Experiencing God’s Overwhelming Peace During Hard Times: Know God – Experience Peace

This book is written to encourage readers to know and trust God personally before hard times come. Through a personal encounter with lymphoma and chemotherapy, Pearl believed that already knowing God in a personal way through His Son, Jesus, made a difference in how she coped and the outcome.

In this book, she gives a stage-by-stage experience of her health journey and how God was with her every step of the way, granting her peace.

El Tiempo Se esta Acabando (Spanish Edition)

Aun recuerdo el dia que me hice cristiana! Han sido mas de cincuenta anos, pero cada vez que miro atras, me siento llena de gratitud hacia Dios y hacia la persona que El uso para alcanzarme. Como fue que me hice cristiana? Alguien compartio conmigo el amor de Dios, y yo respondi poniendo mi fe en Jesuscristo, y dejame decirte que el amor de Dios es maraviloso! La fe en Jesus me ha dado seguridad del perdon de mis pecados y seguridad de la vida eterna en el cielo despues de la muerte. Tambien me ha dado paz en esta vida y una mejor comprension de la era en la que vivimos. Ahora vivo esperando el regreso de Jesus en cualquier dia, al vivir mi vida diariamente. Por medio de este libro, te invito a poner tu fe en Jesus, y a comenzar a vivir verdaderamente, con seguridad. Quien sabe, tal vez algun dia seamos vecinos en el cielo, con tu mansion al lado de la mia! Toma esa decision hoy, porque el tiempo se esta acabando!

Living for Jesus Until He Returns: Grow Your Relationship With Jesus Christ

Jesus is coming back – and soon! That knowledge should motivate all Christians to live with expectation and accountability in mind.Are you a new Christian with a desire to grow in your faith? Are you a mature Christian looking for ways to encourage and mentor a new Christian? Written in an easy-to-read and understand format, this book is an excellent resource for you!The compilation of articles contained herein cover the basics of Christian living to include: prayer, Bible reading, fellowship with other believers, and evangelism – and all topics are provided with supporting Scripture.”Living for Jesus Until He Returns” calls the Church to godly-living and soul-winning in anticipation of the Master’s return!

From the Garden into Eternity: Your Choice

“From the Garden into Eternity” tells of mankind’s fall from God’s grace beginning in the Garden of Eden, all the way through to one’s individual choice: Will eternity be spent in Heaven with God or Hell with Satan?As a result of sin, mankind suffered a loss of close fellowship with God—but do not fret! The relationship can be restored in this life right into the next! God does not, however, force anyone into a relationship with Him. We are free to choose Him or the alternative: Satan.This book, fully-supported by Bible verses, helps you determine where you are in this journey called “life”. Rest assured that God loves you and longs to give you eternal life in Heaven with Him, but you must first repent and place your faith in Jesus Christ. If you have never taken that step, please don’t wait any longer. The alternative eternity—which will be by default—will be dreadful.Call on Jesus today!Start the relationship that guarantees your eternity in Heaven with God!

Get on Board and Stay on Board: Jesus Is Calling/Saved, Now What/Special Days

Get on Board and Stay on Board contains poems, articles, and short Bible studies. It is directed toward unbelievers and believers alike. It is designed to lead the unbeliever to faith in Jesus Christ, and then help him or her in a spiritual journey. Articles and poems in section one of the book clearly challenge unbelievers about their need for salvation and admonish them to prepare for eternity before it is too late by accepting Jesus offer of salvation through His shed blood.

There is emphasis on good works not being good enough to save; only the blood of Jesus is good enough to appease Gods wrath. Whether people agree or disagree with God does not change the facts. God is God, and He laid down the rules. It also stresses the point that hell is by choice; one can avoid going there by believing in Jesus Christ. The articles in section two cover different aspects of the Christian walk, including prayer, obedience, fellowship, witnessing, and eternity. Section three is general and covers holy days, celebrations, and responsibility toward government. In addition, believers will find these articles helpful in their personal walk and in use as a good witnessing and follow-up tool for evangelism.

The Last Train at Sunset: Section 1 – the Invitation (Evangelism); Section 2 – Discipleship (The Christian Walk)

THE LAST TRAIN AT SUNSET is a book of short articles and poems that are easy to read. The author seeks to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who do not know it, who do not understand it, or do not understand the urgency of it. This message is urgent, because after life here on earth, eternity awaits each individual. Eternity will be in heaven or hell, but it does not have to be in hell; believing in Jesus Christ guarantees eternity in heaven. Choosing not to believe in Jesus Christ does not exempt anyone from the consequences of unbelief. The book also contains articles that will help any Christian in their Christian walk.

Time is Running Out

Nothing in this life goes on forever. Everything comes to an end sooner or later. This applies to life itself; it comes to an end whether we want it to or not. Before life ends, there are things many people would like to have accomplished. Do you have any wishes? How far or how close are you from fulfilling them? Time could be running out you know.

With that in mind, there is also time involved when it comes to the decision as to where one desires to spend eternity. Desire alone is not enough. So for example if you desire to spend eternity in heaven you have to know what to do to achieve that, and then do it. You have limited time in which to make that decision. Time is running out because this decision has to be made in your lifetime, and with every passing day, you have less time to live. Since you have no idea how much longer you are going to live, it is safe to assume, it could be any day now. If you die today, where will you spend eternity? Eternity offers two distinct locations: Heaven or hell. Decide today, because time is running out!

The rest of the book is going to explain this truth further, basing everything on the Bible, which is the Word of God. Please read it with an open mind, and allow God’s Holy Spirit to speak to your heart, before it is too late.

Prepare to Meet Your Maker

“Prepare to Meet Your Maker” is a book of short articles that address the most important issues of life: God, man, sin, separation from God, forgiveness, death, judgment, and eternity. Once a person dies or once Jesus appears, it is too late to seek forgiveness. The Bible makes it clear that God is going to judge the world (people) someday because of man’s sinfulness. Only God knows the judgment date. That date can be any day now. The author hopes the articles contained herein will show the reader how to GET ready and Stay ready for Jesus’ inevitable return. No one will escape God’s judgment. Only those who have repented and put their faith in Jesus Christ will escape punishment because God has gracefully forgiven their sins on account of His Son’s – Jesus Christ’s – death.

Proof of Paternity: Are You a Child of God?

Proof of Paternity: Are You a Child of God? is written to challenge its readers to ensure they have a relationship with God. Many people claim to be children of God but have no idea how they gained that status. Some claim their growing up in a church made them Christians; others equate their being created by God to being children of God. In our scientific world, children could find their biological parents through DNA testing. Similarly, there are traits that prove a person is a child of God. The Holy Bible, being the Word of God, has the answers we need. It tells us why we are NOT His children, how to become His children, and how to exhibit traits that are consistent with being a child of God. As you read this book, it is the author’s prayer that you will settle it in your mind, once and for all, whether or not you have a relationship with God. If you don’t, it tells you how to develop that relationship AND how to live in order to exhibit Godly traits. God Bless You!

A SONG IN THE NIGHT

What do you think of nighttime? Some synonyms for the word include hours of darkness, night, dark, and darkness. Sometimes, we refer to life’s difficulties as nighttime, and we look forward to daytime when hopefully, things would be different. What do we do while we wait for the clarity of the day? The easiest option is to worry; some even get depressed, short-tempered, and withdrawn. even though we know and tell ourselves we should be praying.

Paul and Silas took a different path. They had been jailed by the authorities. Although they could have lain awake worrying, they sang praises to God. They could have wondered what their fate was going to be in the morning, how they could get out of their situation, and on and on. Instead, they praised God, knowing that He knew all about their situation, that He’d rescue them, and could bring good out of that situation.

How did they get to be in jail anyway? They hadn’t committed any crime; they were doing what they believed was the right thing to do. They had cast out a demon from a slave girl who was making money for her owners by fortune telling. Needless to say, the owners were unhappy when they lost their source of income. Consequently, Paul and Silas were brought before the magistrate, who had them thrown into prison (see Acts 16:16-24).

Are you struggling with a situation (darkness) in your life that was not the result of anything you’ve done wrong? What are you doing about it? Are you trying to justify yourself, thinking about how unfair life has been to you, or are you going to pray and sing in the midst of your trouble?  The apostle Paul knew from experience the benefits of giving thanks in all circumstances, including dark ones (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18).  

What were the results of their jail experience? God responded; He intervened! He sent an earthquake, violent enough to shake the foundations of the prison, fling the prison doors open, and loosen every prisoner’s chains. Prior to the earthquake, Paul and Silas did not know how, when, or if God was going to intervene, but they trusted Him to work it all out. And He did!

Like the three Jewish boys in Babylon (see Daniel 3:1-30), God’s deliverance or intervention was not the basis of their decisions to praise or obey God; it was their determination to obey God, no matter the outcome. Can you and I just trust God with our problems in an attitude of praise? If we postpone praise until the night is past, we might not be praising any time soon, because with God one day is like a thousand and a thousand like a day.

Through that experience, the jailer and all his family became Christians. So, all things did work out for good.  People were saved; Paul and Silas experienced God’s faithfulness all over again. The Bible doesn’t name the song they were singing, and I don’t think that makes any difference. The most important thing is that they were praying and singing hymns to God. Their night didn’t stop them from singing. Does yours?

DON’T BE TOO QUICK TO JUDGE

We all tend to verbally or non-verbally judge situations and other people’s actions. In fact, we feel so strongly about what we think that, often, our response is to single-handedly judge, convict, and condemn them. You might be thinking to yourself, “Not me. I don’t do that!” Yes, you do; no one is exempt from this kind of behavior.

Even King David of Israel faced that challenge. God, through Nathan the prophet, told him a story in which a rich man took advantage of a poor man. David did not wait to be asked what he thought about the situation; on hearing the story, he blurted out his frustration, judged the situation, and announced the verdict: guilty, punishable by death: “As surely as the Lord lives, any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and having no pity” (2 Samuel 12: 5-6).

Prior to the conversation with Nathan, David, who had multiple wives and concubines, had coveted a poor man’s only wife Bathsheba, committed adultery with her, and got her pregnant. He tried unsuccessfully to cover up his sin. He had the poor man killed, thereby saving face. With the husband out of the way, he married Bathsheba. Why did his own situation not come to mind as he listened to the story about the rich man and poor man? He had the nerve to pronounce death on the offender. Unfortunately, we all do that; we pronounce judgment before we hear the whole story!

On the other hand, when we do wrong, we make excuses for ourselves or cover up our actions. Why are we so forgiving of our own sins, and so critical of others? We condemn them without mercy. The Scriptures tell us, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-2).

Until David was confronted about his sins, he was very judgmental of another person whose offense was minor in comparison. Again, the Scriptures tell us, “If you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? … You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it” (Romans 2:21-23). 

Before we pass judgment on others, let us put ourselves in the offender’s place and ask ourselves how we would like to be treated.  If we decide we don’t deserve forgiveness, grace, mercy, or a second chance, only then should we cast our stones. Jesus said to the crowd who brought the woman caught in adultery, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (John 8:7).

This does not encourage condoning wrongdoing; we need to speak out, but not necessarily judge and condemn.

Once king David was confronted, he admitted his wrongdoing: “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13), and was instantly granted forgiveness: “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin” (2 Samuel 12:14b).
In Psalm fifty-one, David poured out his heart, and demonstrated remorse for his sin, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stains of my sins. … You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. … Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. … Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness” (Psalm 51:1-14).

Look deep into your heart. Have you ever judged and condemned someone for things that are wrong in your own life, or do you sin in any way at all? Let’s be careful how we judge, because we could be judging and condemning ourselves! Only God has the right, knowledge, and power to judge, because He is holy. 

DEMONSTRATING YOUR LOVE FOR GOD

Love is the desire to hold dear. It is not enough to utter the words “I love you!” In addition to comments, love has to be demonstrated. Recently, I experienced the kind of love I’m referring to. A few months ago, my personal care physician recommended I see a specialist out of state. A friend offered to drive me to the out-of-state appointment without me asking or considering asking. Only love would make a person make that kind of an offer; that offer demonstrated that she loves and cares about my well-being.

Less than a month ago, I told a friend I would be traveling; right away, without me asking, she offered to give me a ride to the airport, which she did. When she dropped me off, she offered to pick me up on my return, and she did. Both friends demonstrated their love for me in practical ways. Only love would make people go to that length.

God has proven how deeply He loves us by sending His One and only Son, Jesus, to die in our place for our sins, thus affording us eternal life (see John 3:16). There’s something about genuine love that naturally, once experienced, seeks to reciprocate in appreciation. But although we might desire to return God’s love, that’s not the only reason to love Him; Jesus commands us to love Him and to demonstrate that love in tangible ways— by obeying His Word. This is clear in the following verses:

“If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15).

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them” (John 14:21).

“All who love me will do what I say. … Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me” (John 14:23-24).

“When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love” (John 15:10).

“Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

“Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them” (1 John 3:24).

Jesus is not asking us to do something He wouldn’t do. His Father loved Him, and He obeyed Him even when it hurt. At both His baptism and His transfiguration, God announced His love for the Son (see Mark 1:11; 9:7).

In John 5:30, Jesus clarifies that He does only what God wants: “Therefore, … I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.”

When Jesus was distressed in the garden of Gethsemane over His pending death, He prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39).

In other words, as painful a death as Jesus would endure, He obeyed the Father’s will to die for you, me, and the whole world. It was a choice He made to honor the Father who loved Him so much.

How about you and me? We claim we love God, but do we obey Him when it is inconvenient or causes pain? Remember that obeying Him will never cost us more than it cost Him to save us. His promise for our obedience is that we’ll remain in His love.

The hymnist puts it well: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Let’s demonstrate our love for Him through obedience.

JESUS IS LOOKING FOR YOUR LOST NEIGHBOR

Quite often, you find neighborhood posts asking for help finding a lost pet. They describe the pet, and the owner provides his contact information. Sometimes a reward is listed. Have you ever seen a homeless pet, and how did that make you feel? Did you wish you could reunite that pet with its owner?

Jesus paid a ransom for you and all mankind, including your neighbor. Your neighbor does not know or understand that he or she is lost, and if never found and returned to God, his or her owner, it will lead to eternal separation. On the other hand, you understand that the stakes are high; you are glad you have become a child of God by repenting of your sins and putting your faith in Jesus. Plus, you know and enjoy the benefits of your relationship with God, like joy, peace, and hope for the future; your neighbor could benefit from that knowledge. So, what are you going to do about your lost neighbor?

God has made all believers, including you, His ambassadors, and is making His appeal through us; we must ask unbelievers to return to God through Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). What’s stopping you from being an ambassador? Could it be that you feel ashamed to openly declare that you’re a Christian, are afraid of persecution, or feel unsure how to present the gospel message?

Jesus’ response to those who feel ashamed is: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels” (Luke 9:26; also Mark 8:38). And if fear is your problem, Paul cautioned Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord” (2 Peter 1:7-8). If you’re unsure how to present the gospel, befriend your neighbor, show him love and respect, and avoid topics that lead to arguments. Pray for him, and as your friendship grows, you can share what God has done for you.

Sharing the gospel is not the time for a lecture. Jesus asked the woman at the well for a simple favor: “Please give me a drink” (John 4:7). That led to a discussion, and before she knew it, Jesus had confessed: “I AM the Messiah!” (V 26). The woman went back home to share her experience, and before she could really think about it, many from the village had put their trust in Him because of what she told them (see 39-42).

Jesus is waiting to welcome your neighbor; He is counting on you to introduce them. Your neighbor will appreciate knowing what you already know; he or she will appreciate going home to the Father he or she didn’t even know they had. Stop procrastinating because time is running out; it could soon be too late for your neighbor.

And just as neighborhood posts offer a reward, Jesus promises: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds” (Revelation 22:12).

GOD’S HEART IS YEARNING TO BLESS YOU!

God loves us so much; He can’t wait to bless us! He desires to bless us non-stop. And of course, we desire to be blessed, but what’s stopping Him from blessing us? The answer is simple—our disobedience!

I can literally hear and feel the pain in God’s voice when He says things like, “Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!” (Psalm 81:13) He can’t contain Himself at the thought of all that He’d do to bless us: “How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes!” (Verse 14)

In verse 8, He calls out, “Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me!” God is hurting over the fact that there are so many ways He could bless us, but He is unable to, because of our dull ears and hearts. We don’t listen, and when we listen, we don’t obey. How sad! He is pleading with us sinners: “Listen to me!”

He even found it necessary to reintroduce Himself to them (us): “It was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt.” Then He quickly added, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things” (verse 10). What are we waiting for? Why is it so hard for us to obey? Don’t we understand the price He paid to redeem us? The apostle Paul admonishes us, “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world” (1 Corinthians 7:23). We are that precious in His sight. A mother would spend her last penny on her child, demonstrating that even we sinners know how to give good gifts to our children. God cannot do any less (see Matthew 7:11). He is waiting to bless us!

The blessings He promised include, “Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks” (verse 6). “I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock” (verse 16). What more do we want? Our God is able; the whole world belongs to Him, including us. He has given us the freedom to choose so we can love, serve, and obey Him by choice, not by compulsion. He could make us obey Him, but that wouldn’t bring Him the satisfaction of us willingly obeying Him.

After all the failed coaxing, He declared, “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So, I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas” (verse 11-12). How sad and disappointing!

God is longing for a meaningful relationship with us, His children. Let’s respond with the same kind of yearning. This world is passing away, and only those who do the will of God will abide forever. My heart’s cry is, “Lord, I love you; help me love you more through obedience.” What’s your heart’s cry today?

Moses was called the friend of God. Why? Because Moses yearned to know God: “Show me your glorious presence” (Exodus 33:18). Do you know God enough? Are you content with where you are in your walk? If not, then let’s put worldliness behind us and seek after Him earnestly, with all our hearts. That’s the only way we are going to be happy and satisfied in our Christian walk, and the only way God is going to open the windows of heaven and pour His countless blessings on us.

Here is a promise we can live by: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). May God help us to seek after Him with all our hearts!