In the Twinkling of an Eye

1 Corinthians 15:52-"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Last night, I texted my best friend at maybe a quarter after nine. She responded around nine thirty, and said that she would be able to talk in about thirty minutes. So, I waited, and waited, and waited. I never got a response back, and I figured that she was busy, so around eleven, I went to bed.

This morning, I woke up with a text from eleven thirty last night, saying that she had been in a bad wreck the night before. My mind absolutely panicked. She said that the car flipped several times, and it could have easily been the end of her life. Though, she walked out of the wreck only having minor scratches and cuts. 

I told this story to show how quickly life can be taken away from us. I texted my friend, and in just a short time period between when she texted me next, her life was almost ended. We have no guarantee of the next second to come. Before we take our next breath, we can be in eternity. Let's really think about that. Let's ask ourselves where we would be if we died in the next few seconds.

My dad preached a funeral for a very Godly man that went to our church today. He was very blessed to live a total of ninety six years, which is obviously super uncommon. The majority of the man's family does not attend church, and doesn't profess to have Jesus in their hearts. As I looked around at all the faces of family members, it scared me. It scared me because any of them could die at any moment, and open their eyes to Hell. They aren't necessarily bad people, but being good won't do anything for them when they enter eternity. All that matters is if they have received Jesus as their savior, and I hate to see lives spent on this Earth for sixty, seventy years, to never realize this, and end up in Hell.

Ecclesiastes 12:7- “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

We are all going to die one day; God says this. We will all return to the earth one day, our grave. It may be ten years, and it may be ten minutes away, but we will die. The most important question that we can ask ourselves right now is simply, "Am I saved?" Three simple words, but so much meaning. No matter what we have done on this Earth, the only thing that matters when it comes to death is if we're saved. If we are saved, we have everything, but if we're not, our life has been in vain.

I didn't write this blog to scare anyone, but to give them the warning that they need to hear. I don't want to see anyone die and go to Hell, but that is where the people that reject God is going to go, and once there, they have no chance of ever escaping. I plea with you to just simply take time out of your day to make sure that you are happy with the place that you would spend eternity if you were to die this very second. Don't go another second, without knowing that you would be satisfied with your end. Remember that God loves you, send His only son to die for you, and He wants to see you in Heaven one day. The things that you will have to give up on this Earth for God is nothing compared to what you will gain in Heaven, if you will accept Jesus into your heart. 

God Does Not Send People to Hell

From the title, this post might seem a bit controversial at first, seeing that people do go to Hell, but what people don't commonly realize is that God isn't the one that sends people to Hell. Not once does God send a person to Hell, but the person is the one that chooses Hell over accepting Jesus as their savior. 

Revelation 21:8 - "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

All of these things that God has listed in this verse will send a person to Hell, being their own actions, and every person has committed at least one of these sins, and many more. God doesn't force us to sin, we choose to, and God doesn't interfere with that because we have our own free will to choose as we please. Though, when we choose to sin, we choose an eternity in Hell. 

John 5:29 - "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

At the end of our lives, we will all be sent to an eternity, which we have chose for ourselves. If a person has chosen to live an evil life and not ask forgiveness from God, they will be sent to Hell, and God Himself can't change this, because this is the law that He set forth for the world. Before we die, we must choose to accept Jesus, so that we can live in Heaven. 

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 10:13 - "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

God says that whoever asks for forgiveness will be forgiven. Just like it is our choice to live evil, it is also our choice whether we choose to live for God. God isn't going to force us to live one way or the other. We have to come to Him willing to live for Him. All sins have to be left behind before He will save us. I learned this the hard way. I tried to get right with God, but I also wanted to keep my old sins with me. That's not how God works. He wants the ones that are willing to give up what they love to serve Him, and His word.

Everyone in the world needs to decide today what they want their eternity to look like. Sin may seem like the cool thing now, but when eternity comes, it's going to be the biggest regret in a person's mind. God is willing to save anyone who will come to Him today, and if the person is willing, He will not turn them away. Decide for yourself today if sin is worth an eternity in Hell, and if it isn't for you, look to God. He is the way to get to Heaven, the truth that will show you that way, and the life that will be given to you in Heaven. 

Beware of Cavities

Our teeth are something that needs to be taken care of every single day. They need to be flossed and brushed, and mouth wash can be used to add even further care. If teeth are taken care of as they should, they can work against cavities, and they can be built up to be very strong. 

On the other hand, if our teeth are not taken care of every day, they can develop cavities, and other serious damage. After this damage has been done, toothpaste, floss, and mouth wash is not able to fix that damage. At that point, teeth may have to be pulled, or a dentist will need to drill the cavity out of the tooth. 

Our relationship with God is the exact same concept. If we daily care for our relationship with God; praying, reading our Bible, witnessing for Him, etc. the connection we have with God will grow to be very strong. 

Contrary to living for God, if we don't care for our relationship with God daily, and we keep sin in our lives, cavities will be created, or in this sense, damage to our spiritual life. After the damage of sin has been done, reading our Bibles, or witnessing will not be able to change what has been done in the past, and it surely won't take it away. At that point, the dentist, our Heavenly Father has to step in, and we have to repent of our sins. Repentance is the only thing that will take the sins away. 

Unfortunately, while on this Earth, sin will not be forgotten. God will forgive, but until we die, we have to live with what sins we commit while in the world, which is why it is so important to stay away from sin. Even though it may be forgiven, sin has the possibility to follow us the rest of our days. Sin has the power to permanently damage our lives, and it can be out of our control, much like our teeth that can't be fixed once they are gone. 

Having sin in our lives brings more problems than luxuries. It may not be instant damage, but be sure that sin will have its consequences at one point or another. Sin builds up until it turns into something much worse. Don't let sin damage your life, take care of your sin from the start, and let God cleanse you. 

The Destruction of Acceptance

Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

It seems that the world is becoming more and more accepting of sin everyday; abortion, homosexual relations, premarital sex, divorce, and so much more. The luxuries of sin urges us to want to accept more and more sin in the world. Society wants to live in their evil ways, therefore, they want to change what the Bible and God says, so that they can continue to live the way they want. The lack of acceptance that Christians have is being raised as a problem, when in reality, the issue is that society is accepting sin, and going against God. 

Revelation 22:18- "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.

Revelation 22:19 - "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book."

God clearly states in the Bible that we are not to take away from the Bible, nor are we to add to the Bible. This means that whatever the Bible states is what stays. It's not a matter of acceptance or no acceptance, it's a matter of whether or not one chooses to follow what the Bible says or not. Christians are not being "mean" by not being accepting of others' sins, they are following God. God is also not being "old fashioned" for not being accepting, people are simply becoming accustomed to living against God. 

It is becoming seen as a good thing for people to be "accepting." People don't take the time to see that they are sinning by doing this. If we want to follow God, we can't accept everyone's sins. Instead of accepting peoples' sins, we need to tell these people about God, and the salvation that they can receive if they are willing to give up sin. Not accepting others' sins does not mean that we are to treat them badly, but it means that we care for them enough to tell them that they are sinning against God, and giving them the opportunity to see God for who He truly is. 

We as Christians need to stand up for what God has given us to live by. It doesn't matter how many years passes, the Bible will still hold true. We can't make God who we want Him to be. If we are to change the image of God to hold the characteristics that we want Him to possess, that is taking away from who God is. Just like He loves us, we need to love Him enough to abide by His word. We have to use what God has given us, not change it. 

Praise God For Mending My Heart

Today, I thought that I would do something a little bit different than what I usually do, and just praise and thank God for a great blessing and miracle that He has performed in my life recently.

God mended my heart, literally. I know that I have told this story in my blog before, but this time, I have an ending. A couple of months ago, I went to the doctor with a minor illness, and the doctor found that I had a heart murmur. It completely freaked me out because I knew that heart murmurs could be minor, but yet again, they could be the sign of something much more dangerous. So the next day, I kept thinking about it and thinking about it, and it set some serious anxiety up in my mind, landing me in the hospital. I felt like I was having a heart attack, when in reality, it was my mind playing tricks on me. Still yet, the doctors wanted me to see a cardiologist since a heart murmur had been found, so they scheduled an echo cardiogram for a month later.

Throughout the time until my test, I was experiencing a lot more anxiety, and it set up some depression in my life. I was worrying constantly, and it was physically making me feel sick. Just the thought of something being wrong with my health, made me feel completely hopeless, and negativity took over my mind.

So a month later, which was last week, I finally had an echo cardiogram done. I went into the test scared out of my mind. There was really nothing to the test, but the thoughts of what it could show about my health just send my mind into a frenzy. For the doctor to read the test results of my echo cardiogram, I went back to the doctor today. I sit anxiously awaiting the doctor to come into the room with the results, and my mind kept telling me to be prepared for the worst, because in that moment, that was what I was expecting.

The doctor finally came in, and was asking me all of these questions, which made me think that there was something wrong. Finally, he looked at me, and said, "We found nothing wrong at all." I was relieved beyond belief. The doctor didn't even find a heart murmur anymore. God had healed me.

I cannot thank God enough for the work that He has done, and I am so thankful for the people that I have praying for me in my life. I am so blessed to have such a Godly family, Godly group of friends, and a Godly church family. This is proof that God works, and prayer is not in vain. God mended my heart, spiritually, 5 years ago, and physically, today. I couldn't think of anyone else I would rather praise and worship than my almighty God.

A Hope Worth Waiting For

Romans 8:25 - "But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it]."

It's one thing to believe in God, and another to trust Him enough to wait for His timing. To us, God is very mysterious, for He knows what's to come, and we know nothing of our future. For me, I like everything to be in my control. When things are in my control, I feel comfortable with my life. Giving the control to God is very hard for me at times. When a long amount of time passes, and God hasn't worked yet, I feel like I have to take back over, and fix the situation myself, when God is fully capable of handling things on his own. If we are to give the control to God, He will surprise us with blessings that we believe to be impossible, just like with Abram. 

When Abram was ninety nine, and his wife, Sarah, was ninety, God appeared before Abraham, reminding him of the promise God made to him that he would be a father of many. 

Genesis 17:5- "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."

Genesis 17:6- "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee."

Abraham fell to his face when God spoke these things to him, laughing that God had said that him and his wife would be fruitful, and have a child at the ages of a hundred and ninety. The task seemed impossible, and Abraham had a hard time having faith in God because the idea of having a child was so foreign to him, for him and Sarah had went their whole lives without being able to have children. They had gave up, and accepted that they were meant to have no children. 

Though, God had other plans, giving Abraham and Sarah children, and blessing them beyond belief, even at their old ages. Abraham didn't have the faith that he should have had in God, but God still stood by his promise to make Abraham a father, and it was so. 

God will come through with His promises, whether we believe it or not. God is a being of His word, and He will not back down from what He says. We need to find the faith and patience that God is worthy of receiving because God has such bright futures for each of us, and if we don't wait on God, we will ruin the plans that God has for us. Even though, hope seems lost, it is never lost when we have God on our side. 

Workout With God

Feeling weak in God? Try these simple workouts to get that relationship with God that you've always dreamed of! 

1) Run a Mile in God's shoes: 

1 Corinthians 11:1: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ."

Put yourself in God's shoes. Try and intimidate His kindness and love. His greatness can never be reached, but we can try our best to show the world the work God has done in our own lives. 

2) Lift Bible Dumbbells: 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

The Bible was given to us for a guide for our lives. Work out your mind and absorb the knowledge that God has given us. The Bible will give you strength to spread His word, and have hope for a better future.

3) Crunch Away Sin: 

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Confess your sins to God, and rid them from your life. Without all that weight, you can become stronger in God, and go a longer distance for God. 

4) Prayer Planks: 

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."

Find a place where you can fully concentrate on God, and pray. Pray that God will help you be a light to the world. Pray that He will give you the strength to stand up for God, and show Him your gratitude for doing all He does. 

5) Partner Medicine Ball Throw: 

Galatians 6:2 - "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Grab a partner, and help carry their burden. We all need help in life, which is why God puts other Christians in our lives. Lend a helping hand to fellow Christians, and let's cross the finish line together.

The Old Testament is Still Relevant

There is a lot of controversy over whether the Old Testament is still relevant or not. Many will say that we are in the modern times, and we need to move on from that, but how can we move on when it is still God's word? No matter how many years pass, the Old Testament is still going to be a part of what God wanted us to live by and learn from. 

The Old Testament is literally the beginning! If you were reading a book, would you begin in the middle of it? Probably not. You would want to know the back story and how everyone gets to the point that they are at. The Old Testament introduces us to who God is, and tells us the reason why we need saved, being the sin that began with Adam and Eve. If we were to begin with the New Testament, when Jesus is born, there would be no way to understand why He died on the cross. We would not be able to comprehend why we would need Jesus' salvation because the laws of God and the explaination of sin would be left in the Old Testament. 

Without seeing all the promises that God kept in the Old Testament, it would also be much harder to trust God, only reading the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God set aside a lot of promises and He showed His mercy to many, leading us to see how faithful He is to those that are willing to follow Him. Like in the story of Noah, God promised that He would bring Noah and his family out of the flood because they followed Him, and God did exactly that. These are the stories that God set aside for us, so that we could believe in Him to bring us out of trouble too. 

The Old Testament gives us role models to live by, and prophesies to look forward to that are fulfilled by the New Testament teachings. Every part of the Bible should be honored and cherished, for it is from God, and He wants it to be used for His glory. 

When is the Right Time to Pray?

When does God say to pray?

God says to pray when we are TROUBLED: Psalms 34:17 - "[The righteous] cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles."

God says to pray when we are in NEED OF WISDOM: James 1:5 - "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

God says to pray when we are HAPPY: Psalms 37:4 - "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

God says to pray when we are BURDENED: Psalms 55:22 - "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

God says to pray when we are ANGRY: Ecclesiastes 7:9 - "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."

God says to pray WHEN OTHERS NEED PRAYER: James 5:16 - "Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

God says to pray in time of LOSS: Matthew 5:4 - "Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."

God says to pray ALWAYS: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."

There are so many instances in the Bible that God tells us to pray. He tells us to pray through the good times and the bad times, and every time in-between. I think that a lot of Christians, including myself have become so accustomed to only praying when it is convenient or if we need something from God, that we don't consider that we need to be praying the rest of the times too. I've found that God answers prayers when I'm faithfully praying everyday for something. If you were to have a baby, would you only take care of it when it was hungry or needed a diaper change? Of course not. You would take care of it always. Prayer needs to be taken care of in the same way. Prayers are answered when they are honored and attended to. Show God you are faithful to your prayer, and God will give you an answer. 

Before You Go To Sleep, Make Sure You Are....

Before you go to sleep, make sure you are...

1) SAVED:

1 John- "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Going to bed knowing that you are saved is the best feeling in the world. You don't have to worry about what will happen once you go to sleep. No matter what happens in your life, your final destination is Heaven.

2) THANKFUL:

2 Corinthians- "Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift."

God sacrificed everything for us, including His own son, the least we can do is thank Him for what He has done in our lives. He blesses us, and keeps us safe on a daily basis, and that is definitely something to be thankful for. God deserves praise.

3) FORGIVEN:

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Asking God for forgiveness will prepare the heart to do the things of God. If we have sin in our heart, it is preventing us from being as Godly as we can be. With sin, we are weak, but with God, we are strong. 

4) BURDEN FREE:

Psalms 55:22 - "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Galatians 6:2 - "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Giving all of your burdens to God before falling to sleep will help you be worry free, and release what is bearing down on your heart. Praying for those things and the prayers of others will give you hope that God will take care of those things, and give you the Godly end that you are hopefully looking for.

 
5) READ UP:

Romans 15:4 - "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

Reading the Bible gives a peace that can't come from anything else. It contains promises and hope for what is to come, and you can rest easy knowing those hopes are in your heart.