Shaken Awake

As it is written in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— don’t you dare, for one second, think that he is only referring to Heaven. He’s also referring to this life we have to invest for Him and His Kingdom – I never experienced the things I have on Earth as it is in Heaven, until the day I surrendered all and began living my life for Him and not myself. He has blessed me in dividends that I cannot even explain. It is proof, He delivers His promises to those who love and obey Him.

If you’ve been wondering, “Is this all God has planned for my life?” – just know, He’s been asking you the same question. Once you live your life for Him, you cannot FATHOM what He has in store you for; either in this life, or the next. What are you waiting for??? Don’t wait another day!

As the end gets closer, this becomes more and more and more and more serious and real. If you’re not prepared right now….TODAY; how are you going to be prepared for what tomorrow is going to bring, according to Christ Jesus? Persecution Is at Our Doorstep – Are You Prepared? Are you prepared the way God wants and asks you to be prepared? Do you know how to be prepared and what it takes to become and remain prepared? If not, the next thing you do today should be to seek God on this and get into His Word immediately. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Today, I’m going to attempt at relaying what I’ve been given in wisdom and knowledge on this very topic and hope it resonates or puts a pebble in your shoe to seek this out further, with Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believed in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

Matthew 7 then describes people who come face to face with Jesus, as we all will one day, and soon, and they go as far as to not only have believed in Him, but also prophesied in his name, performed miracles, etc. – how could this be? Furthermore, How could Jesus say “I never knew you” – HE KNOWS EVERYONE, I had believed! And just as confusing to me, how come the people who not only believe in Him, but went as far as what most people, at least that I know, don’t even do – prophesy, cast out demons, perform miracles….why would THEY be the ones to be cast into outer darkness and for Jesus not to have known them, but they claim to have known HIM??

This is not an easy set of questions, nor is it my job or ability to give you full understanding – that is the work of The Holy Spirit.

In this episode, we discuss how I am proof that hate exists, and so does the glory and saving grace and mercy and miracles of the Almighty God, our Father when it comes to loving one another as ourselves. He saved a wretch like Saul of Tarsus and turned him into the Apostle Paul, and he saved an evil wretch like me and turned me into His follower and friend. He is mightier than we can even dream or imagine. This is just one story how He works in our lives and the lives of others we do not even know exist.

So, what changed? How did God save me? How did God transform me? How did God perform a miracle and turn my heart from stone to flesh. How did God turn darkness into light?

If you don’t love your neighbor as much as you do yourself and your own life, today should be the day, you get on your knees and ask God to give you wisdom and breakthrough and a heart to love your neighbor as thyself. Repent for not doing so in accordance with Jesus’ commandment, and begin loving your neighbor today, as Christ loves you. This is a part of being a good and faithful servant.

We'll discuss how He did and continues to do so...

In this episode, I’m going to show you some scriptures that tell us EXACTLY where to spend our time, energy, and effort with the time we have remaining on this Earth. Why? Because it’s important to God, and therefore, it must become and remain important to us, right? Absolutely!

I'm going to “borrow” this quote from Pastor and Evangelist Paul Washer: “We live between two great days: The day Christ hung before men and the day all men will kneel before Christ,” To which I will add, “Make your life a life worth living….. for Jesus. Pick up your cross daily, and live for Him.”

Compare the proof of love you have for anything in this world (children, spouse, family, etc.) against the love you have for God. Is it stronger and more prevalent in your life, and does it show in your heart, your mind, and your soul, day in and day out? Or, is it in your mind only?

When you compare what you expect from someone that loves you unconditionally, every day, in action - not talk; is that the love that you yourself are giving to God first and then everyone around you? If you struggle to have a deep relationship with the Lord and have a heart that has nothing but pure and true love for Him and for those all around you, even before yourself, the only one that can change your heart is the One who created it.

How does satan manipulate us? How does the devil create lies that deceive us? How does lucifer ensnare us? How does the dragon attempt to destroy us? After all, he’s had since before the Garden to perfect his craft, has he not??? His first victims, Eve then Adam went flawless – so flawless, he caused the downfall of all humanity by convincing the first humans that they needed to question God. And he succeeded within minutes. We like to think and say, “How could they have been that dumb?!?!?” Here’s the brutal truth – that’s pride kicking in….you and I would’ve done the exact same thing as they did!!!!! THAT’S how he works and THAT’s how good he is at deception and defeat. Within minutes, he had two people that were physically created by God Himself and communed with God daily, in person!!!!!!! Over a stupid piece of Fruit!!!!! And you think you can outsmart the devil?!? You cannot and even the thought that you can, is sin! It’s pride. See how he works?

I’m going to break down the most common ways he wins daily against us, or at least tries, and then show what the Bible says about each of these areas – they don’t teach this in church – God teaches this in the Bible. At least, I had never heard this growing up in any church…..another way he confuses and deceives…..YES, in the church!!!

It’s a good practice to be in the Word of God daily – where the devil is not found. When you make what matters most to God matter most to you, and make it a daily habit – watch how everything around and inside of you changes. It won’t be coincidence, and it won’t be a disappointment – I can promise you that. More and most importantly, God promises you that. God blesses those who love and obey Him. Please the Creator, not the creation.

When is the last time you searched your heart? Using the things that we have unearthed from God’s Word and spoken of in today’s episode, how many of these are at the core of your being, daily, as a Christian? How many could benefit from more concentration on one of more of those things that matter most to God. Most importantly and truthfully, what matters most to you, day in and day out – what matters most to God, or to what matters most to you?

How does the proclaimed Body of Christ claim it’s the Body of Christ, when they can’t even agree on what the very Word of God says?!?!?!?! The inheritance of the Kingdom is not a buffet-style, ala-carte, menu of do’s and don’ts!!!!! The Bible is very clear on what we must all do to be truly saved, born again, worshipping and praising of God, prayer, faith, love, loving God and our neighbors as ourselves, being servants, being the head and not the tail, and not leaning on our own wisdom as fools do, but by clinging to every word of God. Why do we have the instruction manual for life and eternity, that has outlived everything since before Christ was born, but we aren’t smart or wise enough to believe everything from the first to the last page, the way God and the Holy Spirit designed it??? The reason you cannot answer that, is because there is no true answer. It’s a fallacy! Except this kind can cost you true belief, true direction for your life, and whether or not you steer others towards or away from the very God you claim to belong to and love with all your heart, mind, soul, and body! Here are current misunderstandings in God’s Word:

· The timing of the Rapture

· Tribulation timeline

· Once saved, always saved

· Loss of salvation

· What’s a true Christian vs. a false one

· OT vs. NT theology

· Does God change with the times

· True repentance vs. regret/remorse

· The words of Jesus and His disciples – for their time, or ours? Or both?

· Loving God vs. a Judging God

· Loss of salvation vs. salvation that can never be taken

· Name blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life

· Predestination and Election.

· God created the men/women knowing they would not be saved

· Homosexuality and being a Christian at the same time

· Someone that believes in Christ, as John 3:16 states, is saved forever, regardless of how they live

· The scriptures being literal or figurative

· Man took away or added to the scriptures, and so unsure of what to believe or not

· Watering down the severity of sin from what the Bible denotes

· Misunderstandings of our role on Earth, once we’re born again

· What a born-again Christian is like, vs. one that claims they are saved and believe.

· That there is somehow different ‘levels’ of Christianity and being saved.

· That some of the Bible is meant for us and some is not; or, some is obsolete.

· Going with what man states, rather than what the Word of God states.

· Leaning on pastors for wisdom vs. the Bible.

· The Trinity – no such thing vs. it is an absolute, backed up by the Word of God

· Complying with what’s convenient and comfortable while ignoring what’s not.

· Seeing God only as love, but not the Judge.

· Seeing God only as the Judge, but not love.

· Seeing Jesus as the loving Messiah, but God as the one that is angry and the deciding factor of who goes to hell and who doesn’t.

· The skin color of Jesus

· The shape of the Earth

· The role of government vs. God – what feels right/wrong vs. what God says

· Mark of the Beast

· Who’s our “Neighbors” that we are to love, as Jesus commands is the second greatest commandment

First, be sure that you are saved today – before you do anything else. Nothing is more important than salvation in Christ and a guarantee to be in the presence of God for eternity. The second is – please go back and read these chapters for yourself. As I mentioned previously, there are many, many more books/chapters/verses dedicated to end times knowledge. I’ve just picked 3 in this episode. Read them all twice, or three times if you have to (Matthew 24, Revelation 6 & 7)!!! Many of you, like I, will need to in order to undo what’s been done during our lifetime to have us believe in a wrong timing of the Rapture. It’s important to know when, so as to not be deceived and lost during the tribulation that you will go through.

Is it more important to believe you’re right, or more important to be prepared with God’s truth – especially when it comes to making decision that can affect your eternal resting place? One is with Him and the other is without Him.