Assurance and Hope

Assurance
Whether trials from within or without we have the
Lords promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you”
2 Cor 4:8-9 “We are troubled on every side, yet
not distressed; we are perplexed but not in
despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down
but not destroyed” This is assurance.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh what a foretaste of Glory Divine!
Heir of salvation purchase of God,
Born of the Spirit washed in His Blood.
Fanny Crosby

Jesus said “….In the world ye shall have tribulation
but be of good cheer; I have over come the world”
John 16:33

With all the devil the world and our own sinful
flesh throws at us. We learn and are learning, that
the confident hope we have, does not depend on
the present circumstance or how we feel, alone
upon Rock of ages under our feet which cannot be
moved. It is In Christ we stand, all other ground is
sinking sand. This is confident Hope.
Mark

Posted on 12 Jan 2012

New Year 2012

“In order to be able to be aroused to praise and
thank the Lord rightly it is necessary for us to bear
well in mind the good things He has done for us.
We have got all the fatherly love of God which
creation bears witness to!…” C. O. Rosenius
“..All nature sings, and round me rings the music of
the spheres….” Mary Babcock 1901
We have all the work and defense of the Son so
that no sin is imputed to us and no law or threats
befall us! We have got the Holy Spirit with all His
grace, chastisement and solace in our Hearts! Or
maybe is it a small thing to have only God? Only
God His friendship and His kingdom?..”continued
from above C.O. Rosenius “May thy rich grace
impart strength to my fainting heart, My zeal inspire;
As thou has died for me, O may my love to Thee Pure
warm and change-less be, A living fire.” Ray Palmer

The Old Year is soon to be gone, and the New Year is
soon to begin. Let us end the year with prayer and
begin the new year with the same.”

Oh Lord we thank you for all your grace, loving kindness
and tender mercies, for this life, all that we need and
more. Thank you for salvation so rich and free coming
to us without any merit or worthiness in us. coming to
us by Grace only, Faith only, Scripture only, Christ only,
by the Holy Ghost only.

For all the work of Jesus. Reconciliation, propitiation,
atonement, mediation, intercession. For us you sent Him
and freely he came, All the way from heaven to earth and
back again.

Oh Lord make us humble, keep us from presumption
and pride, Keep us from despair and unbelief.

Forgive all our sins of last year, of thy love and grace
cause there to be less sin next year. Fill us anew with the
Holy Spirit, strengthen us to walk faithfully in thy word so
not to bring shame to thy great Name.

Cause our hearts to burn with fervent love for one
another, and for the unsaved that we would freely share
the Gospel message of repentance and forgiveness of sins
where we live and wherever we travel. Amen

Happy and blessed New Year!
Mark

Posted on 30 Dec 2011 

Joy

Jeremiah 15:16
“…and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my
heart; for I am called by thy name O Lord God of hosts.”

As Christians in the age we live in let us remember “..the joy
of the Lord is our strength. Though sorrow and trails are part
of life this side of heaven. We are to be a joyful children. Why?
We are the redeemed of the Lord. United to Christ by faith.
A 1800’s English preacher has written it better than I can.

“The religion of Christ is the religion of Joy. Christ came to take
away our sins, to roll of our curse, to unbind our chains, to open
our prison house, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the
oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness. Is not this joy? Where can we find a joy so real, so
deep, so pure, so lasting? There is every element of joy- deep,
ecstatic, satisfying, sanctifying joy- in the gospel of Christ. The
believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The child of God is,
from necessity, a joyful man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is
justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his con-
filicts are victories, his death is immortality, his future is a heaven
of inconceivable, un thought-of, untold, and endless blessedness.
With such a God, such a savior, and such a hope, is he not, ought
he not, to be a joyful man?” Octaviius Winslow

The answer is Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! Let Apostle Pauls words speak to
us in 2012 Let His joy be fulfilled in our hearts. “Rejoice in the
Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Let us praise and thank
Jesus for the joy he has given us.
Mark

Posted on 08 Jan 2012

Thanksgiving

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

James 1:2 “My brethern, count it all joy when when you fall into divers temptations” (various trials)

Number your blessings not your crosses:
Number your gains not your losses.
Number your joys not your woes:
Number your friends not your foes.
Number your smiles not your tears;
Number your courage not your fears.

” With numberless blessings each moment He crowns, And,
filled with His fullness devine, I sing in my rapture, Oh,
glory to God for such a Redeemer as mine!”
Fanny J Crosby 1820-1915

” Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is
at hand. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. And the peace of God , which
passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7
Thanksgiving Blessings
Mark

Posted on 24 Nov 2011

The Fulfilling of God’s Plan and Promise

For the gifts and calling o God are without repentance
Romans 11:29

What a mighty consolation do theses words contain!
The main thought of the text is; God cannot repent
or revoke a grace and election He has givin before.
Now we have a very early calling and election as the
foundation for our hope of salvation. we have got some
dear and most great promises. “For the gifts and calling
of God are without repentance” ” He has chosen us in
Christ before the foundation of the world” Eph 1:4
This counsel of salvation of God must be quite
settled. It must br quite independant of us. Because
God made his decision so early, that no man could
contribute to it. It happened “before the foundation
of the world”

No day had come yet. There was not yet any sun or
moon. In the free counsel of His own eternal Being,
the Lord God thought of creating the world and of
creating mankind on earth in His own image to be
children and heirs of all His gifts. A mankind that
would be able to see and rejoice at all His works and
perfectnesses. And in order that we should learn to
know also His devine righteousness and mercy, He
also decided to put us to the test. He forsaw that we
would be beguiled by the envy and cunning of the
fallen angel and fall and become depraved. Then
God decided on this counsel of salvation: He would
give us His own Son to be our mediator. He would
decend on eath, put on our flesh and assume our
cause. He would undertake to fulfill the law and
to undergo the punishment in our stead. Everyone
that is in distress because of his sins and flees to
Him sticks to Him only in faith, will not perish,
but have eternal life. C.O. Rosenius

The love of God which is greater far than tongue
or pen could ever tell, by grace was coming down
to man. “But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made
under the law,To redeem them that were under the
law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Galaitians 4:4-6

Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus
Paridise was lost now God is going to restore again
His beautifull garden Eden for His lost ones, the way
to the tree if Life is open. Even now this Christmas
season The Good Shepard is seeking his lost ones
out on the mountians rough, on the stormy sea of
sin and unbelief, can you not here his voice calling
“Come uto me all you labor and are heavy laden and
I will give you rest, come and learn of me for I am meek
and lowly at heart and you shall find rest for your souls.

Merry Christmas
Mark

Posted on 06 Dec 2011

Easter Season

As we near the Easter festival and we ponder the history of the world, the history of Israel, the history of the church, and our own personal history, we are well aware the world was and is marred by sin, Israel was and is marred by sin, the church was and is marred by sin, and each of us are marred by sin. Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ” With the Good Friday message is God’s love brought to a fallen world, the sin bearer, The Father’s beloved son, becoming sin for us that righteousness would be imputed unto those who have no offering to appease a Holy God. With the publican at the temple: “God be merciful to me a sinner” With Isaiah the prophet “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts”. God working in the heart repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Here the voice of the suffering saviour “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” Jesus shedding his precious blood to wash away all our sins. Martin Luther on the value of Christ’s blood. “One drop of Christ’s blood is worth more than heaven and earth.” My friend, leave your sins with Jesus, he has paid for them all. Martin Luther again, “Either your sin is with you, or lying on your shoulder, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back you are lost; but if is resting on Christ you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.” Easter morning is arriving the dark night is past, sin is finished, Satan destroyed, his power broken, death hath no more dominion over the children of grace. “The Sun of righteousness (Jesus) has risen with healing in his wings ” Martin Luther ” .. What does the resurrection advantage us? It has already brought us this: our hearts are enlightened and filled with joy, and we have passed from the darkness of sin, error and fear into the clear light.” Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” Brothers, sisters, young and old together, lets walk the narrow way as light and salt to all those around us, living for Jesus a life that is true striving to please him in all that we do. II Corinthians 5:14,15 “For the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” Holy Father bless our Easter services, cause our ears to be attentive and our hearts receptive to your word, our only life (Jesus) in his name, Amen.
Posted on 04 Apr 2011

Let’s Remember to Pray

Jesus said “That men ought always to pray and not to faint”, When the deciples asked Him to teach them to pray He gave them (us) the Lords Prayer. Prayer is important! The question we need to ask as the people of God and as individuals is, Do we pray?

The Bible on prayer

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 C H Spurgeon
on this verse “True prayer is an approach of the soul by the Spirit of God to the throne of God. It is not the utterance of words, it is not alone the feeling of desires, but it is the advance of the disires to God, the spiritual approach of our nature towards the Lord our God.”

” I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” 1stCorinthians 14:15 Inwardly we groan with unutterable words, cries and pleas, with words also we talk to Our Father, our requests are made known , He does hear! In His word it is commanded “pray without ceasing”. Yes that is what is written. God knowing all things we need and desire, says, pray. O. Hallesby has written “Prayer is something deeper than words. It is present in the soul before it has been formulated into words. And it abides in the soul after the last words of prayer have passed over our lips”

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
John 16:23-24 This is His promise. Let us keep asking.

Harvest time is coming Fall is upon us. Jesus is soon coming. The Lord’s words. “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2 The Fall Services are just around the corner. I ask all of you to be in prayer for the services. With fullness of joy, that God for the sake of His dear son would, Open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon us. That the wonder working blood of the Lamb and mighty name of Jesus would purge us of our besetting sins, and the secret sins of our heart. That cleansed and made Holy we would ” Living in Thee Lord, and Thou in me; constant abiding this is my plea; grant me thy power, boundless and free: Power with men and power with Thee.” “mercy drops round us are falling but for the showers we plead.”

Mark

Posted on 29 Jul 2011

Reflections, Looking Ahead, Questions

For the American Church, how has the past year been?
For the Church whatever name it goes by, or you or I
whatever our individual name is. What has been our
priorities? 2010 is fast ending, 2011 is soon arriving.
What has it been in 2010? What will it be in 2011?
Have we sought the kingdom of God and his
righteousness? see Matt 6:33 or our own will and way?
Before you left your room in the morning did you
think to pray? Did we forget to pray? Jesus said Luke 18:1
“… that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
Have we prayed or fainted? Have we attended church worship
and the word, and Bible study regularly? or just not bothered?
The Bible says, Heb 10:24-25 “and let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye
see the day approaching.” Have we, will we? Did we? Will we
walk in the steps of Jesus? Apostle 1st Peter 2:21 “For even
here unto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”Have
we suffered and followed in Jesus’ steps?, are we willing to?
Do we have a concern for lost souls? Jesus said of himself
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save
that which was lost.” he also said “as my father sent me so
send I you” Have we obeyed our commission and calling?
Will we? Have we? Gal 6:2″Bear ye one another’s burdens,
and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Did we? Will we bear each
others burdens? Has love ruled our hearts and actions?
1sr Peter 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying
the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart
fervently:” Did fervent love rule? will it? Oh Holy Father our
wickedness and sins are many. We are in agreement with
Daniel 9:19-20 “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken
and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city
and thy people are called by thy name. And whiles I was
speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of
my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the
Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God;” Forgive us as
we call upon thy name Lord. Turn us Oh Lord and we shall be
turned grant us a fresh pouring out of your grace by Thy
Holy Spirit. Grant us Father in heaven strength to live for Thy
glory in all that we say and all that we do. Amen
Mark
Posted on 28 Dec 2010

The Epiphany of Our Lord

The revealing of Christ’s divinity and rightful position as the second person in the Trinity. Conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the virgin Mary, there by being truly God and truly man. Romans 1:34 “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” God’s own testimony of His only begotten Son being baptized by John. Matthew 3:16-17 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus in perfect obedience walked on earth as the first perfect man fulfilling all righteousness as the son of Adam. Then the fallen sons and daughters of Adam could be redeemed. Sin committed in the flesh, atoned for in the flesh, the God man dying in the flesh, shedding His precious Holy blood for sinners condemned and unclean. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Hebrews 2:14-17 “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” This revelation to the heart of a sinner, works godly sorrow over sin, repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. Washed in the blood of Jesus, translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. Born again, if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away; behold all things are become new, as Apostle Paul teaches. God has call us brothers sisters young and old to proclaim the everlasting gospel of Jesus’s blood and righteousness. This gift of justification by Jesus Christ comes as a free gift without any merit or worthiness on our part. It comes to us from a mercifull God to sinners by birth and by choice Titus 3:3-7 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful,and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” This is the message of
the Gospel, there is life in Jesus name and a sure anchor for the soul. John 5:11-13 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” Oh what an Epiphany it is when the grace of God in Christ Jesus is revealed to a sinner. Proclaim it preach it, teach it, sing it, herald forth the word of life as long as there is breath. The seed is planted and God gives the increase. The time is short, Jesus is coming again! In His service

Mark

Posted on 10 Feb 2011 

Advent (Parousia) presence as opposed to absence

The first advent is the incarnation which brings God to us
in human form The long awaited for promised seed of the
woman bringing salvation to a lost and condemned world.
Adams seed. The voice of the Lord spoke to Joseph quoting
Isa. 7:14 Matt 1:23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Jesus being born of woman became present as “God in flesh”
True God and now true man. Jesus, from Bethlehem’s
manger grew to be a man, walked among us felt everything
we feel, yet with one big difference, He always pleased His
Father, Jesus lived perfectly Holy without sin. After fulfilling all
righteousness, as the spotless Lamb of God he laid His Life
down on the cross, shedding His blood for us sinners, that he
might take it up again, rising from the dead. Jesus then told Mary
“Touch me not for I have not yet ascended to my Father and
your father”
He than came back and told Thomas John 20:27 ” Reach
hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither
Thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but
believing.” “Believing we have life through His Name.” He then
came and preached peace to them that were near and to them
that were afar off. Jews and Gentiles, establishing His Church
saying as my Father has sent me so send I you. This is really
Jesus’s Second appearing from heaven as one of us as victor
over sin death and hell.
We read of His third appearing in Acts 1:11, “Ye men of
Gal’i-lee , why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus,
which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as you have seen him go into heaven.” Jesus is coming
again the third time to separate the sheep from the goats.
Two messages will be heard, “Come ye blest of my Father” and
“Depart ye cursed” We wait for a great and glorious day as many
as love the Lord. As we wait with anticipation, lets go forth with joy,
bearing our little cross’s proclaiming the everlasting gospel of Jesus
and his love,that whosoever believes may live and not die.Mark

Posted on 28 Nov 2010