Give your heart to Jesus

Give your heart to Jesus

Trust in the LORD with ALL you heart, and lean not on your own understanding" prov 3:5

Well, many preachers and churches this week,  will no doubt have the sermon or theme “Give your Heart to Jesus”, and why not, love is in many people's heart and mind this week, why not go with it to drive home the point, that ALL need to accept Jesus into their heart as Lord and Savior, and we should use this as an evangelistic tool.  

I gave my heart to Jesus because of  my past, present and future.  Allow me to explain and I hope it’s a blessing.  For in the past, before salvation, I was lost and on my way to the dreadful place called Hell. I was without a hope and without God and His son.   The Apostle Paul said it best in New Test in the book of Ephesians chapter 2,   And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. My past, before salvation was an awful condition to be apart of in life.  I needed to be saved.

So I'm glad I gave my heart to Jesus and it has help me in the present.  You see, I got saved, I became a child of God and my past sins are forgiven. PTL !!  For this present time I need a Lord, with laws to live by and his happiness in my life.  For the LORD is my shepherd and He leads me in my life.  He leads me in the scriptures, praise his name,  He leads me in service, doing the Lord’s will and his work.  Then in many situations, He leads me, so I gave my heart to Him, and He helps me in the Present. :-) 

Not only did I give my heart to Jesus because of my past and for my present, but also for the future.  David said "that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever"  Now I thought that meant going to church, God’s House, and I lived with that thought and enjoyed that thought because it’s great to go to God’s house on Sunday, the first day of the week, to worship the Lord, to fellowship with the saints, sing and rejoice.   But I read in F.B Myers book on Psalms 23, where it says “that I may dwell in the House of the Lord for ever, and this means Heaven. For in my Father’s House are many mansions and Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you and If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you will be also. PTL!!

SO, dear friend, I’m glad I gave my heart to Jesus, But friend, will you ??  Jesus is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  And today this the accept time, today is the day of salvation, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord Shall be saved, with the heart, man believes unto salvation.  Please, call on Him today.

God Bless you,

RevDanSam

White as SNOW

Isaiah 1:18

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 

While I was in Bible College, I took a course studying the Greek language.  (In a humorus way, I heard a preacher say that he knew a little Greek, and  . . . he was about four foot high :-)   . . . ha ha right??  Anyway, this course that was required for my Master's degree.  There are many reasons for studying the original language and I appreciate what I learned and it has helped me and it made God's word very enjoyable to me.  I love looking up the original Greek word in a verse and finding the English meaning.  Everybody may not have a chance to do this, but it will help you weed out the good and bad translations that are out there for money gain and rather than to help you understand the bible,  but that's another blog subject someday.  :-)

 

It was in this class where I remembered this thought and verse, although , it's in the Hebrew language being the Old Testament, the same applies.  Sometimes, as a preacher, teacher and student of the bible, you have to translate words for understanding.  Here in Isaiah 1:18, it mentions the word "snow" or "white as snow".  There are some in the world who have never seen snow or even know what it is, and you would need to translate white as snow as maybe white as ivory, or the white elephant's tusk, to understand that verse of scripture.

 

Well, it has snowed here in North Georgia this week and I thought about the scriptures in Isaiah 1:18. How our sins can be made "white as snow"  and as I look out my window and see the beauty of the clean and white snow, I have a word picture and greater understanding of how clean God has washed away our sins.  In His eyes, He sees us, through the sacrificial shed blood of Jesus, it has made us white as snow, and we are declared righteous without sin as we stand before God. (and that's big stuff  with God) and it should be big to you. Hebrews 9 tells ²⁷ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. And friend are you ready ??  Are you ready to stand before God at the judgment??  

 

Well you can be ready.  God has provided a way, THE WAY !!  Jesus said in John 14, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man can come to the Father (the heavenly father) but through Him, Jesus.

 

So the natural snow we see reminds us of the spiritual truth, that God can wash us as white as snow.

 

God Bless you Friend,

RevDanSam

(regenerated, redeemed, righteous)

 

 

 

  

Time to sale some cows

I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.  For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. Psalms 50:9-10

Time to sale some cows

I was reminded of this story that I heard many years ago from a church bus driver and worker at my home church in the mid 1980s and I would like to share it with you today.

A preacher in Chicago whose church was near a railroad and livestock yard was in prayer for his church finances.  A very common thing in the day was the delivery of cattle on the trains and the sales of them at the stock yard.  As he prayed and had his morning devotional from the scriptures, he came across the scriptures in Psalms 50 where the LORD says the cattle upon a thousand hills are mine. Having seen the sales of cows a very common thing and with the bible scriptures in mind. The preacher prayed a prayer "Lord, it's time to sale some cows".

Well later on, the preacher was at his church and heard a knock on the door. He saw a Texas style looking man with cowboy hat, business coat with jeans and boots.  He said I just had a big sale at the stock yards today and the Lord told me to find a church to give a donation to and before I head home I want to give a donation to your church from the sale of the cows.

You may ask,"could it be real ?? could it be true?? I say just try God !!

Paul said, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). God knows our needs, and He knows how to meet those needs. If you have a need today, call upon Jehovah-Jireh, and expect a cow or two to show up somewhere in your life!

But first friend, you must be born again, call on the name of the Lord for salvation.  The call of salvation will come first, and sometimes, the Lord will answer a prayer to get your attention. But that's His business. As the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, you should answer the call. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, with the heart, man believes and with mouth confession is made.

God Bless you,
RevDanSam

The Super Bowl - we've become our children

Well, it's Super Bowl weekend.  Nobody enjoy sports no better than I do and I try to keep it in it's place, "It's just a GAME"  But we all enjoy it when our team wins. We enjoy winners.  I always pull for the home team, in my state and in my city where I live.  I have conference pride (SEC) and I pull for teams that I have connections with people, family and friends. But that's just me.

But even at the Pro level of sports, we have become our children.  Let me explain myself.  For many years, we attended my son's high school football games.  Every Friday night either home or away.  I actually enjoyed the away game better, there seem to be a togetherness and more interest in the game.  But I may be getting ahead of my self here. 

The home games were different.  And if it was winning season or losing season, it was a more about a social event in the stands than the game on the field.  Especially with the kids and some adults.  Fast forward to the College Level and tailgating.  It's all about the tailgate party more than the actual game. And I have found these fans are more critical and get very angry at a lost. Not good fans.

Then we come to the Pro Level and we have become our children or is there really a change??  We meet to socialize and have a Super bowl party.  Never mind the game.  There's pre-game activities, the Big Half time show, the commercials and post game analyzes.  More eating, drinking  and laughing than looking at the game.

Do you see the pattern ??  At every level, it's all the same. But I am not complaining here, just making a  social observation that seems a bit negative. To each his own, I say, I like the game. but I like the hot dogs and burgers too.  We have a family tailgate party in the living room next to the big screen TV on Saturday College football game.  We like the late game, the noon game is early for us , 4:00pm game is alright, but we like the 7:00pm game.  Burgers, chips, dips, wings and diet cherry cola. :-)

The bible says But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  If you are looking for Him, realize, that He's actually looking for you. And trust in the Lord with all your heart and He shall direct your path. Call on Him today.

So Let's keep the games in it's proper perspective.

God Bless you,
RevDanSam

(ps. go Denver, just pulling for Peyton Manning) :-D