God's Word is Established

God's word is settled in heaven. This tells us that he has a plan and it has been established since the day he created the heavens and the earth.  

Psalm 119:89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

He knew that mankind would sin and fail, he knew that he would have to watch his son die to redeem us and he knew that one day he would have to destroy mankind from the earth leaving a remnant that had stayed faithful to him. 

You see, nothing that is happening in the world today is a surprise to God.  He already knew how everything would play out.  The good news is that by his death, Jesus Christ made a way for man to escape destruction.  By his shed blood he made a way for mankind to be forever reconciled to God. 

As we look around and see all the evil in the world today we should comfort one another with God's word.  We should encourage one another that all these things must come to pass in order to see God's word fulfilled and that as they come pass it brings us closer to the return of Jesus Christ to call up his redeemed.  

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Kathy Wellman
Reference:  King James Bible

Press toward the mark!

Just thinking this morning that as Christians, our goal should simply be that we press toward the mark!  We should strive to live Christlike and be in his will, making ready for eternity in the presence of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!!
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 KJV
This one little verse in the bible holds a lot of inspiration.  It shows us that we are never going to be perfect in this world but that our goal is to do the best we can and to live Christlike.  We are to "Press Toward"  or in other words we are to continue daily in  our walk with Christ, striving to do all that we can to obtain that prize that is awaiting us someday.
Jesus teaches us that his GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!!  2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
He also teaches us that we are to live ONE DAY AT TIME, we can not change things that are going to happen, we can only hope to be what God would have us to be and to someday spend eternity in his presence!!
Matthew 6:34 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.

Stay faithful to God's Word

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:15-16 KJV

The Holy Ghost revealed to Peter who Jesus Christ really was and Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church.  Jesus Christ is the ROCK of our salvation and in him is life.  There is no other name given under heaven whereby we might be saved.  The world is facing rough times in the days and years ahead.  As Christians, we know and see what is happening in the world, but the bible says that others will be blinded to the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

It's more important than ever before to stand firm on God's word and trust in what he says.  People may call you crazy and worse but Jesus also said that this would happen.  If man persecuted him, they will persecute us as well but if God be for us who can be against.  

Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Be not ashamed

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16
Jesus taught the people that if you be ashamed of me then I will be ashamed of you in heaven.  Can you just imagine standing before God Almighty and Jesus hanging his head in shame.  I can, and it's not a good thought.  I pray daily that I can live a life that will make him proud of me and that my life can be a light to others.  I don't want to hear the words, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.  If you don't know Jesus Christ today, please let me invite you pray.  He loves you and he gave up a throne in heaven to bleed and die for your sins.    He is waiting for you to invite him into your life.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Don't wait until it's too late.  We don't have a promise of tomorrow.  Don't leave this world lost and go to a devil's hell.  Hell was not created for man, it was created for the devil and his angels.  Jesus loves you and wants you to enjoy life eternal with him in the presence of God the Father.  Choose this day whom you will serve.
Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
My home will be a home of prayer and we will serve God...I pray you make the right choice.

You must be born again

I know that many of us have loved ones that have problems and are not Christians and we pray for them daily.  I also know that many of us have family members that we love dearly, we know they are good, moral people but they are not Christians and most of us forget to pray for these members of our family simply because in our minds they are already good people.  The sad thing is that being a good person will not save your soul.  You must be born again.  If you have a loved one that is not a Christian, please share this with them, many may not even understand that they must be born again. Nicodemus was a good man, a ruler of the Jews and when he talked with Jesus about knowing he was sent from God, Jesus told him that no man could ever see the kingdom of God unless he be born again.  Jesus was speaking of a spiritual birth.  

John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus wanted to know how a man could be born again. A spiritual birth takes place in your life the moment you accept Jesus Christ is your savior.  It may sound complicated when someone says you must be born again, but it is very simple. There are just a few things you need to do in order to be born again.  

1. You must believe that God sent his son, Jesus Christ into this world to die for your sins.   
2. You must believe that he died and arose again on the third day. 
3. You must confess this belief with your mouth and believe it in your heart and you shall be saved.

There are five verses in the bible that a sinner needs to read. If you can read these five verses and believe them in your heart, you are almost there..now all you have to do is speak it with your mouth.  

John 3:16-18

16 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.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Romans 10:9-10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Now I know that many of you reading this post will say what about being baptized?  Jesus told the deciples to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  

Mathew 28:19

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

It is my belief that being baptized in water is not what saves you. The moment you make a confession with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead, your salvation is sure. Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with him in paradise that day.  The thief was not baptized in water but yet he was saved.  

Luke 23:42-43

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

In John 3:5 I do not believe Jesus was speaking of water baptism.  I believe when Jesus said a man must be born of the water and of the spirit in order to see the kingdom of God that he was speaking of two births.  Your physical birth is of the water and accepting him as your savior is of the spirit. If at all possible being baptized is something you should do once you have accepted that Christ is your savior because it is fulfilling his commandment.  

Note:  The reason I believe Jesus was speaking of your physical birth and your spiritual birth in John 3:5 is because the thief was never babtized, yet he was saved.  Jesus shows no respect of persons, so if it was not required of the thief in order for him to see the kingdom of God, then if would not be required of anyone else.  

Kathy Wellman
Reference:  King James Bible

Time for Prayer

The importance of prayer is on my mind this morning.  It's time that Christians stand in the gap for our fellow Americans and seek God's face for our people.  It's time to turn away from all the anger and lift our hands towards heaven.  Judgement is coming upon this country but there is hope.  God will listen to his people and have mercy if he sees unity and sincerity in our prayers. Israel made many mistakes in turning from God but they were and still are his people, just as America is God's people.  He heard when they cried unto him.  He will hear American cries as well, but we must understand that it is our leaders that need our prayers.  God judges nations according to their leaders and right now our leaders are blinded to the truth.  The bible teaches that there is a way that seems right, but the end is death.  It's time to quit getting angry over everything we see going on around us and get down to business with God and start praying.  Nothing short of a miracle will help us now and you see miracles happen through prayer and fasting.

Psalm 22:1-5 King James Version 
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

2 Chronicles 7:14 
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.

Proverbs 14:9,12,16 & 34 
9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Kathy Wellman

RE:  King James Bible

Comfort one another

We are to comfort one another with the word of God. His word is like a good medicine and if we would use it every day we would find our souls at rest. This is not a long message, but I hope it blesses you this morning.
God's word will bring comfort and joy to your soul. Many times watching the news and reading all the social media will drag your spirit to a very dark place if you aren't careful, but reading the word of God will uplift your spirit and bring peace. We need to renew our minds daily with the reading of God's word.

Romans 12:1-3
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

1 Peter 1:7-9
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

There is so much sorrow in the world today, but we can see the word of God being fulfilled. As Christians we have a blessed hope in Christ that he told us he would come again to receive us unto himself. We are told in the word of God to comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.