What's going on?

Things are on hold; don't you think that maybe God is trying to get our attention?

Jas 4:4  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

Jas 4:5  Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? 

Jas 4:6  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Jas 4:8  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

This Corona Virus plague has caused the world to shut down. Never has it been like this before in my lifetime. Yet, the world, it's thoughts and behavior are fed to us by the media. All the news wears me out. Escaping to violent or evil entertainment on computers or television keeps the mind captive to the worldly thinking of corrupt godless minds. 

I consider this time as a wake up call. Many souls were perishing before this plague.  It just seems like things could end more quickly now. It is a time to walk wisely in this beautiful creation of God. Seek the things of God and put your efforts towards being a blessing to others. We are more fulfilled when we are following God and not the world's thinking. Now is a good time to get things done on a personal level. What is it that God would have us to do?

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Gopher Wood

Gen 6:14  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 

What is Gopher wood? According the the Concordance, it is Cypress wood. A boat must be water resistant and free from rot, does Cypress wood meet the criteria?  I went to a wood data base; wood-database .com for the answers. I chose the Mediterranean Cypress as the probable species. Here are the data for this wood.

Rot Resistance: Rated as durable; mixed resistance to insect attack.

Common Uses: Utility lumber, fence posts, musical instruments (flamenco guitars), furniture, boatbuilding, and turned objects.

Workability: Overall easy to work with hand and machine tools, though areas around knots can be problematic. Reportedly difficult to steam bend. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

If the Ark were as a box then the wood would work, but if it was to be bent, it would not be a good choice.  In college woodworking class I had a project to make; a window seat. The original was to be of mahogany, but I chose to use Black Walnut. The wood required bending, so it was placed in a wood steamer, looking like a large water heater with a door.  I tried to bend the wood into the shape needed for the project, but it repeatedly would break.  So because the Mediterranean Cyprus could not be steam bent, it may still have been in some curved form, as often depicted. What does the Bible say about it's shape?

Gen 6:15  And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 

Gen 6:16  A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 

Sounds like it was in the shape of a box.

Comments: Mediterranean Cypress is a long-lived tree, with a lifespan over 1,000 years; one specimen in Iran is estimated to be roughly 4,000 years old.

The wood was caulked with tar.  I could imagine that someday this ark may finally be found because of the durability of its structure.

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The Gospel

The word gospel in the Bible is from two similar Greek words in which we get the term "evangelist." An evangelist is a person who preaches the good news. The gospel is the good news, the glad tidings. Jesus spoke the gospel of the kingdom. He will return to earth to establish his kingdom. The people in the kingdom will have their sins forgiven because of the good news that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that he is risen and at the right hand of God the Father. Basically the gospel is in two parts. The gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mat 9:35  And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

Mar 1:15  and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

Mar 10:29  Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 
Mar 10:30  who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 

Mar 10:31  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” 

Jesus himself is the good news for all people who will receive him.  His coming is the gospel, the good news that by repenting, turning from our wicked ways and by coming to him our sins are forgiven. The events of his life are the gospel, our good news. Paul explains the gospel:

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 
Rom 1:17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

1Co 15:1  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 
1Co 15:2  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 
1Co 15:3  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 
1Co 15:4  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 
1Co 15:5  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 
1Co 15:6  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 
1Co 15:7  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 
1Co 15:8  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 

No fake news here. Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom and then we are to preach that he accomplished the way for us, through his sinless life and death, burial and resurrection. Through him we receive entrance to his kingdom and eternal life.

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The Way of Life

At the beginning of our online ministry there were not many Bible study materials. Now there are an abundance of reference sources for the Bible. There are many ministries available online and recently we who gather in our Chat Room are sharing daily devotions from various ministries. There are many places to drink the water of God's word. His word is true and it is living. Over and over I read in the devotions that we are to hear from God and to do what he says. In a born again believer is the Holy Spirit who guides us in all truth.

John 3:1  Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 
John 3:2  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 
John 3:3  Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 
John 3:4  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 
John 3:5  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 
John 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 
John 3:7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 
John 3:8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 

Jesus explained that there is a natural man, born of water and then there is a spiritual man, born of the Spirit of God. He continues to explain the way to receive the spirit; it is by receiving Jesus as our savior from our sins. Whosoever believes in him, their sins are forgiven and they become children of God forever. 

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 
John 3:17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 
John 3:18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 
John 3:19  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 
John 3:20  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 
John 3:21  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” 

Dear reader, do not fear to come to God. He has offered his only begotten son to pay the price for your sins. Receive Jesus as your savior and ask for the Holy Spirit to fill your heart, making it new. Then you will walk in the light of God's presence and truth. You have everything to gain and he will never leave you nor forsake you. Pray now to allow Jesus to save you. Confess your sins, he will forgive them and you will enter into  God's kingdom forever. Life is hard alone, with Jesus we are never alone. There now, I have shared what is on my heart.

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Urgency

Exo 13:21  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

My desire was to be in a business doing something that I enjoyed doing.  I had decided that photography was something that I very much enjoyed. It was a way of stopping time, to capture a view of life and to look at the beauty through my eyes and to share it with others.  In time I had a desire to purchase a building for a photo studio.  I went to my pastor and asked him his opinion of purchasing a building in an old section of a nearby town. He said, " what have you to gain and what have you to lose?" I would go forward by faith; it was 1981. It was a terrible time to buy for the interest rates were 18%.  The Lord did bless us and we eventually paid off the balance of what we owed. A reputation was built from doing something I enjoyed. Once the building was purchased I shifted attention to the AOL chats. I witnessed in the chats and because this was the beginning of people getting online, I talked to thousands in the chat rooms. Hundreds gave their hearts to Jesus, some with great miracles. I was dedicated to witnessing online.

Things changed. My beloved wife Faye began having health problems and the business closed in 2013.  Faye went to Jesus in 2017. The chat rooms stopped when AOL was sold. The roof of the business leaked and things remained static until the roof was finally fixed. Now there is a rumor that the city may condemn the buildings because of California code changes. It is time to gather up anything of value before things end.  Suddenly there is an urgency to get things in order. Whatever happens I will do what I can. The Lord has been with me throughout the years and he will provide. 
It used to be that owning a business building was a wise investment. Things do change. We keep moving as we see the Lord leading us.

Luk 12:33  Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 
Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

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The Power of God's Word

When I rededicated my life to Jesus, I went to a Baptist Church in Cottonwood. The preacher said that God is good and the devil is bad. There is good and there is evil. The Bible is all true, it is the word of God. He preached the word from the Bible with the congregation following him in their Bibles. We interpret the Bible by the Bible. It is the living word of God. It has power to save you from hell.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Jesus shed his blood on a cross to pay the price for our sins. He is the Son of God born of a virgin. A miracle birth of the Messiah that was promised to Israel. By believing in Jesus are sins are forgiven. We must be sorry for our sins, give them to Jesus and repent, leave them and seek to obey God as his disciples.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

I had been saved after God came to me in a dream in the hospital. I had an encounter that changed my life. I had a deadly cancer and after many surgeries and treatments, God healed me at the age of twenty.  Things happened in my life that broke my heart and I was away from the church for 7 years. The Holy Spirit was still with me as I was changed, and able to do more things as a new creation. I lacked the study of God's word. What I was hearing from the new church was that I could trust in God's word. Jesus saves us from our sins. This is the good news, the gospel message; that Jesus died for our sins and is risen and ascended to God the Father.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The fruit of the word is salvation and healing of souls and the body if in his will. We all will die, but we should be in God's purpose and plan while we live in this world. 

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Grab a hold of the promises of God and meet the requirements to receive them. We receive them by faith. People may disappoint you, but God is faithful, in His time.

Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Our strength is in God. The Bible says that all who are godly shall suffer persecution. Some fall away when persecution or the cares of this life overwhelm them.

Mat 13:20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
Mat 13:21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

We need to be rooted in the word so that we can withstand persecution.  On my internet ministry, there were many saved from being sex slaves; when they received Jesus and believed the word of God. One verse helped many to escape bondage.

1Co 10:13 No temptation (or trial) has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

He will provide you a way to escape your trial or temptation. Many are free today because God freed them from sin and the devil.

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Because He Lives

1Pe 1:18  knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; 
1Pe 1:19  but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ: 
1Pe 1:20  who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake, 

You can buy almost any material thing with silver and gold, but the soul and spirit money cannot buy. Someone may pretend to love for money, but real love comes from a pure heart, coming from God above. God loves us so much that he sent Jesus. This was the plan from the beginning of time.  The Christmas story celebrates his coming in the most humble way; born in a stable of poor parents. He was fully human, born of  the virgin Mary and he is the only begotten Son of God, who had no sin. At the fullness of time he came to redeem us by his own blood as an eternal atonement for our sins. This Christmas time is a time of joy, because Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes our sins away when we believe in him. We shall live forever in God's family by believing that Jesus has done this for us. We willingly serve our Lord, our Great High priest and the King of Kings; because he lives we shall live with him forever, amen.

Because He Lives

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