In memory of Leo Ramos
A preacher once said, "When a Christian marries an unbeliever, they have Satan for a father-in-law." Personally, the thought of being married to a person who trashes Christianity, who treds under foot the Lord Jesus Christ, and discounts the gospel of salvation as a worthless fable, is unbearable.
It would be a grievous way to live.
~dkg
"Guard your heart, for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23.
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. ~Psalm 78
Jesus Christ is Lord!
SEARCHING
In memory of Leo Ramos
ME: Who am I? Where did I come from? Years ago, I did not exist, or did I? (I am curious).
ME: Why am I here? Who made me? If there is a God then why do people die? (I am sad).
ME: Existing is weird. Existing on a sphere rotating in space around a ball of fire is even weirder! Look how vast the universe! Where did it come from? (I am confused).
ME: God are you there? Why don’t you speak to me if you exist? I pray, but you are silent. (I am angry!)
ME: There is no God. Death is the end of everything. There is no hope. (I am despondent).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: Psst! Look! Try looking over here in the ancient light.
ME: Who was that? That was not me. Is there another realm? (I am spiritual).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: Your searching is over. I AM God.
ME: Who are you?! (I am open-minded).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: I AM all things; I AM the universe; I AM you and you are I: We are ONE.
ME: I’m God?! (I’m skeptical).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: Yes.
ME: If I’m God, there would be no death! You lie!! (I am certain).
GOD: You speak truth. You are not God. I AM.
ME: Who are you?! If you’re God, there would be no death! (I am hoping).
GOD: I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
ME: Who are you?! (I am listening).
GOD: I AM Jesus.
ME: I believe. Thank you, Lord for revealing yourself to me. (I am born again!).
~dkg
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23
ME: Who am I? Where did I come from? Years ago, I did not exist, or did I? (I am curious).
ME: Why am I here? Who made me? If there is a God then why do people die? (I am sad).
ME: Existing is weird. Existing on a sphere rotating in space around a ball of fire is even weirder! Look how vast the universe! Where did it come from? (I am confused).
ME: God are you there? Why don’t you speak to me if you exist? I pray, but you are silent. (I am angry!)
ME: There is no God. Death is the end of everything. There is no hope. (I am despondent).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: Psst! Look! Try looking over here in the ancient light.
ME: Who was that? That was not me. Is there another realm? (I am spiritual).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: Your searching is over. I AM God.
ME: Who are you?! (I am open-minded).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: I AM all things; I AM the universe; I AM you and you are I: We are ONE.
ME: I’m God?! (I’m skeptical).
UNDETERMINED VOICE: Yes.
ME: If I’m God, there would be no death! You lie!! (I am certain).
GOD: You speak truth. You are not God. I AM.
ME: Who are you?! If you’re God, there would be no death! (I am hoping).
GOD: I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
ME: Who are you?! (I am listening).
GOD: I AM Jesus.
ME: I believe. Thank you, Lord for revealing yourself to me. (I am born again!).
~dkg
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23
A Good Person
In memory of Leo Ramos
ME: I’m a good person.
GOD: There is none good, no, not one.*
ME: My grandmother is good. She says that I am good too. I believe her.
GOD: Believe ME. There is none good, except Me.
ME: But Jesus is good.
GOD: Yes.
ME: Are you saying that you are Jesus?
GOD: I AM
ME: I’m a good person too. I love people, most of the time, from a distance maybe, but deep in my heart of hearts, I care.
GOD: Are you saying that you are God?
ME: Nooo. Wait. Maybe I AM.
GOD: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
ME: Then I’ve broken the first commandment. I am not Supreme. You have dethroned me. I am not God. I am not good.
GOD: Now, you speak Truth.
ME: Forgive me, Lord.
GOD: I forgave you on the cross.
ME: Thank you, Lord!
~dkg
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3:10.
ME: I’m a good person.
GOD: There is none good, no, not one.*
ME: My grandmother is good. She says that I am good too. I believe her.
GOD: Believe ME. There is none good, except Me.
ME: But Jesus is good.
GOD: Yes.
ME: Are you saying that you are Jesus?
GOD: I AM
ME: I’m a good person too. I love people, most of the time, from a distance maybe, but deep in my heart of hearts, I care.
GOD: Are you saying that you are God?
ME: Nooo. Wait. Maybe I AM.
GOD: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
ME: Then I’ve broken the first commandment. I am not Supreme. You have dethroned me. I am not God. I am not good.
GOD: Now, you speak Truth.
ME: Forgive me, Lord.
GOD: I forgave you on the cross.
ME: Thank you, Lord!
~dkg
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3:10.
Spiritual Cancer
In memory of Leo Ramos
~dkg
GOD: I will NOT humor you. You have spiritual cancer.
ME: I am doomed.
GOD: Meet my Son Jesus Christ, the Great Physician.
ME: I’m healed! Thank you Lord!
ME: I’m healed! Thank you Lord!
~dkg
(A Psalm of David.) "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Psalm 103:1-5
Psalm 103:1-5
Our Eternal Advocate
In memory of Leo Ramos
Legalese for a law expert who represents and defends others against criminal charges (wether or not that person is innocent or guilty) when they stand before a Judge in a court of law.
Have you ever needed a lawyer? High profile lawyers oft require hefty retainers and fees; although, some court-appointed advocates work pro bono (for free).
At the Last Great Day of Reckoning, before the Judgement Seat of God, we will ALL give account of our lives. We must have an advocate to represent us, otherwise the verdict against us will be, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." ~Daniel 5:27.
I know I will be shaking in terror when I stand before God, but my lawyer is Jesus Christ. Yes, I'll be guilty of the accusations hurled against me by Satan; however, my lawyer Jesus Christ will declare me "INNOCENT" before God. How can this be?
Jesus Christ is also the JUDGE.
Jesus Christ took the guilt our sin upon Himself on the cross and in exchange God imparted to us Jesus' "innocence" and His "righteousness." Jesus did this for us pro bono, for free: for the whole world! Sadly, a lot of people want to represent themselves when they stand before God. Representing ourselves is unwise because ours will be a guaranteed "guilty "verdict with a subsequent eternal sentence apart from God's presence.
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." ~1John2:1.
LAWYER a.k.a. ADVOCATE:
Legalese for a law expert who represents and defends others against criminal charges (wether or not that person is innocent or guilty) when they stand before a Judge in a court of law.
Have you ever needed a lawyer? High profile lawyers oft require hefty retainers and fees; although, some court-appointed advocates work pro bono (for free).
At the Last Great Day of Reckoning, before the Judgement Seat of God, we will ALL give account of our lives. We must have an advocate to represent us, otherwise the verdict against us will be, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." ~Daniel 5:27.
I know I will be shaking in terror when I stand before God, but my lawyer is Jesus Christ. Yes, I'll be guilty of the accusations hurled against me by Satan; however, my lawyer Jesus Christ will declare me "INNOCENT" before God. How can this be?
Jesus Christ is also the JUDGE.
Jesus Christ took the guilt our sin upon Himself on the cross and in exchange God imparted to us Jesus' "innocence" and His "righteousness." Jesus did this for us pro bono, for free: for the whole world! Sadly, a lot of people want to represent themselves when they stand before God. Representing ourselves is unwise because ours will be a guaranteed "guilty "verdict with a subsequent eternal sentence apart from God's presence.
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." ~1John2:1.
False Prophets
In memory of Leo Ramos
It's amazing how HELL is right smack in the middle of these verses about false prophets and false teachers, those who cunningly deceive people, sometimes deceive even born-again Christians (Get in the WORD!). God spared not the angels that sinned, nor the world before Noah's flood, and judgement is reserved for false prophets and false teachers even now. Since they claim to know Holy Scripture, what motivates false teachers and false prophets to purposely deceive people?
COVETOUSNESS
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to
HELL,
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished . . . " 2 PETER 2:1-9
~dkg
~dkg
The Word Made Flesh
In memory of Leo Ramos
The Gospel of John starts, "IN THE BEGINNING," just as is written in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning..."
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1
John 1:14 declares, "THE WORD BECAME FLESH and dwelt amoung us." It's plain in this verse that the Word is Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is God.
In the Gospel of John, God pulls back the curtain on the creation of the world just as He does in Genesis. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." John 1:10. God's Word - Jesus - spoke the world in to existence!
Unbelief in who Jesus is - God - was the impetus for Jesus' crucifixion. God's plan from the foundation of the world was to one day incarnate Himself so that He would die a sacrificial death in our place to take away the penalty for our sin.
Jesus proved that He is God when He rose from the dead!
God's Word - Jesus - implores us today, "Ye believe in God, Believe also in me."
The Gospel of John starts, "IN THE BEGINNING," just as is written in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning..."
- "In the beginning was the Word" John 1:1
- "In the beginning God" Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1
John 1:14 declares, "THE WORD BECAME FLESH and dwelt amoung us." It's plain in this verse that the Word is Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is God.
In the Gospel of John, God pulls back the curtain on the creation of the world just as He does in Genesis. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." John 1:10. God's Word - Jesus - spoke the world in to existence!
Unbelief in who Jesus is - God - was the impetus for Jesus' crucifixion. God's plan from the foundation of the world was to one day incarnate Himself so that He would die a sacrificial death in our place to take away the penalty for our sin.
Jesus proved that He is God when He rose from the dead!
God's Word - Jesus - implores us today, "Ye believe in God, Believe also in me."
Suffering
In memory of Leo Ramos
Some people believe that it's not God's will for Christians to suffer. I beg to differ based on Scripture (below).
We ALL suffer. Suffering is inherent in our mortality. We suffer for doing good and for doing evil. God's Word tells us that IF it is God's will for us to suffer then it's better to suffer for doing good, and for believing in Jesus Christ. Suffering for evil is the worst reasons to suffer. Note how God turns the concept of suffering upside down!
Ultimately, Christians sometimes suffer for WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST. Due to unbelief in who Jesus is (the Son of God), Jesus suffered at the hands of unjust religious rulers, "good people", sinners, and even one of his closest followers Judas Iscariot. Jesus suffered mocking, false accusations, betrayal, scorn, scourging, and crucifixion, but not for doing evil - He was sinless - and not for anything good that He had done, but Jesus suffered for WHO HE IS. In the deepest darkest moment of His suffering, Jesus cried, "Father into thy hand I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46). . . and in our suffering we can pray that, too. God is faithful to bring us out of our suffering and into His glorious rest. Trust Him.
~dkg
Some people believe that it's not God's will for Christians to suffer. I beg to differ based on Scripture (below).
We ALL suffer. Suffering is inherent in our mortality. We suffer for doing good and for doing evil. God's Word tells us that IF it is God's will for us to suffer then it's better to suffer for doing good, and for believing in Jesus Christ. Suffering for evil is the worst reasons to suffer. Note how God turns the concept of suffering upside down!
Ultimately, Christians sometimes suffer for WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST. Due to unbelief in who Jesus is (the Son of God), Jesus suffered at the hands of unjust religious rulers, "good people", sinners, and even one of his closest followers Judas Iscariot. Jesus suffered mocking, false accusations, betrayal, scorn, scourging, and crucifixion, but not for doing evil - He was sinless - and not for anything good that He had done, but Jesus suffered for WHO HE IS. In the deepest darkest moment of His suffering, Jesus cried, "Father into thy hand I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46). . . and in our suffering we can pray that, too. God is faithful to bring us out of our suffering and into His glorious rest. Trust Him.
~dkg
1 Peter 4:12-19
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."
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