Unusual Evidence

Genesis 11:8: So the LORD scattered them (the people at Babel) abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.
This verse describes an event so ancient it's outside recorded history in the records of most civilizations, but it's a modern verse, because recent discoveries in human genetics have found evidence of an "exploratory gene." In other words, the desire to explore is born in us, and exists in a fairly large percentage of the population.
It's well known that humans explore and migrate.  The United States (where I live) was explored, colonized, and inhabited numerous times before the present occupants came from Europe; some folks came from Europe before the settlers; others came from Asia--but what makes people interested in exploring new lands, finding new places to live? Apparently it's a God-created desire--one that started in ancient days, before recorded history, and which is part of our genome:

Exploration Gene(s)

Considering this from a Christian perspective, it's awe-inspiring to know that the desire to find new places, to enjoy new territories, to go where others have not--is from God. Of course, it's an open question whether this gene (or genes) arose as a result of God activating something in our genetic makeup, or if God actually created a new part of our genome to force us out and beyond the "land of Shinar..."

A life without Him....

It can appear to go well, and end well. That confuses many of God's true children, who often suffer without explanation:
Psalm 73:

2      My feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace...


12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.

So the man or woman who believes cries out, "WHY?" in the face of such injustice, because it is so unfair, and then thinks of God as approving what these evil men and women do because He is silent.

However, that's not the end of the story.  Nobody really gains a thing from rejecting God, and living as if this life alone is "all there is;" nobody gains a thing from arrogance, and violence, and covetousness that destroy other people, because:


17      ...I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!

So the actual question these folk should ask is, "what happens at the end?" How will God see me?  This is a continuous theme in the Scriptures--a man who rejects God does so without considering that his life here will end, and what does he have then?

If you believe, on the other hand, you inherit the testimony of the writer of this Psalm, thus:


23     ...I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

If you have Him, you have everything, and you have it forever.  If you don't have Him, even what you seem to have will be taken from you, and you will face eternity naked and empty-handed.

No Good beyond you....

David said, You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you...

As a matter of fact, David was very wealthy. He had command of all he surveyed.  He had friends, servants, a wonderful home, all his heart could wish...but he says, "I have no good apart from You. In another place, David says, "we only give you your own, and all we have comes from you." In another place, we read, that the Lord says "I will never leave you."

When we have nothing, we still have God. He is our strength, our mainstay, our guide, our friend, our helper.  When we have everything, God is really all we have, because without Him we have nothing. He gives us life, and breath, and all good things. Everything comes from Him, whether we are rich, poor, or in the middle. We try to disguise this by worshipping our "stuff," and by pretending to believe that we "make our own luck" (which is a way of saying "I work hard, and therefore prosper"), but the truth is that unless God opens His hand to us, we cannot receive a thing.  He has promised to honor our work, and that's why we gain from it:  "when you give, they gather..." (Ps. 104:28)...

There's more here, though.  "I have no good apart from you" also means that if you set all the "stuff" on one side of the room, and God on the other side, it is all nothing compared to Him, and compared to knowing Him.  You can include everything in your life on the one side, and it will be a mere grain of sand, a microscopic speck beside Him.  Nothing and nobody compares to Him. This was David's experience, knowing God, following Him, spending time with Him.  Remembering this makes us wealthy beyond our wildest dreams; forgetting it takes what is most important from us, and makes us depend on things that are of no value by comparison.

This is a place to meditate on ALL the meanings in Psalm 23:

Psalm 23: The LORD the Shepherd of His People A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

It's all HIM, and Him alone.  He is everything to us, and does everything for us.
Thank God He has chosen not to ignore us.  How poor we would be--but since we have Him, we are rich beyond all measure.

Both Large and Small...

God made you.  You are important to Him--He is the Creator of all, and none live or die without His knowledge.
David writes of this when he says, "What is man, that you are mindful of him...you made him a little lower than the angels...you crowned him with glory and honor." Here are the two realities about you.  In a sense, you are a speck. You are a "nothing" in this vast universe populated by galaxies, solar systems, black holes, clouds of stars and planets. Yet when God made you, He stooped down and built you individually. You were planned, and so were the days God gave you to live (Psalm 139); your location was chosen (Acts 17), and your life was "built" ahead of time by God, who is the great designer.  Your life was prepared for good works (Ephesians 2), and God actually set those works aside for you to do.  You are so important to Him that He planned for you, down to the smallest detail.  This is amazing--that the time of your arrival on earth was planned; that the place of your arrival on earth was planned; that your life was directed from eternity past.  Yes, you have the power of choice, of "free will," but you also have the right and privilege of fitting into His plans for you, so that you are completely fulfilled by Him. This is a wonderful gift--that God actually superintends your life, if you let him, and that He loves you so much that He's always right there ministering to you to show you the path to take.  Even when you don't know much about what's happening, or the future, or where life is taking you, God knows, and He loves to help.  You can lean on Him during life's dark days, and enjoy His blessings when life is good.  He's right there, and He's right there for you.

"The glory which you gave Me I have given them..."

God lives in "unapproachable light;" He is served by myriads of angels and other heavenly creatures. He is robed in light, and all bow down before Him. Jesus speaks of the "Glory He had with God before the world existed," -- and then He says, "The glory which you have given Me I have given them."  In the original, it's clear that He means the glory is ours already--the same glory that the Son and the Father have together. He does this, when you become a believer, by "making his home with you"--by uniting you with Him. Both the Son and the Father do this, so that you are united with Him, and become as one.  Yes, you retain your identity. Yes, you are always going to be "you." BUT.  Even so, you "belong" to Him, in ways that no words can fathom, with a relationship so deep that it can be described as "one." This is the essence of receiving God's glory, to be one with Him so that He dwells in you and empowers and informs your entire life.  Because you are still "you," you can enjoy His fullness, or live in your own spirit.  The life of fullness and wisdom in Him is potentially yours, but you must cultivate it.  This all sounds very mystical, but in practical terms it's not.  It's really very simple.  To enter into all that God has for you, just do the following:
1. Start bringing things to Him all the time.  Simple, easy prayers, such as, "Lord, what should I do about this?" OR, "Sammy has been really naughty today (if you're a Mom), what should I do?" And then see if He answers. It takes a bit of practice to hear Him all the time, but once you "get on to it" it's easy, and it grows on you.
2. Meditate on Scripture.  Meditation is different than study, and different than reading.  Meditation is actually thinking about and praying over, what God says, and personalizing it all, with His help.
3. Listen for His voice in your spirit.  It's often very quiet, but if you know Him, you can learn to recognize His voice.
4. Remember that He's interested in you:  Psalm 139:

17  How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up, you are still with me!

All these things take some practice--but your heritage is to be united with God, and like His Son, if you are a Christian--so be those things now, and enjoy them.

Thankfully...

Thankfully, you woke up today.  You have life, and breath, at least for a short time; you have enough hope to stop your life and read this.  You have time away from work to do the same.  You have enough money to get on the internet, and use it.
The sun rose this morning, as it always does, and it was preceded by night, which it always is.  Where I live, the weather is wonderful--maybe not so much where you live, but there is a beauty in all weather--whether the stark cold of winter, the heat of summer, the beauty of spring and fall, or just today. You probably had something to drink or eat when you got up, and I hope you looked outside to see what's there.
These are all things that God provides.  Breath, life, sunshine, rain, snow, and the opportunity to make our way in life--and the help to gain those things, and live life.  Thankfulness (to God) for the simplest of things is a sure sign of a grateful heart--and a grateful heart makes for a happy life. The writer of Proverbs (in the Bible) says,  "A merry heart does good like a medicine;" and so does a thankful heart.
The old adage that says, "count your blessings" is true--so stop and look outside of yourself for a moment today (and if you want to be happy, every day)--think of the simplest of things that you get to experience, and be thankful for them.  The sunrise.  The sounds of morning.  The change in temperature.  A friendly smile from a loved one. The sound of children laughing and playing (or even fighting--if they fight, they can't be too sick, right?). Shopping malls filled with eager people (they are seeking something better than they have; that can't be all bad, right?); the cup of coffee or tea in your hand; the memories of family.  You have something for which to be thankful. Find it.  Thank God for it. Your heart will relax, and release its poisons, and the medicine of merriment will take hold.

Who could be ungrateful in the presence of such beauty--it's just a tree, but there are all the colors of fall, right outside the window!

Anyone....

In John's Gospel, Jesus often meets individuals--He says to the woman at the well (John 4), "If you had known, you would have asked, and [I] would have given YOU living water; He comes to the sick man at the pool of Bethesda, and says, "do YOU want to be well?" (John 5) He talks to the woman who was caught in adultery, and says, "YOUR sins are forgiven..." (John 8), but in John 7:37, He says, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink."
Anyone is anyone--without exception.
Anyone is anyone--without limitation.
Anyone is anyone--without restriction.
Anyone. Anyone. Anyone.
That includes YOU, but it does not exclude anyone else.
If anyone can come, then there's room for you.
If anyone can come, then it doesn't matter what your sins are.
If anyone can come, then it doesn't matter how messed up your life is.
If anyone can come, then your politics don't matter.
If anyone can come, then your age doesn't matter.
If anyone can come, then your marital status doesn't matter.
If anyone can come, then your social position doesn't matter (King? Slave? Poor? Rich?)
If anyone can come, then your wealth or poverty doesn't matter.
If anyone can come, then anyone can come!
This is an all-encompassing promise to whoever wants to drink of the water that springs up into eternal life, bringing with it a life in the presence of the Spirit of God, and bringing with it a life in which the Spirit of God lives in you and fills you with satisfaction and overflows to others around you.
When you come and drink, you meet the Father, and the Father meets you, and puts His strong arms around you, and fills you with His presence; when you come and drink, the Father and Son come to be with you forever. When you come and drink, your spirit loses the ability to perish. "You will live, even if you die," and when you come and drink, in reality, "you will never die--" the part of you that matters, the part that makes you, YOU will live with the Father and the Son.
In other words, when you come and drink, you cannot die spiritually. CANNOT. You have passed "from death into life."
At the moment (and especially if you are unfamiliar with the teachings of the Bible), this may sound strange, or fantastic, or even crazy--but what I'm writing today is the absolutely clear teaching of the Christian Bible--
Come! Drink! Fill your life with God!
Come! Drink! Live forever!
Want to know more about this?? Read the Gospel by John. It's the fourth book in the New Testament, and this book says the same thing in every language.

"The Water That I Shall Give Him..."

John 4:
Jesus offers much more than a  spiritual "drink of water" to the thirsty soul.  He offers to create a well in the soul that never goes dry, but springs up into eternal life.  When you come to Him, and drink from the water that He gives, you receive eternal life at that very moment--you "enter into life;" you "pass from death into life;" you receive a life that means you cannot die, in the spiritual sense.
How do you do this??
You simply ask.  That's what Jesus said, He said, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who speaks to you, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
When you ask, God will speak to you about your life, as Jesus did to the woman--"Go, call your husband, and come here."  This was her "issue." She had to know that He would look into her life, into her heart, and change her when He offered her the "living water." Nobody knows what it is with you, but the point is that the Living Water is going to change YOU, and transform your life.
The living water:
Is a "well" it doesn't need feeding from the outside, but draws from the Aquifer of God's love and grace.
Springs up into eternal lfe.
Calls us to change/transforms us.
Reveals our hearts to us.
Makes us aware of "something better" than the life we live now.
Yours for the asking!

Seek--And You SHALL Find...

In the kingdom of My Son, seeking IS finding, if you do it with a true heart.  I have never turned anyone away, if he sought Me with a true heart, just wanting to know Me, and obey Me.  I have said this so many times, in so many ways, that you really should "get it" pretty easily, but some of you think in the backs of your minds, "He'll never listen to me, I'm too ____________ (sinful, insignificant, rebellious)--you fill in the blanks with your own reasons.  Your reasoning is bogus.  This is an unconditional promise, made so many times that I honestly don't see how you can miss it:

"you shall search for Me, and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
"Seek, and you shall find....he who seeks, finds."
"The LORD is good to the soul who seeks Him."
 "From there you shall find the LORD your God, if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul."
"If you seek Him, you will find Him."
"The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him, for good (and not evil)."
"Your heart shall live, you who seek God."
"I did not say... seek me in vain."
"Thus says the LORD...I will seek My sheep, and I will search them out..." [He's seeking you, too].
"The day is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking people like this to worship Him."

So you see, "Seek Me" is not a pointless command.  I have promised that if you seek, you will find, and you will!  Do this from an honest and good heart, and I will reward you in ways that you cannot even imagine.

"I am the Resurrection and the Life..."

My Son said, and then He continues: "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live; and he who believes in Me shall never die."
Death is your greatest enemy.  For every human being, it is the last, always victorious, foe.  All of our sicknesses, all of our pain, all of our sorrow, find themselves ending--in death, which is the great Destroyer.
Death is Satan's greatest tool.  Those who fear it are in servitude to it, and cannot free themselves from its clutches. Satan uses death to crush and destroy your entire race--whether by murder, disease, famine, or war, all of life ends at the grave. Satan has "the power of death," unless you believe in My Son.
Death is the process by which you live your lives. It's as if there's a giant clock over your heads, and if you listen carefully, you can hear it ticking.  I told Adam, in the book of Genesis, "Dying you will die..." in other words, the process of death begins with the beginning of life, and ends only at the grave--where all of you will go, whatever the cause,
EXCEPT for My Son, Who has "conquered death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,"  and obtained those same things for you--Life, and Immortality.
The person that is you need never die. Your body may weaken and die "before your time;" you may live a long and successful life, and be ready to pass into eternity, and your body simply wear out from use and age; but YOU don't have to die. My Son is "The Resurrection and the Life." When you truly believe in Him, you lose the ability to really die.  The real you  lives on, and one day I will complete your circle of life by resurrecting you just as my Son rose. The chapter of John from which My Son's words are drawn make this very clear--His friend, Lazarus, had been dead 4 days--My Son went to Lazarus' tomb anyway, and called out, "Lazarus, come out," and Lazarus rose from the dead, and exited the tomb. In other words, My Son has power over that last and greatest enemy, death--which He proved finally, rising from the dead because "He could not be held by it."
And so I invite you: become one of the "Immortals" through the power of My Son.  Believe in Him, and LIVE!  -- "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ..."

Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He will Strengthen your heart.

These words are still true.  Strength that you get from Me comes from trusting me, asking me, and deciding to be courageous.  In another place, It's written, "God did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind."  These verses detail My gifts, and also point out what to do when trouble comes your way.  Bring everything to Me, and decide to be strong: "Cast your burdens on the LORD, and He will sustain YOU." Notice that I did NOT say, "Cast your burdens on the LORD, and He will take them." Instead, It's written, "Cast your burdens on the LORD, and He will sustain YOU." I promised to sustain YOU, not just take your burdens--I will strengthen your entire person when trouble comes, and give you My help.  Does that mean it won't hurt, won't affect you, won't be difficult? No.  It doesn't, and if there were no troubles, I would not have needed to say these things.  Life can sometimes be full of trouble, full of persecution, full of sorrow, but in all of that, you have ME.  "I will never leave you, or forsake you." "Fear not, for I am with you..." "Be strong, and very courageous..."
David My servant responded to these concepts by saying, "Blessed be the LORD, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight..." I give strength. I give courage (but you have to take it). I give power, love, and a sound mind. I will not desert you. Be strong, and I will always stand with you.
And when you are in trouble, and hurting, remember: "Sorrow may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." I will bring your troubles to an end, and wipe away all the tears you have ever shed. Take courage. I am with you. Forever.

Unless you are converted and become as little children...

Humility and listening to Me go hand in hand. That's why My Son said,
Matthew 18:1-4:
 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.4“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The greatest loss of all is to ignore what I say, or to pre-judge my words as if I did not say them for your benefit. Listening with your heart is the essence of humility. When you refuse to do that, you make it impossible for me to communicate with you on any level, except by disaster or judgment.  There are many of you who should honestly evaluate My words, and submit yourself to them, and so become My children, but you will not. Instead you "ask questions" that your mind makes up, things you consider logical, as if I were subject to your judgment and intellect.  As a matter of fact, I created you, and your race (see!!?? right now, you are thinking, "What about evolution? Did God make the universe? Why doesn't God show Himself, so I can determine His existence to my satisfaction? What about all the evil in the world? What about bad people who believe in God? Why do churches and ministers do lots of evil things?" And so on.). It's very clear when you say these things that you are ignoring an essential fact: These questions are constructs of your mind that prevent you from listening to Me, because they put you above Me, as if you were MY judge.  Listening requires humility, and listening to ME is the gateway to finding Me.  If you promise to listen, I'll promise to speak to you, once I see that you are sincere, and not merely looking to "see if you're interested once you find out I'm there."  Listening to Me requires submission to Me, so that if you truly will listen, your first step is to become like a child--eager to know Me, eager to be close to Me, eager to find where I am. Once you begin to do that, I begin to respond, and when I see that you want to know Me, want to submit to Me, want to follow Me as your God and Lord, I will reveal Myself to you clearly.  Until then, there is little hope, because you resist Me. When you do that, you deny yourself the opportunity to know Me, and ultimately deny yourself entry into My kingdom.
Don't do that. I know there are evil people who say they believe. I know that "religion" has been used for evil. I know that you don't see me waving at you from the "man in the moon." Just promise yourself, and Me, to listen--to become as that little child My Son mentioned, and see what happens.

Through Him, we ... have access to the Father

Jesus Christ is the gateway to God, and to life eternal. He calls Himself the Door--"by Me, if any man enter in, He shall be saved..." The Way: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life;
The Light: "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
"He who hears My word, and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."
These words are clear.  If you believe in Jesus Christ, you have eternal life; you have followed the right way; you have the light of the world to guide you, and you have entered through the door into salvation.
My Son, Jesus Christ, is the one essential in the world.  With Him, you have all things. Without Him, you ultimately have nothing.
He will not turn you away; He will not let you be lost; He will always be with you.
IF you turn to Him.

When you are hurting, turn your thoughts

To Me.  It is always difficult to do this when your spirit is wounded, or when you are hurting--but that's how David received My help. When you focus on Me, I not only become your focus, but I also "enter the conversation," so to speak, so that My presence fills the space where you have had your pain.
When you focus on what's happening to you (that IS necessary), here's how things look:

[Psalm 102]

3 My days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.  4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.  5 Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin. 6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. 7 I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop. 8 My enemies reproach me all day long; Those who deride me swear an oath against me.  9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping, 10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away.  11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass.

When you re-focus your thoughts on Me, here's how things look;

24 I said, "O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. 27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no end. 

28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.

Has his pain been eliminated? Are his problems gone? No.  That's part of his life, and may not change. Consider your situation: You have a crippling disease; a relationship on which you counted suddenly breaks. You suffer life's terrible reversals, and lose your retirement, or your job, or your house.  A child becomes sick, dies, or is killed in some unreasoning awful way.  You are persecuted; your enemies multiply like locusts.  That may not change now, but what you will see is that I am eternal, and you will live with Me forever. All the evil that you see now will disappear, but I will remain, and so will you.
Yes, the world is broken, and cannot be fixed.  Sometimes your life is broken, and cannot be fixed--this life, that is. But the life you have with Me is as unending as I am, and that life cannot be broken, ruined, or destroyed. It is as eternal, invincible, as mighty as ME. I am above all these things, and though you may not see it now, you are, too--you are part of Me.

Personal Note...

I've been off the "blogosphere" for several weeks; sorry 'bout that, but I've had some challenges that made it difficult to concentrate on writing.

Tell Me The Truth...

"A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his soul before the LORD..." This is the title of Psalm 102.
I WANT to know what is in your heart.  I know it anyway, but when you tell me, it helps you. I would think you'd know that from reading the many Psalms I had my servants write about this, but many of you do not.  Even your ministers say things like, "depression shows a lack of faith." Which only goes to show that they haven't read My servants' Psalms, and integrated them into their own spiritual lives.  When you are "down," and you tell Me about it, several things happen:
1. Your prayers engage Me. Don't forget, these conversations with Me are all two-way. I listen, and then I speak, and many times I have answers--but if you're not seeking Me, how can you get the answers I offer?
2. Your prayers strengthen your mind, and define what's happening to you.  You "air out your spirit," so to speak, rather than keeping everything bottled up inside.  Honesty is the best policy with Me.
3. You increase your own faith, strengthen your heart, and create a deeper reliance on Me, and that leads to your ultimate deliverance from trouble and sorrow. Many times, in these very Psalms of sorrow, if you read to the end of them, you'll see that things actually work out, and that the writer (David, Asaph, whoever) ends the Psalm with faith and expectation in his heart. For example, Psalm 69 begins, "Save me, O God, for the waters have come into my soul...." My servant David was drowning in trouble and grief.  But look at the end of the Psalm (69:30 and following): "I will praise God's name with singing, and honor Him with thanksgiving."
4. You have not because you ask not--if you don't honestly tell Me what's happening in your life, you don't get all I have to give.
So talk to me.  And don't bother with fine words. I don't need them.  Just talk.

"We are also His offspring..."

Yes, that's right. You are My "offspring."  Since you are Mine in every sense of the term, several things follow:
1. You are like Me. Whether good or bad, whether tall or short, black brown, white, young, old, in between--you are like Me.  Since I am not "all you are," sometimes that likeness gets suppressed or twisted, and you seem unlike Me. But that's not your true self. Your true path, and the path to regain all that you are is to turn to Me, believe in Me, and thus become fully like Me, so that you can live in the universe I made for you--billions of light years across, with joy, happiness, and pleasures forevermore.
2. You are eternal.  That's right. Your life, once begun, will not end.  "Yes," you say, "But I will die." Yes, you probably will die--but that's not what I meant. The essential part of you, the spirit, will live on as an individual throughout eternity.  The question is, "Where?" and, "In what form?" You choose that yourself by choosing to believe in Me and pray to Me, or by rejecting Me. The first path leads upward, to a permanent relationship with Me; the second path leads to everlasting judgment.  As I had My servant Paul say, "[God] has appointed a day in which He will judge the world....by Jesus Christ." This is a true statement. Judgment may be long in coming, but it will come.
3. You live in a world that is full of illusions.  The main illusion is that the life you see is the "real one."  I said (again, through Paul My servant): "The things we see are temporary, the things we don't see are eternal." The spiritual world is the real world, not the world you see, feel, and touch.  It's real because it is permanent, and lasts forever.  You can learn to see and understand that world (partially) even now, and you should.
4. Since you are Mine, and I rule this universe of Mine, I have the right to do with you as I please, and I want to bless you.  That is My nature--to be the provider of goodness and blessing. The evil that you see--that's not Me. That's My competitor, Satan, who is soon to be defeated, despite his immense power and control over the kingdoms of the world. You will face many difficult times because of Satan, who has tremendous temporary control over the world that you live in, but he is defeated already, his kingdom is shrinking, and he is making one last effort to take you from Me and keep you for himself. Don't be his. Become My servant. Believe in Me, pray to Me, love Me, and serve Me.  You will be pleased with the results, and you will live forever with Me.

Who do you love?

My Dear Son added a commandment to the most important one:  "You shall love the Lord your God..." it's found elsewhere in My book, but He put them together, this way: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart....AND your neighbor as yourself." He also said, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

It's easy to say you love Me--after all, I'm invisible, and nobody knows how you really treat me.  You can ignore Me, refuse to listen to Me, be angry with Me, reject Me privately, even hate Me, and nobody knows.  It's a secret.

Everyone knows how you treat other people.  You may think they don't, but they do.  Sometimes you'll hear it under someone's breath. Sometimes you'll see it in their faces. Sometimes it comes out in their arrogance, or their actions. Sometimes it's so obvious that it can't be missed, as when My Dear Son referred to the Pharisees, who "for a pretense made long prayers while they stole the homes of the widows..."

Everyone knows, and I know, too. I know how you treat the people you work with. I know how you treat your customers. I know how you treat the people in your family.  I know how you think about people who are "beneath" you, or "not righteous like you." I know how you justify yourself when you cause harm.  I know.


If you learn to treat people the way I command, you will change the world around you. You will change you. And you will change them.

How can you love people?  Look at them the right way. That's a start. Ask Me to show you how I see a particular person.  Think of them as humans, men women and children made in My image, and whom I love, rather than looking at their beauty, fame, color, language, money, bathing habits, or.... Intentionally treat them with respect. Smile at them, and let the smile reach your heart.  When you speak to them, ask them about themselves (you'll find that some people don't want to talk, but so what? Others will). If you're rebuffed, ignore the anger in the other person, and treat them with kindness. Ask me to show you how to love them, and ask Me to help them love in return.

Offer to help them when you can, and be kind to them. I will heal their ugliness (if they let me) as YOU love them. You become a conduit for My love when you do the things that I show you. Always pray, and seek Me for the way to love and the way to care. If you belong to Me, My Dear Son has placed His heart within you.  Let Him guide you in kindness and care.

Unlimited...

One of the greatest errors My children make is to see Me as if I had their limitations.  Many of my children don't ask because they don't believe, and they don't believe because they don't know who I am:
"You are in error, because you do not know the Scriptures, or the power of God." When My Dear Son made this statement, He referred to a group of men who did not think I could raise the dead.  This is a difficult task, to be sure. Nobody has ever done it but Me (and My dear Son, John 11), because I have the power of life and death; I can raise the dead at any time I wish, but I have reserved this for one time in the future.  In the meantime, I have provided many evidences that I am not limited in any way.
This is important to you, because there are things you need that no man can give you, but I offer them freely, without charge of any kind. All you have to do is ask:
Jeremiah 33:3: "Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you..." confused? I can show you.
Psalm 50:15: Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will rescue you..." troubles?? I will help.
2 Chronicles 14:11: Then Asa called on the LORD...: LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty...We have no power against this mighty army...Help us, O LORD, for we trust in you...and the LORD struck the Cushites..."
Romans 10:13: "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved..."
Luke 9:38-41: "Someone in the crowd cried out, Master, I beg you, look on my son...he is terribly afflicted...[Jesus said] Bring him here to me...Jesus...healed the child..."
YOU cannot do any of these things. YOU cannot deliver from armies; YOU cannot reveal hidden things; YOU cannot heal sick children. I can do all of them. But...you have to ASK.  "You have not because you ask not."
So there are two steps you must take:
1. Learn what I have said.  The Scriptures explain what I can and will do, and under what circumstances.
2. Believe in My power.  I am unlimited in might, and you will be "Amazed at the mighty power of God" [Luke 9:43], and blessed by my mercy and love, which I delight in bestowing.

Sometimes, it's confusing.

Many times, My servants don't know the path they take. They don't know where it leads, why they are on it, how they got there, or when it will lead them into light.  This often happens in times of intense suffering, personal difficulties of various kinds, or prolonged hard times.
Sometimes you'll think I don't love you. Nothing could be further from the truth. I will always love you. I will never leave you.  I will always guide you, even if it seems I am not even there.
I do have some instructions that will help you with all of this:
1. When you are "in the dark," lean on Me.  I know it sometimes seems as if I'm not even there, as if you "cry and shout," and I don't answer.  That's not true. I am right beside you, in your life forever. When you are confused and in trouble, trust Me.  I am with you (Isaiah 50:10, Psalm 23:4).
2. The darkness is the same as the daytime to Me.  Many of you think I am in the dark when you are, but that's not true. I am never in the dark, and I don't lose track of you when you are. I always know where you are, what's happening to you, and I am there with you, holding you (Psalm 139:12, 10).
3. You WILL sometimes be "in darkness," with confusing times in front of you and behind you. It may seem they will never end, but they will, and you will come out into My light, and you will look back and know that I have been with you the whole way, holding you, loving you as My child.
4. During these times, you should always pray. Always, about everything. If you get mad at Me and stop praying, you will lose your strength very fast.  Remember that prayer is not about special words. It's just about talking to Me as you would anybody--and I know what you think, anyway, so you may as well tell Me (don't be rude, but tell Me), and let Me hold your hand and encourage you, even if the "dark time" is very long.
5. During these times, you should read the things My servants have said, because I told them what to write:  "The things which were written before were written for our learning, that we might have hope through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures."  Many times, your only strength will come from listening to what I have said before. My words, that I spoke through My servants, will give you understanding, will strengthen you, will assure you of My love, will enhance My presence, and will keep you sane. Focus your reading on the New Testament (the part that starts with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and the Psalms (in the middle of most Bibles, or at the end, if you have a New Testament with Psalms).  If you don't have a Bible, get one. It is a lifeline into My presence and the doorway into understanding My love for you.
And don't forget, I love you. Always.

How much does love cost?

Children, love is not how much you spend.  It's how you meet the needs of My other children.  My servants often write about this, and many times they forget that there are crucial moments that do not reappear, moments of need, when you can help right then, and when just a little help is enough--but those moments are only there for a brief time, and then they are gone.
Here's an example:

Matt. 10:42 And whoever shall give one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, verily I say to you, he shall never lose his reward. 

There's the immediate need. Thirst.

Here are YOU; you have water.  My Dear Son is not asking you to give all your water, all your income, all your food.  Just  share some of what you have, for an immediate need to help a thirsty soul.
That is love and mercy in action. It doesn't need to be a lot. It does need to be:

• Timely (at the moment of need).
• Personal (direct to the person who needs it).
• Just what is needed (a person who needs water or food doesn't necessarily need money).
• Enough (a cup, not a drop).

Learn to show My love in little ways, and in little things. Don't hold back As you might say, "Just do it. "
My dear children, you can do this.  I will not withhold any good thing from you if you do.
 

Are you...

Saved?
Born Again?
"Washed in the Blood?"
Maybe you don't even know what those words mean.
I don't know why My children persist in using words that people don't understand.  Some of you, My dear children, are totally unconnected with the world that is "there." Now this is not going to be a complaint session, because I know you are trying (and some of you try very hard), but when you talk to people, you have to use words they "get." That's true of your music, of your speech, of your writing, of your sermons, of all your communication.
If someone doesn't believe in Me, and you want to tell them about Me, the best way is to start with words and ideas they will understand.
For example: I made the world, and everything in it, and the whole universe, and everything in it. When you say, "The Father made the world; He made you, and He put you here for a reason," people do understand what you say, even if they don't agree with you.
When you say, "The Son of God came to explain the Father, and show us how to live with Him forever," people understand that.
They probably don't understand the question, "Are you washed in the Blood?" If you want to talk to people, they have to "get" what you are saying, otherwise it's like you are speaking a foreign language.

How can you help people understand what I have said?
Well, the first step is to be sure you understand what I am saying yourself. Sometimes the language My servants used in olden days is too confusing, and sometimes it's just meaningless today, unless they are clued in to the special language that people seem to speak in churches. That also means that sometimes you don't understand it yourself. If you don't, then it's very hard for you to explain it to someone else.
The second step is to learn explanations for My ideas. Here's what I mean.  You can say, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world," and it has some meaning, even to folks who don't understand. They understand the part about taking away sin pretty well, and most everyone knows he's committed sins, and most everyone feels guilt over his sins, and wants to have his sins taken away. It's the part about the "Lamb of God" that is hard.  Eventually, people learn, but for now, they can't understand.
So here is what you might say:  "The Father wants to take away your sins." Because I do.  And then, "All you have to do is believe in Him, and believe in His Son." That gets people started.  It helps them. And if they are interested, then they will talk to you more, and ask for more explanation. Soon, they will understand why "The Lamb of God" was needed to "take away the sin of the world." Sometimes, you have to urge people a bit, because this is so important to them--they may not know it yet, but they will, because I urge them on as well (read what My servant John said about that in his book, John 16:8-12--he uses the word "convict," but it's the same thing).
When you talk to people about Me, remember to talk simply, find words they can understand, and LOVE THEM. I love them (and YOU!), and I want them (and YOU!) to live with Me forever.

Better than a phone call!

Sometimes, when you make a telephone call, it just rings and rings, or you get the response, "____ is not here; leave a message;"  or you call, and you get one of those "Press 1 for a company directory" messages, or it's busy. It's refreshing when you call to hear a real person on the other end, who says, "Hi!" or some other friendly greeting.
When you call Me, I answer personally.  Always. I hear every word you say, and I wait for the words you say to Me. You don't have to use special language.  You can use any words at all, and I understand your meaning. They don't have to be "framed" a certain way, and they don't have to be flowery.  Simple words are good. I prefer it when you talk to Me like you talk to another person (with respect, of course--don't forget who I am), because I AM a Person.  I am the "Beginning Person," the first one, from whom all other Persons come.  So talk to Me.
I like it when you talk to Me throughout the day.  It is special to have you talk like I'm right there--because I am. You never have to hide what's in your heart, because I already know what you are going to say, and you don't have to worry that I won't understand, because I know what you need before you ask. You don't have to "pray for hours" as a sort of special proof to me that you are serious. I know when you are serious. I DO like it when you commune with Me, and meditate on Me and who I am, but you don't need to spend long times in prayer.  I prefer it, even, if you treat me like a Friend who's always by your side (I AM!), and talk to me throughout the day, just as you would talk to someone who walks with you all the time (I DO!). I am there for the fun times--birthday parties, times of love, times when you are so happy you could burst, fun sports events, and all your fun times.
I'm there when you are quiet, and need to just relax. I won't bother you, by the way. I'm there for you, but I know when you need silence.
I'm there when you are hurt and angry, sick, afraid, trouble, and all the bad times.
Since I'm always right by you, you can always reach me instantly, and I answer personally. Always.

Unrequited love

I don't know if it ever occurred to you, but the ONE THING I want from you the most is your love. I want it so much that I even put it into a commandment and gave it to My servant Moses:
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength." The theologians will say things like, "He doesn't want anything, or need anything; He's God, and complete in Himself." True enough, but still not the way things really are.  Look at yourself.  You are made in My image.  Can you imagine not wanting love? I made you like Me so that you could understand that the best things you desire are the same things I want--love, friendship, loyalty, to be listened to, and so forth. It's true that I don't "need" those things, but the silly theologians have sometimes made me into a feeling-less automaton, and then they say that all the things that I say about my thoughts and feelings in My Book, the Bible, are "anthropopathisms"--meaning (they say) that I represent myself to have feelings when I really do not.  This  is foolishness. I made you like ME, so that you could look at the best things in yourselves, and say, "That's what My Father is like." I made you like Me, and I have all the feelings and wants you do, with only a few exceptions (for example, I don't get hungry, but I do understand the appeal of a tasty meal).  So yes, I really want your love. I want it so badly that My Dear Son sacrificed Himself so that I could have it. So what kind of love do I want? Well, I want your feelings, of course, and then I want you to choose Me above all else, and then I want you to listen to Me and care about what I think, and because I'm your Father, I want you to follow Me, what I show you to do.  I made you for this, and your life is best when you are loving Me with all your heart. It also makes Me very happy.

So you want to tell people about Me...Part 2

Two things affect how people look at Me more than any others.  They are:

How you treat each other (the other people who worship My Dear Son)

My Dear Son said, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." In other words, people understand who YOU are by the way you treat the other people who worship My Dear Son.  It's not good enough to say, "Well, they are different from me," and then treat them badly.  If they worship My Dear Son, and you treat them with love, that's good.  If you don't, then you withhold Me from the world, because My Dear Son prayed, "I pray for these [disciples]... that they may be unified [in love], that the world may believe that You sent Me." You, my children, can do no better than to resolve to treat My other children with love, and try to be kind to them.  That, more than any other action you will take, brings Me to the world at large.

How you treat THEM.

When I watch the world, I see a great deal of evil done to people by My servants. Don't do evil to other people. Some of this evil has to do with people who are not "like you." They are not of "your tribe" (different skin color, different race, different customs, different ideas); some has to do with people who are "not as good as you" (different social or economic class, different intelligence, different circumstances, different sins). One day, My Dear Son went to a dinner party at a Pharisee's house.  When He got there, a woman was waiting for Him. She entered the house, and knelt before Him, and washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with her own hair.  My Son's host, Simon, said within himself, "If this Man [Jesus] was a prophet, He would have known what kind of woman this was." Simon saw the woman as less, as "not a real person," because she was poor, she was different, she was a "woman of the streets." Jesus saw her for who she was--someone who wanted to love Him.  Now think for a moment. If My Dear Son had not been there, what would Simon have done?? He was a religious man. What would he have done?  He tells you, doesn't he, when he says, "[Jesus] would have known what sort of woman she was..." Simon would have treated her as unworthy of his attention and interest, and sent her away. 

There are many things like this. They fall into categories, and they are things NOT TO DO:

• Cheating someone in your business dealings.
• Lying about them to someone else.
• Revealing their secret problems in gossip.
• Treating them as "less worthy than you" because they don't have a home, or a car, or money.
• Treating them as "especially worthy (giving them undue respect and honor)" because they DO have a home, a car, or money.
• Trying to get special favors from them because they have a home, a car, and money.
• Stealing from them.
• Harming them in some way.

People sometimes reject Me because they see YOU.  People respect Me and love and worship Me because they see you, and hear from you about Me. 

Don't give people a reason to reject Me. Show them that you love Me by treating them as you would like to be treated in their situation. Put yourself in their shoes, and treat them just as you would appreciate and enjoy.

• 
  

So you want to tell people about Me...

First, THANK YOU! Many of my children today keep Me hidden, and don't discuss who I am at all. Or if they talk about Me, they distort Me to fit their own mold. Either I am some sort of moneygrubber (as if I needed your money!), or I am some sort of cosmic Grandpa, or I am some crazy unreasonable Person who doesn't like certain classes of people (black, white, brown, live in a different town, if you know what I mean), or I am like some rich black girl, or some poor white guy, or stupid, cruel, or not "with it," or whatever.  I'm none of those things. I'm the Father.  People who mischaracterize Me are really trying make ME into THEM. That never works.  Like I told Moses, "I AM who I AM"--and not someone else.

So if you want to tell other people about Me, use words. That's how people talk to each other.  You should make the words you use accurate, and for this you need to know something about what My servants taught in early days, in the Bible, but not much. A whole world of information about Me is contained in the verse called John 3:16--"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life." If you can put more meaning into a sentence than that, show Me, and you can be my new Chief Prophet. Words like the ones above are plenty to show someone enough about Me to spark their faith, and cause them to seek Me and find Me (Whoever seeks finds!). Besides, I come WITH My words, show people who I am. I can always tell, by the way, who wants to know Me, so don't worry about saying exact the right thing. Just be nice to people, and then tell about Me. It's good to know someone a little bit first, but that's not always needed. You can tell anyone, and if I tell you to tell them, be sure to do it, because deep down that person wants to know Me, and even if they resist at first, I'm speaking to them while you are.  Don't be surprised if  they seem to reject what you say. They are listening inside. Tell them what I tell you to say, and then pray for them.

You won't always know what happens when you talk to people about Me. I may even hide it from you, so you won't get a big head. Just do it, and don't be afraid of them; most times, they will be polite, even if they are mad at you for bringing Me up. It's not even too mean to have a little fun with folks who reject Me, if you know how. They usually think they are smarter than I am, so if you know how to have fun with these folks, teasing them, so to speak, about their unbelief, it's good for them, good for the people who listen to them, and once in a while one of them really looks at himself, and starts to think about what you actually said, and then believes. That's always worth it.

Listen to My Dear Son First!

All of my servants, who wrote in My Book, wrote things I wanted them to say; but the words you need to hear most are the things written about My Dear Son in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I had my servants place these four books at the beginning of the "New Testament" for a reason, and the reason is  that I want you to hear My Dear Son FIRST.
My Servant John says,
"Nobody has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,...He has explained Him."
In other words:
If you want to know what I think, My Dear Son will tell you. Read what He said.
If you want to know how I will judge the world, find what My Dear Son says about that.
If you want to know how I treat people, read how My Dear Son treated them when He was on the earth.
If you want to know the people I like, read who My Dear Son liked when He was on the earth.
If you want to know about My mercy, see how My Dear Son showed mercy.
If you want to know what makes Me angry, read about what made My Dear Son angry when He was on the earth.
If you want to know about My sense of humor, read about what made My Dear Son smile.
If you want to know what's important, read what My Dear Son thought was important.
All this is in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
"This is My Beloved Son. HEAR HIM!"

Forever changed

Everything changed on that first Easter Morning when My Dear Son rose from the dead.
The world changed.  Death was not the ruler of life. My Son's life overwhelmed and overcame Death, and set into motion the events that will make death only a memory some day.
The "Powers of earth and sky" were defeated.  Satan, mighty though he still is, is doomed, along with his evil servants.
The "countdown clock" to Armageddon advanced--I plan to destroy all evil from My universe, and fill it with good. This was the defining moment, because My Dear Son's rising from the dead showed that evil cannot destroy Our plans, and that We will re-make the Universe the way it was meant to be.
Your future changed.
You were:

• Marred and ruined by your own evil
• Subject all your lives to the fear of death.
• Incapable of reaching Me (Us)
• Subject to the inevitable cycle of sin and despair
• Without a future.
• Without hope.
• Living in fear of My Judgment.

Now You are (since the Death and Rising of My Dear Son, Jesus):

• Transferred from the power of darkness, into the kingdom of My Dear Son, when you choose to believe in Us.
• Able to look into the future confident of everlasting life.
• You have Me in your "heart"--your deepest inner being is united with Me, at the moment you decide to join Us, and become My child.
• You will be without sin someday--no anger, no hate, no evil of any kind, only happiness and good days.
• You will never come into judgment, and you will never suffer "eternal death"--My Dear Son Has said so:  "Whoever hears My [Jesus'] word, and believes in Him who sent Me [The Father] has everlasting life, and will not be condemned at the Judgment, but has already passed from [a state of] death into everlasting life." 

Easter Weekend is the most terrible and wonderful weekend in the history of the Universe I made.  Before My Son rose from the dead, there was no future for any of you. Now that He has risen, you can enter into the same life that He has--a life indestructible, everlasting, connected with Us forever.  

It is yours when you ask Me. So ask. NOW. No special format is required. Just pray to Me, and ask.

Even when you stop Believing,

I am still working.
One of My servants wrote, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful..." When My Dear Son was murdered, all My servants knew He was dead.  They watched Him die a horrible death; they saw Him stuck like a pig before He was taken from the Cross. They saw Him "bleed out." They saw Him taken down from the Cross, dead.  They saw Him wrapped in spices and cloth, like a mummy, and laid in a tomb.  He was DEAD.
All hope was gone, and they assumed that they had been wrong, and that the things they believed about Him were false.
This is what My servants do when they cannot see the future.  They fail.  They can't believe. They lose their expectations of good. They think I have stopped working, and they give up.
This is just what it was like on that awful day, that Sabbath (Saturday), when My Dear Son was in the grave, and they knew He was gone, and it was over, and all their hopes and dreams had disappeared. The horribleness of everything hung over them like a fog, and they were in a state of despair.
You've been there. Maybe you are there.  Everything you planned for, hoped for, dreamed, is gone, and you are shattered, destroyed, ruined, and you have no hope. You ache. You remember. You cry. It doesn't help.
It was just like that on the Sabbath morning My servants awoke, and the Crucifixion had happened, and My Dear Son was dead, and they knew it. He wasn't coming back, and everything they believed about Him had been wrong.  That's what they thought.
I was still working. I had not stopped, even when they stopped believing.
I am still working today, even if you have stopped believing, even if you have no expectations of any kind, even if your days are lived in the valley of the shadow of death, and you have no idea that I am with you. When My servants had completely given up, I was only beginning to work. My Dear Son was in the grave on Saturday, but Sunday....Sunday was coming, and He would awaken from death forever, "the firstfruits of those who slept [in death];" He is the one who will yet "Swallow up death in victory," and who will see to it that every tear is wiped from every eye of all who love Me and serve Me, and who will bring them into the same life that He enjoys, the life that knows no death, that is indestructible, that overpowers even the thought of dying.
It is not over with you, either, even if you despair like those Servants of Mine who buried My Dear Son, even if you have no hope or faith at all.
I am working. You can't see it, you can't feel it, you don't believe it. You don't have to believe for me to keep working. I have not stopped, even when you have given up completely.
Every single one of My servants have found this to be true, and you will, as well.
It's Saturday.  Tomorrow is Sunday. My Dear Son rose from the dead, as He said He would.  He lives now by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. He rose from the dead because death could not hold Him.
If it's your "Saturday," and you think I have abandoned you, I have not.
Never give up. I am with you, and I am working.

Good Friday Meditation

Children, I hope you know why My Son agreed to die.  As many of you know, He was innocent of every crime of which He was accused, and even Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who conducted his "trial," said, "I find this man not guilty!" three times. They murdered My Dear Son anyway, having "taken Him by wicked hands and crucified Him." However, He had to agree to die. If He had asked Me just once, I would have instantly sent My angels to protect Him and destroy His enemies.  

He agreed to die so that you could have life. It's that simple.  His dying opened the way to heaven, defeated Satan, made certain that sin would be removed from Our Universe, and gave you the opportunity to receive eternal life and never die.

Here are some things My servants wrote about that:

(Quoting My Dear Son):

"I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me though he was dead, He shall live; and he who lives and believes in Me shall never die."

"He partook of flesh and blood, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil [Satan], and deliver them [that's you!] who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

"He carried our sins in His own body on the Cross, so that we, being dead to sins, might live for righteousness."

"[Jesus] God raised up on the third day [after His death], and showed him openly...He is ordained by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.  To Him all the prophets bear witness, that...whoever believes in Him shall receive remission [forgiveness] of their sins."

(Quoting My Dear Son again) "I am the good Shepherd; I give My life for the sheep; My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, nor shall anyone pluck them out of My hand." 

Thus We (My Dear Son and I) have connected His death with your life, and we have done so in such a way that they cannot be separated.

So this, My Dear Son's deathday, can become your "new birthday," if you believe that He died and rose again for you, and turn to Him as your "Good Shepherd."

Evil, You, and Me.

Good morning, children.  I want to talk to you today about something you always tell Me about:
"Why?" You usually ask "why" when something goes very wrong. You get cancer. You are attacked. You suffer loss--a job, a friend, a lover.  You always ask why I would allow it, and some of you even ask why I would do it.
Here's what happens (it doesn't answer "why," because I can't fully explain yet)--
The world is dominated by three forces, or "persona."
One is you.  Many of you are good, but many are evil. Evil people do evil things, such as the murder and rape of innocent children.  I will judge these evil people, when the time comes. Until then, the good people, the "protectors" must be vigilant to help and protect the weak and innocent. You may have that responsibility, as My servant. If I have given you that task, I will put those people in your path.

The second "force" is named Satan.  Almost everyone knows about him, and he influences the world in many powerful ways, all of them evil.  If a government destroys thousands of people, there he is. If a man murders his family, he is there. If two people hate each other, he's there (people can do enough on their own without help from him, but he's also there). If religious people exercise prejudice, and destroy the weak and sinful, he is delighted. If you suffer, he's right there.
Satan opposes Me, and all that I plan and do. His doom is certain, but right now he's very powerful.

I am the "Third force," I am the Almighty, your Father, God, and greater than all others in the Universe. None compare with Me. I plan to destroy all the evil and harmful things in My creation, and put things right--but it isn't time yet.  I'm waiting.  If you ask why, My Bible gives some answers (definitely not all of them!), but many of the reasons that I wait have to do with you.  Some of you haven't learned about Me yet. There are others who are not born yet that I've planned for, and they will be My children, too. Then there's timing.  My plan has a "timeline," and I've set that in motion, because it's the best way for Me to do the most good. Things will happen in their due season.  Until My plan is fulfilled, evil will exist. I will deal with it, in My time, and in My way; until then, I will help you when evil comes your way. I will stand by you when you suffer because of the "way the world is." I will strengthen you in the face of your problems, your enemies, and suffering that comes your way.  These things may prevail against you on earth, but all they will do is get you to heaven faster, and then you'll be with Me, and no evil will reach you ever again.  I promise.

When you are thinking of Me...

Just before My Dear Son was murdered by lawless hands, He sat down with His best friends in all the world, the men who had "stayed with Him in all His temptations," and ate the Jewish Passover with them.  Near the end of the Passover, He took bread and wine, and made a toast.  He gave them the bread, and said, "take, eat, this is My body, which is given for you..." and in just a moment, after they had all taken the bread, He took wine, and drank a bit from it, and said, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood. Do this (as often as you wish), to remember Me."
My children celebrate these few moments often, because it does remind them of what My Dear Son did for them without them ever asking Him--He died to pay for the sins they had done.  When He took the bread and the wine, He knew that He would die, because He had chosen, and We had agreed, that He would rescue My/Our children (that's you) from death and sin and evil.  You may ask how this can be, but it's impossible to give a detailed answer, since it involves things you cannot understand right now.  The short answer, though, is that His death made it so that anyone who believes in Me and My Son simply will never belong to Satan again.  I will break all the "hold" that Satan has over you.  I will also break the hold that Sin and evil have over you. Finally, I will break the hold death has over you, and give you everlasting life, in My presence forever.
My Dear Son has literally provided this for you for free.  The bread and wine remind all My children of that. The question is, Do you want this? If your answer is "yes," then just tell Me--it says, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord (that's Me!) will be delivered," meaning that I will give you everything I promised above, just because you believe in Me and in My Dear Son.
You could spend your entire life working to get this, or even working to find out about it, but I offer it for free, when you just ask Me.

I'm Closer than the Next Room

Many of you think I'm really far away.  I'm not.  If you don't feel Me close, it's because you're not tuned in to Me.  Here's what some of my servants have said, as they realize how close I am. "In Him we live, and move, and have our being."
"When I awake, I am still with you." "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, You are with me." "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, You are there."
I say the same things about Myself:
"I will never leave you, or forsake you." "I fill heaven and earth."
Think for a second about what this means, children:
"When you walk through the fire, I will be with you."
"When you are in darkness, you can rely on Me."
"When you are surrounded by your enemies, I'm with you, and I take care of you."
"You are engraved on the palms of My hands."
My Dear Son said the same thing:
"I am with you to the end."
"Every time two or three are gathered together in My name, I am with them."
In other words, "I'm right here." No need to go somewhere to find Me, unless you need to quiet your own spirit, or focus on Me.  I'm already wherever you are.
If you pray,
I'm next to you, listening.
If you hurt,
I'm holding your hand.
If you are happy, and filled with fun and excitement,
I'm enjoying everything with you (I love happiness!)
If you are confused,
I'll guide you.
If you're struggling,
I'll help (sometimes I even carry you!)
Whenever, wherever, no matter what, I'm where you are.
If you want to believe in Me, and receive eternal life from Me (not everyone has it), then all you have to do is call on Me, and the gift is yours. You do have to ask, though, because I have special plans for people who have learned to ask me for My "salvation," and in fact, the best things in time and eternity come to you when you do that.

I never give up on you...

Others will.  They'll count you out, tell you that you're "all done," and gloat over your problems. David called people like this his enemies, because they attacked him personally, and said,
"God will never help him again;" God won't fix this mess for him;" (see Psalm 3), but David knew Me. He knew that I would never stop helping him; he knew that I would defend him, and relieve his depression, and restore him spirituallly.
David's secret was that he saw Me as I really am. David's enemies saw Me as if I was them, and they thought my response to David would be what they would do. They were wrong, because David was one of My special children, whom I will NEVER forsake. You are the same, and if you call to Me, I will answer.
Here's what David said:
"I cried out to the LORD, and He answered me;"
"I rested and slept; I awoke; the LORD protected me."
"The LORD will deliver me."
I'll do the same for you.  I'll answer you when you call; I'll give you rest and peace in the midst of trouble; I'll relieve your fears, your worries, your depression; I will deliver you.
I stood by David when it seemed everyone was against him. I'll stand by you, no matter what.

It's not always My fault...

Children, as you know, I rule the universe.  I made the universe.  But there is evil in the universe, and I am good.  These things, in themselves, are contradictions.  If the theologians (a tribe full of both good and bad ideas!) had their way, everything would be tied up with a neat bow, and explainable.  But they are not. Things happen to you that can't be explained with a theological formula, and the reason is that there is more than one influence in the universe at the present moment. I told you earlier that when Adam and Eve, My first man and woman, followed the Serpent's plan, and ate the forbidden fruit, they unleashed evil and death in the world.  It's also true that they unleashed evil and death throughout the universe. They also started a process of decay (that's what leads to death) that only I can repair.
I'm going to do that, and My Dear Son is the answer for all that. However, NOW you children of mine live in a world where many things happen that were not part of the original Universe as I made it. Earthquakes. Tornados. Murders. Kings who hate and destroy entire countries. Armies that kill people. Tuberculosis. Smallpox. High blood pressure. Heart disease. Brain tumors.  Destruction of all you worked for. Injustice. Con men. Child molesters.
If you think I'm doing all this, you are wrong, including the times it happens to you, whether it's loss of your job and income, or an incurable illness, marriage troubles, relationship troubles, a personal problem you can't resolve--or even a flat tire. IInstead, I'm there to help you through these times, and I will be with you in them, and give you strength.
Evil IS in the world. It's also in you (don't forget that part!), and its influence is everywhere.
Evil influences the world

• because men and women have evil in them
• because the universe has evil in it (pit bulls, for example, or lions, or floods).
• because Satan is a real spirit-being, who hates Me, and you, and all the good in the universe, and because he inspires evil men and events.
• because you have some evil in you, and you do things that bring bad results.

When evil (or bad) happens, it happens. I allow it.
However, it is My plan to remove all evil from the Universe, from you, and from all My creatures.
Here's how it will look then:

Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: "Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them.
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more --- or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist."
5 And the one seated on the throne said: "Look! I am making all things new!" Then he said to me, "Write it down, because these words are reliable and true."
6 He also said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life.

I will do this--I will do it for you, I will do it for My universe, and I will do it for all My creatures.  Until then, the world is imperfect; you may suffer, but I will give you glad hearts and good seasons and thus remind you of My love and care.
When you have problems, I am there for you. I take care of you, I love you, and I will always stand by you.
My servant David said it this way (Psalm 23):
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me."
I am with you to help you and support you throughout the difficult times, and to welcome you home with Me when your life is over.
I do love you. But sometimes it's tough right now.  I will never leave you. You can count on that.
And it will be better. You can count on that, too.

Sometimes, you curse yourself...

My servant James wrote that you bless Me with your mouth, but then you curse people, who are made in My image.
That is very true, and yes, you should learn to see the good in people, rather than filling your mind with criticisms about them.
The same is true of you.  Some of you, My children, are so "down on yourselves" that you think you are worth nothing, can do nothing, will never have anything.
But the fact is, you are made in MY image. You have MY likeness.  Even though you certainly are not perfect, you are stamped with ME.
This means:
1. You can do things.
2. You can think things.
3. You are not locked in some sort of eternal "box," with no choices.
4. When you choose ME, you are free to be the "real you."  It's a strange reality that by answering the call of My likeness within you, and turning your life over to Me, I set the "real you" free.
5. How do you do that? Unlock the amazing potential inside?

• Ask Me.  Accept My love for you, and open yourself to it.
• Open yourself to what I can do for you through My Dear Son, Jesus. He is also listening for your prayer. Ask Him.
• Stop looking at yourself as "people see you" (that's something I said long ago to My servant Samuel).  Start looking at yourself as I see you, as made in My image, as built with infinite potential, as a person with a future, whose road leads to eternal life with Me.
• With just yourself, you may succeed. With Me, you cannot fail.
• Learn the "next steps" to becoming all that I meant you to be.  Read My Book, and see what I did with fruitpickers (Amos), hostages (Daniel), shepherds (David), young people (Jeremiah), old gypsies (Abraham), kidnappers (Judah), murderers (Moses), farmers (Gideon), fishermen (Peter, James, John), adulterers (the woman at the well), liars (Jacob), and so on, for many more. Each one of these people sought Me, and let Me unlock at least part of My image within him or her. All of you can do the same. 
• Ask Me to unleash what you have that I have given you, and then be all that I have made you. I know you. I love you. You can do this.

Like Me...

My servant James wrote, "...Men, who are made in the image and likeness of God."  That means all of you are like Me.  All.  There is not one who is otherwise.  The most evil man or woman in all the world is made in My image. So is the best man or woman.  All are made in My image. Most importantly, YOU are.  Here are some of the things that means to you:
1. You have good in you.  My image in you is damaged, and only My Dear Son can restore it, but you have good in you.
2. You can be like Me, and like My Dear Son. You are not "locked into" either your past, your circumstances, or your present character.
3. I can't give you up, unless you refuse Me completely.  It would be like throwing Myself away.
If you want to be like Me, and if you want to be with Me, you CAN.
Just ask.

When it's all gone...

In my Bible, My servant Luke tells you about a woman who "had spent all her money...and was no better, but only grew worse..."
That happens to a lot of you. You work, you lay money aside, you accumulate, and then one day something happens that takes all of it, and you have nothing left but your problems and your struggles.
Do you remember what I did for her?
I sent My dear Son to her, and she touched his garment, and immediately everything changed for her.
I mean you to learn some things from this:
My beloved Son is your best Resource.  There is nobody like Him when you are in trouble.
There was a crowd around Him, but somehow she touched Him--He always is "reachable," no matter what the circumstance--and especially now, since He's with Me in heaven, and everyone can reach Him, wherever they are.
When you "touch Him," and believe in Him (she said to herself, "If only I can touch the edge of His garment, I'll be OK."), everything changes. He always invites your touch, and always gives His blessing in return.
My Son is great in an emergency, which this was.  There was no time to wait, so everything happened at once.
He doesn't mind it when you reach out to Him.  He wants you to do it.
He also has no issues with problems you can't tell anyone else about. He's ready for your touch.
Reach out to Him today, and get the blessings I give through Him.

When you're in trouble, YELL!

Or at least call out to me, because I'm always listening. Sometimes, of course, I answer in emergency fashion, and do one of my miracles; but I usually "work things out" over time.  You ask, I answer, and I answer right away, but I make things happen so that they look "natural," and I work over days, weeks, months, years.
Suppose you're in a huge mess. It's like you're in a quicksand pit, and you're sinking in your troubles.  The problems of your life are literally overwhelming you, and you try to solve them yourself. You keep sinking. You think, "I'm going to die here; I'm going to drown in this mud!"  As a last resort, you ask Me to help. You don't stop. You yell, you cry, you beg.  It seems as if I'm doing nothing, but that's not the case.  The truth is that I'm lifting you out of the pit, and it takes time and the "stuff" sticks to you--and it's painful being pulled out, and washed off, and straightened around.  It's also a bit humiliating. After all, aren't YOU in control of your life? Don't you "make your own luck?" aren't you "better than other people?"
NO.
You are human, with human problems--and I've seen them all. Time and chance happen to everyone, and everyone has troubles and problems.
Here's a simple formula:
1. When you're in trouble, call out to Me.
2. Keep calling. Don't stop. It's not that I don't listen, but it takes time to "fix things."
3. Expect some pain and adjustment as I work. If I tell you to do something, DO IT.
4. When you look back, you'll see My power at work, and you'll be pleased with what I've done.
5. I'll not only "fix things," I'll re-stabilize your life, and make your life worth singing about.
It takes time, but it's worth it. You won't be sorry.
Ask. Keep asking. Don't stop. I'm working for you.
If you want to look in My book about this, My servant David wrote about it in Psalm 40, verses 1-3.

Got Trouble?

Most of My children do, from time to time, so if you have troubles, you are not alone.  Troubles may come from bad people (many of them do), so I want to tell you what to do when you face the kind of trouble that comes from people.
First thing is, don't blame yourself. Bad people do bad things.  That's why you call them bad people.
Second thing.  Don't worry about these folk. They will "get theirs" soon enough.  I have a way of making all their evil come back on them.  It boomerangs, and then they wonder, "what happened??" The answer is, I happened to them.
Third thing. Trust Me, and instead of spending all your time and energy worrying, do good. Help someone else. I'll take care of you. I promise.
Fourth thing.  Enjoy Me, My friendship, My guidance, My care, and I'll give you what you really want--the deepest desires of your heart.
Finally, put your life in My hands, and let Me guide you.  I will take care of you and guide you so that what you really want and need comes to you.
I know the troubles you face. I'm on your side. I love you.

Stress...

I know you live with stress, children--sometimes it comes from sickness, uncertainty, betrayal, the ordinary pressures of life--and sometimes it seems like there's nothing to do for it, because you can't escape it. When you wake up, it's there; when you go to bed, and stay awake at night worrying and thinking, it's there. When you go to work, it's there, and even when you are enjoying yourself, stress is sometimes right there, reminding you that things are not as they should be, that you have problems facing you in the future, that your life is out of control.
You know that I did not promise you a stress-free/worry-free life, and you may go through terrible times, because people do.
Here is how I can help during those times:
1. I'll be with you.  It doesn't matter what the situation is, I am with you, and you can lean on Me, and I'll help  you through it.
2. You can talk to me. About all of it, including the secrets that you can tell nobody else.
3. You can hand your problems and burdens to me. I don't promise that you'll not have them any longer (My servant David found that out, and even my own Dear Son mentioned that His life was full of trials), but I will carry them with you, and give you strength to bear them.
4. You can know that these trials will end, and you don't need to fear the outcome.  All outcomes end with Me.  I am the beginning, and the end. I am the first, and with the last (I say "with," because you'll be there too). You'll be with Me if you trust in me, and you'll never have another tear, another sorrow, another death to mourn, another hungry or thirsty or homeless day.

I made you, and...

When I had finished making everything but you in My universe, there was still something missing, and that was you.  I planned to make you a "living sculpture" of Me, so I took some elements (Moses called it "dust")  from the earth I had made, and I made you. I made you to be like Me, with My heart and a mind like Mine, with a strong and healthy body.

I made Eve (the first girl) the same way, but from different materials--I made her from you, so that she would fit you perfectly.   I made you handsome, and when I made Eve, your girl, I made her beautiful, so that you would feel instantly attracted to her, because I wanted you to know about love, and because I always delight in making you happy.  I planned to make the two of you the happiest of all the many living things I had made.

I wanted to make you like Me, so that when you were with Me forever we could enjoy each other completely.  I made you to reproduce in your image, so that each new person would be like Me, too, and that we would have many like us in the Universe I had made.

You were my best.

On a terrible day that started like any other, you chose another path--one that would lead many of you away from Me, bring sickness, death, tragedy and evil into the world--and change all of you, My children.  To repair what you had done,  I had to make a huge sacrifice--a sacrifice of Myself, to make you like Me again, and to make the Universe I had created fit for the rest of My creatures.

I am in the middle of My plan. Many of you are still sick and evil, and run away from Me, but you don't have to. You are still Mine, and you can still be all that I meant you to be, and when you choose to follow Me, I can "rebuild" you so that you are all, and  have all that you had when I first made you--and more.

IF you want to be complete again, like Me, like I meant you to be...just ask.  I will start from right where you are, and begin with what you are. Just ask.  You don't have to use "magic words." I'll know what you want, if you mean it with all your heart.