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!

THE BENEFITS OF TRIALS (June 01, 2025)

What are trials? Trials are hardships and sufferings that come one’s way, testing one’s stamina and faith. Trials can cause a lot of pain and frustration to the point of feeling God has abandoned us. You are probably wondering, “How can there be benefits to trials if they involve so much suffering?” The truth is, there really are benefits: you learn how to respond to adversity in a godly manner and prepare for future trials.

What are some examples of trials? Trials can come in the form of poor health, difficulty in relationships, financial challenges, and the like. With that said, have you ever experienced trials? How did you respond and what did you learn from it? Jesus went through all kinds of trials; He was falsely accused, mocked, rejected, beaten, and crucified. How did He respond?

1.) He let the Father know about His pain and loneliness: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27-46).
2.) He prayed for His enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I invited my pastors to come and anoint me and pray over me, and they did. My children and church family surrounded me with love and care. My suffering gave all involved the opportunity to practice hospitality. I learned God provides through both people I know and those I don’t. In answer to our prayers, I believe God provided me with a good medical staff; they took very good care of me.

For almost a year after my discharge, family and friends continued to sacrificed their time taking me for follow-up doctor visits and anywhere else I needed to be since I couldn’t drive myself. They called, visited, prayed, brought food, etc. I’m not sure I’ve learned everything yet; there’ll always be more to learn.

I wouldn’t wish my experience on anyone, but I have learned enough that I could encourage others who might have a similar experience in the future.

Trials are not fun by any means, but they are beneficial to the individual and also to their family and friends. Nothing happens to us by chance; either God causes it or allows it for a good reason. Let’s learn to trust Him in all situations-pleasant or unpleasant and give Him the glory along the way and at the end.

BE A SAINT (May 25, 2025)

Who is a saint, and how and when does one become one? Some think sainthood is pronounced upon a person after death based on how good and/or holy they lived. According to the Scriptures, however, “saint” is another word for Christian. The apostle Paul, addressing the believers in the church at Ephesus, called them saints: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). The people Paul addressed were alive, so death is not a requirement to be called a saint. Those of us who are in the body of Christ Jesus are saints, whether in or out of our individual earthly bodies.

Having established that we are saints, we should also show that unless the Lord draws us, we cannot come to Him (see John 6:44); therefore, sainthood is a calling. Paul, writing to the church in Rome, addressed them this way, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be
saints” (Romans 1:1). The online dictionary definition of Call includes making a request or a demand, and one of the definitions for to be is to become.

We are transformed from unbelief/ungodliness to belief/faith in Christ, resulting in the newness of life and the renewal of the mind (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We are not called to act like saints; we are called to be saints. So, to be CALLED TO BE SAINTS is God requesting or demanding
that we become saints. To become something different from what we are requires a transformation from one state of being to another: for example, going from a cocoon to a butterfly.

Sainthood is not a cloak we put on and take off when we feel like it. It should be our new nature, our state of being. We are to be saints around the clock, 24/7. We are to be saints at home, away from home, when we are awake and asleep. We should be saints at all times, no matter what. A saint should be our identity, the name by which we are known.

God told His people, the Israelites (and us), “You must be holy because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16). So, how does one become holy? God doesn’t only command us; he provides detailed directions: “Set yourselves apart to be holy … Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy” (Leviticus 20:7-8). There we are: We must put God’s decrees into practice (sanctification)! The rules are summed up in two commands—Love the Lord and love your neighbor. So, to be a saint is to be a Christian, and to be a Christian is to have salvation through Christ and then be God’s image-bearer around the clock.

How can we vibrantly maintain our sainthood? Let’s compare sainthood to professions in the secular world. We must have the mindset that we are saints. Every so often, professionals undergo certification and recertification to ensure their skills and knowledge are up to date. As a
retired nurse, I attended many of those during my working years. As saints, we will receive our certifications and recertifications through trials to confirm that we are applying the lessons we learn to maintain our sainthood. Like other roles we hold in life, we must learn all we can about
being saints by studying the manual for saints, which is the Bible, and by attending in-services, seminars, and training sessions about saints in the form of attending church and Bible studies. Through these activities, God will equip us to get better at being saints. The Word says

we should not neglect the assembling together of the saints, as some are in the habit of doing, but we should encourage one another (see Hebrews 10:25). It also says we should correctly handle the Word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Sainthood is ongoing and takes perseverance and dependence on the One who called us to be saints: Jesus Christ, our Lord. We will get better at being saints with time as we obey His decrees and keep our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).

100% DEBT FREE FOR LIFE! (May 18, 2025)

Do you ever wish you were debt-free? How and when can that happen? You would need to start by identifying your debtor, figuring out how much you owe, when payment is due, and how to settle that debt. So, who are your debtors? What would you do if you couldn’t afford to pay that debt? You might file for bankruptcy or try to find someone to pay on your behalf.

I’m sure my questions so far make you think of your financial obligations. While they are important, I’m actually talking about your spiritual debt, which you may not even know you have. This is what God says: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). How did we fall short? “When Adam [our ancestor] sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 15:12).

God, being holy and just, has to punish sin, and He declares what the punishment is: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Although He has clearly stated the punishment, He has also shown us how to be debt-free—how to receive debt forgiveness. It isn’t that our sins will be swept under the carpet, but rather, someone else has already taken our punishment on Himself—Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God’s justice is therefore satisfied in Christ.

We each have a role to play. Although Jesus paid our debt, each individual has to personally accept Jesus’ payment as their own, and pray, asking God for forgiveness based on that. Anyone who does not take this step cannot benefit from Jesus’ work, which means that person will have to pay for their own debt through death, also known as eternal separation from God in hell.     

What would you like to do now, or have you settled this issue already? If not, where would you go if you died tonight: heaven or hell? This question is important because “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). If you are not sure where you’ll go, I’d like to encourage you to call on Jesus today; tomorrow might be too late. You can repent and ask for forgiveness only while you’re alive.

 If you have prayed and asked God for forgiveness, I’d like to welcome you to the family of God. He has forgiven you and adopted you into His family, and has come to dwell in your heart through His Holy Spirit. Now you are His child—a new person: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So, as a new person, where do you go from here? The Holy Spirit is going to direct you as you pray and read the Bible: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). As you obey what you read, your desires and interests will begin to change gradually to line up with the Bible. You should focus on becoming more like Jesus: “You must be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). In addition, seek to join other believers for fellowship, prayer, and studying the Word of God. And don’t forget to share your experience with others who need to do the same thing. Again, welcome to the family of God; rejoice that God has removed your sins as far away as the east is from the west, never to be brought up again. Your debt is fully paid! 

BE A SAINT (March 9, 2025)

Who is a saint, and how and when does one become one? Some think sainthood is pronounced upon a person after death based on how good and/or holy they lived. According to the Scriptures, however, “saint” is another word for Christian. The apostle Paul, addressing the believers in the church at Ephesus, called them saints: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). The people Paul addressed were alive, so death is not a requirement to be called a saint. Those of us who are in the body of Christ Jesus are saints, whether in or out of our individual earthly bodies.

Having established that we are saints, we should also show that unless the Lord draws us, we cannot come to Him (see John 6:44); therefore, sainthood is a calling. Paul, writing to the church in Rome, addressed them this way, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be
saints” (Romans 1:1). The online dictionary definition of Call includes making a request or a demand, and one of the definitions for to be is to become.

We are transformed from unbelief/ungodliness to belief/faith in Christ, resulting in the newness of life and the renewal of the mind (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We are not called to act like saints; we are called to be saints. So, to be CALLED TO BE SAINTS is God requesting or demanding
that we become saints. To become something different from what we are requires a transformation from one state of being to another: for example, going from a cocoon to a butterfly.

Sainthood is not a cloak we put on and take off when we feel like it. It should be our new nature, our state of being. We are to be saints around the clock, 24/7. We are to be saints at home, away from home, when we are awake and asleep. We should be saints at all times, no matter what. A saint should be our identity, the name by which we are known.

God told His people, the Israelites (and us), “You must be holy because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16). So, how does one become holy? God doesn’t only command us; he provides detailed directions: “Set yourselves apart to be holy … Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy” (Leviticus 20:7-8). There we are: We must put God’s decrees into practice (sanctification)! The rules are summed up in two commands—Love the Lord and love your neighbor. So, to be a saint is to be a Christian, and to be a Christian is to have salvation through Christ and then be God’s image-bearer around the clock.

How can we vibrantly maintain our sainthood? Let’s compare sainthood to professions in the secular world. We must have the mindset that we are saints. Every so often, professionals undergo certification and recertification to ensure their skills and knowledge are up to date. As a
retired nurse, I attended many of those during my working years. As saints, we will receive our certifications and recertifications through trials to confirm that we are applying the lessons we learn to maintain our sainthood. Like other roles we hold in life, we must learn all we can about
being saints by studying the manual for saints, which is the Bible, and by attending in-services, seminars, and training sessions about saints in the form of attending church and Bible studies. Through these activities, God will equip us to get better at being saints. The Word says

we should not neglect the assembling together of the saints, as some are in the habit of doing, but we should encourage one another (see Hebrews 10:25). It also says we should correctly handle the Word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Sainthood is ongoing and takes perseverance and dependence on the One who called us to be saints: Jesus Christ, our Lord. We will get better at being saints with time as we obey His decrees and keep our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).

A SONG IN THE NIGHT (February 16, 2025)

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?

GOD’S COMMANDS NEED NO EDITING! (February 9, 2025)

Editing is the preparation of a document for publication by correcting, rewriting, or updating it. Writers and authors know the benefits of editing; after reading one’s own work over and over again, mistakes can still be missed. A fresh pair of eyes catches missed mistakes, thus making the document more polished. Editing can sometimes alter the author’s intended message, however.

There are many instances when, knowingly or unknowingly, we edit God’s commands. Both Christians and unbelievers are guilty of tampering with God’s instructions. We do this by misinterpreting what God says; we pick commands apart and take the pieces that appeal to us, and ignore what we find non-palatable.
We can find a good example of this kind of behavior in the Book of first Samuel. God commanded Saul through Samuel: “I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys” (1 Samuel 15:2-3). King Saul led his army of 210, 000 soldiers to go and carry out God’s command.

With such clear instruction, nothing should have gone wrong, but something did. “Saul and his men spared king Agag’s life and the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality” (1 Samuel 15:9).

What didn’t Saul understand about the word ENTIRE? When he met Samuel on his return from the campaign, he said to him, “I have carried out the Lord’s command!” (Verse 13). When confronted with the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle, he explained: “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle. But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else” (verse 15). God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He has no need for the Amalekites’ cattle; he wanted them destroyed, period!

Samuel’s rebuke went like this: “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” Verse 22). Let’s learn a lesson from that.

Needless to say, God was very unhappy about Saul’s disobedience; He rejected Saul as king. Later, the kingdom was transferred from Saul’s family to David and his descendants.
How did Saul think he had obeyed God when he didn’t destroy everything? It’s sad, but we sometimes fall into the same trap. For instance, when we know God wants us to take action about something, we put it off, sometimes indefinitely. When we finally get around to doing it, we convince ourselves that we have obeyed Him. We need to obey God in a timely manner every time; His command should take precedence over everything else.
It’s not enough to say we love the Lord; we should honor and obey Him as proof of that love. Although He doesn’t have to reward our obedience, He often does. In the book of Malachi, the Lord confronted the Israelite priests (and us) about bringing Him unworthy sacrifices: “A Son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? (Malachi 1:6).
Let’s be careful how we live our Christian lives; God is watching! He will reward or rebuke us accordingly!

GOD’S HEART IS YEARNING TO BLESS YOU! (February 2, 2025)

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!

GOD HAS DIFFERENT WAYS OF SOLVING A PROBLEM, EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES
TO SALVATION (January 26, 2025)

(January 19, 2025)

God created the world mostly by the Word of His mouth, saying, “Let there be.” He has since then done numerous other things in different ways with the same results. Below are a few of those times:

● In Egypt, He turned water into blood, but in Cana, He turned water into wine (Exodus 7:20; John 6:6-10).
● Once, Jesus healed two blind men by touching their eyes, because they confessed that they believed He could heal them. He also told them it would happen because of their faith. But on another occasion, Jesus spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on a blind man’s eyes, and instructed him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam (Matthew 9:28-29; John 9:6). Although methods were different, the result was the same: sight was restored.
● The city of Jericho was conquered without weapons: the Israelites marched quietly (except for the priests blowing their horns) around the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. On the last round, they shouted, and the walls collapsed. In the city of Ai, however, the Israelites were instructed to lay ambush behind the city, and then attack from the front, and when the Ai troops engaged them and chased them out of the city, those in ambush would attack the city from the back and conquer it. In both cases, the Israelites were victorious, but the strategies were different. (Joshua 6:1-20; 8:3-19).

Salvation, however, is a one-way process; nothing else will do! Salvation is the process by which sinners are brought into a personal relationship
with God based on the fact that Jesus took mankind’s sin on Himself when He died on the cross and rose again on the third day. This process is called by many names, including being born again, becoming a child of God, and being adopted into God’s family.
Why do we need to be saved? Currently, having inherited the sinful nature of our fore parents, Adam and Eve, we are alienated from God just like they were; the Bible says we are His enemies. For the relationship to be restored, we need our sins forgiven. If we don’t get forgiven before we depart this world, our destination after this life will be hell; it will be too late to do differently.

So, how does this process work? The Bible tells us: “This is how God loved the world {people}: he gave his one and only Son {Jesus}, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). So, out of God’s love for mankind, He had Jesus die in payment for man’s sins. And the only way this would apply to anybody is for each person to individually pray to God, admitting that they are a sinner, and accept Jesus’ sacrifice in their place. And Jesus Himself said clearly to His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). The result of this prayer will be God’s forgiveness and the indwelling of His Spirit that testifies that the individual who prayed has become a child of God; his sins are washed away, never to be remembered: “He has removed our sins as far from
us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Individuals who think they can get to heaven through any way other than Jesus are frighteningly mistaken. God does not go back on his Word; it will always be as He says or not at all. Dear reader, don’t count on your good deeds or some other religion; none of those will save you. This is the time to make a decision to either be a child of God or His enemy; God will honor your choice either way, and you have to live with your choice forever, with no possibility to change your mind in eternity. Please give this some serious thought and choose wisely; time is running out!

JESUS IS LOOKING FOR YOUR LOST NEIGHBOR (January 19, 2025)

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).