Sat, Nov 26th - 5:53AM

The multitudes of brothers and sisters who have maintained their weight and use food with no difficulty must not be proud or look down on brothers and sisters with these issues, but rather be humble to help and encourage them.

Our brothers and sisters want to maintain their weight, some desperately so. Some have no idea how they got so large, or what they ate or how much they ate. For some this has been a life long struggle of losing and gaining the same pounds over and over. Some may bewail that they have gone to dieticians, doctors, weight loss groups, weight loss food programs, kept food diaries, got educated on how many calories to eat, educated on how to count calories and how to select healthy foods etc., and are still obese. Some have had operations to make their stomachs smaller and are still obese. Some starved themselves to the point of getting so hungry they found themselves eating once again all the more. Some devise wild diet plans: the grapefruit diet, veggies only diet, meat only diet etc. to no avail. Then there are some who have an eat all you want and can eat day followed by a purge, and that did not work either. Then some have a gorge day promising themselves they would make up for overeating by not eating the next day, and that did not happen either.

Eating so improperly and for so long has led to wild cravings and grown an appetite of voracious proportions in some. Some are provoked into a frenzy of eating at the very thought of food. Hunger pains are seen as abnormal and rarely experienced in some for most times they do not allow their stomachs to be empty of food. Some have made countless vows “to do better”, but the better never came as they continued on in the same old way accompanied by a whole lot of guilt, and self-loathing.

Obviously, knowing the truth that eating properly balanced diets, and refraining from over eating coupled with a reasonable amount of exercise or activity is the only way to maintain weight has had no impact on the obese brethren.

Without question many obese brothers and sisters want to know “what happened to me, how did I wind up this way? How can I stop this from happening again? The better, and more fundamental question, is how come I have yet to gain control over my own impulses to stop myself from improper eating that work against me? This, dear friends of Jesus, is the true nature of the problem.

We have taken a very important step here in putting the focus on the obese brothers and sisters, without condemnation, and taken it off of food entirely.

This is because there is no way we cannot eat. Food is not our enemy. The good news is that God wants us to eat and enjoy our food.

Act 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Amen then, praise God, so where does our obese brothers and sisters go from here?

love

serola

Fri, Nov 18th - 9:43AM

Brothers and sisters, Lorie woke up this morning, she went to her closet to see not what she would wear, but what she could actually fit into. She gave out a sigh as her eyes fell on the size two dress she had longed to wear since she first bought it some years before. Diet after diet never got her even close to fitting into it. Instead she glossed over her fat clothes, and some little less fat clothes to choose among. Daryl a health professional, gazed with his usual disappointment into his closet and resignedly plucked out his specially made clothing, as nothing off the rack could fit him any more.  His medically supervised weight loss program was halted, because it became clear that he not only did not lose any weight, but was gaining instead.

Sadly, brothers and sisters, similar stories are played out across the land. Obesity, is just as common amongst God’s people as among unbelievers.

Some have just given up, and chalk it up to “genetics” or “I am just meant to be fat”. No doubt, due to medical issues there are some who will never achieve any measure of weight loss. But for most of us this is not the case. Some might say, the Bible is not for helping people to lose weight. They would be absolutely correct. Instead some might say to direct attention to eating properly balanced diets, and refrain from over eating coupled with a reasonable amount of exercise or activity. They would be absolutely correct. It is so true that if these things were followed, it is unlikely that people would have serious problems with obesity.

Of course, even if some do not develop serious health problems, they have to deal with the annoyance of always having to buy bigger clothes, and/or accept the inconvenience and expense of having a wide range of sizes to accommodate their girth on various days. There are emotional repercussions too that come with obesity, the feeling like being a failure, inadequacy,  the shame of lacking self-control, self-discipline, and perhaps a sense of helplessness, obsessed with cravings for food all the time;  although one might have achieved success in many areas of life.

It is common knowledge that some people make fun of the obese. Then there is the stigma that obese people are lazy, and not smart. Worst yet, is the fear, and knowledge that one cannot trust him or herself to resist the temptation of over eating around the dinner plate.

Yet, beloveds, God will always tell the Christian the truth and always show His people the better way. God’s way is the only right way and the only right way is God’s way. Amen.

Psa 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

love

serola

Tue, Nov 15th - 8:54PM

The spirit of manmade nationalism has once again risen in the world. Man-made nationalism about elevating men, and yes some of them demand worship as god.

However, it matters little to God; for God’s plan for nations has already been established from before He made the nations. God’s plan is for every nation on earth to hear the gospel and believe on Jesus Christ. This is the same plan He has for all peoples upon the earth.

Jesus Christ has an everlasting plan for not only all peoples but all nations upon the face of the earth. God will separate the believing nations from the unbelieving nations for all time; punishing the evil and rewarding the righteous. Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

Brothers and sisters, God commands this same gospel to be preached to all peoples and all nations. This is God's final and complete plan. Totally disregard those who are promoting some false intervening plans that only exist in their futile imagination. We cannot cry people into the kingdom or force nations into it, they all have the same opportunity to hear and believe the gospel message and be saved or reject it and be lost forever.

As God’s people, beloveds, we know that He has never sat on His eternal throne ever wringing his hands in fear and anxiety over what men will or will not do. God is never fearful that men will overthrow His kingdom and destroy His people. God is the Almighty, unbeatable, unconquerable, eternal One and He fully and confidently declares to His people for all time: Do Not Worry (Matthew 6:25-34) Jesus, as He did then, is still speaking to us His disciples today and tomorrow and forever.

Luke 12:22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Be Ready for Service (Genesis 6:1-7; Matthew 24:36-51; Mark 13:32-37)

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

love

serola

Mon, Nov 14th - 1:50AM

The election is over, brothers and sisters. Some Christians will be tempted to gloat, and boast that God has put His man in charge at last. However, multitudes of Christians know the truth that God always had His Man in charge, who will remain so forever: regardless of who sits in the white house or as the head of any earthly nation: 

The Supremacy of the Son

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Hebrews 1: 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

As the fires of nationalism, inflames the nations, brethren, we do well to remember as so many of the saints (G40 hagios) always do: Hebrews 1: 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

I know this might burst a few bubbles of those dreaming of some nation being great and lasting forever, but all earthly nations have an expiration date and shall end, be taken away by our Lord Jesus; whether they be great or small.

Hebrews 1: 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Does this mean that Christians should sit on their hands and do nothing? Absolutely not. In fact, Jesus will not tolerate passivity in His people, whom He has set in the world as both salt and light. God will help, guide and instruct us in all ways to serve, honor, and please Him. All Christians have work to do as much good as we can, and to hold back as much evil as we can as individuals and the church as a whole.

 Luk 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

love

serola

Fri, Nov 11th - 1:20AM

Brothers and sister, those of us who learned to drive, can remember what a pleasure it was to have obtained our permanent drivers’ license. Finally, able to drive on our own, keeping in mind all the rules of the road we learned, trusted that we will not be reckless and able not to be the cause of careless costly accidents and injury to ourselves and others, while enjoying the pleasure of being on the road.

As Christians, we are indwelt by our Triune God, who will guide, help and strengthen us as we go down the road of this life, we are never alone, and have power from God to do His will and not our own.

Strangely, there are some believers who feel kind of resentful, and in error think that Christians always have to keep their noses to the grindstone and can’t have any fun. These are some of the believers that Jesus keeps on a short leash, because they have not yet learned that freedom absolutely cannot be separated or divorced from responsibility as laid out in scripture. Of course, they will learn in time, and happily go on and partner with God in aiding other believers to grow in the truth of scripture as well.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible

1Co 7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

Christians are free to enjoy anything in this world that God allows; however, it is needless, beloveds, to say that when we start to drift into abuse of anything, loss of control of anything, we must let it go, period. Some Christians feel that God forbids the use of alcohol. This is not true, however, what God forbids is drunkenness. So, if anyone who drinks starts a pattern of drunkenness, they have to let it go, they cannot handle alcohol, and have to accept it in obedience and love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is not cowardice, or weak; but it is wise, courageous, and careful to flee from youthful temptations. In other words, if we find ourselves acting like little kids unable to keep from gorging ourselves on something or over indulging in a thing-including pleasures of the mind, we need to avoid it, despite the discomfort, raging cravings and inconvenience. For some, it can mean going to an emergency room for detox, to avoid possible fatal and or dangerous side effects of stopping alcohol and or drugs usages.  We will overcome a lot of things in this world beloveds, but some of them we will just have to flee, and our Lord Jesus Christ is worth it all. Jesus Christ is our victory.

Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.   

love

serola

Wed, Nov 9th - 11:09PM

The smug elite political pundits are amazed that their polls and calculations predicting their candidate as president did not happen. They wonder why things went horribly wrong. Their candidate was secretly celebrating in her heart and giving glory to her training, her experience, her wisdom, her skills. The glittering stars came out and danced for her and sang her praises, and exalted her in the night. The people enjoined in her cause, could not keep themselves from gloating in the presumption that they would be celebrating in the white house soon.

But late in the night their joy turned to mourning; the stars faded with the shattered hopes and dreams of victory of the one who would be president. For God had chosen another.

The political pundits, the glitterati, and the lady who would be president badly misread the “common” people. The “common” people had grown tired, and angry at the blatant promotion of homosexuals as normal even to children; they had grown incensed that their good paying jobs were taken away and given to low wage workers overseas; they were livid over the murder of babies and the unborn and the selling of their remains to the highest bidder, they roiled in indignation over the making of excuses and the wrongful acceptance of criminal behavior as right and good; they trembled shocked at the lack of wisdom in letting in countless dangerous, hostile immigrants some killing and injuring many, adding evil to evil the “common” people observed that they mocked and had no fear of God.  

So God moved on the hearts of the multitudes of “common” people and put it on their hearts and in their minds that they would defy the will and the wishes of the wicked. He turned the hearts of the “Common” people and caused them to choose another potus of His choice.

Jesus Christ soundly and profoundly rebuked those smug, so called elite, wicked people and thoroughly threshed them, by causing them to be profoundly rejected by the “common” people. The wicked failed to read God’s handwriting on the wall.  The Lord sets up kingdoms and He pulls them down. He uses whomsoever He will as long as He wills for His glory and purpose. He disposes them according to His will, and His plans. Brothers and sisters do not think that God has come to establish any earthly nation forever, much less the plans of mere man. It is only the kingdom of God and His plan that will be established and last forever. Everyone and everything not working toward His eternal will shall be overthrown.

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

Dan 5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Dan 5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

Dan 5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

Dan 5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

Dan 5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

love

serola

Wed, Nov 9th - 3:20AM

Brothers and sisters the majority of the American people have decided who will be the president of this country. Millions of dollars have been spent, by some, to convince us to choose one or the other candidates of their liking. Countless voters too have spent time and effort trying to get others to vote for their preferred candidate. One lady wrote that those who did not vote for her candidate could not be considered a Christian! Another person insulted the intelligence of those voting against her preferred choice! Some Christians, stopped speaking to those who did not agree or select the candidate of their choice! However, multitudes of mature believers know we should participate in our government, and vote our conscience.

The new president may or may not be the one of our choice, but whoever it is we can choose to support those things that are espoused that are helpful to all the people. Certainly, we will exercise our right to legally, and nonviolently disagree and try to put a halt on those things that we feel are harmful to people. Even if the candidate of our choice did win, this is only a limited human being, and at some point will disappoint  because they will not be able to fully meet all of our expectations.That being said, it will behoove us to keep an eye on all of our local and national officials, to help them understand that they are expected to serve the people, not be dictators.

The church will continue to protest against abortion; sex education promoting homosexuality as normal to children, and false science promoting so called transgenderism, among other things. Like the multitudes of Christians have done, we will continue to witness in public on the streets of our cities and everywhere to everyone that we can, that Jesus Christ is the Saviour who can forgive and save all peoples who believe from their sins, change hearts, and grant eternal life. Nothing, absolutely nothing and no one can bring true change except Jesus Christ.

Let us thank God, that we can joyfully always say, “long live the King, praise His Name forever” Thank God our hope rests on so much a surer ground than this political or any other human system. Let us keep on doing the work of preaching the gospel message everywhere we can. Let us keep on loving our Lord and one another. Let us keep on trusting in Jesus Christ as the final, complete and eternal answer for the whole world.

Beloveds, don’t fret if the candidate of your choice did not win. Don’t break fellowship with other believers who did not vote the way you wanted them to. At the end of the day, if it is not about Jesus Christ, it is about nothing at all. Be well, dearly beloveds, be at peace, be encouraged, continue to work and pray,  because Jesus Christ is not surprised at all about who the next president is. God is still in control-AND ALWAYS WILL BE.

Psa 103:19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

love

serola

Mon, Nov 7th - 12:09PM

The false teachers who are just religious gurus and pundits of theology, in error interpret this following passage to mean that Christians are mere flickering lights that sometimes go dark, losing fellowship with God, and sometimes go light in fellowship with God when they manage to somehow do right. These are unbelievers that do this to cloak their own evil incapability to remain stable in the light. This is a soft touchy feely false gospel that slyly promotes the lies that believers are just as dark as they are light, and some days they are more one than the other. In other words, believers are no different from unsaved people and are living no better in life style and conduct, and are just as broken, fragile, weak, and unstable as any other sinner. 1Jo. 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

The Bible soundly refutes the lies of these false teachers- religious gurus and pundits of theology and backs up the absoluteness of 1 Jo. 4:7: Jesus declares: Jhn 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

1Jo 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

God’s eternal truth, test and final standard of walking in the light: 1Jo 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

Children of Light, firmly reject the lies of these pseudo Christians who think they can avoid detection of what they really are, by concocting and promoting false doctrines to cloak their evil voracious greediness for all kinds of evil actions and desires.

Eph. 5: 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Test and prove what pleases the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

The Bible is never to be viewed as a mere self- help manual. The Bible in its entirety and ending with the New Covenant of Jesus Christ; is the absolute, explicit, exclusive, exhaustive, and unapologetic declaration of the express purpose of God’s eternal truth, love and will for all men to be saved and made righteous through faith in the eternal, complete, and final sacrifice of His Sinless Son Jesus Christ, the Saviour- sole source of eternal salvation. The Bible sets the final and complete standard of God by which the whole world will stand in judgement as guilty and condemned to eternal punishment, death and damnation in the lake of fire or innocent, escaping the wrath of God, through faith in His Son, and gaining eternal life and peace in the kingdom of God.

God has set the final standard for both what is good and what is evil for all mankind in general, in the minutiae, and so clearly in every way that the only way it can be missed is for someone to refuse to see and accept it. How we should live in public and in private; how we should treat everyone; all to please God out of love for Him. It is not about anyone’s personal agenda to glorify themselves but to lift up and glorify our Triune God.

God, out of His great love for us His people pours so much of His help into our lives, to help us grow more and more into the kind of people He truly means for us to be, in love, trust, strength, and faithfulness. God has got not only our backs, beloveds, but our fronts, middles and all other aspect of our lives as well.

love

serola

Fri, Nov 4th - 3:43AM

Let us continually strive to bring forth the eternal truth of the full gospel message of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, that His work for the salvation of all and for all who believe, is final, finished and complete.

The apostle Paul has got it right and we must and are commanded to do the same: Eph. 5: 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Note, beloveds, Paul is writing in the fullest sense of and within the context of the final, complete, and finished work and eternal truth of Jesus Christ to and for all believers. Instead of some of us continually running back to God to plead in error for forgiveness permanently obtained and given through Jesus Christ, we are commanded to accept the eternal truth that we are permanently forgiven, and get to work as God has enabled all of us to do to put away, those things that belong to our old dead nature, and live and conduct ourselves as children of light, and of the day, with new natures given from Jesus Christ.  Let us put away, those things forbidden by God, regardless of the cost, seemingly inconvenience and discomfort, for He is worthy and He is our victory.

Obviously, brothers and sisters, as priests under the High Priesthood of our High Priest Jesus Christ, we forgive one another and all men. However, forgiveness is not a blank check that condones or approves of evil conduct, nor is it ever given to the unrepentant.

All believers are priests; however, God has limited the role of pastor to men. This does not mean that women are unequal, for all Christians are equal; but this is how God has established and commanded it for the church. Nevertheless, women serve as deaconesses and do many other works and provide with the body jointly in many other services to the church. All Christians are commanded to carry forth and promote the full gospel message of Jesus Christ.

love

serola