WHO'S SIDE ARE WE ON

God has a destiny for every born-again Christian. But to fulfill that destiny, we must decide whose side we are on, repair our broken altars, and turn from our sin. When we do, He will respond by sending the fire of His presence and earthly blessings that He has withheld to get our attention. 

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If The Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. . . . . 

God will not accept a divided heart. He wants all of us or none of us. He is calling people today to take a stand for Him.

Christians don't intentionally forsake God, they just drift slowly away. It's not a blow-out -- it's a slow leak. Our fellowship with God must not be neglected. 

Don't forget who you are. Take a step in the right direction with daily prayer and Bible study. Revival is the fire of God coming down on broken and contrite hearts.

WHAT JESUS GAVE

What a contrast from the lowly estate Jesus chose compared to the holy position He had in heaven. He owned the world and everything in it. The angelic choir filled the heavens with His praise.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

At Bethlehem Christ was born into the poorest of circumstances. He had no place to call His own. The ground was His couch, the meadow His table, trees His roof, rocks His pillow, and the brook His basin. When others went to their houses, Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.

Jesus gave His face to the kiss of the betrayer, His cheeks to the strikers, His back to the scourgers, His brow to the thorns, His beard to the pluckers, His shoulders to the cross, His hands and feet to the nails, and His forgiveness to the ignorant. He gave His salvation to the thief, His mother to His disciple John, His spirit to His Father, and His side to the spear.

Why? For the redemption of you and me. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound.

BLESSED IS THE READER OF REVELATION

There are four books in the Bible that you better be right about now or you will be wrong for all eternity.

• Genesis: How it all began (divine creation, not evolution)
• John: Who Jesus Christ is (the Son of God) and what He came to do (die for our sins)
• Romans: How salvation is offered (by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ)
• Revelation; How it all ends.

Because the Book of Revelation is heavy with symbolism, many Christians seem content to leave it to the self-appointed experts, believing they could never understand it.

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand.

This book extols and exalts the greatness and grace and government and glory of Jesus Christ. 

Those who claim that Revelation is all symbolic and beyond our understanding, are wrong. This book is to be taken literally. When a symbol is used, it will be so stated. John uses symbols to describe reality.  

Ask God to reveal Revelation as you read it and be blessed.

A FORM OF WORSHIP

There are people who attend church every Sunday without experiencing God. True worship doesn't just happen. Do we think we can stumble into church with no preparation to worship, full of ourselves, full of the world, and feel close to God by just being there?

The lord has promised over and over in His Word that if we will seek His face, He will be found. Do we long to feel God's presence? Do we thirst to hear His voice?

God's people need a passion for His presence in our lives and in our worship. Instead of daring worship leaders to draw us in, we must enter with a desire to worship.

Before we can truly experience the presence of God in our worship, we must acknowledge His Son Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

When people connect with God, there is persuasive, life-changing power.

AMERICA'S ONLY HOPE

America is a nation whose founders were directed and influenced by Christian truth. The greatest nation on earth was not coincidental.

Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is The Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

But morality in America today is in the gutter. The Supreme Court, by way of abortion, has robbed us of more than fifty million babies who would now be married, employed, and raising their own children.

What can we do? Put prayer back in our churches, homes, schools, and hearts. Present Americans with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

The biggest lie hatched in hell and believed by many Americans is that people can come to God in their own way.

Salvation is in Jesus only. His death on the cross is the single means whereby people can be forgiven. Only the cross can reconcile anybody to God. We need to revive Christian truth in America.

FROM HERO TO ZERO

Peter was a rough cut, hard living, take charge kind of guy. Even when Jesus predicted he would deny Him, he was living in absolute denial. Sadly, the prediction was fulfilled that night.

He had slept through the greatest prayer meeting of all times in the Garden of Gethsemane. Things got out of hand quickly. He went from hero to zero -- from peacock to feather-duster in one evening. Then God used a rooster to get his attention, and he went out and wept bitterly.

The story of Simon Peter does not end in failure. jesus personally met him after the resurrection in Galilee, recalling his failure, but rekindling his fire. Fifty days later he preached Jesus on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41), and 3,000 were saved and baptized.

Failure teaches us humilitary and sympathy towards others. It teaches us transparency. We're not "bullet proof". None of us can say that any kind of sin others have committed is impossible for us.

Matthew 26:41 . . . The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

PRAISE HIS NAME

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that The Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

When you're up against a wall and your mountain seems so tall,And you realize that life's not always fair.You can run away and hide, let the old man decideOr you can change your circumstances with a prayer.
When everything falls apart, praise His name.When you have a broken heart, raise your hands and say,Lord, You're all I need, You're everything to me,And He'll take the pain away.
When it seems you're all alone, praise His name.When you feel you can't go on, Just raise your hands and say, Greater is He that is within me,And you can praise the hurt away.
Oh, you can overcome by the blood of the LambAnd by the word of your testimony.You'll see the darkness go as your faith begins to grow.You're not alone so how can you be lonely.

Bruce Haynes and Lee Hendrix

YOU CAN'T RUN FROM GOD

Jonah 1:1,2  Now the word of The Lord came unto Jonah the son of  Amittal, saying, Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jonah loathed these people. "God, you've got to be kidding. They are pagans -- idolaters -- immoral." (ad lib).

He stubbornly took a boat headed in the opposite direction, and God used a storm to pursue him.

Jonah 1:17 Now The Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

When the great fish up-loaded Jonah, he was restored, but he still had to go to Ninevah. Reluctantly, he preached to them and a great revival broke out.

Lessons to learn from Jonah:

1. It is impossible to successfully run from God.

2. There are no limits to what God can use to get your attention.

3. Disobedience always creates turmoil in the life of a believer.

4. Failure does not disqualify a person from God's service.

5. Our main concern should not be whether a man can live in a fish, but whether the spirit of Jonah lives in us.