Has God opened a door for you?

This morning I was reading  from Colossians 4- I will read it from "The Message" a paraphrase written by Eugene Peterson.

Pray diligently. Stay alert, with you eyes wide open in gratitude.  Don't forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I'm locked up in this jail.  Pray that every time I open my mouth I'll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.  Use your head as you live and work among outsiders.  Don't miss a trick.  Make the most of every opportunity.  Be gracious in your speech.  The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

I will stop there for there is so much said in these few verses!  But, as I asked the Lord what to write about today, this is what He told me to share and so lets dive in.

These verses are speaking to us about our relationship with the lost, the "outsiders" as it is put here.  So what are we commanded to do.

1.) Pray diligently-we are given specific instruction to pray for open doors for telling others about Christ, and pray that Christ will be clearly and plainly explained to them.  Paul is asking the church to pray for him, that WHILE HE IS IN PRISON he will have doors opened to speak about Christ and speak in a clear way.  This is convicting to me.  Paul is asking us to pray for doors to open while he sits in a horrible prison, unlike the prisons we know of today.  I've got to be honest, when I read this, I thought, "Wow, I would be praying for doors to open....for the prison doors to open!! so I could get out of there!"  Yet Paul, having the heart of an evangelist and an immense love for the Lord, asked for folks to pray that he would have opportunity to speak of Christ.

2.) Stay alert-It is so easy to miss an opportunity- I found this out the other morning.  It was almost 5am and I was on my way to work.  I take the 5 freeway to the 118.  I do this a few times a week.  I was driving, listening to the news on the radio and thinking about all that was going on in the world as I heard all the bad news.  All of a sudden I saw this maybe 6 story building close to the freeway and I thought wow, why haven't I seen this building before?  I soon realized I had missed the exit to the 118 and was still on the 5.  I had missed my opportunity.  I was paying enough attention to drive safely but I wasn't with my "eyes wide open" so I missed my opportunity.  Thankfully, there was an exit ahead and I was able to get back on the right freeway.  We don't always have that same opportunity when it comes to witnessing. We may never see that person again, or they may die before we have another opportunity to share Christ with them.

God gives us many opportunities to speak about Christ- but how often do we miss that opportunity- Many times I've got to the end of the day and had that "aha" moment when it hit me, God had given me an opportunity, I had missed it.

3.) Use your head as you live and work among outsiders- I thought about this and to me this was a statement that covered a lot of ground.  I believe we see that as we read ahead and are admonished to be gracious in our speech and bring out the best in them- When God opens doors, we need to take advantage of that opportunity- but in a gentle Christlike manner.  I love how we read that when Jesus looked out on the crowds, He was moved with compassion, for He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)  Jesus  didn't shy away from speaking the truth, but He always spoke in love.

When I look around this world today, I am speechless at times at what I see, what I read about, what I hear about on the radio. Gross sin and immorality that used to take place in a more "behind closed doors" is now more "in your face" than it has ever been.  Christianity is mocked and we are hated more now than any other time in my middle aged life.  It would be easy and it is tempting to get angry and to lash out at those who are involved in this type of behavior- yet when I am tempted, I always here the Holy Spirit reminding me that Jesus saw these folks with eyes of compassion for they are sheep with no shepherd.  We must speak the Truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

When the Holy Spirit reminds me of this- it is not just a reminder but a mandate to lovingly introduce them to the Shepherd.  The Lord reminded me how I love to introduce my husband to friends at work or people that know me but don't know my husband.  I am so proud of him, I will take the time and make the effort to introduce him.  Yet, as much as I love my husband,.I know that if they never met him it would not greatly impact their lives and he certainly is not the one who will determine the eternal destiny of their souls.  The Lord reminded me, I am a child of the King of Kings, yet how often to I take the time and make the effort to introduce folks to Him?  If people fail to meet Him, their lives will be greatly affected as will the destiny of their eternal souls!

Time is short- I don't know when the Lord will return- but I do believe we are living in the last days.  Even if the Lord should tarry many more days, time is still short.  So many times I have looked back over my high school days, my college days and I ask myself  "where has time gone?"  I know you have done the same.

Let us not come to the end of our lives here on earth with regrets that we did not make the most of every door the Lord opened for us.

"Only one life, will soon be passed- only what's done for Christ will last"

To God be the glory

Yes, Rob Bell, Love did win!

-

There is a lot of talk about this man in the video, Pastor Rob Bell.  He has written a book that was recently released and is causing quite a stir in the world.  The book is titled "Love Wins".  Let me first say that I have not read the book.  I have, however, listened to several interviews he has done and so I don't speak from "rumor" but rather from that which has come from his own lips.

In II Timothy 4, we see that Paul is about ready to be killed.  His final words are a charge to Timothy.  They are powerful and I will quote them from the New King James Version

II Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:  Preach the Word!  Be ready in season and out of season,  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according  to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Rob Bell has made some claims that about God and His teachings that are in DIRECT CONTRADICTION to the Word of God- Essentially, he has created his own gospel- which I guess should not be called a "gospel" for it is not good news for Rob Bell or anyone that is deceived by it.

In my years of discipling women, I have always emphasized the Bible to be our guidebook and our final authority.  We must know the Truth (the Word of God) if we are to recognize the lie.

Based on the you tube video you just watched, I want to use the Word of God to reveal the lie in these teachings.

1.) Rob Bell first questions he tosses out is this "Will only a select few make it to heaven, and will billions go to hell.?"

  I find it very interesting, the way he posed this question. To me, the way he posed this question can play with our emotions.  "select few make it to heaven"  "billions burn in hell".  The offer to salvation has been made to every human being!  John 3:16 makes this clear as does Romans 10:13.  As far as God is concerned, Billions could go to heaven and a select few could go to hell.  In fact, II Peter 3:9 confirms that. In this verse God says that He is not willing that any should perish. Matthew 7:13-14 says that we are to enter  by the narrow gate

for wide is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it.  Jesus knows the human heart and how we gravitate to darkness. He also knows who will accept salvation and who won't.  Be certain of this:  God does not send people to hell, we send ourselves when we refuse to accept His gift of salvation.

2.)  His comment immediately following is this "How do we become one of the few"  I don't sense he is asking this question seeking an answer, rather I sensed it as a mocking statement for those who believe that people will actually end up in hell.  As you see in the video, he goes on to ask how do we become one of the select few.....do we get baptized, join a church, on and on.  

This is an easy question to answer.  He need not look long to find the requirement for salvation

Lets look at Romans 10:9-10,13 (NKJV)

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Down through the years man has added to faith, preaching a gospel of works- but this is a false doctrine!  Jesus laid out the plan.  Boy, over and over again, Jesus lays out the plan of salvation.  Seems to me that it would be a waste of His time if in the end "love wins" and everybody goes to heaven!

3.)  He goes on to pose another easy to answer question- "What is God like?".  If we want to know what God is like, we should go straight to the source.  God is love!  The reason salvation exist is because God loved! (John 3:16) God is merciful!  The whole reason salvation exist is because God is merciful.(Lamentations 3:22-23)   God is Truth!(Deuteronomy 32:4)  God is gracious-(Ephesians 2:8-9) The whole reason salvation exist is because God is gracious!  God is just.(Deuteronomy 32:4)  On the day of judgement, those who accepted His gift will receive eternal life and those who rejected will receive eternal damnation.  Just as He said.

4.) Rob Bell claims that the reason that people don't want to be involved in Christianity is because there is an endless list of things we must do to achieve heaven.  I don't know who he was listening to when he had that thought, for the certainly doesn't come from the Word of God.  Ephesians 2:8-9 supports this

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.  not of works, lest anyone should boast."

5.) Lastly, Rob Bell says that what we believe about heaven and hell is so important.  I couldn't agree with him more!  I just wonder what he means about that.  He states he does believe in a hell- but my question is if "Love Wins" (as he argues) then why would there even be a hell.  Why even discuss it and why would Jesus talk about hell in the Bible more than any other subject.  Rob Bell says that when we understand things as he does than we will see that the good news (the Gospel) is better than we could ever imagine.  He is right about one thing.  The Gospel as written by God is better than we could ever imagine!  I don't need to buy into a new gospel to grasp that.  In fact, a "new gospel" such as "Love Wins" , if I buy into it, would actually bring me more pain than I can imagine, in eternal separation from God in a place called hell.

Do you see what Satan has done through the message of Rob Bell?  He has taken God's Word and twisted it that he may try to make God look like the bad guy!  Do not let Satan deceive you.

Yes, love does win!  But not as Rob Bell states.  Love won on an old rugged cross over 2000 years ago.  Love was what kept Jesus on that cross.  Love is what made Him willing to endure such pain and agony.  Love is what makes it possible for me to spend eternity with Jesus.  Love is what caused God to lay out the plan of salvation so clearly that even the youngest or folks with the lowest IQ possible can grasp what Jesus is  offering.  Love is what made salvation a "gift" and not something I could earn.  Love is what causes God to pick me up when I stumble, brush the dirt off me and set me back on the right path.

Oh Yes, LOVE WON!

p.s. May this be an opportunity to pray for Rob Bell and others out there.  I don't question the heart or the sincerity of this man.  Only God knows his heart.  I would give the benefit that he is sincere- nonetheless, sincerely wrong.  May the Holy Spirit open his eyes to the truth.

Reverse Outlook

We're headed home!

I've talked a lot these days about the end times and the return of the Lord and I believe I have done so with good reason.....He is returning and I believe it is sooner than we may think!

Yesterday I was listening to talk radio and they were talking about May 11,2011.  This is the date that the national ID card will be put into effect in America.  I got on the computer with my husband and we began to read some very interesting information about this National ID Card.  It will contain a chip that will carry every bit of info about me possible!  It will also have a GPS tracker in it so my every move can be monitored.

They told of in the days to follow, we will have to sign on to the computer in a way that will end up giving government immediate access to anything we post on the computer.  They were saying that if you don't have this "National ID Card" you will not be able to open a bank account, board a plane, enter a federal building, get a loan...etc.  Does this sound familiar....this is a shadow of what is to come with the anti-christ.

I also heard on the radio that a member of Obama's cabinet is advising President Obama that we must embrace Palestine and even supports an invasion of Israel.  My husband and I looked this up on the computer and watched this interview with amazement.  Does this sound familiar?

When is the Lord returning?  I don't have the answer to that question-(please don't listen to anyone that claims to).  What I can tell you is that the scene is being set at rapid speed.  And the Bible is clear that these things will happen as we see the day approaching.

Are you ready to stand before the King of Kings?  If you are, who do you know that is not ready to stand before the King, and are you sharing the Gospel with them and praying earnestly for them?

Let's loosen our grip on the things of this world- we won't be taking any of it with us.  Let us be bold to speak and testify about our Savior as we face these days.

Let us live a blameless life through the power of the Holy Spirit, that we be not ashamed when He comes!

Brothers and Sisters......we are headed home!!

The day Jesus sat down!

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved the book of Hebrews!  It is a fascinating book to me and I just love reading it.  One recurring theme in Hebrews in the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the insufficiency of the sacrifices continually offered up by human priests.  I want to point out some verses that I love, that I cling to.

Hebrews  1:3  who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, SAT DOWN at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Hebrews 10: 12- But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN  at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 12:2- Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has SAT DOWN at the right hand of the throne of God.

We often use the phrase "sit down" when we think of finishing our work.  We've all said "I can't wait to sit down", "As soon as I finish this, I can sit down".   Many times we come home from work and say, "I was so busy, I didn't even have a chance to sit down".   They are words we associate with  "completion".

We see this truth in these verses.  Jesus "completed" the work He had come to do.  He came to earth, prepared 12 men to carry on His ministry, He died on the cross, rose again and "sat down" at the right hand of the Father.  I dare not minimize the work He had come to do.  That work has just as much meaning and power as it did over 2000 years ago when He completed it.  It is the work of salvation!  You and I can spend eternity in heaven with Jesus because He completed the work!  

When we try to add our works to what He completed- (our gift of salvation)- we minimize our amazing Lord and Savior and the work He accomplished for us on the cross.

The book of Hebrews is so clear in revealing the superiority of Jesus Christ over the law that we read of in the Old Testament.  We read of the priests continually having to offer sacrifices for their sins and the sins of the people.  It was because the sacrifice was not sufficient.

If you study about the Tabernacle, you will find that there was no seat for the priest in the holy of holies.  That was because the work of the priest was never completed.  He was always offering sacrifice for the atonement of sin.

Our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ came and did something no priest had ever done and no earthly priest will ever do.

Hebrews 10:12- But this Man, after He had offered ONE sacrifice for sins FOREVER, sat down at the right hand of God.

Worthy, our Lord is worthy of all praise and all the glory.  No man can ever come close to what Jesus did for us.  I owe Him my life and may I always gladly lay it down for whatever He desires of me.

The most incredible experience that I have occurs each time I get on my knees.  I encourage you to at least once a day get on your knees before the Lord.  It never grows old to me and it is the most humbling and overwhelming experience to bow before the King of Kings.

I have heard individuals referred to as the "king of pop", the "king of rock and roll" , the "king of soul"- You know, I don't even know if I could tell you who those people are- but I can tell you that I know who the King of Kings is!  He is in love with you!  He loved you so much that He gave His life for you!

Take a moment to reflect on how much love He has for you, that He would give His life for you.  If you do not know Him, you can- Just pray and invite Him into your life.  Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.  He alone is worthy of all of your attention.

If you know Him- then bow before Him and love and adore Him- He alone is worthy, so worthy!

To You, Jesus, be glory and power and majesty forever and ever, Amen!

Jesus, our Heavenly Cardiologist!

Although I am in the medical profession, you certainly don't have to be in the profession to understand the importance of the heart to the human body.  The heart is the life line- without it, well.....we'd all be in the grave! Quality of human life is determined greatly by the heart.  A unhealthy heart will affect our kidneys our lungs, every organ of our body!  We will lack energy for we will get out of breath just going up a flight of stairs!

We also have a spiritual heart, and we have the Great Physician who has given us specific instructions in taking care of this heart.  In Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV) we read:  "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."

In our physical heart we have several vessels, all important.  If one of those gets clogged, the entire heart can face something very serious we all know as a "heart attack".

Our Spiritual heart is composed of our mind, will, and emotions.  It is important that we take care of all 3 of those areas.  If one gets into trouble, our spiritual heart will suffer.
That is why God tells us to guard our heart.  But what does that word "guard" mean- how do we "guard our heart"?

1.) A healthy diet- The government now requires food labels to give us information about how healthy that food product is.  We have all become familiar with "trans fat", HDL, LDL, etc and what they mean.  You may be one of those people at the grocery store who reads the label before buying the product. (I hope you are!) So it is with our spiritual heart- we must take in a healthy diet.  Through the books we read, the TV programs we watch, the movies we go to, it will affect our spiritual heart for good or for bad. Prayer must be a large part of our diet. And it must be a regular part of our diet!

2) Exercise- Exercise is important to keep my physical heart strong.  It is a muscle and it takes some work to maintain that muscle.  We have gyms all over the place and we probably frequent those gyms or exercise at home in order to maintain a healthy heart.  Our spiritual heart is also in need of exercise.  It is the exercise of reading the Word of God, church, and service to the Lord.

3.) Minimize stress- We can have a great diet and exercise program but every doctor will tell you that if you are that "type A" personality then you are putting your heart at risk. That is why you see a lot of lifestyle changes after a heart attack.  Folks are  forced into it after the fact.  Makes you wonder what would be different if they had  minimized stress in their life as a lifestyle- perhaps they wouldn't have had the heart attack.  Our spiritual heart is put at risk through the stress of unconfessed sin.  I want you to think of unconfessed sin as the plaque that gathers on the arteries of our physical heart.  As that plaque builds up it narrows the artery causing a decrease in blood flow.  At some point, it finally causes a heart attack.  Sin in our lives narrows the "artery" that allows the flow of fellowship and instruction from our Father.  If sin continues to go unchecked, it will occlude that line to our Heavenly Father and our spiritual heart will suffer.

King David understood this as he wrote in Psalm 32 (NKJV)

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity.  And in whose spirit is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.  I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden.  I said "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"  And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.  For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.  You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

A physical heart attack is expensive.  It cost not only a lot of money, but it also costs  in worry in the patient and the family of the patient.  It has long term effects on our body and finances through drugs and check ups.  I have taken care of many patients who look back in regret that they did not care for their heart so that they could have avoided all that came with the heart attack.

A spiritual heart attack is also very costly.  It affects our relationships with family and friends.  It most of all affects our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Sin can have long term effects.  I have counseled many women who look back in regret that they did not care for their spiritual heart and now face consequences that could have been avoided.

The prescription from our Heavenly Cardiologist
1.)  Healthy diet- Word of God, good worship music, healthy prayer time
2.) Exercise- Serve the King in your local church, witness to those around you who need to hear about Jesus
3.) Limit stress- Keep short accounts with God.  Confess your sins and turn from them.  If you fall, get back up!  Memorize Psalm 32 and heed its instruction.


Guard your heart!
To God be the glory

"What do you think God is up to?"

I love the way God opens doors to talk about Him and His gift of salvation!!  This week at work I had the opportunity to strike up a conversation with a co-worker.  She asked me where I met my husband.  I said church.  That prompted  a few more casual questions about my church but the Holy Spirit spoke through me and gave me the words to say that not only spoke of church but spoke of Jesus.  She then said "You know not many people speak up if they are a Christian when they are on the job"  I replied, "oh no, that is the most important part of my life, God first, then my husband, everything else comes somewhere after that"  her reply was "that's nice, I like that"  I found out she does go to a church in the area but I don't know if she is a Christian.

A few days later she said to me, "So with all this earthquake stuff lately and the tsunami and just all this stuff, what do you think God is up to?"   Love it, love it, love it! - Not because I can speak for God and lay out exactly what God is doing but I can speak from the Word of God about what God is up to.  So I began to speak, I told her that the Bible speaks of these things occurring in increasing measure and intensity as we draw nearer to the date of His return.  I told her that although these were undoubtedly troubled times and "scary" at times, the child of God can look at them with anticipation for they bring us closer to home!  Her response kind of made me think perhaps she does not truly know Christ as her Savior.  Pray for her!
Pray that God will open more doors and continue to open my mouth.

Which leads me to these 2 questions- Where are  you spending eternity?  If the Lord raptured His church today, would you be included?  You can know.  I John 5:13 says "I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God , so that you may know you have eternal life."  Please click on my tab about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Then, let me know of your decision and, if you like, I will email you more info on developing a relationship with Jesus Christ and growing in your walk with the Lord.

My next question is this:  Are you telling others about Jesus?  God has given us the privilege of sharing the salvation message with others.  It is our privilege, it is our duty.  I wrote a song about 3 years ago called "Will you be the One"  I asked will you be the one, to lead them to the One?  Who came to you, who shared Jesus with you?  Aren't you glad that someone was obedient and bold in sharing the salvation message with you!?  So many are in need of hearing that they are loved, so loved by Jesus Christ.

It's hard to believe, but we now live in a post Christian area- there are folks out there who do not know anything about Jesus Christ or they have been taught that it is a myth- just a story.  They need us to tell them.

We look at the behavior of our youth today, the rebellious attitude, dress, language.....the drugs, the immorality....it's obvious that people are searching.  We live in a very spiritual world today- but it is the wrong spirit that this world seeks.  Just look at the billboards of the movies that are out, the TV programs that are out.  They  center around the occult in one way or another.  Hollywood is evangelizing, but they are evangelizing a lie.....Where are the Christians?  We must be evangelizing the Truth!

Pray for God to open doors for you to speak to one person about the Gospel.  I promise you this, if you are willing to speak the Truth, then God is willing to use you.  If you are willing to submit to the Holy Spirit, then you can be sure that the Holy Spirit is willing to speak through you.

Oh may we be people with a desire to rescue the perishing.  If you get on the computer or turn on the news, you will see and hear of rescue workers working around the clock trying to reach those who may be trapped under the rubble that came as a result of the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan.   Why?- because lives are precious, and we dare not walk away when there is a chance that we might even rescue one person.

After 9/11, the New York fire dept and EMT's and the Police worked around the clock looking for any possible survivors- putting their own lives at risk looking for any survivors.

Friend, there is a soul in each person that will live eternally in one of 2 places- heaven or hell.  We must be in the business of rescuing the perishing soul.  As believers, we are God's EMT"S out there searching for those who need to be rescued by being introduced to Jesus Christ.

To God be the Glory!!