by Carol Roberts | Oct 9, 2015 | Salvation
It is deceiving when people build these large expensive homes, have yachts, own an extra beach house and drive expensive cars. Many times their incomes are no greater than ours yet we wonder how they afford all that. They have many friends and entertain people who have positions of power. It’s hard not to notice their towering empires of wealth and popularity. However, one calamity such as a past due notice or a person in power turning on them will ruin everything. Truth happens sooner or later.
There are people who invest wisely, even though it is a small amount. They buy only what they can afford and never have a debt bigger than what they can actually pay. There are no bill collectors calling and they never have to worry about trying to please a prominent person. Peace is with these people.
It is the same with relationships with our Lord Jesus Christ. There are prideful, egotistical people who flourish giving no thought to their Lord Who created them. Also there are people who continually seek the ways of God.
Tragedies in life happen to all people. With no exceptions all people experience the loss of family or friends through death. People move away or grow apart. Wealth fails. Jobs are lost or unfair treatment happens. The worst tragedy is the situation that lingers on and on with no sight of any type of a resolution. To those who have invested their time wisely listening to the priceless instructions of God and remaining in His presence will be cared for. To others, it is a serious wake up call.
Draw close to God and He will draw close to us. With God, even the greatest trials become opportunities to see His glorious hand at work.
Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
by Carol Roberts | Oct 8, 2015 | Love
All that glitters is not gold, as the saying goes. Pyrite is often confused for real gold by even the most intelligent people. They will pan for hours thinking they have a choice find. The disappointment when they discover the truth is devastating. All the long hours and excitement plus telling all their friends is all for nothing.
There are friends who are similar. A man will quote scripture with much poise and is very convincing. He can say things to make people feel on top of the world. However when asking him for a prayer his response is, “You will be fine. Just keep the faith.” No prayer. What a horrible empty feeling to one who really needs their name called out to our Lord.
There are widow women way up in age. Some sit at home very lonely day after day with their Bibles. When asking one of them to pray, not only will a sincere prayer be said but a caring heart will be offered too. Many of these women will continue to keep the prayer request in their hearts and will want to hear how things are working out.
A true person will glitter from the inside out. Some are hard to see but when found, it’s the greatest of all treasures.
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
by Carol Roberts | Oct 7, 2015 | Hope
Trials here on earth can sometimes be unbearable. When waiting on God to act in certain situations it can seem almost like time stands still. Weeks, months and even years pass by and the solutions are no closer than they were when trials first developed. There are certain times when no development is seen at all and that is discouraging.
We are not to walk by sight. We are to trust what we do not see. This builds faith that is pleasing to God. God’s timing is always perfect. If the answer comes today or twenty years from today He is still on time. The invention of the clock is a wonderful thing but the disadvantage is the clock takes a lot of focus from God to time. There are no clocks in heaven yet God is always on time. Trust God. He knows best. It will all happen in His perfect timing.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
by Carol Roberts | Oct 6, 2015 | Hope
There are no two ways about it, technology speeds the mind but omits the spirit. When we look around these days most people are talking into their hand, have a blue tooth hanging out their ear or enjoying some new gadget. If we have something important to ask we do not dare disturb a person engaged in their technology. They will either ignore us or shoo us away like we are a fly.
Even if they are standing next to us, texting is the best way to get an ounce of attention from them. Some are talking into their devices so loudly they can be heard all over a supermarket. Others are thumbing messages while looking intently into their little phones. Numerous people are taking selfies and posting all on social media only to say look at meeeeeeeee.
Cell phones, as convenient as they are, are saying to people who are in their presence, “Do not disturb.” People will engage themselves in a texting war during school when they should be listening to the teacher, while driving when they should be paying attention or even during church where they should be learning about salvation through Jesus Christ.
There was a post just today on social media from a Christian man who went to the gym. In the locker room there was only one person not engaged in a cell phone activity. When approaching that man to make general chit chat he found that he was the brother of a good friend. They caught up on all the latest news and parted their ways encouraged and lifted up. In a locker room full of men, only two were available to speak yet those two received a blessing from God.
Even in the book of Genesis with Adam God said it is not good for man to be alone so He made Eve. Is this loneliness not becoming true today? We can reach out and physically shake hands with other people yet nobody is available to hear us because of these phones. There is no love and compassion for the ones around us if full attention is given to these phones, which by the way are a material thing.
The last days are here. People are so focused on technology they fail to see the obvious. People can hop on an airplane and be anywhere in the world in just a matter of hours depending the destination. These things were not possible a century ago and now things are becoming more convenient by the day.
Let us not become so focused on the technical devices that we fail to acknowledge our brothers and sisters standing beside us. Jesus would never treat anybody that way. In fact, Jesus does not own a cell phone making Him available to us at all times. He loves us. Do we not have even a moment to acknowledge Him? What about the lonely people all around us? Is there not a hello for them? The time is now to show brotherly love because we are not promised the next minute.
Daniel 12:1-4 New Living Translation
The Time of the End
“At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
by Carol Roberts | Oct 5, 2015 | Love
Sometimes the most precious prayers are said from someone who has cried many tears. They understand. Their compassion and peaceful words are priceless. Genuine love comes from the heart and cannot be bought at any price. It is the same with offerings to our Lord. An offering pleasing to God comes from the heart and not necessarily the pocketbook.
There is nothing more offensive than to need a prayer and get asked what money amount is it worth. Some online prayer sites will allow prayer requests with words that seem to offer genuine love. After placing the request there are check boxes to rate the importance of the prayer request; not so important, important, very important and urgent. The next set of check boxes give price ranges with the least amount being nine dollars going up depending on the urgency of the prayer request. Even all the money in the world will not compare to the worth of a sincere prayer. Love cannot be bought. What a horrible slap in the face to someone who is hurting. They come just needing to be understood and then asked to pay for a prayer. It is a bigger insult to put an earthly value on a priceless spiritual privilege from our Almighty God.
A sincere heart is always willing to pray, no questions asked. Love will never turn away a hurting person wanting a prayer.
Mark 11:15-16
When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and He stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.
