Are You Ready?

This question came across my mind and straight into my heart -

ARE YOU READY?

As I stood in the Credit Union line, waiting to make my deposit for my portion of the mortgage payment, the thought came across to me Are You Ready?

I begin to talk to the LORD and this is how the conversation went -

Me: "Hey LORD. What are You trying to show me, by asking this question?"

God: "I want you to ponder the question."

Me: "Really?"

God: "Do you remember the last time you told Me you were 'ready'?"

Me: "Yes LORD."

God: "Okay. Consider this...Is there anyone in your life Alex, who needs to have that question asked to them?"

Me: "Oh. I see...hmmmm...Yes LORD. There are more than a few people in my life who need to have this question posed to them. I'm thankful to YOU LORD, for asking me, because I needed to hear that question as well."

God: "I'm God. That's what I do. I Love You Alex :) Love sinners, not their sins. Peace."

Me: "Thank YOU LORD. I LOVE YOU TOO :)"

Discipleship Is Costly

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
25 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

ARE YOU READY?

Ready to take up your cross and follow Jesus?
Ready to lose your life?
Ready to truly serve Jesus, forsaking all others?

I can't answer these questions in the affirmative, unless my heart has been changed. I can't do this unless I have Jesus and Holy Spirit in my heart, transforming it each and every day.

Yesterday, I had talked to my wife concerning an incident that occurred at our house a couple of days ago. I was offended by what she was pointing out to me. Through the conversation, I realized that the enemy of my soul, was perpetrating a lie, to make me think that my wife just wanted to get on my case and confirm her belief that I'm a rotten person. Then God stepped in and let me know that she was only showing me love by addressing an error in my behavior towards my daughter.

So in my conversation with my wife, I had called her up and apologized for what I had done and said "Thank You for pointing out my pride to me. I need that so that I can learn humility and to love more from my heart instead of my head."

My wife was totally taken aback by my statement.

I give thanks to the LORD for working through that moment in me, showing the love of Jesus to my wife who is lost and blinded by her sins.

I'm standing firm in my LORD and know that He will carry out what He has spoken.

Praise Him!

Faith

I love talking about Faith.

It is because of Grace through Faith, that I am saved by the Blood of Jesus Christ!!! Hallelujah!!!

Let me share some verses with you that really have pierced my heart:

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverence we wait eagerly for it.
Romans 8:24-25

That verse pierced me because of my current life situation of my wife filing for divorce. The pain of it has had me in a grip of despair.

Then God speaks Restoration and Reconciliation to me concerning my marriage. And I realize that He is telling me truth and it is a hope that I cannot see right now, since my wife is in the far country. Nonetheless, God is true to His word. He does not go back on His word. So...

My hope is in the LORD for He is the lifter of my head. He carries me when I can't walk. He protects me from the attacks of the enemy. What great power, strength, majesty and love He gives when I just trust in Him and believe.

Here's the second verse:

and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELEIVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED AS RIGHTEOUS," and he was called the friend of God. James 2:23.

What a great assurance that when I believe, I too am a friend of God.

Thank You LORD for being my friend :)

Patience

Over the last few years, I've been asking God to grant me patience in all things.

In light of some recent changes in relationships in my life, I have found that I need to learn more about patience. Especially patience from God's perspective.

Check the verse: "Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14 NASB

I'm not gonna go exegetical on ya, but I did want to share with you my take on this verse.

Let's look at the first four words - Wait for the LORD

I ask myself "Self, why do I have to 'Wait for the LORD?'" "I should be able to do some things on my own. I'm not stupid ya know?"

Then the enemy of my soul says "You're exactly right Alex. You're not a dummy. You're very intelligent. God will catch up with you. Go ahead and do those things. It's cool."

Meanwhile God Almighty is shaking His head saying "Alex, I knew you before you were formed together in your momma's belly. I Love You. I guess I'm gonna have to be exceedingly patient with you since I already know what blunder you're going to get into. You're gonna blow it again. But that doesn't change the fact that I Love You with an everlasting love. My Son Jesus has already paid the price of the next sin that you're about to commit. I really wish that you would talk to me first before you go off the narrow path that I've put you on. I Love You."

I guess I can't do anything outside of God's will without breaking His heart.

So the battle rolls on in me...

Self-effacement...

Pride...

Lust...

Arrogance...

Hey God,

I need some help. I'm seeing that I am falling way short of Your High Standards. I'm trying but I'm falling at the same time. Can You help me please? I'm sorry for blowing my relationship with You. I should know better than to go about willfully hurting You. You love me the most. More than any other. and Like no other! Help Me God...

I know you're here...

Love,
Alex

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Celebrate Jesus Celebrate!!!

As you can tell by my exuberant salutations, I am so overjoyed that Jesus was born.

The truth is that Jesus' birthday was sometime in October, and not December.

I pray that your celebration of Christmas has been full of remembrance of Jesus Christ's birth.

He is the reason that we have a life.

Jesus lived to die, for our sin debt at Calvary's Cross.

Jesus Loves us like no other, when He breathed His last and said "It is finished."

Let us remember His perfect sacrifice, that has allowed us to have a life.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

If you don't know Jesus, as the Savior and Lord of your life, come to Him. Talk to Him. Ask for His forgiveness of your sins and profess your belief in Him. He will accept you, warts and all and you will be forgiven and saved from eternal damnation in hell.

God Bless You :)

What is Worship?

Merriam-Webster defines "Worship" as -
Noun
1 chiefly British : a person of importance -- used as a title for various officials (as magistrates and some mayors)
2 : reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also : an act of expressing such reverence
3 : a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual
4 : extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem

Transitive Verb
1 : to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power
2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion intransitive verb : to perform or take part in worship or an act of worship

Easton's Bible Dictionary defines "Worship" as -
homage rendered to God which it is sinful (idolatry) to render to any created being.

So...

What is "Worship?"

Is it raising your hands high, in praise and worship to God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth?
Is it shooting heroin into your veins?
Is it drinking alcohol to excess?
Is it having an extramarital affair?
Is it overspending?
Is it watching professional sports?
Is it sex?
Is it porn?
Is it exercise?
Is it life?

I like what Jesus Christ says about worship, in the Gospel of John-

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 NASB

I have learned the hard way, that worship has many facets and faces. We worship many things in this life. I once heard on the radio "If you want to find out what you worship, just look at your checkbook/checking account." OUCH!!! Man that is harsh!!!

It is the TRUTH.

I always try my best to seek out the truth in everything, and also try to live out truth in my life. The reality is human beings do not want to hear the truth. This is something that started way back when our earthly father Adam and our earthly mother Eve, knew the truth, yet they chose to disobey the truth and go against God. Ever since that point in time, we have done our dead level best not to hear, accept or embrace truth. We convolute, rationalize and minimize the truth and bend it to our wants and desires.

Here's the truth in my life just for today:

I am weak and poor without Jesus.
I am totally depraved without God's mercy and grace.
I can do nothing outside the perfect will of God.
I am totally loved by my Savior Jesus Christ.
I am washed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, which makes me whiter than snow.
My God, My Father In Heaven looks at me through the eyes of Jesus and He says that I am more precious than the finest jewels or precious stones.
My LORD disciplines me like a father who disciplines his son, because He loves me
I have an eternal inheritance with God and Jesus Christ in Heaven.

Do you have an intimate, loving relationship with the One who created You???
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Jesus.

I pray that if you know of Jesus, but do not "know Him" intimately, that you come to Him now. He stands at your heart's door and knocks. Only you can open the door because His side does not have a handle or door knob. He promises to you, that when you open your heart's door to Him, He will come inside and fellowship with you.

Be prepared for radical changes in your life once this occurs. It may not happen all at once, but He is the only one who can change our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.

May His Love Pour Over You :)