.

Learn the be slow to anger
“He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding:
but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” – Proverbs 14:29

“A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” – Proverbs 15:18

Do not repay with evil
“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:15

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” – James 1:19-20

God has infinite patience and love for us; should we not then learn to love our neighbour, and those who have wronged us? Be patient. Be Kind. Be understanding. Show compassion. Show love. Leave the rest to the God.

Merry Christmas, and God bless!