Let us come boldly to the throne of grace.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

This morning I was doing my reading from the book of Hebrews and when I came across this very familiar verse I just had to stop and ponder on it for a while. I must admit that I try to keep up with the news. Not just in this country but all over the world. It is a wonder that I am not depressed all the time with all the bad news that I hear.

But in stead of taking a pill for depression I am constantly reminded that there is also Good News. Good News just like I read this morning. We can come boldly to our Maker and find help in these troubled times. The only time that I find myself not coming boldly to the throne of grace is when I feel that I have disappointed the Lord of grace.

My daily prayers are filled with, "Lord, led me into Your perfect will" and " Revive me and draw me closer to Your side". I have never considered myself to have reached that prefect place in God's will and I'm sure that I will not in this life but that is the place I want to be. So, I must press on and continue daily to get to that place.

Let us come boldly every day to the place where we can find help, the throne of grace so that we can find mercy when we fall short and help in these troubled times. We can always count on the Lord to provide that help that we will all need in these last days.

Blessings,

alight

What A Difference

“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” What a difference is the acceptable sacrifice that pleases our God compared to the sacrifice that pleases a Muslim’s god.


As I read the head lines this morning at all the road side bombs and suicide bombing I think back to Hebrews 13 and some say we (the Christians and Muslims) have the same God. I don’t think so!


For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not parish but have everlasting life. That is the God I serve. He did not attract me by the sword but by His great love. John 3:16

I do not work for Him because I am hoping that someday my good works will out weigh my bad works. No, I work for the Lord because “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

I praise the Lord God Almighty (the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ) that I was born in the USA and not Saudi Arabia. I look forward to the day that I get to go to my next Home and I will not get there by a bomb strapped around my body but by the Word of the Lord saying, “Come up hither.”

As I end my prayers every night,

Come Lord Jesus!

alight

What if?

As I watched the news tonight my heart goes out to the poor people of Haiti. Not only have thousands of loved ones been lost in the powerful earthquake but thousands of homes were left in heaps.

I also noticed how desperate some were for food and water. How we take so lightly good water and food here in this country. What would happen here in our cities if such a thing occurred? We got a peek of what would happen with Katrina. But what if it was wide spread?

We are hopefully coming out of a recession that some thought at first would be a depression like the one we had around 1930. The difference today is that the majority of Americans today live in cities. Those old films of food lines and such were city people. The country folk also had it rough but nothing like those who within one week were out of food.

God says in His Word that in the last days there will be earthquakes, famine, disease, etc. He also says there will be scoffers. I believe we are living in the last days and need to be prepared for such things. God did not give us a spirit of fear (For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7), BUT He did give us a “sound mind” and hopefully we will use it.

Keeping a few months supply of food and water is sound advice. Getting out of dept and saving some money has always been sound advice. Giving and helping the poor today may just come in handy in the future (Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38)

Blessings,
alight

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

I read in the news this morning that “Twenty rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel from Gaza this past week, Prime Minister Netanyahu told the cabinet ministers.” For those of you who do not keep up with Israel news, Israel and the Palestinians are not in a war. The Palestinians would just like to start one with the hopes that the surrounding Arab countries will come to their rescue.

Psalms 122:6 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love you be secure.” When I read this verse I think back to the year 2000 and I was in Israel up early in the morning getting my running in for the day. The only people I seen on the streets were military people with their AK47s hanging from their shoulders. I was stopped by one of them and he told me to not stray far from my hotel, that there was unrest in the air.

Later that day our group was to visit the Temple Mound area. We were denied access because some Palestinians were throwing rocks at non-Muslims. Ex-Israeli PM Ariel Sharon was going to the site that day and some Muslims were stirring up the crowd to riot because of it. The present day Israeli/Palestinian conflict began. I didn’t care anything about seeing a couple of mosques anyway so I was glad to go somewhere else.

The next thing that I think of when I read news “more rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel” is when I was on a mission trip. The guy I was rooming with made a statement that I will never forget. He said when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we are actually praying for the return of Jesus. For truly there will be no peace until Jesus comes back to rule and reign.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, pray for the soon return of our Lord!

Blessings,

Dwight

Behold!

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we BEHELD His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

I love to read about Jesus in John chapter 1. To me John is doing his very best to describe God’s Son. He first tells us that the Father and Son are together and that they created all things. Nothing just happened by chance, it was all created. It was a dark world when Jesus first came to this earth. The Jews had mostly turned to a set of man’s laws instead of God’s laws and if you go to Israel today you will find that it is still that same way. The book of the rabbi’s carries more weight than the Torah.

Jesus comes into this world and shines in the darkness and John says, “we BEHELD His glory.” Beheld His glory! I can’t wait till the day comes when I see Jesus face to face and BEHOLD His glory. What a day that will be. If I ever need to be just cheered up all I must do is read John 1.

In Revelation 21:5 we read where Jesus says, “Behold, I make all things new.” I hunt and fish and run all over the place and can see God’s beautiful creation everywhere I go. I can’t even imagine how glorious it will be when the Creator makes all things new. I can’t wait to BEHOLD it.

In Revelation 22:12 He says, “And BEHOLD, I am coming quickly…” Well, this is how I end my prayers every day before I go to bed, “Even so, come Lord Jesus! That I might BEHOLD Your glory, that I might be with You where Your are.” I want to BEHOLD Jesus.

Amen

Jesus calms the Storm

Who is Jesus?

As I was reading Matthew 14 tonight I came across a couple of verses that I just had to slow down and think about for a while. Verse 24 says, “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.” You see, while I was in Israel the last time Dale and I went to see the “Jesus boat” that was found and dated to the time of Christ.

I learned that during the time of Christ that the sail was used but they hadn’t learned how to use it when the wind wasn’t blowing in the right direction. In other words if you wanted to go west you needed a wind coming out of the east in order to use the sail. If it was out of the south say, you would have to put away the sails and use oars instead.

I have had trouble running a boat with a 25 horse motor when the waves were high and the wind blowing me sideway and such. I am sure that the disciples were struggling that night. And then verse 25 and 26 comes along where Jesus comes walking on the water toward them. Jesus says in verse 27, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter says, “Lord, IF it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” We all know the rest of the story how Peter comes out of the boat walking on the water but when he begins to look around at the waves and all he gets scared and begins to sink.

Now the next time Peter talks to Jesus he is sinking into the Sea of Galilee which I also learned while in Israel can be over 100 feet deep in some areas. This time there is no “IF”. He cries out to the only One that can help him, “Lord save me!”

When all was said and done the disciples came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Instead of the latest praise music they only had the creaking of the boat but they worshipped Him. I am sure in my own mind that they bowed before Him and confessed that Jesus was (not if) the Son of God.

So bare with me for just a moment as I confess myself that Jesus IS the one and only Son of God! It has been almost 33 years now but I can still remember as if it was yesterday crying out to God, “Lord save me!” and He did. Now for all of these years I bow down before Him and I worship Him. Jesus, my Lord, my Savior and my God.

alight

Today while I was reading Romans chapter 1 I came across something I thought was very interesting. In verse 29 I found right in the middle of all kinds of horrible sins was “whisperers”. I mean on one side of whisperers was sexual immorality and murder and on the other side was haters of God and inventors of evil things.

I am taking it that whisperers means gossips. There are many scriptures about gossip like Proverbs 26:20 which says, “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out: and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.” Proverbs 11:13 says, “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.”

Yeah, gossip is a bad thing but does it deserve to be in the middle of all those horrific sins? I guess so, it is there. Ephesians 4:29 says for us to, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Gossip spreads and what was meant to be just casual conversation ends up being very destructive. It was once described to me like taking a feather pillow and tearing the end out and slinging all the feathers to the wind, they go everywhere. Fixing the harm that gossip causes is like finding all the feathers and putting them back in. Will Rogers once said, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” I believe I will take this good advice.

alight

I know how Paul must have felt.

I was thinking about my next trip to Africa when I began to read 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. I know exactly how Paul was feeling and what he was thinking as he wrote the chapter because I have felt and thought the same way.

Like he said in verse one I know that my coming to those on the mission field was not in vain. Too many people saved and too many new churches started and are still going strong. (vr 1)

The only suffering I have been through has been sickness, flight problems, coming up with lots of money and for the past 4 or 5 years my trips have taken me out of the country at the worst possible time. But I wouldn’t change a thing. (vr 2)

God has entrusted me with the gospel and that is exactly what I share with them. I could entice them with another gospel and promise them riches and that everything will be rosy but I don’t. Some do. (vrs 3,4 & 5)

I go as an ambassador of Christ. A missionary, yes but not to lord it over people. Missionaries are held in high esteem in many places but I try to be just another man just like they are. (vr 6)

I have fallen in love with all the different peoples I have been blessed by God to go into their world. Saving my money up, praying for God’s Spirit to go before me long before the actual trip takes place. And while there I am always looking for ways that I can be a blessing. (vrs 7 – 12)

I’ll never forget the time a man told me that he had heard the gospel before but never understood it until I presented it to him. That it was clear and now he understands. (vr 13)

I’ve had to deal with religious people who did not want me to go and be there and have tried to make things hard on me. Some from my own church and some from the mission field but it always backfires and I am more determined to share the gospel. (vrs 14 – 16)

The people that have prayed to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, now approaching 500 souls are so dear to me. Not only have their names been written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life but I have written them down myself. I never plan on forgetting them, ever. I want to go back and check up on them to see how they are doing but I must trust them in the hands of other people and to God. When I soon go again it will be to share the gospel with new people that I have never met but will never forget. (vrs 17 – 20)

alight

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Let’s see if I got this right. For true revival to come we need to humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face and then we are to “turn from our wicked ways”. Now wait just a minute there! It like to have killed me to humble myself. Praying wasn’t too hard that is when I had time. Seeking God’s face is for sure a life long journey but I am game but to turn from my wicked ways?

Now I have been a Christian and going to church for 33 years. I tithe and give and love to help others, why I go on mission trips all over creation. You mean to tell me that I have to open my closet, the closet that I hide stuff in? Now I don’t mind commenting on other people’s closet but my own? What will people think of me if I come clean?

Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” But I am a saint, I leave a trail of feathers behind me when I walk, I give the best advice to those who are on the bottom and are having a hard time getting back up. They would never listen to me again!

Turn from my wicked ways? Now surely that will be an easy one. This step in getting revived is a piece of cake. Shoot, I don’t smoke, drink or cuss; I don’t cheat on my wife or steal from the company. I have to admit that I am a pretty good guy!

Well, I did slander my boss but he deserved it and the drug dealer up the road. Well, he doesn’t have a job, how else could he afford to live like that? And that time I looked twice at that woman wearing that revealing outfit, hmm brings cold chills all over me to think “how dare her”. And that time I lied when I said that I just looked twice and it was more like three or four times.

But isn’t this all just nitpicking? I am afraid not. The bible has said all along, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” And again, “But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” And to know that our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) it would do us good to examine ourselves closely and swing open the closet doors and “TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS”.

If we really want true revival in our lives we must take heed to all the steps God has laid out. You know it and I know it that real happiness and joy is being right with God and close enough to His side that we are touching. And if we do our part then God promises to do His part. He goes on to say….. (Oh no, I think I hear deer coming, I’m in the Penthouse typing this by the way, I’ll just have to finish later.)

Blessings,

alight