(Poem by Jess Kenner)
Today, upon a bus, I saw a lovely girl with golden hair.
I envied her…she seemed so gay…and wished I were as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one leg and wore a crutch, but as she passed….a smile!
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two legs.  The world is mine.
 
I stopped to buy some candy.  The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked to him.  He seemed so glad.
And as I left he said to me, ”I thank you.  You have been so kind.
It’s nice to talk with folks like you.  You see, he said, “I’m blind.”
Oh God forgive me when I whine!  I have two eyes.  The world is mine.
 
Later, while walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play: he did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.  I have two ears.  The world is mine.
 
With feet to take me where I’d go, with eyes to see the sunset’s glow,
With ears to hear what I would know…..
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine!  I’m blessed indeed, the world is mine.
 
                                                       *****                 
Now that you have just read this inspirational poem let us face it, that it does not take very long for each of us to start whining.  The slightest thing can trigger whining.  For example, the slightest temporary lack of water, food, clothing, money or any lack of convenience such as the television going out during a heavy rainstorm or the battery dying down on our car or our computer networks not working as quickly as we like, or the remote control needs a new battery, etc.. Unfortunately, the best of us will finally complain or whine if the pressure increases beyond our normal expectations.
 
When we whine that speaks of unbelief and it is contagious.  That is why Christians are encouraged to praise God. You see as Christians we have to understand that whatever we do and how we respond it will also be contagious.  If we praise God and have faith, that will surely be contagious.  And the opposite is true if we lack faith and function in unbelief that will also be contagious.  Now you all said yes that is true BUT remember whining is far more contagious: it is like the kindling that we get to start a huge bonfire. (James 3: 6,8-11).
 
Some of you are going to say, “ Well,  I come from a family of whiners, they never see the good or joy in anything .”  But if you are a Christian we are to understand that our victory only comes through what Jesus did for us on the Cross.  Our job as Believers is to do only one thing and that is to show faith in Christ and His great sacrifice of Himself.
 
A reminder: God hears all our whinings and remember that just because God does not immediately take revenge or punishes men immediately for their sins, therefore, He does not notice them. The Bible wants to correct that belief.  God sees, God  hears and He knows even our motivations.  He knows why we do the things we do even when we do not.  How many times have you said;  “Why did I say that?”   “Why did I think that?”
​
Oh, He heard when Israel whined, complained about the food, the bitter water and even then He cared for them as a tender parent of a headstrong child.
 
Another word for whining and complaining that shows up in the Bible and that is murmurings.  In Exodus 16:12 The Lord very clearly told Israel that He had heard their murmurings, their complaints, their whining.  Just a note to point out this was the first sin that was committed by Israel after being delivered from Egyptian bondage.  Maybe, that is a good lesson for us to learn.  However, all of us Christians seem to hold on to that kind of sin, murmurings, fault finding, complaining, not realizing that it is a complaint against God.  The bottom line is that we are telling God that we can do a better job than He is doing .  That my brother and sister is showing gross spiritual ignorance and it let’s the world see that we are not very thankful for all the wonderful blessings the Lord has done for us. 
 
Someone once said: you very seldom hear the children of Satan complain about Satan.  IF they complain at all, it is that they are not able to serve him more and better.  Yes, it is true that we Christians are very quick to complain about God.  The truth is, most Christians do not realize that what we are saying is actually complaining against God. 

If you have ever been in church for any length of time or if you are someone who cares nothing about God there are certain things that people think they know but they really don’t.  If I said God is love I am quite sure I would get a very vocal  Amen.  A loud yes, even from the atheist or agnostics in the audience.  But in order for us to understand God and the Scriptures, we must realize that we serve a balanced God.  Yes, He is a God of love but He is also a God of wrath.  What??????
 
Did you know that God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship with our Heavenly Father (God).  But there is also another side to this equation and it speaks of the wrath of God.
 
Wrath is a very strong word.  It is sometimes defined as anger, temper, indignation.  It is not an uncontrolled, unthinking, violent reaction.  It is a deep, permanent, settled, thoughtful, controlled anger and temper.   In the English language it is almost exclusively used for describing God’s anger with human beings and their sinful actions. God’s wrath is His anger against sin.  His wrath is His reaction against unrighteousness.  His anger is the opposition to the injustices of man.  His anger is His punishment of evil and wicked men.
 
If you read the Bible you will see that in the New Testament and the Old Testament both teach that God is storing up His anger for the great and final day of judgment.   This day is frequently called the Day of the Lord. 
 
This idea was repeated by the prophets to warn Israel and the nations that no one can escape the righteous out pouring of God’s wrath (Amos 5:18-20).  We also see this day spoken of even in the New Testament by John the Baptist and also the writer John in the book of Revelation 6:16-17.
 
Those who do not profess faith in the risen Christ remain in their sins and will be subject to God’s wrath (Roman 5:9).  Those who have been delivered and reconciled themselves are delivered and are not under condemnation (Romans 5:10).
 
God’s wrath will be poured out on the devil, his angels and all who rebel against Him.  If you need to see this graphically it is portrayed in the Book of Revelation.  You will see scene after scene of God executing judgment on the ungodly.  You see your choices in life is what arouses God’s anger .  Unfortunately,  we think we are a good person, maybe not perfect but you can think of other people in church or the family or in the world who would be better off struck down by lightening (LOL) .  But what we think of as acceptable and good is inconsequential to a Holy God of the Universe.  Yes, God has the nerve to judge our secret thoughts, true motives and our vilest, sordid and corruptible desires.
 
We are living in a Politically Corrupt world of sin.  Everyone wants instant fixes and satisfactions but the God of the Universe is a God of absolutes and He is not soft on sin.
 
In the Book of Revelation we see that God’s stored up wrath will be unleashed in horrible ways, as He brings destruction on the earth, those dwelling on the earth, the merchants of the earth, false religions, the antichrist and all the enemies of the Gospel.  The good news is that God’s wrath will be satisfied when He has put the devil, his angels, and all unbelievers in the lake of fire, to be tormented for eternity in eternal separation from God (Rev. 14:16, Rev. 20:10-15).
 
Now I know many of you believe that you are so good that you are perfect but the Bible tells us that if we do not make a commitment to Jesus Christ and serve Him only that we are truly living under the wrath of God.
 
Consider this example:  You see the person who has not made a commitment to Christ and he acts against God…he does not act for God.    You see the person who has not made a commitment to God rejects God…He does not receive God.  The person who has not made a commitment to God ignores God.  He does not confess God.  The person who has not made a commitment to God denies God. He does not acknowledge God.   The person who has not a made a commitment to God curses God. He does not praise God.  The person who has not made a commitment to God serves religion.  He does not serve God.  The person who has not a made a commitment to God honors a personal ideal.   He does not honor Christ, the very Son of God.  
 
I know you find it hard to believe but a person who has not made a commitment to Christ acts against God and you are a child of wrath and not a child of God. We all think we are God’s children but the Bible says NO because we have to choose to serve Christ.  If you are not serving God then you are serving the devil.  The Bible says that you shall reap what you sow and the wrath of God will fall on you.
 
If you want to better understand  God’s wrath you will find it in Ezekiel 38:18-19 and in those verses it is referring to what will happen to the northern military invaders who in the end times will come against Israel (God’s chosen people).  In Ezekiel  mention is made of Russia, Turkey  and Iran and also Libya and Ethiopia will join the three and we will have  Ezekiel 38-39 front and center.   Who is like God, He who foretells the end from the beginning? 
 
The Bible tells us that God’s wrath is real and active.  God is holy, righteous, and pure as well as loving, gracious and merciful.  He executes justice as well as love.  He shows wrath and anger as well as compassion.  His wrath is both present and future.  God’s wrath is present and active in this life.  His wrath abides upon men now.  His wrath is manifested against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Romans 1:18).  God punishes sin in this life by giving men up to uncleanness, to vile affections, and to degenerate minds.  Sometimes the worst thing is You want it, You got it
 
God will punish sin by giving men up to everlasting fire (Matthew 25: 41;25:46).

To hell found in ( Matthew 5:22).  To outer darkness (Matthew  8:12).  To weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). To the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15).  God’s wrath will be especially visible and active in the last days during what the bible calls the Tribulation years which is found in: (Revelation 6:16,Revelation 11:8, Revelation 14:10, Revelation 16:19 and Revelation 19:15).
 
Now that I just told you about God’s wrath I want you to know that there is only one way to escape judgment and it is by turning  back to God.
 
While you are alive you are never lost unless you refuse to repent and ask God for forgiveness.  You see, if you have an elitist attitude or an I know better than God attitude or if you mock God you are on your way to hell.  But if you ask God for forgiveness and confess that you have sinned,  yes, even once or even if you think you are too messed up for God to forgive you-ask Him to forgive you and He will-as long as you are alive.  Once we die the decisions we have made will set the end path for us. 
 
Yes, the earth is under the curse of sin, the same curse that plagues all of creation since Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.  Yes, there are natural disasters of all kinds, causing immense pain and suffering.  Everyone has problems.  This is what life is like in this sinful world.  BUT GOD who is the Creator of all things, the God who loves us and who is in complete control, is not  or put off  by the way things are.  He has big plans in place, and those plans include all creation and everyone who has turned to God. 

Romans 8:21-24 tells us that "the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.  For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[a] including the new bodies he has promised us.  We were given this hope when we were saved."

Now if we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.  Our hope comes from the Cross which brings deliverance.  When man fell,  Creation fell and the opposite is true, when man shall be delivered, Creation will be delivered as well.  For we know that the entirety of Creation has been affected or I guess we could say infected by Satan’s rebellion and Adam’s fall.  The groaning refers to the longing of the elements of the Creation to be brought back to their original perfection and that includes ourselves, also. When we get saved, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior remember Jesus addressed every single thing lost in the Fall at the Cross, we only have a part of that possession now; with the balance coming at the Resurrection for Jesus paid it all.  Our new bodies will take place at the Resurrection.  SO……what is coming is so far beyond that which is here at the present time and it is to be no comparison of what is to come-the beyond.  More is coming.  The best is yet to come!

​“As the deer pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.” (Psalm 42:1)

Have you ever gone through a time of depression, discouragement or even despair? Well, you are in good company because some of God’s greatest heroes battled depression.

The Bible records that Moses, Elijah and even Jonah suffered through times of discouragement.  In fact, there were some times where they were so downcast that they desired for their lives to end...BUT they did not take matters into their own hands.   Instead, they turned to GOD.

The one who wrote our verse for today mentioned above from Psalm 42 was battling depression. You think you are having a bad day, well, the author of this psalm was exiled from his home, oppressed by cruel enemies and he cried out to God for help.  Remember these psalms were typically sung.  Literally, the book of Psalms was the "hymn book" of the day.  This is a psalm of instruction and teaching.

If you are going through a time of deep depression, tell it to Jesus and ask Him for His presence to be with you. Remember no matter how desperate your situation may seem, God will be there for you!  If you are going through a trial or temptation ask God to deliver you and ask Him to restore you. Put your hope in God and praise Him for He is your Savior and your God.    Remember this whenever you go through problems in life.   (Note:  I said "whenever" because we all go through problems, trials, temptations, discouragement and despair!)

My question today is that when you go through those tough times and challenges in life, do you have an intense longing for GOD?

I can guess that many times those prayers are filled with what we need from God rather than for God’s presence.  There is nothing wrong with asking God for what we need, but we must realize that the greatest need of our lives is for God Himself, His holy presence.  Sometimes we need to look at things from God’s perspective. Let me put this question looking at it from God’s perspective.

How would you feel if your child only talked to you when he wanted something? How would you feel if he never climbed into your lap, or if he never begged you to play with him, or ever put his arms around you and hugged and kissed you?  Well, the heart of God must break when we His dear children, desire only what He can give us.  Surely He grieves when we do not long for Him and for His assuring presence!

God gave animals instincts that He didn’t give to human beings, but He gave human beings spiritual insight and revelation that He didn’t give to animals. The greatest reward for longing for God and seeking Him is in finding Him.  But we must seek Him with all our hearts. It is just like the deer who intensely longs for water that is how our soul must go after you, O Lord.  Augustine, a church father, said our hearts are restless until they rest in God. You’re made in the image of God.  You are made to know Him and to rest in Him.  How about you take some time today and read God’s word and meet with Him in prayer.

What is the basic message of Psalm 42?  While the psalmist speaks openly with God about his feelings, however, he also declares his determination to put all of his hope in God. He fully believes that while things are not great at the moment, because God is great, restoration is always right around the corner, even if it doesn't always fit our timelines or time table.

​Put your HOPE IN GOD today!

There is an old hymn we used to sing in church which was titled:  This World Is Not My Home by Albert Brumley.  This incredible hymn starts by reminding us that: 
 
                    This World is not our home we’re just a passing through
                    Our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
                    The angel beckons me from heaven’s open door
                     And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
 
The Bible says that for the Christian, this world is not our home (see Hebrews 13:14). 

The phrase not of this world is found in John 18:36 where Jesus says that His kingdom is “not of this world”.   We must stand and fight for what is truth and right on this earth, but we must never be so focused on earthly THINGS, and holding on so tightly to this world but rather we are to seek after the Heavenly Jerusalem.  Don’t miss the Kingdom of God to come...and don’t miss the KING.
 
America is important. The fight is important. But without a relationship with Jesus Christ, you'll be temporarily busy with no eternal impact. No hope for your future.  You will only believe that what we see in this life is all that there is.  Lift up your eyes and don't miss Jesus for the world.  Don’t say what others have said: “I’m  from Missouri I have to see it to believe it!”   We need to have faith.
 
Are you one of those people who say: Oh I don’t have faith.  BUT….you have faith that your alarm clock will wake you up for work.  You have faith that the brakes on your car will work when you are driving.  I can go on and on.  You get the point we have faith for the things we think are important.

Some 250 years ago, two young Moravian men heard of an island in the West Indies which was virtually owned by one plantation master. He was a violent man who treated his slaves with complete contempt. He would not allow them to know anything of Christianity; no minister was permitted to come and form a church among them. So these two young Moravian men, gripped with a burden for a group of people who might never hear about the love of Jesus, sold themselves into slavery to that plantation master. The money they received for their own lives they used to pay for their passage to get to the island. They gave up their lives to go and live among that community of slaves and bring them the gospel.

Their families came to the docks to bid them farewell, knowing it was highly doubtful they would ever see them again. As the ship pulled out of the harbor, with mothers crying on the shore, the last words ever heard from them was when one of the young men cried out from the ship’s deck: “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” That became the catch-cry of the small Moravian community, who sent out 2158 recorded missionaries all over the world. Jesus had died for people who would never hear the gospel unless someone went to tell them.

Some of you are saying when we hear of those two young men, we are tempted to think “That is not NORMAL! Selling yourself into slavery? Leaving all behind, even your grieving family. That is not normal.

Let me ask you this, what IS the “NORMAL” Christian life?  Having searched through what the Bible has to say, I would describe it this way: the normal Christian life is one of FULL DEVOTION to Jesus Christ. Anything less than TOTAL devotion to Him is inferior and is NOT what Jesus intends.

Giving up all our rights. Following Him. That is the NORMAL Christian life, as described by the Founder, full devotion to Jesus Christ.

Well, what would that entail? What does full devotion to Jesus look like? One person who was living the normal Christian life was the Apostle Paul – the man who wrote half of the New Testament. Read some of the Books in the Bible he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. and you will see what he said was full devotion to Jesus.

No matter where we live here on earth, we can claim the land we live only as temporary homeland. But scripture tells us that a time is coming when I will transfer my residence to my true home with my Savior in heaven.
 
This is what gives me peace and hope as I see world events unfolding.  We have to chose to give my life to Jesus, so that I could live my life for Jesus. Because of that decision, I know with certainty that I will not be here when the world passes through the coming great tribulation.
 
Everyone has that same choice, including you. You need to decide now whether, when the end times descend upon the people of this earth, you will be a heaven dweller or an earth dweller?

Are you a God pleaser or a man pleaser?  I have made my choice to reside with Jesus, and I pray that your choice will be the same.  Choose wisely and remember this world is not our [Eternal] home!

​Our spirit, is the only thing of value we have, is currently living in a temporary container called a "human body." This body ages, breaks, and eventually turns to dust. Fortunately, believers have the promise of a new life in eternity where our eternal spirit will get an upgraded container. This new container will be similar to Jesus' resurrected body:   [Jesus] who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory . . . —Philippians 3:21

The best thing about this "new" body is that it doesn't have the sin nature pulling us down.
 
There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him —Revelation 22:3.
 
And God promises we'll have this new condition "forever!"
to all generations forever and ever. —Ephesians 3:21
 
This is our hope as Christians!

Jesus said that your soul is worth more than the rest of the world all put together. He asked, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). It is impossible for us to grasp what is meant by “the whole world.” For this is not only the physical world or the geographical world. It includes the business world, the scientific world, the intellectual world. Jesus said that the soul is worth more than ALL the world.

Why is your soul so valuable?

First, the value of your soul is measured by its eternal quality. It will never die. You are going to live forever. Your body will die, but your soul, the part of you that is made in the image of God, will never die. Your soul—your spirit—will live forever. It is that part of you that has understanding and wisdom.

Today, as we come to the end of 2023, it seems as though all of technology is trying to do away with the soul of man.  That is what Metaverse (the old Facebook  re-named by Zuckerberg) is trying to do away with- yes the human soul and the sin problem we have since the Garden of Eden. Man is trying every which way to bypass the sin issue but they do not realize that what they are doing is sinning against a Holy God.  No one wants to accept that the evil they are doing is sin.  We close our eyes, we close our ears and we close our hearts so that we can say: “I am a good person,” when we really are not.  Remember even if you committed only one sin in your entire life you are still a sinner and not able to get into heaven on your own.

Many people have knowledge, but they don’t have wisdom. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). A great British historian once said some years ago, “Man, by his knowledge, has brought himself to total annihilation.”  Knowledge without God and without wisdom is very dangerous. That’s one of the problems in the world today. We have a lot of knowledge; we have a lot of learning, but the Bible says you can be “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). We lack the wisdom to use our knowledge.

Your soul is that part of you that has judgment. It makes decisions—moral decisions—what is good and what is bad. Your soul also involves your will. Your will chooses or rejects things that are brought before it. Your soul is that part of you that has emotion, like love and fear. It has memory—the mental capacity for storing up knowledge of ideas and events. There is something down inside us that is beyond science to know. The Bible calls it our soul, and our spirit.

We tend to put all of our emphasis on the body with its pleasures and its physical appetites. But the soul also has appetites. The soul longs for God. Down deep inside every person’s heart is a cry for something, but he or she  doesn’t quite know what it is. There is an emptiness and hole because man is a worshiping creature. He instinctively knows that there is something out there somewhere, and he longs to know that something or someone. Your soul longs for vital contact with God. Your soul is valuable because it is eternal—it is forever!
Secondly, the value of your soul is measured by the devil’s interest in it. Jesus said the devil is the prince of this world. He is the god of this age. The devil is really at work in our world, and he is after your soul.  Do you see it?????  Do you see all the evilness going on,  all the chaos and manipulation and lies being told????
God created a perfect world. He and man were friends. God never meant that there would be suffering and war and death. But Satan came. he was a mighty angel, possibly the greatest of all of God’s created beings, and he rebelled against God.

When God created the earth. He put humans in charge of the earth. God wanted someone in the universe whom He could love and who would return love to Him. So He gave man freedom of choice. God said to man, “I put one tree in this garden—you are not to eat its fruit. If you eat it, you will suffer and die” ( Genesis 3:3). God was testing man. He gave man the freedom of will.  The freedom to choose.

But the devil told man, “God doesn’t mean what he says. You’re not going to die. If you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will be as great as God” ( Genesis 3:4-6). So Eve ate the fruit first and then Adam, her husband, ate it too. And that was the first rebellion by people against God. God had to keep His word or He would not be a just God. He had said, “If you eat the fruit of that tree you will suffer and die.” Man ate of the tree, and since then he has been suffering and dying.

HOWEVER, God did have a plan. God said, “In spite of their rebellion, I am going to save the human race. I am going to send my Son to this earth.” And every step of the way the devil tried to kill God’s Son, even when He was a baby. Finally, when God’s Son was on the cross, it looked as if the devil had won a great victory, but instead the devil lost his greatest battle. When Jesus died, the devil suffered a mighty defeat, because on the third day Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The Bible says Jesus has “the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). Christ is alive, and He is coming back to this earth again!

God is building His Kingdom, but the devil is also building his. Even though Satan is a defeated foe, he is still working. In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus said, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19). Jesus pictured Satan as an enemy battling and bidding for the souls of people.

Third, the value of your soul is measured by God’s concern for saving your soul. God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
 
“What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
 
God sees your soul as the most valuable thing in the world, so valuable that He sent His only Son to the cross to suffer and die so that your soul may be saved. And if you were the only person in the whole universe, Christ would have died for you.
 
Fourth, the value of your soul is measured by the severity of its loss. It is terrible when a person loses his health, or his money, or his friends, or, worse still, his character; but what about the loss of a soul? 
 
I live in the mountains of Tennessee and many times in the woods or forests or near the large lakes and populated cities children are abducted or get lost. Many people come to help—the military sends helicopters and soldiers. They bring in specially trained dogs. Everything possible is done to find the child. The newspapers print the story, and the television and radio stations report the story. We get Amber alerts on our phones and computers and specially designed machines in our homes.  But if a man’s soul is lost, that isn’t reported by the media- no Amber alerts signal. Yet, the soul is worth more than all the world.
Suppose you had all the gold in the world and all the clothes you could ever dream of owning, and you lived in a magnificent home, and owned all the oil in the Middle East.   it was all yours, but you lost your soul. Jesus said it would be a poor bargain. Even if you could get everything you wanted, it wouldn’t give you peace. You would still be searching. Great riches cannot make you happy. Much pleasure cannot make you happy. Only the peace of God coming into your heart through Jesus Christ can bring peace and joy and happiness.

Fifth, the value of your soul is measured by the price paid for its salvation., its deliverance. The Bible says, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

I have a question for you:  What are you doing with your soul? Are you gambling with your soul, taking a chance with it?   I am asking you to make sure of your relationship with Christ.  Christ demands more than just churchgoing, more than doing a check off list, more than just baptism, more than just being good. He demands your total surrender—the surrender of your mind, your heart, your body, every part of you—to the Lordship of Christ. If you have a doubt in your heart that you have totally surrendered to Christ, do it now. Make sure of your salvation. Make certain that you know Christ.  Repent of your sins. Confess your sins, acknowledge them and turn away from them.  Accept and receive Jesus Christ into your heart by faith, making a total commitment to Him, and to Him alone.  So easy and so simple even a child can do it.  This is not for adults only. 

There is a chorus we used to sing in church:
          THANK YOU LORD FOR SAVING MY SOUL
          THANK YOU LORD FOR MAKING ME WHOLE
          THANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING TO ME
          THY GREAT SALVATION SO FULL AND FREE.

Can you sing the words of that song and truly mean it?  If yes, GREAT you have made the most important and valuable choice already!   If no, then don't let today pass without asking the LORD to save your soul!  You will be eternally happy that you made that choice!

GOD BLESS!

Everybody wants or thinks they are going to go to Heaven when they die, but nobody wants to die.  Have you noticed that lately? We forget that we are all terminal.  You have to go through something to get to something. You have to go through death to get to Heaven, and you have to go through death to yourself (dying to self) to get to the victorious, abundant life. Heaven is a real place described in the Bible. The word “heaven” is found 276 times in the New Testament alone.
 
In the Bible in John 10:10 Jesus said: "I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.”  Jesus didn’t say, “I have come that you might have death,” but Jesus said, you might have life.   We won’t receive this life until we’re sick and tired of our old life. Not until we say, “Yes, to Jesus, because you died for me and I died with you. And I thank God, when you rose, because I will rise with you.”
 
People have different ideas about heaven. Many have no understanding of God at all, but still like to think of heaven as the "better place" where we all go when we die. If you asked people about their ideas about heaven their answers are often no more than vague hopes, similar to "maybe I’ll win the lottery some day."  Let’s face it most people don’t give heaven much thought until they attend a funeral or a loved one dies. It is popular to refer to heaven as the place where "the good people go." And of course, everyone they know and love is included in the category of "good people".
 
In the Bible those who were believers remind us that the funeral of Christians while filled with grief and the separation that comes with it also has bright hope.  For the Christian death is not the end.  We look forward beyond our own time on earth and realize that we have comfort in God and what is awaiting us.
 
Why is there so much interest in Heaven?  Well, the heavens are a creation of God along with the earth.  God made everything: the heavens and the earth.  The heavens belong to Him.  The Bible also refers to heaven as God’s dwelling place.  The Bible says that the heavens are His throne and the earth is His footstool.  Are you getting a picture of the greatness of God?  As awesome as the heavens are as they are described in the Bible, but God is not contained in them or even in the highest heavens.  He overfills the heavens and the earth!
 
But now that I said this about heaven the Bible also tells us that the heaven will disintegrate and disappear like smoke.  Then God will create a new heaven and a new earth that will exist eternally for His people.  But only if you have made a commitment to Christ while you are alive then you will spend eternity with Him in heaven.
 
Because of Jesus we understand even better than the Saints of the Bible what awaits us in Heaven.  Yes, death’s sting still hurts.  But we know that the death of the body is our induction into a full experience of eternal life.  The death of a loved one hurts but death is not life’s end, it is our entry into a full experience of that eternal life promised to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Redeemer and soon coming Lord.
 
You want to get to heaven?  Then, while you are alive you must make your commitment to serve Him.  NOW is the time and please humble yourself before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Accept by faith what He did on that Cross for you.  Believe on Him and His Word and then Confess it to others.  That is sending your reservation ahead for your place at the King’s table and His Kingdom eternally.  Do it today!  That is how you make it to Heaven.  
 
The people who go to heaven are all alike in one way: they are all sinners who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). They have recognized their need for a Savior and humbly accepted God’s offer of forgiveness. They have repented of their old ways of living and set their course to follow Christ (Mark 8:34; John 15:14). They have not attempted to earn God’s forgiveness but have served him gladly from grateful hearts (Psalm 100:2). The kind of faith that saves a soul is one that transforms a life (James 2:26; 1 John 3:9-10) and rests fully on the grace of God.
 
Years ago, I heard someone say that Heaven is a place of “no mores”.   There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow (Revelation 21:4). There will be no more separation, because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6). The best thing about heaven is the presence of our Lord and Savior (1 John 3:2). We will be face to face with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
 
Well, do you know for sure that you have eternal life and that you will go to heaven when you die? God wants you to be sure! The Bible says: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Suppose you were standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” What would you say? You may not know what to reply. What you need to know is that God loves us and has provided a way that we can know for sure where we will spend eternity. The Bible states it this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 
 
Accept His free gift today, so that you will know where you will be one blink after you die.

Many times, when we go to church or we listen to a church sermon on television and radio or we hear other Christians and they use phrases over and over again: it is important for us to understand what these phrases or words mean.  It helps us to get a true perspective of what it means to be a true Christian.  One of those phrases you may hear over and over again is the concept of “dying to self” which is found throughout the New Testament.  If you listen to that phrase some may say: “Do I have to kill myself if I become a Christian? No, No, No. It expresses the true heart of the Christian life, in which we take up our cross and follow Christ. Dying to self is part of being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3–7). Not only are Christians born again when we get saved, but we also continue “dying to self “as part of the process of sanctification. As such, dying to self is both a one-time event and also a life long daily process.
 
In John 12:24 (NKJV) we are told: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much."
 
Jesus had to die on the Cross so we could live and we have to die to our desires, our wishes, our wants so Jesus can live through us.  Jesus revealed His death to us by using the picture of a grain of wheat.  God would exalt Jesus as King because He did what the Father had wished; He died for the sins of the entire world.  That includes you and me and everyone all down through the ages.
 
If we follow through on that seed example we get a clearer picture of what the Bible is trying to tell us.  If you keep the seed out of the ground all you have is the seed. If you put a seed into a paper bag you still only have only a seed. But when that seed is planted in the ground and watered and given sun then it grows. You bury it in the ground, it dies and then it rises up. Sounds a lot like a resurrection!!! So it sounds like there better be some spiritual funerals.   Dying to self means dying to my agenda, and giving my all to  the plans that Jesus has for my life.  That means allowing His plans for me to take first place.
 
But… this seems to be so difficult!  We do not want to humble ourselves.  Why do we struggle so?  Why do we want to be in control???   The Bible says; Our lives are not our own.   It’s time to give up and give in to Him. The Master (Jesus) says: 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. (Mark 8:34). He said that to the people and to us, His disciples, in case you were wondering.
 
When Jesus called them to "take up their cross," their 1st Century ears perked - up because they truly understood exactly what He meant: it was a call to die to themselves. In 1st Century Rome, the cross was not a lovely, gold decoration worn around the neck; it was a cruel instrument of torture and death. No one (besides Jesus) ever went to the cross and came back alive.   Let’s face it we can waste our lives saying this life is all about me, myself and I.  But do you know those 3 little words: me, myself and I, is the greatest roadblock for God to move and make a difference in our lives?  That is an issue of pride.
 
If you go back to Genesis 3 in the Bible, in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned and it continues on today: our flesh fights God’s spirit.  You do know that the way we think things should be and the way we think things ought to happen and what the Word of God says…. is completely opposite.  You and I must die to our selves.   We have to die to our desires, wants and plans.
 
Then Galatians 2:20 should be our battle strategy:    "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
 
So, are we holding on to the things we want?  Just like a little child who has a temper tantrum and stamps his feet, holds his breath and won’t move or obey.  We all have choices to make.  You do know that we can live a life of obedience to God, or a life of disobedience. But remember, as Christians, we owe our flesh nothing. Your flesh hasn’t done a single thing for you. We all have this idea that when we die and we are before Jesus Christ that we are going to tell Him who we are, all we were, and what we did for Him, but that is not the truth.  There is no scripture to back that up.  Paul said you are not obligated to the flesh; you are obligated to the Spirit.
 
Well, which one are you feeding?  Are you feeding your flesh or your Spirit?  We have to stop feeding the flesh for when you kill the flesh you live. Most believers want to serve God and give him their all. But somehow, we manage to fall short. The spirit is willing – that is, the heart, the desire is there, but the flesh is weak – the ability to get it done falls short. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak it gets in the way. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is lazy. The spirit is willing, but the flesh makes excuses. Flesh and spirit constantly struggle for control of you. We must base everything we do on God’s Word.
 
You see in Galatians 2:20. Paul explains to the Galatian church the process of dying to self as one in which he has been “crucified with Christ,” and now Paul no longer lives, but Christ lives in him. Paul’s old life, with its leaning toward sin and to follow the ways of the world, is dead, and the new Paul is the dwelling place of Christ who lives in and through him. This does not mean that when we “die to self” we become inactive or insensible, nor do we feel ourselves to be dead. Rather, dying to self means that the things of the old life are put to death, most especially the sinful ways and lifestyles in which we were engaged.

Dying to self is never portrayed in the Bible as something optional in the Christian life. It is the reality of the new birth; no one can come to Christ unless he is willing to see his old life crucified with Christ and begin to live again in obedience to Him. Jesus describes lukewarm followers who try to live partly in the old life and partly in the new as those whom He will spit out of His mouth (Revelation 3:15–16). That lukewarm condition characterized the church of Laodicea as well as many churches today. Being “lukewarm” is a symptom of unwillingness to die to self and to live for Christ. Death to self is not an option for Christians; it is a choice that leads to eternal life. 

Our primary responsibility in life is to die to self through meekness and humility. Remember Christ is in control.  To accomplish this we should draw our strength from the Lord. In our pursuit of following Jesus, there are temporary, earthly pleasures we must be willing to pass up. We will be laughed at, mocked, ridiculed, and shamed by those who don't understand.   At those times we must fully and completely trust in God.  Do God’s will, and you will be greater and happier than any king, Jesus, the Son of Man died a physical death to give us eternal life, but now our new life in Him necessitates following Him by dying to self. (Galatians 2:20)

Yes, it is difficult, but like Jesus’ illustration of a grain of wheat, it will bear abundant fruit. When wheat is buried, dies, and germinates, it produces a stalk topped by a head with fifty-plus kernels – each ready to keep on producing.  What about you, do you wish to see Jesus? And do you want others to see Christ alive in you? Then determine to take up your cross – that instrument of death – and embrace the very thing that chafes and causes you sorrow. Crucify every fleshly desire contrary to God’s will and live with one purpose: following Him.”
 I know we all believe that: “I am in control of my life, we believe that I lead and we expect Jesus Christ to follow our lead.”  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  We are to let Jesus go first and then we follow Him.  Yes, abundance is a sign of life but it begins by dying to our selfish desires and plans and following Jesus Christ. 

If we realize that God is in control we will seldom become depressed or anxious about why God doesn’t do things our way. We won’t expect Him to. And we will seldom wonder why God hasn’t blessed our plans when we have gone through all the trouble to make them and we even asked God to bless our plans.  As Christians we should seek His will first and not take our plans and desires and to get the majority opinion. We waste so much time checking on what everyone else thinks and their opinions.  Let us bring our plans and hopes and desires to Christ in prayer for He is truly our hope and joy.

The first thing I am going to say about abortion is that it is a sin.  Most people do not want to hear that word -- SIN.  Everyone wants to eliminate it from our language, but it is a real thing with real consequences. 

According to the Bible, abortion is equal to murder, yes, the murder of an unborn infant.  You can call it a  “blob of flesh” or a non-entity but the sonograms show us that human life is an infant and it is real. They suck their thumbs, they move their hands and feet.  They are just smaller than we are, but they are a life.
 
In the Bible, in the Old Testament  in Genesis 9:6 and Exodus 21:12 the penalty for murder is laid out.  In the New Testament the death penalty for murder is also clearly implied in Romans 13:1-7 and in Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 22:15 it says that murderers are kept outside the heavenly Jerusalem.  So, to God, the killing of an unborn infant is murder. You are guilty of that murder just as if you pulled a trigger of a gun to kill a person.
 
The Bible also teaches that the baby (fetus), from conception is a person, a living soul.  Psalm 51:5 when King David said: I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  David was saying from the moment of conception he was a person.  He was indeed a person.
 
If we go further on with that thinking of killing someone who is not wanted, then what happens to theperson that is handicapped or to the aged or the senile.   Some states have been looking for ways to condone the murder of babies even after the moment of birth.  But, what is next?  What is to stop the murder of a two year old who is “in the way" or the 50 year old that no one bothers with, what about a disrespectful teenager, what is next.   Consider what happened during the Holocaust when Nazi Germans murdered Jewish people because they were believed to be useless members of society.  The Nazi's murdered 6 million Jews.  And in case you are wondering, yes, the Holocaust really happened.
 
The question we should all ask ourselves is "what is the next category of human beings who someone will make a case, that need to be destroyed"?   There is a quote from a Martin Neimoller concerning what happened in Germany:
 
In Germany they came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up
because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left
to speak up for me.”
― Martin Niemöller
 
 
Something to think about:  It is not about convenience and all the other things that people use to justify their choices today.   Remember God’s command; Thou shalt not kill.

Maybe you have had an abortion or have encouraged others to have abortions and now you feel guilty.   The good news is that there is still forgiveness of sins.  When JESUS died on the cross for our sins, he didn't die for just some of them, he died for ALL of our sins.   Seek JESUS today and ask him to forgive you for ALL of your sins.   Get involved in a good, CHRIST centered / Bible based, recovery group and you can live in the joy that comes through forgiveness.

​Every Christian should know the gospel and be able to explain the gospel. Sadly, some Christians struggle with knowing what passages or truths to reference when sharing the gospel, or they know a few basic truths like, “Jesus died for your sins,” or “God loves you.” As believers, we ought to “…..and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

But how can we do this effectively? The Romans Road can be a fantastic tool for learning, retaining, practicing, and then sharing the gospel. This “journey” through the gospel message comes straight from the letter of Romans and allows a believer to easily turn to passages of Scripture if sitting with someone who needs to hear the gospel, or to remember passages that highlight the foundational elements of the gospel.

Here are the 5 “stops” you should make as you journey along the Romans Road:

Stop #1 | Romans 3:23“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
The word “gospel” literally means good news! The reason it’s good news is that there is bad news. Why would anyone ever believe they need to hear the gospel or believe the gospel unless they understood their need for the gospel? That’s where this passage comes in. Romans 3:23 is a foundational reminder that we are all sinners. No one is righteous (Romans 3:10-12), no one is good, and no one keeps the Ten Commandments perfectly. God is holy, and every single human being who has ever lived does not perfectly live up to God’s standard. Whether you’ve sinned once, or are serving a life sentence in prison for murder, whoever fails to keep the whole law in one point is accountable for all of it according to God’s standard (James 2:10).

Sin is a reality that needs to be presented if we are going to understand the gospel. Everybody is a sinner. Being a sinner separates us from having a relationship with a holy God.  We all need a solution.


Stop #2 | Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The second stop on the Romans Road emphasizes the unconditional love of God towards the sinner whom He is willing to save. We were unlovable, but He loved us. We were hopeless, but He gives hope. We couldn’t save ourselves, but Christ could. In our spiritually dead and sinful condition (Ephesians 2:1), God chose to show mercy, love, and kindness to us.

This passage brings Christ into the forefront and provides an opportunity to integrate Him into the good news.  JESUS IS THE SOLUTION to the separation from GOD that we all face!   If it wasn’t for God sending His Son to deal with sin, we could never be saved from the penalty of sin. That is where the new stop on our journey comes in.


Stop #3 | Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
After stops 1 and 2, a person might readily accept that everyone is a sinner, that God loves us, and that Jesus died for us. But stop number 3 takes us deeper into the bad news, before highlighting more of the good news.

Upon hearing that “the wages of sin is death,” someone might ask, what does that mean? This stop provides you with the opportunity to highlight God’s wrath towards sin, His dealings with the unrighteous, and the reality of a literal heaven and a literal hell (Romans 1:18-32; Matthew 13:42; Revelation 21:8). The earned payment for sin — all sin — is death. Much like a human court system has a standard of law that if not kept leads to punishment, God has a law and there is punishment for not keeping it. More than that, as human beings who readily admit that we are sinners, we must also admit that we cannot keep God’s law faithfully. Therefore, we all are condemned in God’s court and deserve the wages for our sin: DEATH.

But Romans 6:23 also includes good news! In contrast to our inability to keep the law of God and our wages earned by sin, God gives the gracious gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. This aspect of the gospel provides you with the opportunity to know and share what Jesus did on the cross. He died in the sinner’s place. He paid the penalty for sin so the sinner wouldn’t have to. He gave His life so you could live. By “eternal life,” the Bible means that you don’t need to die and end up in hell forever. You don’t have to experience the judgment of God upon sin for all eternity. You can live in heaven with Him for all eternity after this life ends. The Bible teaches that everyone will die (everyone knows this is true) and that after death in this life comes a moment of judgment (Hebrews 9:27). That moment of judgment does not need to end badly.
God has given us a gift. His name is Jesus Christ.


Stop #4 | Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ…”
This is really good news! If you are “in Christ”, that means you’ve put your faith in Him, believing that He died for you and rose again from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4).  Anyone in Christ is not going to be condemned for their sin and will not go to hell. If that’s you, then you don’t need to walk around feeling guilty or shameful over your sin once you’ve believed in Christ because your sin is washed away (1 John 1:7).


Stop #5 | Romans 10:9 “…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…”
The final stop is where the rubber meets the road! 
     Do you believe that Jesus is Lord?
     Do you believe He was the Son of God who died for your sin and rose from the dead?
     Are you willing to confess your sin, accepting the bad news that you are spiritually bankrupt without God’s help?
     Are you willing to accept the good news that God has made a way for you to have a relationship with Him and be saved from the penalty of sin, which is His wrath?

Through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s power can change you!   You don’t have to live a life of brokenness and bondage, you don’t have to be hopeless. Jesus can set you free.  Jesus can give you hope that we ALL need!

The question is often asked, how do I know if I’m saved? The simple answer is that if you have truly believed in Jesus Christ and put your faith in Him, God will transform you.  The old ways of sin that you used to enjoy are going to fade, and the new life you live in Christ will dominate your passions (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In a world looking for solutions to the brokenness of human sin, the gospel declares that Jesus is the ONLY answer.   Trust HIM as your Lord and Savior today!

Have you ever noticed that some of the saddest words in the English language begin with the letter "D"?  Words like disappointment, doubt, disillusionment, defeat, despair and death.  Human hope is a fragile thing and when it withers away it is difficult to revive.  Hopelessness is a disease of the human spirit and it is very difficult to cure. We find signs of it everywhere.
 
Even many Christians today have lost their hope.  We see what is going in the world.  We see what is happening to our families. We see what is happening in our churches and even in our country.  We become hopeless and we give in to that feeling of hopelessness.  

The last thing that someone needs who is feeling hopeless is a brisk cheering- up talk and they do not need to be told to “snap out of it”.  Let us love them by listening to them and we can pray with them and we can pray for them and perhaps even cry with them.
 
The events unfolding around the world today are another significant step closer to the conclusion of history as described in the scriptures. I am not seeking to sensationalize the political and military actions being taken but to share with you my conviction that we must not overlook their significance to the spiritual climate of the world.  Many non-Christian people are sensing for the first time a genuine hopelessness. An anxiety as to how this escalating conflict will radically change life on this planet. A fear of increasing terrorist attacks, political fanaticism, global pandemic and social unrest.  What hope can there possibly be for a better world for our children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren?  Where can we find hope for the present, let alone our future?  Where can our friends, family, neighbors. co-workers and people turn to for hope?
 
The Bible fully understands that hope is vital to all living people.  In Proverbs 13:12 scripture tells us that Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
 
There are so many ways that HOPE is shattered in this day and age.  Through broken bodies: sickness, disease, and disasters.  Broken homes through divorces, violence, debt, and death.  Through broken lives:  drugs, alcohol, crime, desertion.  Broken dreams: ambition, failure, defeats, disappointments.  These all seem to be symptoms of our modern society and today they are affecting millions of people, depriving them of peace, happiness and ultimately hope.
 
Science tells us that “we can live forty days without food, eight days without water, four minutes without air, but only a few seconds without hope”    But what do we really mean by HOPE?

In the Bible the word used in the Greek is Elpis and means ‘a favorable and confident expectation’. It has to do with a positive vision of the unseen and the future.  Hope is not wishful thinking, or a vague ambition. Hope is not wanting things to turn out well, while remaining uncertain that they actually will.  Hope is the absolute certainty we have that God is good and that His promises are true and amen. Hope is actually personalized in Jesus himself, He is our hope!
 
Colossians 1:27 27 tell us To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:…….Christ in you, the hope of glory.
 
If you read the New Testament,  you will be challenged by those historical figures who are prominent in the New Testament.  You see that their hope, even in the midst of gloom and doom, is unbelievable!   They had more reasons to be hopeless than we do in this generation.  When the Church first began the social, political and economic conditions were unbearable.  Half of the people were slaves.  Most of the people were hungry.  They were paying more than half of whatever income they made to Imperial Rome.  There were continuous rebellions, uprisings, protests of all kinds.  History tells us that during the reign of Emperor Nero, Christians were executed by the thousands.  Nero is reported to have smeared the bodies of Christians with pitch and set them on fire as torches for his garden parties.  This is documented in history but the Christians did not let that stop them from maintaining.  They radiated HOPE even in the midst of adversity!  They talked about their hope in Jesus and they sang of their hope in Jesus.  They experienced the love of God through His Son Jesus Christ.  They had experienced His resurrection Power which was always transforming despair into hope, and death into life.  They counted themselves fortunate to have suffered for the cause of Christ.
 
This world needs people with a confident hope. Not a misplaced, weak and fragile hope but a secure hope. The words of Jesus himself teach us that things are going to get worse before they get better, especially for the Christian.
 
Matthew 24:6 - 8 says And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.   All these are the beginning of sorrows.
 
Our Lord is trying to warn us so that we may be prepared.  HE is saying -- see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must and will happen.  (All the prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled).  You see the reasons the world around us has for hopelessness are our very reasons for HOPE!  We see these happenings as distressing as everybody else, yet we see a reason to them and what they are pointing towards.  To convince others that there is hope we need ourselves to be convinced. God’s people are not expected to live dictated by world circumstances but by the principles and promises of God’s kingdom.  We have the greatest hope of all … and HIS NAME IS JESUS!!!!
 
Remember, "We wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13)
 
Keep looking up!