LIVING HE LOVED ME,DYING HE SAVED ME!

LIVING HE LOVED ME,DYING HE SAVED ME!

I gave this print to my mother many years ago...before her time on this Earth was over, she gave it back to me, saying that it would be something to remember her by. I love this picture, but I don't need it to remember possibly the sweetest woman that God ever gave breath to! It is NO accident that my wife and my two sisters remind me of her, for I am blessed beyond measure.
This does remind me of yet something much deeper than that...the intense and undying Love that Jesus has for me. If I had been the ONLY man on Earth, He would have come and died for me, and I know that. Jesus not only loves me that much, but He loves and has loved all the people that ever WERE and ever HAVE BEEN, and everWILL BE; that's why they call it Amazing Grace! 
I am convinced that unless a person has experienced the personal touch of the Savior, that finding words to describe that experience is difficult. The writer of the old hymn "One Day" tells the story. Jesus is our creator...He was always in Heaven for eternity past. He has no beginning.




One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be.

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt amongst men, my example is He!

Chorus: Living He loved me; dying He saved me;

Buried He carried my sins far away;

Rising He justified, freely, forever;

One day He's coming...O Glorious Day!

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain,

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree:

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;

Bearing our sins, My Redeemer is He!

Chorus

One day they left Him alone in the garden;

One day He rested, from suffering free;

Angels came down o'er His tomb to keep vigil;

Hope of the hopeless, My Savior is He!

Chorus

One day the grave could hold Him no longer'

One day the stone rolled waay from the door;

Then He arose, over death he had conquered;

Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

Chorus

One day the trumpet will sound for His comng;

One day the skies with His glories will shine;

Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;

Glorious Savior, this Jesus is Mine!

Chorus
WATCH VIDEO


If you would like to know this wonderful Savior, ask Him, with a sincere heart, to reveal Himself to you. If you really mean it, something supernatural WILL happen in your life; OH...it may be subtle, but it WILL be powerful, and you WILL know it when it happens. If anyone wants answers concerning the Bible, I can help you, or find help, BUT the best place to go is a quiet place that exists between you and God alone. He will send the right people to minister to you if you will ask Him to and trust Him.

Other Man's Secrets

Other Man's Secrets

I once had a good friend of Asian descent; during my frustration with the attitudes, and actions of people all around me, my good friend told me  in his broken accent"Ahhhhh...you nevva know otha man's secrets!!"
I have never forgotten that...this video says it all!!! dedicated to Leslie Tan

The Will...whose Will are you in?

Saturday, June 03, 2006

The Will...whose Will are you in?

THE WILL
A story that was related to me by my late Mom, still, to this day, leaves me a little bewildered.
Her grandmother died when my Mom was very young, and had owned a Rolls Royce automobile, similar to the one in the photo above. In her last will and testament, she left my Mom the car, but since she was too young to drive, the car could not be driven, for the will stipulated that the car could not be sold, and it was to be solely owned by her grand-daughter. Because of this, the once, very expensive automobile, sat there...and sat there...until it literally rotted to the ground. To the car enthusiast, a story like this one is just plain "tragic". The vehicle could have been covered, and cranked and run on a regular basis, and possibly have been saved. Can you imagine a young girl actually owning a car like that, and not being able to use it? At her age, she probably could not comprehend nor appreciate its value. Nevertheless, any piece of machinery that is not used and maintained, will assuredly deteriorate rather quickly. The paint fades, the interior gets moth-eaten, tires dry-rot, the seals in the engine and transmission crystalize, fluids leak out, rust and corrosion take their toll, and what was once a treasure, becomes a worthless piece of junk. I have heard of similar stories like this one before....it seems sad, yet preventable. I don't have all of the details of exactly why this happened, but it seems as though I remember that there was some sort of family feud over the inheritance of the car, so I presume that their way of dealing with the issue was just to not deal with it, so the car just sat, and wasted away.
YOUR WILL

Most people who own things of value will make provisions for their loved ones who may be left behind, for the dispensation of the valuables. In many cases, people die without a will, and the state is left with the job of probating property and valuables amongst the survivors. Some leave no inheritance behind; some leave only a legacy of unpaid bills. Regardless of what is left, what a person leaves to his or her relatives or friends, is something that is usually purposed or "ear-marked" for the heir or designee. It is something tht is designated by the free will of the benefactor. What is your will? It can be easily spelled out in a...will, which means that you "will" certain things to be done after you are gone from this life.

We all have a will...a free will to do pretty much what we want to; especially if we live in a free country. One can hear many people saying "I will do this, or I will do that." When someone places another in a will, most of the time, it is a "free willing" of what they are leaving to someone as an inheritance. Now you may say to me"Where is he going with this little play on the word "will"?" I thought you'd never ask.
GOD'S WILL

God the maker of Heaven and Earth, and all the stars, and planets in the universe, and all that we know, and all that we don't know; HE created...everything. Since He did, that makes Him our Heavenly Father, and He is the benefactor of all mankind; you know, the one who leaves an inheritance to people in a will, the will to do something, like give us things that we did not earn, a gift that He owned to begin with, and that because He loves us, He wants us to have both while on this Earth, and in the hereafter. The "things" that I am talking about are not material, necessarily, but are necessarily Spiritual, and we will discuss what this means, next. Jesus said,"Lay not up for yourselves treasure on Earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and thieves break in and steal, but rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust doth not corrupt, and neither do thieves break in steal." There is an inheritance that God left to us, when He died...when He died??? What does that mean? Jesus, the man, God incarnate, laid down His life, as the supreme sacrifice, so that we can have an eternal inheritance in Heaven, forever! If a person simply both believes, and accepts this truth, he or she can have assurance of this eternal home away from home, for this world, as we know it, is truly NOT our home. Every person has a choice; either to live with God in Heaven forever, or not; eternally seperated from God.

THERE'S MORE

Not only that, God has provided through His Spirit, a way to live in power and strength from on High, and we are not required to be sad, meager, and weak people; we need to believe that He wants to be a part of our human existence here on this Earth, while we are passing through. So.... I am going to let you decide for yourself what this means; I am providing some Bible verses here to help you see some of what God has promised us. As you read, I challenge you to find other verses in God's Word that prove out this philosophy. Just consider that story of the Rolls Royce, or any other gift or tool that is allowed to sit and fade away; first, one must realize that he or she has the gift, and then..."If you don't use it, you may lose it...or worse, you may never realize that you ever had it!!"
Mt 16:19 -
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mt 18:14 -
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Mr 1:17 -
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
Mr 14:36 - And He said, Abba, Father, things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt
Lu 11:2 -
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Joh 6:39 -
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day
Joh 6:40 -
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 14:14 -
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:23 -
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we willcome unto him, and make our abode with him
Joh 14:26 -
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 16:13 -
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come
Joh 16:23 -
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Acts 26 Read This Chapter
26:15
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
26:16
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
26:17
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
26:19
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Ephesians 1 Read This Chapter
1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
1:11
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
1:12
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
1:14
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
1:18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

THE TRIBUTE LADY ...PART TWO

Monday, July 24, 2006

THE TRIBUTE LADY ...PART TWO

THE BLESSINGS CONTINUE

Susan's work seems to be never ending; it is not something that she asked for, but willingly and lovingly does from her heart, and God keeps working in her and through her, and I am honored to be any part of it, even if it were to just carry her bags. I think because Susan is such a sensitive person(sensitive is good...by the way) that she remains a vessel for her wonderful music to be poured into. Some people(the more ignorant ones) have a concept that if a person is going to produce music that is just "HAS" to be perfect or close to perfection to be good. Those individuals has missed the mark when it comes to ministering to people; they don't understand that making big impressions pale in comparison to reaching the hearts and souls of others who are hurting or grieving. I think that there was a time when this mindset discouraged Susan; Why? because it was meant to discourage her...over time, I think that she has become focused on her gift in such a way that what other people think... does not matter. Given that fact, she still just wants to be a blessing, and she is!!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

On Sept 9th, Susan will be performing for the dedication of two 9/11 Memorial Quilts...one for the Firefighters. and one for the 9/11 victims and their respective families. She is so humbled to have been invited to the event. When she wrote the song, her sincere prayer was that one day, she could at least place a copy of the recording of the song in the hands of the victims and/or their familes. Not only has that prayer been answered, but she will personally meet many of them, and sing the song for them. God is good ...all the time!!!

LOGISTICS

On Friday, we picked up 1,000 double CD's of two of Susan's albums, produced by Anaphora music; our first time to do business with these folks, and overall, we are very pleased. Susan will give these CD's as a gift, as long as they last in NY, next week. Our prayer is that we can get them shipped up there, safely and on time. We also have a sound system with stands, and we will have our hands full handly all of that on the airplane, so please pray for us.

WHY DO I DO THIS?

To say that I LOVE the woman named Susan D. Wiseman is a "way" mild understatement. I have met possibly every type person that one could think of in this life, from the demon-possessed, to the finest Christian, and I can attest that Susan has all of the wonderful qualities of what one would search a lifetime to find in a person. Mere words cannot describe how I feel about her both as my wife, a person of TRUE integrity, and my one and only true best friend of all time. I know that other men feel the same way about their wives(Yeah, like you Benjamin), but I am particularly blessed to know her, and be married to her at the same time. So that being said, I can honestly say that supporting her in her gift of song is not ony a priviledge, but a duty, a calling, and an honor; need I say more? I will have more when we return from NY

HOW GREAT THOU ART

Who is This Jesus?...Part II

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Who is This Jesus?...Part II

Who is this Jesus??? 
By Larry Wiseman

So just who is this Jesus that so many people talk about? Some say He was the son of God, some say He was a prophet; others say that He was the son of man, or even just a man, while still more say that He did not exist, more say that they don’t know or care who He is or was, and there are those who say that He was simply a joke. Many say and many pray and wait for His eventual coming again, but there is one thing for sure…almost no one can say that they’ve never heard of Him, no matter who He may be. Some use the name of Jesus Christ to swear with, and others, instead of swearing, pledge an allegiance of faith and servitude to a King that they have never seen. 
Multitudes of people “think” they know who Jesus is, and millions are certain that they know exactly who He was and is. Some force their explanations of Jesus to conform to their own innovations and imaginations, while others use the Word of God to prove their case. There are several versions of God’s Word, and most of them agree who Jesus was and is; some versions have been written for the sole purpose of convincing others to believe in a certain doctrine or belief system.
So as you read this, what is your conclusion as to who Jesus Christ really is? Will you turn to the Bible, some theologian, your own belief system, some other person’s belief system? If you ask for help, you will be flooded with hundreds of well meaning people who seemingly know that they have the answer. Logically speaking, some will be wrong, some will be accurate and correct, while others will have a strange mixture of truth and fable. Question: If there is a real Jesus who has any power at all, especially if He is God Himself , don’t you think that He would want an individual that is seeking Him to know who He is? So who do you believe??? It has been said that everyone believes in something, even if it is oneself. So many people claim to have the answer, and he or she can usually be extremely scholastic in explaining where they derived their version of the truth from. Many will be extremely correct, but how do YOU decide? Is it possible that one can find the truth without being a “bookworm” or a great student?

Spirits

Remember this…one day, you may realize that if God exists, that he has a Spirit who is capable of conveying any message that He wants to come forth. Spirit of this, and spirit of that…Spirit of America, Spirit of St. Louis, Spirit of God, Spirit of man…on and on…who can we really trust? In a debate over any issue, the person who wins is the one who is the most convincing; the one who seems to be the most believable! Depending on the circumstances, it is possible that, given the right resources, along with the power of influence, that most people might be convinced of anything. Just look at the “kool-aid” drinkers in the Jonestown massacre. It is a good thing that “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.” 

So who is this Jesus? Do you know, or do you just think that you know? Is the Earth round or is it flat? Who convinced you of anything, and how were you persuaded to know it for a fact? There really is only one source to know who Jesus is. Men have the answers, given in God’s Word, but you may say “I am tired of depending on men, and I don’t even believe the Bible!” Many share your sentiments, so if you were ever to be convinced of the reality of God, the Bible, or Jesus, what would it take to convince you? If you were asked who you are, would you say that you “know” who you are…certainly, based solely on your own consciousness. Well then, Jesus should know who He is then, right? So let’s just ask Him, but where is He? You will notice that I have yet to give you a reference to convince you of mypersonal beliefs…personally I do believe that the Word of God is a real, living Word, unlike any book ever written, but let’s pretend that I am unable to convince you of this.

The only way that you will EVER know who Jesus is, even if you are a staunch atheist, or an agnostic, is to ask God. You don’t believe in God? Well, ask Him anyway! “How silly,” you say. Well, if you ask Him, and He does not exist, then this non-existent God will never answer you, right? On the other hand, if there is a real God, who created the entire universe, and all that exists, then He certainly is capable of giving you an answer as to who Jesus is; it may not be an answer as you humanly perceive that it should be. But since (or if) God is really God, then He can show you things that cannot be denied, so be prepared for a life changing experience, once you begin to seek who Jesus may be. Which brings me to my dare…I personally dare anyone to really, sincerely ask God if He exists, and to show you who Jesus is, You may say that you have asked, and NO answer came…I dare you, once again, to keep on asking…what do you have to lose? You may be pleasantly surprised at what you have to gain. If and when God comes to you, like I know He will, then ask Him to guide you to the right people for growth and guidance. Larry Wiseman 

Why did I write the preceding article?

During a recent prayer time, I felt lead by the Holy Spirit to think through the process of the article that you have just read. I believe the there are several categories, if you will, of people in this world some of which can be classified as spiritual, some not so spiritual, some not spiritual at all, and others who would like to be spiritual, but for one reason or another, are not willing to surrender or commit to anything that causes them to lose control of his or her life. People who love God are happy about it, and love Him, and can’t seem to get enough of experiencing God in their life. There are others who only have God in their lives when they need Him, still others wish at times that they did not know anything about God, because He represents the guilt and conviction of the sin in their lives.
There is still another very large group of people in this world that do not know God, and are sick and tired of “religious” people who either force Christianity on others, or they are sick and tired of seeing people claim to be Christians, and not walk the talk. In a strange way, I respect this group, for they somehow understand how a decent Christian person ought to act, and are honestly disillusioned and disappointed, when they see the failures of Christians. “Who is this Jesus?” is not meant to denigrate the importance of truth or the Word of God, but, in fact, a message to all… that without the power of the Holy Spirit, no one can understand what God is all about. Christians should stand ready to “give an answer to all men”, “study to show thyself approved”, so that when God’s Spirit does work in a non-Christian’s life, we can be used of God to “feed His Sheep”. We must remember that we do not do the saving; we must allow God to do His work, and simply be His tools for ministry. 

Enter into the Rest in These Troubling Times

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Enter into the Rest in These Troubling Times

This passage from Phillipians 4:7 is beautiful, but, as well I want you to consider verse 8...

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Rest Homes

Resting in What?

There was a time, back in the day, when nursing homes were called "rest" homes; indicating that it was a place for old folks, who had come to a point in life where they needed nothing more than rest...probably 24/7. Nothing has changed much, aside from the name. These bodies that we live in start to show signs of wear, over time, at varying degrees, depending on how we take care of them or not. The famous excercise guru, Jack LaLane(I think he is 91) is still excercising, but he admits that he hates to exercise; he only does it to maintain his body. Our bodies do get old and break, and along with that, our spirits get weary, and some of us break down spiritutally and emotionally. Getting away from life's problems in one way or another, can renew our energy, restore our spirits, and even change our attitudes. Vacations are great for this, but all of us can't take a vacation on a whim, or sometimes, we can never take one. Where is the relief? Where is the help? Where is the rest?

I DARE NOT TRUST THE SWEETEST FRAME, BUT WHOLLY LEAN ON JESUS NAME

ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND, ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND,

ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND.

Hebrews 4:3 KJV
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said , As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.Hebrews 4:4 KJV
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.Hebrews 4:5 KJV
And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.Hebrews 4:8 KJV
For if Jesus had given them rest , then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.Hebrews 4:9 KJV
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.Hebrews 4:10 KJV
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.Hebrews 4:11 KJV
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

As you read this, our world as we know it is on a fast track to self-destruction, and as Christians, our ONLY hope is in the peace of God that passes all understanding. As Paul said,

2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed : for I know whom I have believed , and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

So do I care who is the president? You can count on it! Do I worry if it's not the one that I think it should be? No, well sometimes, but I shouldn't! Am I concerned if the economy is in the toilet? No, for all of the money in all of the world is God's...he is just allowing us to make a mess of it for now.

I can rest in the peace of knowing, just like Daniel and the three Hebrew children that God will take care of me, even if someone kills me and even if they try to eat me alive! They will find out that I am like a carp, or a skunk. NOT FIT TO EAT! haha

For those of you from the north, NOT FIT TO EAT(a southern term) means inedible!

Hebrews 13:5 KJV
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have : for he hath said , I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that I may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will NOT fear what man shall do unto me.

I will be editing this writing more in coming days, but until then I want everyone who reads this to think about a couple of things.

• In the old testament, the people cried out to God to give them a king; they wanted a king; they somehow thought that God was insufficient to meet their needs, or guide them...but God gave the people what they wanted...his name was Saul! Saul was a disastor, and God knew this...God allowed demons to enter into Saul; you know the rest of the story, right down to the end of Saul's life, who committed suicide by falling on his own sword. In effect, it was not about the people or Saul, it was about all of the events that would lead to God's man being king...David, who was called(even with his flaws), a man after God's own heart.



• If we will be a people after God's own heart, we cannot go wrong, and it won't really matter who is the president, for all of this is truly in God's hand, and God is never asleep at the switch.




• In a huge way, this nation has turned its back on God, time and time again; God, being God cannot allow these things to go unanswered. The time may have come! He promises, however, to take care of His own, US!




• Let not your heart be troubled! Enter in to the rest, knowing that Jesus gave us a very simple command....two words.............FEAR NOT!


• The word says in Proverbs 23:7 Whatsoever a man thinketh in his heart, so IS he. Remember... Phillipians 4:8 tells us to think on these things! What are we thinking about???

Who is this Jesus?

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Who is this Jesus?

Who is this Jesus???

By Larry Wiseman

So just who is this Jesus that so many people talk about? Some say He was the son of God, some say He was a prophet; others say that He was the son of man, or even just a man, while still more say that He did not exist, more say that they don’t know or care who He is or was, and there are those who say that He was simply a joke. Many say and many pray and wait for His eventual coming again, but there is one thing for sure…almost no one can say that they’ve never heard of Him, no matter who He may be. Some use the name of Jesus Christ to swear with, and others, instead of swearing, pledge an allegiance of faith and servitude to a King that they have never seen. 
Multitudes of people “think” they know who Jesus is, and millions are certain that they know exactly who He was and is. Some force their explanations of Jesus to conform to their own innovations and imaginations, while others use the Word of God to prove their case. There are several versions of God’s Word, and most of them agree who Jesus was and is; some versions have been written for the sole purpose of convincing others to believe in a certain doctrine or belief system.
So as you read this, what is your conclusion as to who Jesus Christ really is? Will you turn to the Bible, some theologian, your own belief system, some other person’s belief system? If you ask for help, you will be flooded with hundreds of well meaning people who seemingly know that they have the answer. Logically speaking, some will be wrong, some will be accurate and correct, while others will have a strange mixture of truth and fable. Question: If there is a real Jesus who has any power at all, especially if He is God Himself , don’t you think that He would want an individual that is seeking Him to know who He is? So who do you believe??? It has been said that everyone believes in something, even if it is oneself. So many people claim to have the answer, and he or she can usually be extremely scholastic in explaining where they derived their version of the truth from. Many will be extremely correct, but how do YOU decide? Is it possible that one can find the truth without being a “bookworm” or a great student?
Spirits
Remember this…one day, you may realize that if God exists, that he has a Spirit who is capable of conveying any message that He wants to come forth. Spirit of this, and spirit of that…Spirit of America, Spirit of St. Louis, Spirit of God, Spirit of man…on and on…who can we really trust? In a debate over any issue, the person who wins is the one who is the most convincing; the one who seems to be the most believable! Depending on the circumstances, it is possible that, given the right resources, along with the power of influence, that most people might be convinced of anything. Just look at the “kool-aid” drinkers in the Jonestown massacre. It is a good thing that “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.”
So who is this Jesus? Do you know, or do you just think that you know? Is the Earth round or is it flat? Who convinced you of anything, and how were you persuaded to know it for a fact? There really is only one source to know who Jesus is. Men have the answers, given in God’s Word, but you may say “I am tired of depending on men, and I don’t even believe the Bible!” Many share your sentiments, so if you were ever to be convinced of the reality of God, the Bible, or Jesus, what would it take to convince you? If you were asked who you are, would you say that you “know” who you are…certainly, based solely on your own consciousness. Well then, Jesus should know who He is then, right? So let’s just ask Him, but where is He? You will notice that I have yet to give you a reference to convince you of my personal beliefs…personally I do believe that the Word of God is a real, living Word, unlike any book ever written, but let’s pretend that I am unable to convince you of this.
The only way that you will EVER know who Jesus is, even if you are a staunch atheist, or an agnostic, is to ask God. You don’t believe in God? Well, ask Him anyway! “How silly,” you say. Well, if you ask Him, and He doe not exist, then this non-existent God will never answer you, right? On the other hand, if there is a real God, who created the entire universe, and all that exists, then He certainly is capable of giving you an answer as to who Jesus is; it may not be an answer as you humanly perceive that it should be. But since (or if) God is really God, then He can show you things that cannot be denied, so be prepared for a life changing experience, once you begin to seek who Jesus may be. Which brings me to my dare…I personally dare anyone to really, sincerely ask God if He exists, and to show you who Jesus is, You may say that you have asked, and NO answer came…I dare you, once again, to keep on asking…what do you have to lose? You may be pleasantly surprised at what you have to gain. If and when God comes to you, like I know He will, then ask Him to guide you to the right people for growth and guidance. Larry Wiseman 



Why did I write the preceding article?

During a recent prayer time, I felt lead by the Holy Spirit to think through the process of the article that you have just read. I believe the there are several categories, if you will, of people in this world some of which can be classified as spiritual, some not so spiritual, some not spiritual at all, and others who would like to be spiritual, but for one reason or another, are not willing to surrender or commit to anything that causes them to lose control of his or her life. People who love God are happy about it, and love Him, and can’t seem to get enough of experiencing God in their life. There are others who only have God in their lives when they need Him, still others wish at times that they did not know anything about God, because He represents the guilt and conviction of the sin in their lives.
There is still another very large group of people in this world that do not know God, and are sick and tired of “religious” people who either force Christianity on others, or they are sick and tired of seeing people claim to be Christians, and not walk the talk. In a strange way, I respect this group, for they somehow understand how a decent Christian person ought to act, and are honestly disillusioned and disappointed, when they see the failures of Christians. “Who is this Jesus?” is not meant to denigrate the importance of truth or the Word of God, but, in fact, a message to all… that without the power of the Holy Spirit, no one can understand what God is all about. Christians should stand ready to “give an answer to all men”, “study to show thyself approved”, so that when God’s Spirit does work in a non-Christian’s life, we can be used of God to “feed His Sheep”. We must remember that we do not do the saving; we must allow God to do His work, and simply be His tools for ministry.

IMAGINE Part II

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

IMAGINE Part II

IMAGINE THERE IS A HEAVEN!!!




I love to whistle; I sometimes think that I can whistle almost as well as I can play the trumpet. Sometimes I catch my self whistling tunes that I don't even realize what I am doing; I just hear the tune, and I whistle along. My brother in the Lord, "Catfish", heard me one day at work whistling along to the John Lennon song Imagine, and told me that he did not think that I should be whistling that song. this prompted me to go to the internet and look up the history of the song.

BAD LYRICS

I was really shocked at what I saw; "imagine there's no Heaven, no hell below???" This is not a Beatles bashing blog, but I need to say this. I could never in my wildest dreams imagine that there's NO heaven; I am sad that there really is a hell below, but for the Chistian, hell may as well not exist, except for one reason; that reason is to explain the reality of hell to those who don't know, so that they can go to a very real Heaven.
The song goes on to say that "you may say I am a dreamer". NO..I will say that to imagine that there is no Heaven is a nightmare! Please Lord, let me wake up in Heaven, and thank you Jesus! I am now whistling "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory!"

IMAGINE

As I said in "Imagine" January 16, just imagine what it will be like to have the "King of the Universe take you in His arms like that." This could be a dream come true for you who read this; would you like that? Imagine the reality of it. Ask Jesus into your heart today and then, it will no longer be a dream.

FILL IN THE BLANKS (put you name, along with your heart, in the blanks)

"For God so loved __________, that He gave His only begotten Son, that if ___________
believeth,_________ shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

Saturday, April 22, 2006

How Much???

Thursday, March 16, 200

How Much???

THE WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE PART 2

Thursday, February 02, 2006

THE WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE PART 2

HOW CAN YOU BE SAVED AND REALLY KNOW IT?

Question: If you were to die tonight, or suddenly be killed,do you know for certain that you would go to Heaven? Now let's assume that your answer is "no", or "I'm not sure." If this is the case, and if someone could show you for certain that you are on your way to Heaven, then surely you would want to get this matter settled once for all, and as soon as possible. Focus your attention for just a minute on thatHeart, beating inside you chest. Amazing isn't it? Now I'm sure you must realize that you have no control over that life-supplying vessel, and that right now, at this very moment, you are just one heartbeat away from eternity. You might be saying, "Well, I'm a pretty good person, and I don't do anyone any harm, and I do go to Church every once in a while, so maybe God will have mercy on me, and I'll squeak by somehow." No my friend, no one is going to "squeak by." Just as surely as you are going to have to face the grim reaper one day, you are surely going to face the Judgement Seat of God! Hebrews 9:27 says..."For it is apppointed unto men once to die, but after this is the judgement."
You may ask,"How do I know the Bible is the inspired Word of God?" Well, let's consdider this question for just a minute. You don't question science books, encyclopedias, or other books of truth, In fact, in one way or another, you stake your life on them every day. How many of those books like the Bible were written over a period of 1600 years, on three different continents, by 35 -40 different writers? All of these writers came from different walks of life, were scattered over a span of about 1600 miles, with no modern forms of communication, and yet all came up with the same story, the same prophecies, and the same promises. The Bible is scientifically correct. The Bible makes many scientific observations, and in every case, where it makes these observations, no man has ever proven them to be untrue. In fact, in many cases, after many years of research, scientists have found many of them to be exactly correct. The Bible is prophetically true. Every prophecy which was ever mentioned in the Bible, has either already happened, or is in the process of being fulfilled right now. Now, let's assume that you do accept the Bible as the inspired word of God. Let's see what you have to do first. First, you have to must confess that you are a sinner.

ROMANS 3:23 says..."FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD." Then, secondly, you must accept JESUS. JOHN 3:16 says..."FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO-SO-EVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."
Sakvation is a gift. You can't earn it.
EPHESIANS 2:8,9 says... "FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED, THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."

You must accept what He did for you on the cross. Don't wait until you get better, or until you have a certain feeling. If you trust in your feelings, the devil will try to trick you into thinking that you can't be saved. The good feelings usually come later, as you begin to grow spiritually.

The Bible says in ROMANS 10:10 "FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION." It doesn't say that you have to have a certain feeling. So...it is simple. Believe, Confess, and then ask God to forgive you of all your sins, and come into your heart, and save you. 1st JOHN 1:9 says..."IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."Yes, you can be saved, and know it. 1st John 5:13 says..."THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."

Now, if you can believe, if you are willing to as God to forgive you of all your sins, and if you will ask Him to come into your heart and save you; You CAN be saved quicker than I tell it. SIMPLY bow your head right now, wherever you are, and pray a simple sinner's prayer.
Here is a prayer that you may use if you wish: "Dear Lord, I realize that I am a sinner, and I deserve to die, and go to hell. But JESUS, I believe that you are the Son of God, and that You were crucified on a cross for my sins, so that I might have eternal life. I ask you Lord, to forgive me of my sins, and to come into my heart, and save me. Now Lord, I thank you for saving my soul."
So, now you are saved, and on your way to Heaven. Don't let anyone tell you that you are not saved; if you prayed that prayer, and meant it. If satan tries to tell you that you are not saved, then remind him that God is not a liar. You are standing on God's Word.
Now, you are a newborn babe in Christ, and just like any child, you will have to have the proper food in order to grow. Spiritual growth is very important in order to have a victorious Christian life. God hasprovided you with protection who will minister to you through His Word, and will help you in every decision that you need to make. It is the HOLY SPIRIT. The HOLY SPIRIT is a gift that is available to you the minute that you get saved. So right now, ask God to fill you with the HOLY SPIRIT, and He will minister to you. Now, when you read your Bible, it will take on new meaning, as God will reveal things to you that He could not do when you were walking in darkness.
Now, as an act of obedience, you need to follow the Lord in believer's baptism, and you need to become active in a good fundamental, soul-winning, Spirit-Filled church. Don't put it off. Ask God to show you the Church that He wants you to be a part of.

It is important that you confess Jesus before men.
Matthew 10:32 says...(the words of Jesus)
"WHOSOEVER THERFORE SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN; HIM WILL I CONFESS ALSO BEFORE MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN."
May God Bless you and keep you in the center of His will, is our prayer.
WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE

Hawaii

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Hawaii

Well, I am just playing around with my new blog, so it will be a little while before I get down to business; I awoke this early this morning, during my prayer time, thinking about what all I will be talking about on this blog. There will be an infinite amount of subjects covered, from philosophy, to politics, to real-life stories, to the salvation of my soul. Today, I simply want to tell you of my love for Hawaii. Since I was nine years old, I have had an insatiable hunger for that wonderful place, and before my eldery Mother passed from this life, she knew that I would be making the first of my six trips there. As time goes on , I will share more of my love for the culture there, but that's a start; stay tuned, I will share some stories, opinions, and most of all some WISDOM that hopefully you can use in your life to be happier and better, OK? OK!

IMAGINE

Monday, January 16, 2006

IMAGINE

One of my favorite pictures is the one you see here today. As time goes on, I will share my experiences as a Christian, and how I came to be one. To make a long story short, I was raised in your average "All American" home, with both parents staying married to each other for 64 years. Imagine that! Both my mother and father were Christians, but as I grew up, I gradually drifted farther and farther away from God; I even became a Buddhist; oh well, I called myself one, but to be honest, I did not even really know what a true Buddhist was, but I meditated a lot, and did not even know what I was meditating on! LOL. So my life went on, and one day the Holy Spirit of God overwhelmed my spirit, and life, and I not only fell in love with Jesus Christ, I gave my heart and life to Him. My life has not been the same since May of 1982, and I have seen many wonderful things happen. Many who read these words will say that the things that I write of are a "crock", but the ONLY reason that they can say that is that they have YET to experience the Word of God, and His wonderful Love. I made all kinds of fun of Christians for so many years, but when you allow God to get you, you are GOTTEN. I will write more later, but I know that I know that I know, and I once was very much like the skeptics that are alive today; SO I can't judge anyone. God Will Bless You, if you allow Him to. Study the picture above, and just IMAGINE one day having the King of the Universe taking you into His arms like that.

YOUR LIFE

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

YOUR LIFE

Words cannot describe the beauty of the image that you see here. It is a place called Waimea Canyon, on the island of Kauaii, one of the Hawaiian islands. Possibly better known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", this is the place that receives the most rainfall per annum of any place the world. The very top of the canyon is over 4,000 ft. above sea level, and this photo was take at about 3,000 ft., and we were on top of the rainbow. It is my understanding that there are people in the valleys and forests below that live there, surviving on nature; we saw wild goats, and there are also wild pigs that probably supply these people with food. About every six months, the rangers go into these areas, and run all the people out of there, because they are trespassing; after a while they return, until the authorities come, and the whole thing starts all over again. Now, the ones living there, for the most part, are not native to Hawaii; they have come from all over to escape from society and life; BUT one might say,"Not a bad life, to live like that in paradise!"
This brings me to the question: What about your life? is it meaningful? does it have to be?are you happy? what would it take for you to be truly happy? is the answer out of you reach?could you ever be happy, even though you may never have what you want? Like many people, I have had some very sad times in my life, and during those times, I was truly sad and depressed, but there always seemed that I could muster some joy and laughter during those times. I cannot explain why, but I could. I used to think that I was just masking over my problem by making jokes, and acting silly, but now that I contemplate those times, I was truly, for small fleeting moments, really happy! I have always been a "count your blessings" sort of guy, but even if I wasn't, I still think that I can always find some small thing to be happy about when I am sad. Maybe you are not one of those people who can do that, BUT I am willing to loan you some of my happiness; and you don't have to pay me back, just pay it forward to the next person when you can. Things are really bad on my job right now, because the company we work for may not survive, and many people may lose their jobs. Today, I heard of 2 suicides of workers in other areas, and it surely did sadden me because I cannot see why someone would want to take his or her own life, but I understand how one can be so sad that he may want to die, and that can grow into a deeper enough depression that the person can't even think straight anymore. Where there is life, there is HOPE, and EVEN if you have to live the rest of your life as a sad person, you can find some brief periods of happiness; take these little epihonies, and try to make them last longer each time, and then try to link them together between the sad and lonely times; eventually, you will find that life IS worth living, and there is some value to waking up in the morning. Notice that I have not shared a bunch of "spiritual stuff" here because I think spiritualizing every thing we do causes us to put on masks. Spiritual things, namely God are important, but I just want to identify the problem of dealing with sadness today; another day, I will get into the DEEP spiritual meanings of things. Have a nice day.