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But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” —Numbers 32:23 Some years ago, I read a humorous article about someone who decided to rob a Baptist church in North Carolina. But he was more than six feet tall and weighed 235 pounds. And when he tried to escape with his loot through a bathroom window, he got stuck. It took four police officers pushing and pulling him to get him out of the window. His sin found him out. Moses warned the children of Israel, “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23 NLT). He knew this from firsthand experience. After Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating one of his fellow Hebrews, he probably thought the Hebrew people would applaud him. He may have been hoping they’d say, “That Moses is something! He’s the grandson of Pharaoh, but he risked everything to help us. He’s our new hero.” However, things didn’t go as Moses had hoped. The next day when he saw a couple of Hebrews fighting, he walked up and tried to settle the dispute. But one of them said, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” (Exodus 2:14 NLT). Moses thought he had hidden his sin, but he suddenly realized that everyone knew. He also realized that he was in trouble. When Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. So, Moses fled for his life into the wilderness. Moses lost everything: his position, his people, and his reputation. But he hadn’t lost God. He did the wrong thing in the wrong way at the wrong time. His timing was horribly off—by about forty years. Though Moses was gifted to be a leader, he wasn’t quite ready yet. His heart was in the right place, but he went about it the wrong way. He made a huge mess for himself, and it seemed as though everyone had turned against him. But God had not turned against Moses. And what looked like the end of his life actually was the beginning of a new one. He found a family that befriended them. He married one of the daughters in the family and ended up watching her father’s sheep. He probably thought that was where he would die. But God had other plans. Moses was a leader in training. It has been said that Moses spent forty years in Pharaoh’s court finding out he was a somebody. He spent forty years in the wilderness finding out he was a nobody. And then he spent forty years finding out what God can do with a somebody who realizes they are a nobody. Are you trying to cover up something right now? Is there some secret sin in your life? If so, then just come out with it and confess it, because sooner or later, it will be exposed. Nothing is hidden from God.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 Just as God breathed into Adam the breath of life, so too has God breathed into life his written word. Because the Bible is given to us directly from God using men as instruments of his divine will, we can have complete confidence that the Bible we have today is exactly what God had ordained for us when first delivered to Moses. Our confidence is rooted in God’s never changing character. What God delivered to each author of the sixty-six books of the Bible, He has actively protected throughout time so that the original intended words are perfectly preserved. God’s word is alive because the Holy Spirit operates through its words. When the Bible is read, studied, or taught the power of the Holy Spirit can effectively change the mind, will, and emotion of anyone who yields their life to Him. God’s Spirit communicates to the spirit of each believer through scripture. God’s word is precise and always exactly what is needed for each situation. For everyone who is willing to receive the words of God, it will be as a bright light illuminating a dark path. It will always guide the receiver in the right direction. The Bible is complete, lacking nothing that God intended for us to know. There is no need for God to communicate new information outside of the Bible. Since the Bible contains everything that our Creator wants to communicate to His creation, and the method through which His Spirit works, would it not be in the best interest of every person to spend time in it? The Bible is the only book that God has given to man so that man can live. From it, we receive truth because it is only in God that truth is found. Any truth not found in God’s word is only opinion. There is nothing on earth more important than God’s word. This week, let’s spend more time in the book that God has given to us and learn about the words of life. No one will ever be able to say, “I have spent too much time in God’s word.”

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 Just as God breathed into Adam the breath of life, so too has God breathed into life his written word. Because the Bible is given to us directly from God using men as instruments of his divine will, we can have complete confidence that the Bible we have today is exactly what God had ordained for us when first delivered to Moses. Our confidence is rooted in God’s never changing character. What God delivered to each author of the sixty-six books of the Bible, He has actively protected throughout time so that the original intended words are perfectly preserved. God’s word is alive because the Holy Spirit operates through its words. When the Bible is read, studied, or taught the power of the Holy Spirit can effectively change the mind, will, and emotion of anyone who yields their life to Him. God’s Spirit communicates to the spirit of each believer through scripture. God’s word is precise and always exactly what is needed for each situation. For everyone who is willing to receive the words of God, it will be as a bright light illuminating a dark path. It will always guide the receiver in the right direction. The Bible is complete, lacking nothing that God intended for us to know. There is no need for God to communicate new information outside of the Bible. Since the Bible contains everything that our Creator wants to communicate to His creation, and the method through which His Spirit works, would it not be in the best interest of every person to spend time in it? The Bible is the only book that God has given to man so that man can live. From it, we receive truth because it is only in God that truth is found. Any truth not found in God’s word is only opinion. There is nothing on earth more important than God’s word. This week, let’s spend more time in the book that God has given to us and learn about the words of life. No one will ever be able to say, “I have spent too much time in God’s word.”

Welcome, good day and welcome to Grace Ministries USA. My name is Ryan. I want to thank you personally from the bottom of my heart for stopping by and listening to God‘s word today. When we lean towards God, he leans towards us that is a promise today’s devotional. Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” —Amos 3:3 It was a unique time in human history. Before God’s judgment of the earth by water, people were very wicked—so wicked, in fact, that God was sorry He made them. Here’s how the Bible describes this time: “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5 NLT). Yet in the midst of this dark environment was an individual who walked with God. His name was Enoch, and he showed that it is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world. Enoch also was a prototype of a generation of people who will not see death but will be caught up to meet the Lord in what the Bible calls the Rapture. And we could be that generation. The Bible says, “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him” (Genesis 5:23–24 NLT). When you’re walking somewhere, it means you’re making progress. You’re moving toward a destination, going from one place to another. In the original language, the word the Bible uses for “walking” carries a lot of meaning. We also find a helpful verse in Amos 3, which says, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (verse 3 NLT). Together, these passages give us a good picture of what it means to walk with God. “Walk together” means walking in tandem or harmony. Think of a bicycle for two, a tandem cycle. If the rider in front is pedaling away while the rider in back is hitting the brakes, that is going to slow things down. The same is true of two people in a canoe. They both have to work together in perfect rhythm. If one person digs in the paddle like a brake, it will hinder both of them from going where they want to go. The idea is that both need to get into harmony. Both need to move together. And that is what it means to walk with God. As followers of Christ, we need to get into harmony with God. It doesn’t mean that God needs to get into harmony with us. But often we think that is the case. We want God to bless the plans that we’ve made apart from Him. Jesus said, “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7 NLT). We like the second half of the verse about asking for anything we want. But let’s not forget the first half: “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you . . .” If we’re doing that, then we’ll start asking for what is aligned with God’s will. And that’s what prayer is all about. In the same way, to walk with God means to get into harmony with Him. Are you walking with God today?

“Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. ” —Jeremiah 33:3 The Bible tells an interesting story about a man named Gideon. God told him he was supposed to lead the Israelites into battle, but Gideon was a little on the timid side. And he wasn’t so sure that he was the person God wanted for the job. So he said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT). To put it in modern terms, it would be like saying, “Lord, if this is really from You, I want to go out in the morning and find dew on my car but not on the ground or anything else.” The next morning, the fleece was just as Gideon asked. Then he asked the Lord for one more test, saying, “This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew” (verse 39 NLT). The next morning, Gideon woke up to discover that God had again confirmed His word to him. We don’t need to ask God for dew on animal skins, but we can ask Him to confirm His word to us. This can come in a lot of ways. God can speak to us through circumstances as we sense that something is the will of God and doors are opening for us. But we also must have God’s peace when we’re asking God to lead us. Perhaps there’s a stirring in your heart. You’re dissatisfied with where you are and sense that something new is about to happen. And then, when you take that step of faith and find yourself in the will of God, He floods you with His peace. The peace of God confirms that you’re moving in the right direction. Colossians 3:15 tells us, “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” (NLT). God wants to reveal His will to us. But just as important as the will of God is the timing of God. Sometimes we have the right idea, but we’re a little slow about getting to it. At other times, we have the right idea, but we’re a bit ahead of the Lord. For example, God called Moses to deliver the Israelites, but Moses was about forty years off. He had the right idea but the wrong timing. Maybe you’re in the process of discovering God’s will for you. Or maybe God has shown you His will, but you’re a little slow in getting to it. Or perhaps, like Moses, you’re a little ahead of His will. Know this: God has a plan and a purpose for your life.

Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it. Job 40:2 The story of Job is one of suffering, questioning, and doubt, but also one of redemption, fulfillment, and contentment. Job starts out with enormous wealth and a fruitful family. Then all of that is taken away by Satan with God’s permission. God allowed this to happen because he knew in the end, he would receive all the glory. Throughout the book of Job, the main character consults with his friends to figure out why God let Job suffer. Sometimes we have these kinds of conversations with our close ones even to this day. Maybe we too have lost a loved one. Maybe we lost our jobs. Maybe we have even lost the will to live. Near the end of the book, Job cries out to God and demands God to answer him. God answers Job by showing how powerful and almighty he is. He uses examples like, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you understand.” (Job 38:4) and “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south?” (Job 39:26) God never directly answered Job’s question. Rather, God gave examples of his power and authority over all things. This was to show Job that even though he was suffering, he was not forgotten and God was still in control. Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? The answer is this: our mind cannot comprehend the knowledge and glory of God. Because of his majesty, we can be sure that he is always in control. Job takes this to heart and in chapter 42, he apologizes to God for ever doubting him in the first place and he understands the wise counsel of the Lord. Once Job comes to this realization, God restores his fortunes in Job 42:10 and even gives him twice as much as he had before. This shows the grace and love of God for those who believe in him. We will face troubles and trials in this world, but have no fear because Jesus Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33). We will struggle, but as long as we put our hope and faith in Jesus Christ, there is nothing he can’t do for us. We might not understand what we’re going through or why we’re going through it. The important thing is that God is always there in the midst of our suffering. He provides for us and gives us salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whenever we have doubts, we can be sure that his love will provide for us. This week, pray to God about the things you are struggling through. Lift up your requests to him in prayer, knowing that he is there listening and that he truly cares about you

“When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. ” —1 Thessalonians 5:3 Everyone wants peace today, and in some cases, they want peace more than they want justice. They want peace more than they want what is right. They just want peace and safety. It’s the great cry of humanity that we hear so much about today. There is talk about the global family and how the world is one, big village. The assertion is that we all just need to learn to get along and set aside our differences. It seems as though the only thing lacking now is a charismatic leader to tell us what to do next. With the incredible advances in technology and the ability to communicate globally in an instant, the world is just waiting for that leader. And that leader is coming. Some will think he is the Messiah, but he won’t be. He will be the Antichrist. The prefix anti- not only means “against”; it also means “instead of.” And when this world leader emerges on the scene, he will be a false messiah, the devil’s version of the real thing. Many people will follow him because he will temporarily usher in a three-and-a-half-year reign of global peace, something no one else has been able to do. He will bring about an end, temporarily, to the conflict in Israel as he helps them build their temple in Jerusalem. Yet those who believe we can get along as one global family and live together in peace are those who believe humanity is essentially good. And they are not dealing with reality. That is why the Bible tells us to be sober. In 1 Peter 5:8 we read, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (NLT). And writing to the believers in Ephesus, the apostle Paul said, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (Ephesians 5:15–16 NLT). Nonbelievers claim that Christians are not realists, that we’re living in an altered state of reality. But we are realists, more than anyone else today. A Christian is someone who simply believes what the Bible is saying. And the Bible tells us that humanity is not basically good; it’s wicked. That explains a lot of the horrid, perverse, and unthinkable things that people do today. When the Bible says that at the core, our hearts are “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), everything makes sense. On the other hand, if someone believes that we are all essentially good, that is hard to explain. Not only are Christians realistic about our problems, but we’re also realistic about the solution. We know that government will not solve our problems and there is no system on earth that can solve the social ills of today. We know the only real hope is a change in the human heart. And the only One who can change a human heart is God.

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! ” —1 Corinthians 15:51 It’s a strange thing when you watch your body start to age, because your mind doesn’t seem to wear out as quickly as your body does. You still believe you can do the same things you did when you were younger. But then you realize that your body isn’t quite in sync with it. When you realize that you can’t do all the things you used to do, it’s a big disappointment. But our bodies aren’t meant to last forever. We can do all sorts of things to try and prolong our lives. But it isn’t going to work. Yet the Bible promises, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT). And the good news is that in the Rapture, God will give us new bodies, resurrection bodies. The Bible says, “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed” (1 Corinthians 15:52 NLT). The Rapture will be a transformation. God will transform us in a moment. The apostle Paul wrote, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control” (Philippians 3:20–21 NLT). Believers who were in wheelchairs on earth won’t need them in Heaven. Believers who didn’t have the use of their eyes or arms or some other part of their bodies will have the use of them in Heaven. They will have new, glorified bodies. The Rapture will be instantaneous. The Bible says the Rapture will happen in a moment, “in the blink of an eye.” In the flash of a second, every living Christian on earth will suddenly, instantaneously, find themselves in God’s presence. The Rapture will be a reunion. Not only will we meet the Lord in the Rapture, but we also will reunite with our friends and loved ones who already have gone on to meet the Lord. This means that one day we could be walking down the street thinking about a loved one who has gone to Heaven, and suddenly we’ll be looking at that person face-to-face. And above all, we’ll have a face-to-face meeting with the One who died on the cross for us. That is why Paul concluded his series of statements on the Rapture by saying, “So encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18 NLT). Death is the great separator. But Jesus Christ is the great reconciler.

Good day, welcome, good day everyone welcome to Grace Ministries USA. My name is Ryan if we say something that adds value to your life today, please give us a thumbs up a subscribe. Today’s devotional comes from Romans. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” —Romans 8:16 C.S. Lewis said in The Problem of Pain, “There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven; but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. . . . It is the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want.”[1] Deep down inside, we all feel the tug of Heaven. We know there is more to life than what we’re experiencing right now. Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:1–2 NLT). Heaven is a real place for real people to do real things. It is not a watered-down, diluted version of earth. Many of us have a strange concept of Heaven that movies and songs have reinforced. We assume that we’ll sit around in Heaven on big, fluffy clouds and take long naps. But that is not the real Heaven. That is not the biblical Heaven. The real Heaven is a place. When Jesus hung on the cross, two criminals hung on each side of Him. One of these men realized that he was in trouble as he faced eternity. So he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 23:42 NLT). Jesus told him, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (verse 43 NLT). Heaven is a paradise. On one occasion an angry mob stoned the apostle Paul and left him for dead. Scholars believe this was the moment Paul died, went to Heaven, and came back again. Paul later described it this way: “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:2–4 NLT). Think of the most beautiful place you have seen. Heaven is far greater than that. It is Paradise. Yes, Heaven is real, and we can know with certainty that we’ll go to Heaven when we die. The Bible tells us, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16 NLT). We call this hope, and we need hope today. In fact, experts have described Generation Z as the hopeless generation. If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you can have hope. Don’t put your hope in technology or in material things. Don’t put your hope in politicians. And don’t even put your hope in religion. Hope has a name, and it’s Jesus Christ. He is ready to change the course of your life.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Jude 20-23 One of the common criticisms of Christianity is hypocrisy. People can walk into a church that preaches being holy as God is Holy, forgiving others as Christ forgave us, and so on. However, those inside sometimes do not seem to practice what they preach. Instead, people have experienced real hurt, harm, and even emotional trauma when attending church. “Church hurt,” as it’s known, is common enough that many who no longer attend church or have left Christianity have done so because of this reality. The book of Jude talks about those who have “crept in unnoticed” and are described as “ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God in sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Throughout the book, Jude encourages us to not only look for those who would harm God’s people but also to check ourselves and protect those within the church. We are not to allow people to be harmed while they are worshiping in the house of God. This is one of those “non-negotiables” that come with Christianity. God loves and cares for his people so much that he sent his Son to die for his people. We should, in turn, love our fellow believers and bear their burdens. The passage above applies directly to this and gives us steps to prevent Church hurt. The first is to build up ourselves in faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. This doesn’t happen alone. We must be in union with fellow believers so that we can grow together. Secondly, we must keep ourselves in the Love of God as we wait for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we truly keep ourselves in the Love of God, then we will seek to build each other up, encourage one another, and protect each other from those who would tear us down. Lastly, we must have mercy on those who doubt and “save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” This can seem a bit odd but what Jude is telling us here is that we must show mercy and love to those Christians who have doubts or to those who are not Christians. Instead of tearing them down, we build them up so that they may also come to know the love of Christ and deepen their faith in him. This week, seek to show God’s love, mercy, and salvation to those around you and protect them from people who would do them harm.

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.” Mark 14:3-7 (ESV) From other scripture, this woman is identified as Mary the sister of Lazarus and a fervent follower of Christ. Her passionate love for Jesus is clearly seen throughout the Gospels. She demonstrated the measure of her love through the selfless act of pouring ointment over Jesus valued at the price it would take for a common man to earn in a year. This act also showed obedience to the Holy Spirit because this was a picture of the death and burial of Christ. Jesus rebuked those who showed disdain for Mary’s act, reminding them that the poor would always be there. But that He, the promised Messiah, the Holy One of God in the flesh, would be with them but for a short time. Jesus also declared that what Mary had done would be spoken as a memorial of her throughout the world. This statement demonstrates the significance of her love for Jesus and obedience to God. That alabaster flask was known for its ability to keep the expensive fragrant oil fresh and needed to be broken for the contents to be poured out. What Mary did is a perfect picture of what God has done for us. Just as the precious ointment was spilled out on Jesus because of love, so too was the precious blood of Jesus spilled out from his broken body on the cross for all mankind. What Mary did is a symbol of God’s act of love for the remission of our sins. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are proof of God’s love for us. This week, let us think about the tremendous love of God and the willing sacrifice of Jesus. Does that act of love break through our hearts and cause us to see our need for Jesus? And if we say we love Jesus, are we willing to have our hearts broken and spilled out with love and devotion to God?

Thank you Jesus, I know you’re real. You continue to show me everyday that you do love me, that I am made in your image, that I do matter. The lies I’ve been telling myself are from the enemy. Ruler of earth. Fallen angel, Satan evil traitor demon.

And everyone will hate you because you are my followers” —Luke 21:17 We know from church history that the church has undergone relentless persecution. All the apostles, except for one, died the death of a martyr. John was banished to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Church tradition suggests that John’s persecutors tried to boil him in oil, but they didn’t succeed. So they banished him instead. The church went through horrible times of persecution. From the first century to 314, the martyr period of church history, thousands of courageous Christians laid down their lives for the sake of the gospel. Ten great waves of persecution took place under the various Caesars, who sought to eradicate the Christian faith from the earth. But instead of destroying Christianity, they only strengthened it in many ways. The gospel is alive and well, and Jesus Christ is still working powerfully. God allowed this persecution, and He will allow persecution. In fact, one of the signs of the last days will be increased persecution. And it will intensify during the tribulation period. Today there are courageous people around the world standing up for their faith. Yet in the United States, we will complain if someone makes fun of us for reading the Bible. Let’s thank God for the freedom that we have to do this. And let’s thank Him for the freedom that we have to preach the gospel. As Christians, we will face persecution. If you are a godly person, then you will be persecuted. The Bible says, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT). Maybe God has allowed persecution in your life. It might be someone at work who always has hard questions for you or a neighbor who gives you a hard time for your faith in Jesus. Or maybe it’s a family member who doesn’t believe. It could be that you are doing something right. God will allow persecution in the life of the believer. Not only is persecution confirmation that we are children of God, but it also causes us to cling tighter to Jesus and remember this world is not our home. Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you” (John 15:18–19 NLT). As signs of the imminent return of Jesus continue to unfold, it should keep us on our toes spiritually. Jesus said, “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28 NLT). We are stewards over our lives, our time, and our resources. And one day we will be held accountable for it. Let’s not waste our time. Let’s not go on with business as usual. Instead, let’s allow this teaching of the Lord’s return to motivate us to live godly lives.

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ” —Romans 13:11 With self-driving cars now on the market, we’re seeing more and more stories in the news about drivers falling asleep at the wheel. One driver, for instance, was fast asleep in his moving car when a police officer noticed him. After they unsuccessfully tried to wake the man, the police had to force his car off the road. In the same way, some Christians today are asleep at the wheel. They have a spiritual lethargy, a passivity about them. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11 NLT). The J. B. Phillips New Testament puts it this way: “Why all this stress on behaviour? Because, as I think you have realised, the present time is of the highest importance—it is time to wake up to reality. Every day brings God’s salvation nearer.” Paul addressed these words to Christians, to genuine believers whose spiritual lethargy and laziness made them appear and act as though they had no spiritual life. Effectively, they were asleep at the wheel. We can be in a state of spiritual slumber and not even realize it. In fact, we might even deny it. Yet the Bible warns us to wake up from our spiritual sleep. Thus, Paul was saying, “It’s time for you to wake up.” He probably was alluding to the soon return of Christ. If you believe that Jesus could come back today, then you’re very astute theologically. As believers, we should realize that Jesus could come back at any time. But we must also recognize that we don’t know how long we will live. When we’re young, we think we have all the time in the world. But then one day we look at ourselves in the mirror and it’s obvious that we’re getting older. Titus 2 reminds us, “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed” (verses 11–13 NLT). Long ago, it was common to write this phrase over financial documents: memento mori. The literal translation, “Remember you must die,” obviously had a grounding effect on readers. Regardless of how much money we have saved or invested, we will leave it all behind one day. That’s why we need to keep perspective and make every day count. The psalmist David said, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is” (Psalm 39:4 NLT). We must live every day as though it could be our last. Because one day it will be.

That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” —John 8:24 According to the Bible, there will be a belief system during the tribulation period that everyone in the world will embrace. This, of course, will exclude those who come to faith in Christ during the Great Tribulation. Though the church will have been raptured, God will continue to be at work. People will become Christians during this time, but it will be a bleak scenario. God will raise up His representatives, two powerful witnesses. He also will send angels through the heavens who will proclaim the everlasting gospel. And He will raise up 144,000 messianic Jews to take the gospel around the globe. People will come to faith, but it will be a very hard time to be a Christian, and many believers will be martyred. And the one-world religious system that most people will buy into perhaps will be a version of the spirituality movement that we’re seeing today. For instance, in the days following 9/11, a lot of prayer services took place, including a televised interfaith service at Yankee Stadium. Bette Midler sang, and Oprah Winfrey, among others, spoke. To some degree, it’s great when we can get together and find what we agree on. And everyone should have the liberty to worship as they please. But we also must be aware that interfaith prayer services aren’t necessarily a good thing. It’s one thing to have interdenominational services in which Christians set aside minor differences as denominations to come together and worship. Harvest evangelistic events, for example, are interdenominational. We get together to proclaim the gospel and worship Jesus Christ. But interfaith services are a different matter altogether. We misrepresent and even insult God when we claim that all religions teach the same thing and that we’re all praying to the same God. Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24 NLT). He was referring to the statement God made when He spoke to Moses from the burning bush (see Exodus 3:14). Here’s what Jesus was saying: “I am equal with God. Unless you believe that I am God incarnate, that I am the Lord God, and that I am the only way to God, then you will die in your sins.” The Bible teaches that Jesus was God in human form who died for the sins of the world. It teaches that Jesus is the only way to God, that God is personal, and that He can be known in a personal way. If we’re going to proclaim the true gospel, then we must tell people this. It’s a divisive point with some. But it is one thing that we cannot compromise on as Christians. Yet if we believe that all religions teach the same thing, then we obviously haven’t considered what they actually teach. Today many people say they don’t really believe in any one religion, and they’ve found their own faith. But this, along with the seismic shifts that are happening in our culture, is a sign of the last days.

Good day, welcome. Good day, welcome to Grace ministries USA. My name is Ryan, if we say anything that adds value to your life, helps you in anyway, please give us a thumbs up, subscribe, share the channel. If not then don’t. We are trying to reach people for Jesus before it’s to late. May seem dramatic but you can feel it in the atmosphere. Time is running out, look around we are in the end times. Maybe not in our lifetime but I’m not taking any chances, neither should you. Today’s devotional comes from John And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. ” —1 John 3:3 Without question there’s a blessing in having a proper and balanced understanding of what the Bible teaches about the last days. It is not to drive us into a state of panic or needless alarm, but it should have a purifying effect on our lives spiritually. John wrote, “And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3 NLT). Scripture does teach that the Lord is coming back, and we need to be ready. Jesus said of His return, “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Matthew 24:36 NLT). However, when we see certain things happening, these should alert us that His coming is near. The Bible says that we are moving quickly toward the Lord’s return, so we need to pay attention to the signs of the times. Sometimes we get so bogged down in details that we don’t get the big picture. We can get confused as we study Bible prophecy because we don’t understand how the prophetic books unfold. That should not discourage us. Luke 21 is commonly known as the Olivet Discourse. A direct parallel of Matthew 24, it gives us a bird’s-eye view of end times events. It begins with the emergence of the Antichrist and ends with the return of Jesus Christ. In addition, it describes the tribulation period that is yet to come upon the earth. The occasion for this message was the disciples’ admiration of the temple. There also was a sense among the followers of Jesus that He would establish His kingdom then and there. Against that backdrop, Jesus took the opportunity to bring things into focus and help the disciples understand that He hadn’t come to establish an earthly kingdom at that time. Rather, He came to die on the cross for the sins of the world. At the same time, Jesus described for them how His kingdom ultimately would be established. He also predicted something that would happen within their lifetimes as well as things that are yet in our future—things that very well could happen in our lifetimes. Then Jesus closed with a personal exhortation: “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth” (Luke 21:34–35 NLT). Not only does Jesus warn us against living in an ungodly way, but He also warns us about living in such a way that we don’t walk with God as we ought to. It’s so easy, even for Christians, to go through life without a concern about God, His Word, and what He has to say to us. But that is not how we should be living. We need to be living in such a way that we’re ready for the Lord’s return. We need to make every moment count.

Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.” —Revelation 20:14 People are selective when it comes to the subject of God and the afterlife. They like the idea of a God who is loving, completely accepting, and tolerant. People can go along with a deity like that. But they don’t like the notion of a God who is also just. And they reject the idea that God would send some people to Hell, or at least a lot of people they know. They would like to think that certain people will be in Hell for the horrible crimes they’ve committed. But they don’t expect themselves or family and friends to end up there. Yet Hell is a real place for real people. And according to the Bible, Hell is a miserable place of torment and separation from God that lasts for eternity. As Timothy Keller pointed out in The Reason for God, “In our culture, divine judgment is one of Christianity’s most offensive doctrines.”[1] When you bring up this topic, people get upset. Maybe one reason is widespread misinformation about Hell. It certainly is not a party place. And it is absolutely not a joke. If it were, Jesus would never have talked about it in the way that He did. Most of the biblical teaching on Hell comes from Jesus Himself. He spoke about it more than anyone else in the Bible. And He spoke about it in a very specific way. More than half of the parables Jesus told relate to God’s eternal judgment of sinners. We cannot pick and choose things in the Bible that personally appeal to us and then throw the others aside. We can imagine, as John Lennon famously sang, that Heaven and Hell don’t exist. But that won’t change the fact that they are real. The Bible tells us there are two deaths: one is physical and the other is spiritual. In Revelation 20:14 we read, “Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death” (nlt). The next chapter also mentions the second death: “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (21:8 nlt). The second death this is speaking of is Hell. If you are born once, you will die twice. You are born physically, and you will die physically. And then you will face the second death and eternal separation from God. But if you are born twice, you will die once. You are born physically, and you are born again spiritually when you put your faith in Christ. You will face only the first death (unless, of course, the Rapture happens in your lifetime). Scripture tells us that the second death is what we should fear. God has given us a free will, so where we spend eternity is really our choice. Not everyone will be saved in the end—only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ” —2 Timothy 4:3 There was a time when we were bombarded by a one-sided view of God as an angry deity, ready to throw people into the open fires of Hell. People complained about too much hellfire-and-brimstone preaching. But when was the last time anyone has heard a hellfire-and-brimstone message? Sadly, the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” that Jonathan Edwards preached in 1741 would not be allowed in many churches today. Many people have gone too far in the other direction, teaching that God is an all-loving, benign, supreme being that doesn’t seem to have any opinions about the way we live. The assumption is that as long as we’re true to ourselves, then it’s okay with Him. He accepts us the way we are. We like the qualities of God such as love, forgiveness, and compassion and the incredible fringe benefit of eternal life in Heaven. On the other hand, we’re appalled by a God of holiness who desperately loves us yet requires repentance as well as trust, a God who promises to judge those who refuse to come to Him on His terms. Others look at God as some kind of pagan deity who simply needs to be appeased. They think that if they go through religious rituals, they’ve done their part and they can build up credit for sinning that week. People can follow that god as much as they want. But that is not the God of the Bible. When we start picking and choosing the things about God that appeal or do not appeal to us, we are not only diminishing our view of who God is but also believing and teaching a false gospel. Some preachers today offer weak, watered-down proclamations in the name of the gospel. They tell you to believe, but they don’t tell you to repent. They tell you there’s a Heaven, but they don’t tell you there’s a Hell. And they tell you there’s forgiveness, but they don’t tell you there’s repentance. If we don’t include those things, then it isn’t the gospel. We cannot edit the gospel according to what we like or don’t like. It’s for us to share it as God gave it. Otherwise, we strip the gospel of its power and effectiveness. We cannot control what happens in the world. But at the same time, we cannot allow the belief system of a secular society to influence the way we believe. The idea is not to conform ourselves to the world’s way of thinking. It is not to bend the Bible to the culture. When we desperately want to please everyone and not offend anyone, we will fail to make an impact on our culture. When we start tampering with the essentials of our faith such as the Bible, the gospel, and the nature of God Himself, we are making God into a different image. The God of the Bible does love us and accept us as we are. But the God of the Bible also wants to change us. He wants to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

God is real, he is for you, loves you. He wants you to know that you are chosen, a co-er to his kingdom. And the same power that raised the dead, lives inside of each and everyone of us as well. It’s up to us, whether we choose to believe, or we reject what we already KNOW bro ne the truth but refuse to accept it. There’s a huge difference, God is real, if you can’t see that I pray for you. That you will see what I see. Seek and you shall find.

God is real, he is for you, loves you. He wants you to know that you are chosen, a co-er to his kingdom. And the same power that raised the dead, lives inside of each and everyone of us as well. It’s up to us, whether we choose to believe, or we reject what we already KNOW bro ne the truth but refuse to accept it. There’s a huge difference, God is real, if you can’t see that I pray for you. That you will see what I see. Seek and you shall find.

Good day, good day everyone, welcome, welcome to Grace Ministries USA. Good day everyone. Thanks for stopping please give us a thumbs up, a subscribe, share the channel if we added value to your life in anyway. Here and the beautiful state of North Carolina, we have what’s called a value exchange. If we added value to your life, Help us grow the channel, if not, then don’t . Either way I’m glad you’re here today devotional comes from Peter, 2nd Peter. And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. ” —2 Peter 2:20 When we’re sharing the gospel with our friends and family, we must always remember to pray, because a spiritual battle is raging. Once Satan has taken hold of a life, he does not want to let go. So when he sees people making advances toward Jesus Christ, he will do everything in his power to stop them. And he’s always on duty. The Bible warns, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). In the parable of the sower, Jesus described the seed of God’s Word being scattered on the ground, which represented human hearts. He said, “The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long” (Mark 4:15–17 NLT). Sometimes people say they have become Christians, but in a month or two, they return to their old ways. They claim they “tried” Christianity but it didn’t work for them. No, they never really found Christ. Because if they really knew Him, they wouldn’t go back to their former way of life. They went through the motions, but Christ never really became part of their lives. It just may be that many of the people who claim to have been converted never have been converted at all. And often they end up worse than they were before. Jesus said, “When a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings” (Luke 11:21–22 NLT). The strong man Jesus was speaking of is Satan. He gets a foothold in a person’s life, and he wants to guard his investment. And all the religion and rituals in the world won’t drive out a demon power. There is only one hope, and that is when “someone even stronger” comes in, according to Luke’s Gospel. That Someone, of course, is Jesus Christ. We need His help. When people make a few moral changes, they start to feel better about themselves. They begin to trust in their own morality and the changes they’ve made. And in their smugness, they don’t think they need God. In essence, the devil has them right where he wants them. And in the end, he has a firmer foothold in their lives than he originally had. The Bible says, “And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before” (2 Peter 2:20 NLT). We must have Jesus Christ take residence in our hearts and lives, changing us from the inside out.

“Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. ” —Hebrews 10:29 Some people go out of their way to mock God and to slander His holy name. They go out of their way to defy Him. And they are treading on dangerous ground. In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we read that King Belshazzar had all the holy vessels brought out that the Jewish people used in the worship of God. Then he filled them with wine and toasted the gods of silver and gold. He was openly mocking God and going out of his way to ridicule Him. And that was his last night on earth. He was weighed in God’s balances, and God’s judgment fell upon him. The Bible says that one of the sins we can commit against the Holy Spirit is to insult Him. Hebrews 10:29 warns, “Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us” (NLT). One function of the Holy Spirit is to present the saving work of Jesus Christ to nonbelievers. And when nonbelievers refuse to accept the Lord into their lives, they are insulting the love of God. They’re saying they don’t need salvation, they don’t believe that Christ can save them, and they don’t believe that Jesus’ work on the cross was necessary. To resist the Holy Spirit’s appeal and, therefore, to insult God, is to cut off all hope of salvation. Undoubtedly these sins lead to the ultimate sin. First people resist the Holy Spirit, then they insult Him, and one day they can go so far as to insult or blaspheme Him. The word blasphemy speaks of a conscious denouncing and rejection of God. It is a defiant irreverence, a uniquely terrible sin of intentionally and openly speaking evil against God. Yet this will be characteristic of people in the last days. The Bible says the Antichrist will go out of his way to blaspheme God. And Revelation 16 tells us that in response to God’s judgment, people “cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory” (verse 9 NLT). Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin (see Mark 3:29). It represents not just unbelief but a determined unbelief. The Bible speaks of Esau, who had gone beyond this point of no return. Hebrews 12:17 tells us, “It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears” (NLT). It’s a fearful thing when people go out of their way to mock God, ridicule God, and insult God. They think they can do this for as long as they want, without any penalty. But ultimately it will catch up with them. And the worst thing of all is they can cross the line and commit the unforgivable sin.

Good day, good day everyone, welcome, welcome, come on in. Welcome to Grace Ministries USA. Todays devotional comes from Roman’s Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ” —Romans 5:1 In Matthew 10 we find one of the more controversial statements of Jesus: “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ ” (verses 34–36 nlt). This must have shocked His listeners. After all, on the night of Jesus’ birth, didn’t the angels appear to the shepherds and say, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14 nlt)? Is Jesus not the Prince of Peace? What is this about? It all fits together when we see the big picture. Yes, it is true that Jesus has ultimately come to bring peace. But before there can be peace, there must be the end of war. And in a war, someone has to win and someone has to lose. Before we become Christians, we are in a war with God. We’re opposed to Him. But when we, by His grace, come to our senses and surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. As Romans 5:1 tells us, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (nlt). Where we once were divided from God, we now have peace with God. Yet Jesus said He came “not to bring peace, but a sword.” And this is a double-edged sword. Though it’s true that it cuts, it also gives life. What initially wounds ultimately heals, much like a surgeon with a scalpel. We don’t feel the pain of the surgeon’s scalpel until the anesthesia wears off. But when we realize our life was prolonged because of surgery, we recognize that what temporarily caused us pain ultimately extended our lives. In the same way, Jesus comes with a sword. Yes, it brings temporary pain when we realize that we’re separated from God. But what temporarily causes pain ultimately brings eternal life. The same is true when you’re seeking to live a godly life and it causes division in your family. Don’t lament. Instead, think of it this way: it’s better to temporarily offend someone who doesn’t know Jesus Christ with a convicting message of the gospel and see them ultimately come to faith than to never offend them in any way and see them go into a Christless eternity. Now, we shouldn’t unnecessarily offend family members with our witness. Sometimes this happens, especially with believers who are very new in the faith. They lack something called tact, and they’re persecuted not because of their faith but because they’re obnoxious. We must also remember that if we’re going to be true disciples, it may bring temporary division. It may even cause temporary pain. But Dr ultimately it could bring the greatest harmony of all.

But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” —Matthew 16:22 Jesus knew exactly what was in His future. It came as no surprise to Him. He knew who would betray Him, He knew He would rise from the dead, and He knew exactly when these things would happen. And at Caesarea Philippi, He began to tell His disciples what He was facing. Matthew’s Gospel says, “From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead” (Matthew 16:21 NLT). In the original language, Jesus used a word for “killed” that could be translated “murdered.” Peter couldn’t believe that Jesus was saying this. In Peter’s mind, this simply couldn’t happen. It was commendable that Peter was truly concerned about the Lord. But he was missing what Jesus was trying to say. And he went too far when he took Jesus aside and “began to reprimand him,” saying, “Heaven forbid, Lord. . . . This will never happen to you!” (verse 22 NLT). Interestingly, the word translated “reprimand” in this verse carries the idea of someone in a position of authority rebuking a subordinate. That is the way Peter began to reprimand Jesus. And the language implies that he did this repeatedly. Imagine it for a moment. Jesus had just made a statement about His impending suffering and death. He obviously was in anguish over it. And then Peter took an authoritarian position and repeatedly began to reprimand Him. Peter had lost touch with reality. Jesus said to him, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s” (verse 23 NLT). We have to love a guy like Peter, because he was so utterly human. He said what many of us probably would have said in such a situation. He was impulsive, impetuous, and hotheaded but also very honest, courageous, and intelligent. And perhaps he was the most accessible of all the followers of Jesus. May God help us to trust Him when He doesn’t do things the way we think He should and when we’re tempted to say, “Why, Lord?” God is thinking of His eternal purposes. We can only see what will benefit us in this moment. But God is looking at the big picture. And He knows what He’s doing. It is during these times that we must trust Him, cast ourselves at His feet, and say, “Lord, I admit to You that I don’t understand. I don’t know why. But I thank You that You are in control.” There are a lot of things that will happen in life that we won’t understand. It is during those times that we must fall back on what we do understand: God loves us. And He is looking out for our best interests.

He loves you, he sent me to tell you how much she loves you. There is a God, we are living in the end times, it may not happen in our lifetime, but the signs are there. It’s everywhere from schools, to government, to corporate institutions. Instead of focusing on that I’ve been focusing on Jesus and it’s changed my life in ways that I want for you as well. You don’t have to find a religion to love Jesus, and get to know him the author of our salvation. And you can do that at any moment.. forget about religion, forget about all the nonsense all the things you have to do to get into heaven. I have to do is invite you to send your heart, confess that he’s Lord and Savior over your life. He will come in and make away when there is no way. He loves you.