Malachi 3:16-18

16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

KJV

Isaiah 49:13-16

 

13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

KJV

Psalm 77:7-14

7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?

9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

2 Tim 4:16-18
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

8 Days of Mother's Day (One isn't Enough)

8 Days of Mother's Day (One isn't Enough)

   You may not have ever heard of it, It’s something I came up with a few years ago.  It is designed for all the married men out there, Mother’s Day is to honor your Mother, but “8 Days of Mother's Day” (One isn't Enough) is to honor your Wife!!!  From the Sunday prior (this year May 1^st – May 8^th) to Mother’s Day love on your wife with things she wants to do, each of those days do something for her, that she normally does, help with the burden of all she does to balance out the home.  Examples: Get her flowers, cook her diner, draw a candlelit bath, give her a massage, rub her feet, tell her sit down, you’ll clean the house today, or do the laundry, be creative, but most of all, each day, let her know how much you love her.

    I was discussing this at work with a friend, and he said it would be a good idea to put it out there for Christian men, he did it last year and was going to do it again this year!  I happened to see the “Royal Wedding” today at work on break and was telling someone that, that was very extravagant, many people may get much notoriety because of their status, but the only status that will impress me, is IF they are still in love 40 years from now like many couples who have a humble status, that’s a greater honor!!!

“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.” 1 Cor 7:3

Maranatha!

Doulos D

Focus on JESUS

   Focus on JESUS

   Moses, Elijah, Samuel, James, John, Peter and the Apostle Paul, just to name a few of some of the great men of God recorded in the Bible.  Though these Apostles and Prophets are part of the foundation upon which the faith is laid, they are not the Chief Cornerstone (Jesus).  Some, get side tracted and easily forget that God’s grand goal is not to conform us into the image of the Apostle Paul or Elijah, but to conform us into “the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29) “….unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” (Eph 4:13) (1 John 3:2-3; Phil 3:21; Eph 4:24; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Cor 15:49; Rom 13:14)

  From time to time we need to examine ourselves to see IF we are really becoming more and more LIKE Jesus, not our denominations or favorite personalities.  I know of people who get so involved and fixated on error, cults, judgments and false religions, (and not that these things are not important or even critical) that they veer off the God called straight path and become more LIKE someone their hanging around rather than LIKE Jesus.  And that’s possible for anyone to fall into, so I’m not accusing or excusing, but it’s EASY to get caught up with people you hand around with, the momentum of a crowd, even perhaps like the crowd that was present along the Villa Del La Rosa, we need to be careful that we don’t get sucked into the crowd yelling crucify Him.  I’m reminded of the instance in the Gospel of Luke 9:53-56, where the disciples James and John seemed eager to command fire to come down from Heaven and consume the people for rejecting Jesus, but Jesus, “… he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:55-56)  Some people can’t speak of the goodness of God that leads men to repentance (Romans 2:4), all their filled with is pending judgment (Hebrew 9:27), and how God is angry with the wicked every day, (Psalm 7:11)  And though these things are facts, I never see the comparison of themselves in the same manner with Jesus when they convey it!  That’s the scary thing!!  They’re religious, full of zeal, but no likeness of Christ as expressed in the Gospels!!!  One might say, wait, Jesus eyes are a flame of fire in the Book of Revelation.  That’s true, but, when He walked upon this earth the 1^st time, in the image which we are to follow, He was full of mercy, grace and truth, seeking to SAVE that which is lost, He went about doing good healing all that were oppressed by the devil, the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit was overflowing in His life (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 5:9)  Compassion towards those broke and beaten down by sin, His words were seasoned with grace unto the hearers!  Warnings of Hell were to everybody but the stern warnings of Jesus of damnation and hell were always to those who held the truth in unrighteousness, the hypocrites, the self righteous, not to the crushed and repenting.

  

   I remember a story of a husband who heard two different preachers years apart preach on Hell and who goes there.  The first time, he heard the message, but didn’t surrender his life to Jesus, the second time he heard a similar message, and he did!  His wife asked him about it, knowing the 2 occasions, what was the difference?  The difference was, he replied, the first preacher proclaimed it, but sounded as if he wanted me to go there!  The second proclaimed the same thing, but sounded as if he didn’t want me to go there! 

   Brethren, In wrath, remember mercy, remember that God is still “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek 33:11)

WWJD is not a far fetched idea to consider when we interact with people in communicating the Gospel.

Maranatha!

Doulos D

www.THCOG.com                              www.1230wmaf.com

Treasure IN Heaven

Treasure in Heaven

(Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 12:33; Luke 18:22)

   Stock Market?  Gold?  Bonds?  CD’s?  Lottery? Retirement?  Savings?  401k?  IRA?

In an economy as unstable as the worlds economy is, it would be nice to know of a place where there is a sure investment, some stability to sustain you in the tempestous times.  Many secularists are more and more pointing people to buy gold, and so far, yes that has been a good investment, BUT, there is something far more better than gold or silver to invest in!  In fact, as good as gold or silver is, the Holy Bible declares that  “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; …” Zephaniah 1:18 “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.” Ezekiel 7:19    

    There goes the gold and silver, even that will be worth very little in the days ahead! The Holy Bible goes onto say, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”  1 Tim 6:17-19

The best investment anyone can make outside of being born again is helping those in need!!!

• “ I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
• “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Prov 19:17
• “But godliness with contentment is great gain(look that up in the greek sometime). For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”  1 Tim 6:6-8
• “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matt 6:32-34

   What good is gold or silver anyway to a dying man?  I could name some things a dying man would like to have or would have liked to have or done prior to his dying, 99.9% of people wouldn’t ask for more temporal riches on their death bed. 

 “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

Luke 12:27-40

Maranatha!!!

Doulos D