Reader, don't follow your friends. Don't follow your preacher. Don't be conformed to this world. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, follow Jesus Christ. If you love the Lord like you say you do, keep his commandments. If you are grateful that Christ died for your sins and made a way for you to go to heaven, stop sinning. And once you have put your hand to the plough and are on your way to the Promised Land, don't look back.

Jesus is the Light of the World; the Lamb of God; the Rock; the Alpha and Omega; the Good Shepherd; the Bridegroom; the Savior; the Author and Finisher of our faith; the King of kings; the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Nothing in this world compares to Him. I cannot understand why anyone would not want to follow him and him alone.

Mark 8:34, "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

Answered Prayer

Have you ever prayed about something and wondered why God did not answer your prayer the way you hoped that he would? Maybe you were dealing with an illness, or a family crisis, or a financial situation, or relationship woes. You prayed and prayed, yet the situation remained unchanged. As a matter of fact, things maybe even seemed to be getting worse. You began to wonder, "Lord, why won't you answer my prayer?" Well, I wanted to share with you a few things that I've observed about answered (or seemingly unanswered) prayer.

First of all, the Lord does things the way that HE wants to do them, which is not necessarily the way that WE want them done. And God does things according to his timing, not ours. For example, I can remember a time when I was dealing with a particular health issue. I wanted the Lord to heal me ASAP! But as I was praying and waiting on the Lord's healing (and it wasn't happening immediately), I began to really think about my body and how I had been treating it, and I realized that there were some changes that I needed to make to be a healthier person. So I kept on praying, but I also started eating better, exercising more, using healthier products, and THEN I experienced God's healing in my life.

My healing came, but it was not immediate. But, you see, if God had immediately answered my prayer and taken that thorn out of my side, so to speak, I probably would not have learned anything. I would not have changed my ways. I would have continued taking my vessel for granted. But God forced me to be patient, to endure discomfort for a while; and then as I waited, He taught me something more valuable than a one-time healing. He taught me a different, better way to live. He taught me to treasure my body, which is fearfully and wonderfully made. He taught me that I need to treat my temple in a way that honors God, and I can do this by being cognizant of what I eat, drink, and how I spend my time. The words in 1 Corinthians explain what I am trying to say: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." God had to remind me of the true meaning of this verse before he could heal me.

Sometimes we have to wait for our prayers to be answered because the Lord wants us to go through something in order for us to reflect and learn the lesson that needs to be learned. Our Heavenly Father is the best parent in the world, and He wants to not only rescue us, but to teach us so that we come out even stronger in the end. Job had to wait, Jonah had to wait, David had to wait, Abraham had to wait, I had to wait, and you will have to sometimes wait. So if your prayers have not been answered, maybe you need to start praying, "God, help me to be patient in my tribulation. Speak to my heart and let me know what changes I need to make in my life so that you can bless my situation and answer my prayer." And then when the Lord starts to reveal things to you, obey His voice and make the necessary changes. Wait on the Lord!

Romans 12:12, "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer."

Psalm 27:14, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

Psalm 62:8, "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah"

Isaiah 41:13, "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not: I will help thee."

Isaiah 43:2, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

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Now sometimes prayers will go unanswered because of sin. We live in a time when people want to have their cake and eat it too. Folks want all of the promises of salvation and answered prayer and heaven, yet they also want to fornicate, lie, steal, curse, get high, and live like the heathens around them. Well, God's Word says that you cannot have it both ways. If you are clinging to those things that you know are sinful and against God's commandments, you are not guaranteed God's care and protection. Your prayers may fall flat and go unanswered. Here are several verses that speak on this:

Psalm 34:15-16, "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth."

Psalm 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Proverb 15:29, "The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous."

Proverb 28:9, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."

1 Peter 3:12, "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."

God does not expect us to be perfect, but He does want us to strive against sin and not run to it. He will not bless those who willingly disobey Him. So if your prayers have gone unanswered, you need to be honest with yourself and admit if there are things in your life that you need to stop doing. You need to repent and turn from those sinful situations and ask the Lord to forgive you. Then the Lord's ears will be attentive to your cry. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15, "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. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place."

Are those sins that you are still committing worth being separated from God? Are those worldly "pleasures" going to be there for you when you need a helping hand? I don't know about you, but I want to know that the Lord will be there for me at the midnight hour. I want my tears to be important to God. I want Him to hear my supplications. I will not let anything separate me from the love of Christ.

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And, finally, sometimes the answer to our prayer is "no." Perhaps there is something that we want but it is just not meant to be. In those situations we have to trust that God is in control and that His will and His way is better than what we had in mind.

I remember back when my mom was sick with cancer, I prayed for the Lord to heal her body, but instead my mom died. But even in that situation, I could still say, "Righteous and true is the Lord." You know why? Because I know that God is in control. If God decides that it is someone's time to die, than it is his or her time to die. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Either way blessed be the name of the Lord. We receive good at the hand of God. Shall we not also receive things that make us sad or that we don't quite understand? It is in those times of sadness or pain that we should draw even closer to God. For when we are weak, the Lord will give us strength. The bible even tells us this.  In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 it reads, "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. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

It is usually when we are in the midst of our most troubling times that we will experience God's love and power in our lives. But, again, we have to have faith and believe that God is in control and rest in His help. And usually we gain our most powerful testimonies, words that will help somebody else, when we have to face hardships or pain and experience God's sufficient grace and strength. How can I help someone go through loss if I've never experienced it myself? How can I show how strong my faith is I've never had to endure anything unpleasant? Again, we have to trust and believe that God is in control, especially when the answer to our prayer is "no." We have to ask Him to give us peace, strength, and understanding. Then we have to believe that HIS way is the right way.

You will not always get everything that YOU want. Death, heartache, storms, and tribulation are going to be part of your life as long as you are here on earth. The question is are you willing to step out on faith and stay close to God no matter what?

And, believe it or not, sometimes "no" is the best answer for the situation. We just may not know it at the time. God sees the beginning, the middle, and the end. He never makes mistakes. We need to pray on our situation and include the words "Lord, if it is thy will" and really mean it. Then if or when the situation does not go according to OUR plan, we will be able to take comfort in the understanding that it must not have been the Lord's will.

Here are some closing verses that I hope will help you in your prayer life:

Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."

Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

1 Timothy 2:8, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

Reflections of times past

The other day my sister and I were having a discussion about a family trip taken several years ago. She remembered the trip as one of the best trips ever, but I did not remember it quite so fondly. As we were going back and forth about what she thought was right about the trip and what I thought was wrong with it, she exclaimed, "Well, according to you, our whole childhood was miserable." That's not a direct quote, but she said something along those lines.

Her comment got me to reflecting on why is it that my memories of the past are so different than those of my siblings? No, I've never said that my entire childhood was miserable, but I definitely can say that many things about the first 25 or so years of my life are things I would rather not dwell on. Those definitely were not "the good old days" to me.

As I was thinking about my views of my life, the answer became crystal clear. My life is divided into two eras: There is the time before Jesus (1965 to about 1991) and the time after Jesus (1991 to the present). There was my natural birth and then my rebirth. When I repented of my sins and Jesus came into my heart as my Lord and Savior, I was changed. And as I read God's Word and grew/grow in the knowledge of Him, I was changed even more. It's kind of like the verse from the song "Amazing Grace." Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.

I 100% understand what the songwriter of Amazing Grace is saying. Now I see! When I reminisce of those years before I knew Jesus, it is with a heavy heart. Now I see just how abominable and sinful many aspects of my life were. My elementary years were spent surrounded by idols and heathenish customs at a catholic school. My teen/early adult years were spent in rebelliousness and the breaking of God's commandments. Where is the joy and happy memory in that? I repeat, when you really finally know the Lord and see Him in all His glory (not just hearsay), it changes you. You see things differently. Your heart is different. Your perceptions are different. You see what a wretch you were. You begin to appreciate who God is and all that He has done, and you recognize the ugliness of your past sinful ways and abhor those things.

And I am not the first person who has felt this way. Here are some verses that show you other people in the bible that also experienced this same transformation:

Job 42:5-6, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Jeremiah 31:19, "Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth."

Ezekiel 20:43, "And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed."

Luke 18:13, "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."

All of these men are describing "now I see" experiences. The Lord took the scales off of their eyes, gave them new hearts, and made them to understand the ugliness of sin. I would imagine that their memories of past experiences were forever altered too. I'm sure if you spoke with them, some of those once thought of good old days did not seem so good after all.

Is this to say that a person will or should have zero happy memories of the time before they became a born-again Christian? Of course not. I have some pleasant memories, for example, childhood trips to the beach, and Thanksgiving dinner made by my mom, and I especially loved it when the Helm's doughnut truck was outside our front door. But the overall total picture of my life before Jesus is marred because I now clearly see that I was a hellbound sinner who was walking according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air. I was part of the family of children of disobedience. I was a child of wrath.

But praise God that I was convicted at heart, repented, and brought from the dead unto the living by the Lord Himself. I have been set free! And the life that I have now makes those "before Jesus" years seem like so much dung and nothingness. My unsaved past with all of its shame, regrets, and confusion does not hold a candle to my Jesus-filled present or heaven-bound future. Hallelujah! So, yeah, is there any wonder that I don't speak fondly of those bygone days?

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What's interesting is that God has placed upon every man's heart the knowledge of Him. Every man, woman, boy and girl has the opportunity to hear His voice, turn from sin, and be born again. But many people will close their ears to God's calling. Many people would rather remain blind and wretched. As a matter of fact, many people see themselves as someone who is not that bad, someone who does not need to change and definitely does not deserve punishment. And the world that we live in reinforces these beliefs. We live in an era of euphemisms, cliches, and lack of responsibility. People will not even "claim" anything deemed as negative or unflattering about their lifestyle or personality (as though not claiming it makes it invisible to God and man).

Well, don't believe Satan's lies to this generation regarding positive affirmations, laws of attraction, or not claiming anything perceived as negative in your life. You cannot be brought forth to the light if you never acknowledge (and learn to despise) the darkness that you are living in. God's Word tells us that to be saved and fixed, we must first be humbled and our defiant rebellious spirit broken.

Psalm 32:5, "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah."

Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

Psalm 51:3, "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me."

Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

Jeremiah 3:13, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord."

Reader, are you sorry for your past sins? Are you ashamed to remember some of the things you have done? If so, that is the Lord convicting your heart. Do not shut out His calling. The Lord uses conviction to bring us to repentance to then bring us to salvation. Acknowledge your transgressions, be sorry, and truly turn from your sins.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10, "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

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."

Micah 7:9, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness."

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I hope that all of you reading this will reflect on your lives. If the Lord has already brought you from the darkness into His glorious light and you have been born again, praise God. Live each day as a sweet fragrance unto the Lord. Make your heavenly Father proud.

If you are someone who has been convicted at heart and know that you need to change, yet still have not given your life over to Jesus, I would urge you to answer the Lord's call before it is too late. No man is promised tomorrow.

And, finally, if you are among those who have no shame, no regret, no remorse, and believe that you are just fine the way you are, I have for you these final verses:

Jeremiah 8:12, "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord."

John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

1 John 1:8, 10, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

Revelation 20:15, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Are you raising up godly seed or children of Belial?

One thing I have noticed over the years about the youngsters whom I have encountered and observed out in the world is that kids seem to be getting more and more rebellious. This rebelliousness shows itself in many different ways, whether it is a child's profane way of speaking, their total disregard towards an adult as an authority figure, or their unthankful and self-serving attitude of entitlement. And this rebellious spirit is not just happening during the teen years. No, this froward, impudent behavior is showing its ugly face in children younger and younger. Just the other day a little boy who was approximately five years old actually stuck his tongue out at me because I was giving him a disapproving look. His parents were letting him run rampant in a theater, and I was following his antics with a furrowed brow. The boy noticed me watching him, so he looked me right in the eyes and scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue. Now, I don't know about you, but back when I was five, I never would have been bold enough (or rebellious enough) to stick out my tongue at an adult.

But I do not believe that the fault lies entirely with that little boy or with any other rebellious child. I cannot help but wonder how are people raising their children nowadays? What are parents doing, or not doing, that is creating this generation of disrespectful, worldly, and spoiled offspring? Well, these thoughts led me to search the Scriptures and write this paper. God's Word has much to say to mothers and fathers regarding the raising up of children. Herein I hope to give parents of today many things to ponder upon. Well, here we go!

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Parents, you want to provide "the best" for your child, but make sure that your idea of what is best lines up with God's instructions regarding what is best.

For many parents, the way they show their child love is through stuff. They want their kids to have the best of everything: the best vacations, the coolest toys, and the most fashionable clothes. All of the little girls have been told that they are (and get to dress up as) little princesses, and all of the little boys have been lavished with boy-appropriate praise and finery. There is a television in every kid's bedroom, maybe a basketball hoop right outside in the driveway, and no shortage of material things for the children to enjoy. People oftentimes feel, "Well, I can afford it, so why not? I want my kid to have all of the things that I didn't have growing up."

But is this how the Lord wants today's parents to raise their kids? Does God want children to be lavished with material things? No. Let's look at a few verses that show us those things that no home should be without:

Isaiah 33:6, "And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure."

Proverbs 15:16, "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith."

Proverbs 22:1, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."

Matthew 6:19-21, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Luke 12:15, "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

God's Word shows us that our focus should never be on worldly material things. The Lord wants you to lavish your children with wisdom and knowledge. He wants you to teach them the fear of the Lord. God wants you to impress upon your children the importance of having a good name. He wants you to instruct your kids that their value DOES NOT come from possessions.

So if you really love your children, teach them in the ways of the Lord. Do not buy them everything under the sun, even if you are financially able to do so. Instead, foster characteristics in them such as meekness, a quiet spirit, and humbleness. These are priceless traits that glorify God. This brings us to the next topic.

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You are your child's first teacher, so teach them well.

Children have an amazing capacity to learn. By the age of three, most children already know all about Dora the explorer, Disney, Sponge Bob, etc. They can sing all the words to the popular sing-along songs and nursery rhymes. They can work the TV and video games like little champs. But have you taught your son or daughter the Ten Commandments? Have you read to them out of the Bible? Do they even know the name of Jesus?  Children's minds are little sponges waiting to soak up whatever is introduced to them. Parents, God wants you to start early teaching your children all about Him. They are not too young. Begin to lay a Christian foundation as soon as possible.

2 Timothy 3:15, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

Isaiah 54:13, "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."

Ephesians 6:4, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

3 John 1:4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

Deuteronomy 32:46, "And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law."

Psalm 34:11, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

Psalm 148:12, "Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven."

Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Again, you are your child's first teacher, so teach them God's Word, His commandments, His standards for holy living. You are your child's first nurturer, so feed them with living water and the bread of life. You are your child's first priest, so make them to understand the meaning of sin, repentance, and salvation through Jesus Christ's shed blood on Calvary. Your home is your child's main sanctuary, so make it a holy place where Jesus is honored and revered. Your home should be a safe place wherein lies no worldly and/or satanic influences. And now on to our final topic.

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Mothers and Fathers, as head of the household, who or what are you inviting into your family's life? Are you a blessing or a curse to your children?

Throughout the bible there are instances and examples of times when children suffered because of the disobedience, worldly ignorance, or satanic influence of their parents. You would not think that a parent would willingly choose to bring pain, heartache, and even destruction to their own child's life, but continue reading and you will see that this very thing has and does happen.

Numbers 14:33, "And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness."

2 Chronicles 22:3-4, "He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.  Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction."

Psalm 106:34-38, "They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood."

All of the parents in the above verses were a curse unto their children's lives, not a blessing. In the Numbers 14 verse, because of their parents' disobedience, murmuring, and lack of faith, the children had to wander in the desert for 40 years and were delayed in getting into the Promised Land.

The 2 Chronicles 22 verse is referring to a man named Ahaziah who was made king after his father's death. But Ahaziah didn't remain king very long because he followed the wicked counsel that he received from his very own mother and did evil to his destruction.

In the Psalm 106 verse above, we read how the parents chose the sinful things of the world over doing what the Lord commanded them. And ultimately these mothers and fathers slid so far into darkness that they shed innocent blood and made sacrifice of their sons and daughters.

ALL of the above-mentioned children suffered because in one way or another the parents allowed evil to come into their family's life. You might say, "But what does any of that have to do with me and my family?"

- Well, if you are not laying a solid Christian foundation and leading your child closer to the Lord, your offspring may end up wandering: lost, confused, and possibly even hellbound because mom and dad did not show them the way to God's Promised Land (heaven).

- Your children are looking to you for sound godly counsel in many different aspects of their life. Are you teaching them honesty, holiness, righteousness, and reverence for the Lord, or are they learning by your example lessons in lying, fornication, stealing, worldliness, drunkenness, and other wickedness?

- Have you made it a point to show your children that as Christians we are to be set apart, different, and pilgrims (travelers) just passing through? Or, like the parents above, are you mingling with and joining in on the heathenish traditions and fads of this sinful world? Perhaps you are not "physically" murdering and sacrificing your sons and daughters unto devils, but if you are introducing them to things such as Halloween, pirates, wizards, magic, vampires, and sorcery (all under the excuse of "It's only harmless entertainment"), you are inviting devils into your home and into your child's life.

Parents, the bible says in Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." There is a war going on! Satan wants you and your children. Is your home marked with the blood of the Lamb and shut up tight, or have you left the doors and windows wide open, allowing easy access for the Enemy to come in and make your children his children?

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In conclusion, I will ask you now the question that I asked at the beginning of this paper: Are you raising up godly seed or children of Belial? Parents, you never know for sure how your children are going to turn out in the end, but you can and should do everything within YOUR power to lay a solid God-fearing, bible-reading, Jesus-knowing foundation for your children. You CAN be an example of what a saved man or woman looks and acts like. You CAN keep your home and your children's environment free of evil influences. And you CAN choose to be a blessing to your children and not a curse. And after you have done all of those things and kept the Lord and His commandments at the forefront of your family's life, perhaps this verse in Isaiah will be your legacy. Isaiah 61:9, " And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed." What parent wouldn't want that?

The end is nearer than you think

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, I lay in bed awake. It was too early for me to get up for the day. The sun had not yet even risen. So I just lay there thinking about what I was going to do today. I thought, Well, when it's light out, maybe I'll go for a run. I enjoy running for exercise, and I try to do it almost every day. But then I thought, I kind of want to go swimming this afternoon. So maybe instead of running I'll go swim at the public pool. I learned to swim late in life, and I'm still trying to perfect my form. Then I thought to myself that maybe I would just do both, run and swim.

Anyway, as I lay there having these trivial thoughts, I eventually drifted back to sleep. And as I was sleeping, I had the most vivid unusual dream that I have ever had in my life. It did not even feel like a dream. It felt like a vision.

In my dream I was standing next to someone, and the two of us were witnessing destruction. When we turned and looked to the right, the sky was dark but had a reddish hue, and there were flashes of light. These flashes of light were similar to lightning but seemed even more ominous than lightning. Whatever it was, we knew that it was unsafe to go in that direction.

But as we looked before us straight ahead, we saw buildings, skyscrapers, and there was smoke coming from the buildings. Cracks were forming in the structure of the buildings and parts of the different levels were disintegrating and falling forward. Then we heard screams and saw that masses of people were jumping out of the windows of these crumbling high-rise buildings. There was smoke, lightning, falling debris, and people screaming as they jumped to certain death.

At that moment, I awoke from my dream. But even as I was waking, I could still hear the screams. Then, plain as day, I heard the words, "The end is nearer than you think."

I continued laying very still in my bed, and then I noticed for the first time that my cheeks were wet with tears that I had not even realized had been shed. I immediately woke up my husband and very emotionally told him everything that I have just shared with you. Now the real question is, what, if anything, does it all mean?

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I believe that this dream/vision was from the Lord and that He wanted me to give a reminder, a warning, and a call to be ready. So, Friend, let me ask you, Are you ready for the end: the end of this world, the end of your life, whichever comes first? If not, you'd better get ready soon because the end is nearer than you think.

People do not like to think about the end of their lives, and they really do not want to think about the end of the world. People like to imagine that time will just go on and on and on, generation after generation. But God's Word is clear that there is an end for all things. There was a time to be born, and there is a time to die. There was a time for Creation, and there will be a time of destruction. Let's read one verse now that speaks on the pending time of destruction. 2 Peter 3:10-14 reads, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

In the verses above we see that God's Word not only tells us what is going to happen, but it also tells us what we must do in preparation for this event. Are you living a godly life? Are you striving against sin, blameless? Do you look forward to facing the Lord, or does that thought scare you because you know that you have not been living as you ought? The end is nearer than you think. Again I ask you, are you ready?

Here is more evidence for your consideration. Our Creator also gives us physical cues that our time here on earth is winding down. We get gray hairs, wrinkles, worsening of eyesight. We witness death around us when friends or family members pass away. The Lord wants us to know how frail we really are lest we begin to believe that we can somehow cheat death. We cannot close our eyes to these signs of our inevitable end. We should embrace this knowledge and do all that we can to make sure that we are without a doubt ready to die. Psalm 39:4, "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am."

Psalm 89:48, "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah."

Ecclesiastes 8:8, "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it."

Mark 13:32-37, "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all. Watch."

In life we prepare for so many things. We buy health insurance in case we get sick. We buy auto insurance in case we get in an accident. We put money into a 401k so that we can have a little something when we retire. Have you prepared for what is going to happen to your soul after you die? You really need to get ready because the end is nearer than you think. We all are going to die sooner or later. The bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Did you see that? We have an APPOINTMENT with death. No one is going to be able to get out of his or her appointment, but you can make sure that you are ready for it. Are you ready?

In closing, here is one final verse for your consideration: 2 Peter 3:6-9, "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

REPENT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation

(But it wasn't always that way)



I grew up in South Central Los Angeles in a home with my mother, father, one brother, and one sister. I went to a Catholic school from 1st grade to 8th grade, but I was not Catholic. As a youth, I occasionally attended a Baptist church with my friend Karen and her mom, but I did not consider myself Baptist. So I had heard about Jesus Christ and heaven and hell somewhere along the way, but I never really gave Him or my soul much thought one way or another. I pretty much never read a Bible back then, although I'm sure there was one in the house somewhere. I was basically just growing up and going through the motions of life.

The only time I regularly heard the name "Jesus" is when my father would drink too much and start playing his 8-track from the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack. He must have played that tape 100 times. One day I think my dad was really feeling it. He had drank who knows how many shots of Old Grand Dad whiskey. He called my siblings and myself into the room and started saying that he was "the living god," and he had us bow down to pray to him. Well, sure, I knew that my dad wasn't God (even if he thought he was), but back then I had no interest in having a relationship with the True Living God, my Creator.

As I came into my teen years, I was your average teen, I guess. I thought I was so mature. Although I was shy, I still managed to get into some foolish situations. I didn't drink alcohol nor do drugs, but I did harm my body in another way. I made the mistake of becoming sexually active. I don't know if it is because I saw too many R-rated movies or because I looked at too many of my dad's Playboy magazines, or maybe it is just because it seemed that everyone else was doing it and that it was no big deal, but for whatever reason, I didn't value or cherish my body. I opened up that Pandora's box of fornication. I got on the pill and started whoring around. Maybe I was looking for "love." Maybe I was looking for some kind of validation. I know one thing for sure -- I still wasn't looking for my Lord.

No, I did not have time for Jesus. I was having too much "fun" sleeping around with boys and men who now, all these years later, I can't even remember half of their names (not that I want to). And you know what happens when you start sinning? Whether it be fornicating or stealing or lying, sin has a way of taking you farther than you wanted to go and keeping you longer than you wanted to stay. You begin to pile sin on top of sin on top of sin. So my sin of fornicating led to the sin of murder. By the age of 16, I had already had two abortions. But I was so wrapped up in my own selfishness, that I didn't even shed a tear for my babies. By the age of 21, I had had a sexual relationship with a married man, thusly, committing adultery. But I didn't think twice about it. He was just one more added to a list that was steadily growing of men whom I had let steal my wealth.

If you would have known me back then, I seemed happy enough. I had a decent job, a nice car, my own place, and I pretty much kept busy. When I was in my early 20s, I tried to fill my life with activity. I was always going to a concert or going to a play. I was fornicating with this man for a while. And then when that played out, I would find the next one. I felt an emptiness and sadness in my soul, but it didn't show. And still I refused to turn to my Lord.

By this time, I was beginning to get to a place in my heart where I knew that something was missing in my life. I don't remember anyone sharing their Christian faith with me or telling me about salvation, but I knew that I needed Christ. But I also knew that if I began to open myself up to the Lord's calling, that things would have to be different in my life. And you know what? I just was not ready to give up all of my sinful pleasures. I hated and regretted the stuff that I was doing with men, but I let fornication stand in the way of me and my Lord. We often think that we are free just because we don't have visible shackles on our feet. But I was a slave to sin and in bondage to it just as sure as if I had the actual chains on holding me back. If I would have died at this time, I would have gone straight to hell. I was not a "bad" person according to the world's standards, but I was not a child of God, and I still had not accepted Christ's wonderful gift of salvation. No, I was still too busy sinning to care about my soul.

But the good Lord didn't give up on me. He kept piercing my heart and whispering in my ear. And I was starting to hear Him even louder. But Satan wasn't going to let me go that easy. He filled my mind with doubt. I began to think, "I've done too much sinning. There must be something that I have to do to make myself worthy. There has to be more to it. Surely the Lord won't come into my life just by me asking Him to."

Then the Lord led a very special man my way. That man was Harold, my future husband. Harold was by no means perfect, but he knew the Lord. I shared with him my desire to know Christ and my doubts that Christ would have me, and Harold explained to me that the Lord would accept me just as I was -- that all I had to do was trust and believe. He told me that my seeing my sinful condition was step one and that turning from my sin and turning to Jesus was all that I had to do. I finally saw that what the Lord would have me to do really was not hard at all.

From that day on, the Lord has been my Light and my Salvation. He has shown me a love that I didn't know existed. He has loved me more than I ever even loved myself. The things of the world that used to be important to me are filth and garbage compared to what my Lord has shown me.

Jesus is so good that I cannot say enough about Him. When I feel low in my spirit as I remember how my earthly daddy used to tell me that I didn't have what it takes, the Lord has said, "You have been adopted into My family. You are a child of the King." When I am ashamed when I remember the sins of my past, He reminds me, "Rena, I died for those sins, too." When I am sad over my babies I murdered, He tells me, "They're here with me in heaven. You will see them again." When I am upset by the actions of some person or worried about some thing, He tells me, "If I be for you, who can be against you?"

And the Lord not only saved me from hell and promised me a place in heaven later, but He has blessed me here on earth by using me in the furthering of His Gospel. He has taken a murdering, thieving, whore like me and taught me His Word and entrusted me with His children. He has given me the privilege of being used as an ambassador for Him in a Bible study group for at-risk youths.

So, you see, I was once living for self and destined to go to hell. Now I am a child of God who is living for my Lord with heaven as my true home! So, again, the Lord is my Light and my Salvation, and I love Him with all my heart.

A LETTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT

* Are you a Christian whose family thinks you are a nut now that you have given your life to Christ? Do those who have known you the longest treat you differently and tell you how much you've changed? (And from the way that they say it, you know that they don't really care for the new you.)

Do your friends and relatives get upset with you because you do not want to participate in certain activities anymore or hang out at places you once frequented?

And when you try to share your faith with your loved ones, do their eyes glaze over? Do you sense their irritation and disinterest if you even so much as mention Christ's name? Do they refer to you with terms such as "holier than thou" or tell you that you are judgmental and harsh?

* Are you a Sunday school teacher who wonders if you are getting through to any of your students? Do you labor to put together a Bible study lesson and then spend half of the class time just trying to keep some semblance of order in the class?

Or are you a Christian webmaster who is sometimes worn down by the e-mail that you receive? Are you having trouble distinguishing the letters sent by those who are unsaved from those who are so-called Christians because both groups belittle and berate God's truths that you are trying to share?

Or maybe you are someone who tries to witness to others by street preaching or passing out tracts, and you have those days where you just want to throw up your hands and give up -- you feel as though you are fighting a losing battle.

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Well, if you are a soldier in God's army who is out in the world trying to be used by God, I wanted to let you know that no matter what opposition you face, no matter who thinks you are crazy, no matter how many people reject you or what you are trying to share with them, your work is not in vain! How do I know? Because the Bible tells us so.

One verse that I have found that every soldier should memorize is this: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Did you see that? Your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Even though you may not see immediate results (or any results), God sees what you are doing. And God's word tells us that any labor that we do for Him is never in vain. Do not be discouraged by the words or actions or inactions of man. Your service is to God above all else.

Here is another verse: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Hebrews 6:10).

If no one else appreciates you, God does. If no one seems to understand, God does.

And the Bible tells us that God's word does not return void. Isaiah 55:10-11 reads, "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth an bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing wherto I sent it."

Our words cannot do a thing, but God's word is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). So if you have been using God's word in your witnessing, your labor has not been in vain.

Even if you never see even one person's life transformed in your lifetime, do not let that discourage you. We are to be used. We plant seeds. Maybe another laborer will see the fruit come to harvest as a person's life is transformed and they come to Christ. Think of the people you know or strangers who touched your life by either a word or a Christian tract. Did all of those people get to personally see you become born again?

I personally believe that when we get to heaven, it is only then that we will truly know the impact of our labour for God. I believe that we will then see how we played a role in a person coming to ask Christ to be their Savior and Lord. Glory to God that He gives us the privilege to be used at all in such a wonderful way. So as we work, let us remember Galatians 6:9, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

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And as far as your friends or family members who you may now feel estranged with, on that topic an old gospel spiritual comes to mind. One verse is, "Friends don't treat me like they used to since I laid my burdens down..."

My brothers and sisters in Christ, expect some people to no longer like you or understand you. Jesus said these words, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Matthew 10:34-36) and "Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake" (Matthew 10:22).

This wicked world loves the darkness. If you are no longer walking in darkness, people will begin to despise you. And some of those people who will be hating you will be your family members or friends. As a matter of fact, if you are still blending in with everybody everywhere and you are not making certain people a bit uncomfortable, I would venture to say that it is then that you should be alarmed.

But the good news is that God will never turn His back on you. "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up" (Psalm 27:10). You have been adopted into the Lord's family. Whatever you have lost cannot compare to what God has to offer. And "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

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And, as you continue on in the Lord's work, know that Satan and his devils are going to try to stop you: Moles will show up in your Bible study class to try to frustrate the work you are doing. Your computer is going to crash and your Christian study lessons that you have toiled over will disappear. Your boss is going to try to get you to put in some overtime hours on the very night that you planned on visiting the shut-ins.

Evil forces are going to come your way at some time or another in many different manifestations. Satan does not want even one person to be saved, and he pulls out all the stops to try to keep God's word from going forth. Don't see these things as negatives. See this as proof that you are doing something important and worthwhile for God's kingdom.

And think of all of the people who came before you. Joseph's own brothers sold him into slavery. Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were thrown into the fiery furnace. Abraham could not find even ten righteous men who would listen and act on his warning. The group that Moses led rebelled time and time again even after experiencing God's awesome presence daily. The Israelites complained in Moses' ears and wanted to get rid of him on numerous occasions. The different apostles were jailed, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and murdered. The prophets were hated. And, of course, Jesus himself was betrayed, falsely accused, and crucified.

God never said that following Him would be easy. In Romans 8:35-37, it reads, "What shall we then say to these things? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

So, again, know that if you are doing the Lord's work, you will face opposition, and you may be misunderstood. But bear in mind that there is nothing more important or more lasting than what we have been commissioned to do.

And keep in mind that you are never alone, nor do you ever have to be afraid. "Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

So in closing, I will remind you of Jesus' words to His followers: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).