Signs Of The Times

There are signs all around in the world, shouting out to us telling us that something is going to happen. It seems as if nature is trying to tell us something and people can tell that the world is not right. People realize that something is going to happen, they just don't realize what exactly will. Have you ever wondered what is going on in this world? Hopefully today I will be able to explain what exactly is happening in this world.

In Matthew 24 Jesus' disciples asked Him how they would know when the end of the world would be here. Jesus responded with a description of different signs that they would see, before I tell a few of those signs I also want to mention that Jesus warned His disciples not to be deceived, He told them this three times, so it must be important. 

The signs which Jesus gave were wars and rumor and wars, pestilence, famines, earthquakes in diverse places (aka in places that don't normally have earthquakes). The stars shall fall, the moon shall be as blood, and the sun shall be darkened. The past two came to past in the 1800's the last one took place in 1780 and everyone thought that the world was coming to an end, but those that studied knew that these were the beginning of the signs that Jesus talked about.

We have always had these things going on in the world such as earthquakes and famines etc. It is like a pregnancy, at first the contractions aren't bad, but then they get closer and closer together and more hard and fast and more of them, then the baby comes. This is like the signs of the times, there is more of these signs and they come harder on the world than ever before, and the signs are faster and coming more frequent! That means that the Lord is soon to arrive, just like when the contractions get so bad finally the baby arrives.

These signs we have seen far wide, all we ever see on the news now a days is wars and rumor of wars, famines, earthquakes, fires, and bad weather in general are taking place all over the world and in places we would never even imagine! This all points to the end of the world, it all points to Jesus' soon return to take His children home to heaven with Him. It means no more sin, no more suffering, no more death! Yes these signs are everywhere.

Many people fear the end of the world, they are afraid of what is to come, they don't want to die they are afraid to die. Those who love the Lord and are looking forward to His coming, do not fear His coming, they are waiting anxiously to leave this wicked world. They are not afraid to die, because they know that the next face that they will see is the Lord Himself. 

The time is now, and the moment is now to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of the Lord. There will come a time when we can not do this, so now is the time to get ready, the signs are all around us warning us that the Lord is about to make His move. Now is the time for revival and reformation.

We must not only work to prepare ourselves and to get our characters right with the Lord, but also to help and be a witness to others as well. Time is running short what with all the things that are happening in the news. The pope having all the religions uniting together and talk of the Sunday Law going into effect. Calling it a day to spend with your family. Things are only going to get worse, it is high time to awake out of sleep. We are nearer now than when we have ever been before. This world is not going to last much longer, and the doors of probation is about to close. Let us come to the Lord with fear and trembling, and also gratitude that He gave us His Son so that we can be made whole in Him.

I want to be ready for Jesus soon coming, don't you?

A Day of Rest

There is something special that happens this time of the week, it happens every Friday at sundown. This is my favorite part of the week, want to know why? Well hopefully I can explain it to you well enough in this blog. =)

It started a long, and I mean a long time ago. Way back when God first created the world, He did it in 6 days, on the 7th day He said that it would be a holy day a time to rest from work, also a time to remember what He had done in the 6 days before. God rested on the 7th day, not because He was tired but to show us an example.

God knew that mankind would work themselves to their death if they didn't have a day to put aside their work and rest. During that time when man would rest he would remember what God did when He created the world. "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath..." Mark 2:27

This Sabbath day was remembered for thousands of years, even Jesus Himself rested on the Sabbath day, the Bible says it was Jesus' custom to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Even when Jesus was dead, He rested on the Sabbath, then on the first day of the week He arose from His sleep.

God wanted to make sure that we saw how important this day was for Him, so He wrote that commandment on stone, it is known as the 4th Commandment, written by God's own finger! Now that is important, if God thought it was just another thing to toss aside He wouldn't have taken the time to write it with His own finger and on stone at that!

Now you must be wondering something, why does most of the world worship on Sunday if God ordained Saturday as the true Sabbath day? Constantine, who claimed to be a Christian himself, was the first emperor to declare that the day was to be changed to Sunday to worship, and not on Saturday. You see the church slowly began to celebrate Sunday as a festival to remember Jesus' resurrection, it was time for rejoicing and a happy time. While on Saturday or Sabbath it was to be a solemn time and very serious.

It is no wonder that almost everyone agreed to worship on Sunday instead, it was more fun! There were a few though that did not want to change, they knew that it was not God's will and they stayed true to the true Sabbath, nevertheless the devil was not happy about that, later he influenced the rulers of that time to persecute those who still kept the original Sabbath.

Well all through the ages there have been a few and small groups of people who have kept the original Sabbath Day, around the year 1844 or a little before, a tract was published sharing the news that Saturday and not Sunday was the true day to worship. To make a long story short, a group of people arose who named themselves 7th Day Adventist and who proclaim this message around the world.

God showed these people that this was a special day, He also showed them that He had a special light that surrounded this day and the commandment it is based on. He then wanted those people to share what He had taught them to the world.

This day is a day of rest, it is one that I love and look forward to every week! All through the week we prepare for this day so that we may be ready for it. When it does come it is very special and a feeling comes over me that I can't quite explain, but it is very peaceful and wonderful. You feel clean inside and out!

The devil always tries to make a counterfeit for what God has originally set up, he wants us to worship on a day that he has sanctified and not God. God has asked us to study to show ourselves approved, and to make a decision, this decision is based on everything and will change your life forever.

My challenge to you is this, this week study for yourselves how this change took place and choose for yourself which day to worship on. A great book to read on this subject is called the Great Controversy, if you would like to know more about it go to http://www.thegreatcontroversy.info/ .

I want to worship on God's true Sabbath day, don't you?

P.S. Happy Sabbath!

Resolutions...

A new year is upon us, the old year is forever gone. Many people think that once the new year has come they must make some new resolutions. Once these resolutions are made, lots of times, these plans or resolutions are forgotten within a month or so. Should we even make resolutions for the new year?

Many people make resolutions such as they are going to lose weight, spend more time with those you love, or maybe get a new house, or whatever it may be. All of those things may be good things to do, but like I said before, within a month or two they quickly get settled back into the old ways. 

It is one thing to make a resolution and keep it than to make one and break what you said. I believe that when we make resolutions, number one we should ask God's help to keep it, and we should make the resolution as if we were making a pact with Him. It's just like signing a contract with a job or anything else you may sign onto. You should try your best to keep your word.

I think that the best resolutions that we can make in any case is that we should draw closer to the Lord and do whatever He wants us to do. When we ask that, I believe that the Lord is pleased with us and will help us to fulfill that, if we allow Him to and we work with Him every day.

When we consider what resolutions that we should make, we should consider what God would have us say and do. Especially with all the things that are now taking place in the world, time is drawing closer to His coming and probation will soon close. A new year is the perfect time to get your life back on track and to draw nearer to the Lord and to help those around you see Jesus and His love.

I do believe that resolutions should be made, maybe the best resolution to make is to spend each and every day not only drawing closer to the Lord but also witnessing to those around us. If you want to make other kinds of resolutions to do better in your life like eat better or exercise etc. those being examples... you can make a list and write them down and you can write them down and pray every day that the Lord will help you to make it happen. 

Testimony Treasures Volume 1, Page 239 - As you enter upon a new year, let it be with an earnest resolve to have your course onward and upward. Let your life be more elevated and exalted than it has hitherto been. Make it your aim not to seek your own interest and pleasure, but to advance the cause of your Redeemer. Remain not in a position where you ever need help yourself, and where others have to guard you to keep you in the narrow way. You may be strong to exert a sanctifying influence upon others. You may be where your soul’s interest will be awakened to do good to others, to comfort the sorrowful, strengthen the weak, and to bear your testimony for Christ whenever opportunity offers. Aim to honor God in everything, always and everywhere. Carry your religion into everything. Be thorough in whatever you undertake.

This year I want to make some good resolutions and with God's help I want to keep them, don't you?

Happy New Year!!!

A Day To Remember...

In five days the world will begin what is known as Christmas. People place lights all around and exchange gifts with each other, it's a day to spend with family and friends. The world has made this holiday very commercialized. How, you may ask, does this have to do with a day to remember? If you will hang in there with me, you will soon find out. =)

Christmas was made a holiday to commemorate the birth of Jesus, since no one knew His exact date of birth, the government selected December 25th as the day the world would commemorate it. Scholars have figured out that Jesus was most likely born sometime in the fall, September to the beginning of October, but most everyone commemorates the birth on December 25th.

The world has changed that holiday by putting a fictitious character called Santa Claus in the mix of everything, who lives in the North Pole and has a workshop and reindeer that fly and elves who help him out. The world has made the holiday to be more geared toward giving gifts to each other, and just plain busyness.

So many people are so busy worried about getting stuff for Christmas and the hustle and bustle that it contains, they don't take time to smell the roses, or if you live in a cold state, feel the snowflakes falling! They don't get to spend time with the ones they love, they just worry about what a big hassle it is.

I believe that this time of year should really be focused on what we could do for others, who could we bring cheer to, is there a family in need that could use something that you have, or why not sing to some shut in elderly. Instead of wasting our time and money buying things that we never use or need, why not buy something for someone else that you know they could use.

You could also make a special thank offering to the One who came down to this Earth long ago. He is the One who we should remember at this time of the year, we should once again thank Him for making such a huge sacrifice to come down to this dark and sinful planet, so that we could be saved.

Yes, this is the day that the world remembers as Christmas, but this year try not to think about the worry or get caught up in the excitement, try and do something for someone in need. After all Jesus came down to this Earth because we did have a need, and that need was a Savior!

I want to remember others and the true meaning of Christmas, don't you?

P.S. Happy Holidays! =D

Feeling The Wind

One of my favorite things to do when it is windy out is to throw out my arms and let the wind blow! Many people ask, how do you know God is real? I like to tell them, it's like the wind, you don't know that it is there, but you can feel it's presence. God is like this, we can't see Him but we know He is there by the things He does in our lives.

 When Jesus was here on this Earth, right before His ascension to heaven, He told His disciples that He would send the Comforter. Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, it is because of the Holy Spirit that we can feel God's presence in our lives.

The Holy Spirit tells us when we are doing things that aren't right, or gives us suggestion we could do to make someone else happy. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead, they are three different people but they work together as one. 

Like the wind we can't feel His presence but we know that He is working, each one of us could tell stories of how He maybe rescued us from an accident, or worked a different kind of miracle in our life. He is the one who puts peoples lives in our paths so that we can share the truth with them. 

Wind will come and go where it pleases, it works in mysterious ways. The Holy Spirit works like that on a soul, it comes and begins the gentle working of breaking the heart of stone and revealing the heart of flesh that is beneath. 

When we are sad or when we are happy He is their and telling our sorrows and our joys to Jesus. He is like a translator for us. =)  

Sometimes the wind is strong and seems to blow everything apart. The Holy Spirit sometimes has to work with us the same way, we may not like how He is dealing with us and we may resent it, but if we give into His loving ways, He will lead us back to a calmer direction. 

I love to feel the wind, but I also want to feel God's presence in my life, don't you? 

Language of Canaan...

The language of Canaan, doesn’t the very name sound wonderful? I want to learn this language more than any other. This is the language of heaven, the name Canaan, refers to the Promised Land – the one that is to come. Only those who are saved by the blood of the Lamb and have accepted Jesus can talk this pure language. The question is though; can we prepare and start talking it now?

I believe that we can start right now to speak heavenly language. We can do this by watching what we say, but you may ask how do I do this? Good question, hopefully I can answer it for you. =)

When we say things that are mean or cutting down to someone it can hurt that person’s feelings. By watching what we say to others is one way we can speak that language. When we say kind things and kind words and compliment people, it not only makes that person feel good but it makes us feel a lot better as well.

But there is more to it than by just saying kind words. We must not speak vulgar words, or in other words, swear words; but there is also something else we should watch as well. We should be careful and not use slang words as well. We must say what we mean and use words properly. This is heavenly language… now; you may ask what do you mean by slang words? I will do my best at answering that.

Lots of people use words very loosely now-a-days, saying things like ‘yo, dude, cool, totally, so on and so forth.  These words are some of the slang words that are used today. I try and imagine if Jesus or the angels would speak that way to each other. For me personally I can’t imagine the angels saying to each other, “Dude that is so totally cool!” Can you?

By using words properly we are speaking heavenly language, instead of using cool as meaning you like it, you could just say, “I really like that!” Or, “Wow, that is really something else!”

At first it might be really hard, and you will catch yourself saying those words, because it is a habit and you are used to it. I remember when I first learned that those words where slang, it was really hard to stop saying them, but I paid attention and had other people who would tell me, hey you said it, so that I could make sure that I wouldn’t say it anymore. I realized that I wanted to speak heavenly language, and now hearing other people say those words it just seems strange. =)

Read what a well-known author has to say about this.

Weed out Every Careless Word—Remember that by your words you shall be justified, and by your words condemned. The tongue needs bridling. The words you speak are seeds sown, which produce fruit either good or evil. Now is your sowing time.

The good man, from the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things. Why? Because Christ is an abiding presence in the soul. The sanctifying truth is a treasure-house of wisdom to all who practice the truth. As a living spring it is springing up unto everlasting life. The one who has not Christ abiding in his heart will indulge in cheap talk, exaggerated statements, that make mischief. The tongue that utters perverse things, common things, slang phrases, that tongue needs to be treated with the hot coals of juniper.—MS 17, 1895.

At times the follower of Christ may by circumstances be compelled to witness scenes of unholy pleasure, but it is with a sorrowful heart. The language is not the language of Canaan, and the child of God will never choose such associations. When he is necessarily brought into society that he does not choose, let him lean upon God, and the Lord will preserve him. But he is not to sacrifice his principles in any case, whatever the temptation. {2SM 127.1}

The Language of Canaan—We are to be witnesses for Christ; and this we shall be when we grow up daily into the full stature of men and women in Christ. It is our privilege to grow more and more like Him every day. Then we shall acquire the power to express our love for Him in higher, purer speech, and our ideas will enlarge and deepen, and our judgment become more sound and trustworthy, while our testimony will have more of life and assurance. We are not to cultivate the language of the earthy, and be so familiar with the conversation of men, that the language of Canaan will be new and unfamiliar to us.—Sons and Daughters of God, 72

Your words are to be an expression of His sympathy. You are to speak the language of Canaan. You are no more of the world. You have come out from the world, and you are to be separate from its methods and practices. In word and action you are to reveal God’s purposes of love. {TDG 270.3}

Students, educate yourselves to speak in the language of Canaan, the language spoken in the heavenly school by the members of the royal family. Sternly determine to put away all foolish talking and jesting, all selfish amusements. By faith grasp God’s promises, and determine that you will be Christians here below, while preparing for translation. {RH August 27, 1903, par. 21}

I want to learn more and more each day to speak in that heavenly language, don’t you?