Where I am

Where I am By Billy Graham – My commentary 4

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , Leave a comment

Chapter six showed me an insight into the people of this nation and Samson the judge. A discernment that is amazing in its refection of the people of this nation. I am in awe of the just how much the two do compare. At the same time I am saddened by what this means for this nation as a whole. Here is the quote given by Mr. Graham:
“Our present society isn’t much different. Too many people today feel that the old moral standards are useless and out of date. They believe they ought to be free to make up their own minds about what is right and wrong, thus doing what is right in their own eyes.
“Worldly thinking is, ‘if you expect to get ahead in life, you’ll need to adapt to worldly living and learn to fit in.’ that’s where compromise slips in—that little voice that urges you to lighten up, to give in, whispering that it’s okay to go along in insignificant acts. But this is the voice of temptation that comes from the devil.”
This leads me right to Revelation chapter three:
14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning[e] of God’s new creation:
15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”
Compromise is the trend that is popular today especially in those that say they are “Christian.” They unwittingly become the “lukewarm” the “grey” the hypocrite. Jesus makes it clear they fate of those that willing being the lukewarm.
“16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
Jesus the glorified Christ spit will spit them from His mouth which means from His body. Casting them to men to then be gathered and burned. But there is only one place that burns and that is the pit of fire.
I also like this paragraph from Mr. Graham’s book:
“Samson was strong physically but weak in every other way. He broke the first commandment, to but God first in everything. Instead, he put himself first and ignored God’s rule. Samson broke the second and fifth commandments and worshiped the shrine of lust by taking a Philistine wife against his parents’ wishes. He broke the sixth commandment and murdered. He broke the ninth and tenth commandments because he lied and coveted (Judges 13-16). “
The United States was strong once but the people become weak in every other way. Most have broken the first commandment and worship themselves over God. He made his Philistine wife to be an idol of lust and defied his parents by marrying her. Americans lust after beauty and worship those that they consider beautiful. Millions of dollars are spent daily to help people to look beautiful to themselves and others. Most ignoring the advice of their elders that try to teach them that looks are not everything. He killed those that had tricked him to gain answer to a riddle he had posed thus he committing murder out of greed and lust for worldly possessions.
Many in the United States covet what others have and seek it for themselves and go to whatever extreme is necessary to acquire it even through lying. Billy Graham continues:
“We look at Samson’s life and can see ourselves in the mirror. We make life-changing choices for good or bad. When we choose the bad, it is because the seed of sin is within us. It can only be rooted out by salvation in Jesus Christ.”
Luke 12:48 – But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
“This was Samson’s profile; he had been given everything life had to offer. But instead of treasuring it and being responsible with it, he decided to ‘live it up.’ Samson was bored, and boredom often leads to discouragement or, as in the case of young Samson, mischief. He chased after whatever pleased him and was headed for a catastrophic fall. When he let his guard down, he was bound up by the enemy.”
Well the people of this nation have everything life can offer and they get bored with it and turn to mischief. They chase after whatever pleases them and as a result this entire nation is head to catastrophe, for they have let their guard down that the enemy, Satan, is about to bind them and throw them into devastation.
The warnings are being shown to all, but few are listening and even viewer are attempting to take action. However this is something that the few can fix. It will take a majority to address this issue.
What is the starting place to correct this issue? What is it that a majority can make an effort to show they wish to change the course of this nation away from collapse?
It is the election that is occurring at this very moment. Not only for president but for the senate and congress. You cannot vote for someone that acts like Samson and that would be Trump. You cannot vote for the Philistines which is the Democratic Party. You must vote for the only person left that at least makes an effort to show his belief in God and that is Ted Cruz, since you have removed those that would have been better suited due to greed and selfish desire. You must also remove any one from office that has been in Washington for more than 12 years.
Turn to God and pray to Him asking for His help and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. For eternal salvation will be all that can save us from the troubles this world is soon to get into.

Where I am By Billy Graham – My commentary 3

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , Leave a comment

So far as I progress through this book I have found a few areas that I concur with. However none stirred me more than the forth chapter of this book.
It is entitled “Eternal Judgment.” Within this chapter Mr. Graham makes it clear that everything is black and white, saved and unsaved and there is no in-between. Here is the first paragraph that really hit a cord with me and how I see people acting:
“Now many people quickly say, ‘Well, I do love God and follow Him.’ This is wonderful, but be sure by putting it to the test. Do you prove your love to God when you slander someone? Do you show your love to Him when you cheat or lie or go against His commandments? The Bible says. ‘Now by this we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says. ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him’ (1 John 2:3-4)
“Can you imagine living in disobedience while claiming the Holy Spirit is guiding you? If you so without conviction and repentance, you do not love Jesus—Because Jesus said His Spirit would convict of sin.”
As I read this I was reminded of Matthew 12:31:
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”
Yet many do this daily. Mainly due to the fact that they are unfamiliar with the Bible and the teachings that are within in it. However ignorance is not an excuse either. Ignorance is considered a sin in itself. See Leviticus chapters four and five; Numbers fifteen and even Ephesians 4:17-18:
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”

Now recently I had a debated about when the Rapture would occur and I had missed this important verse from the Bible since I am merely a human and don’t know the Bible as completely as I should, but It bears bring into to the light for it was from this chapter of Billy Graham’s book that brought it to light.
Just so you understand I wrote about this in a three part article entitled “The unexpected debate.” I really wish I had this verse included in that debate. This is Abraham talking to God:
Genesis 18:25 – That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
This question by Abraham just confirmed without question the entire debate.
Back on topic.
I will end with this last quote of this chapter I found interesting:
“Unless we allow Christ to destroy the evil within us, the evil within us still wants to destroy Him. This is the conflict of the ages.”
Let that sink in.

Where I am By Billy Graham – My commentary 2

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , Leave a comment

As I have progressed through this book by this great servant of God I am humbled, honored, and reassured. But why?
The answer is because how he see the Word of God and how he see the consequence of adhering to the Christ’s teaches are the true key to salvation. Because seeing that he sees the Bible as I see the Bible nearly word for word, and as a result I feel confident in my ministry to help people awaken to the real truth.
He states many things as I have stated them and even gives an insight to issues of faith, salvation and what will result if you choose the world of God that have helped me know that Holy Spirit is with me.
He is doing the one thing God tells us to do with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Give reassurance, which in turn strengthens us. He is showing the love that is within all Christians. He is not afraid to tell the truth like so many are.
In true love for all the truth is the most important thing that must be heard. Too many do not talk of the results of not listening to God. Mr. Graham makes it clear that this is a lie by omission which is still a sin and even a worse sin than many realize or wish to acknowledge.
If you truly love God and wish to serve Him through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. You will not be afraid to tell someone that if they do not change their ways their fate is something that you would not wish any to suffer. Mr. Graham makes it clear it is black or white, good or bad, right or wrong. There is no middle ground there is no grey area in your choice to follow God or not to follow Him.
Billy Graham makes it clear. People cannot go to church on Sunday and then spend the rest of the week in and of the world. In simply terms they love that which they have chosen. If they live in the world 8610 hours of the year and only 156 hours with God then it is the world they love. Serving God is a love that uses all 8766 hours of the year every year.

Where I am By Billy Graham – My commentary 1

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , Leave a comment

Today I started reading the book “Where I am” by Billy Graham. As I first read the forward by Franklin Graham, Billy’s son and then started into the Introduction of the book, the gears in my mind started to turn and there was a desire to expound. So here we go.
One paragraph in the introduction just rang out to my soul so I am going to quote here:
“Many people teach today that the blood of Jesus covers all sin, regardless of whether the sinner repents or not. This is Satan’s great lie. Some believe they will automatically walk into Heaven when this earthly life is over because God is love. That would negate the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. Don’t be deceived, for God is not mocked. God is also a God of justice and righteousness. He is not preparing a place in Heaven for unrepentant sinners. While we have contributed nothing to God’s free gift of salvation, there is a condition to possessing it—we must confess our sin, turn from it and receive Christ on His terms.”
It is this paragraph I wish to go into sentence by sentence if required.
The first sentence paraphrased, there are those that say Christ blood cover all no matter if they have stopped sinning or not. I agree with this sentence completely. There are many that live this belief, but as the next sentence makes perfectly clear it “is Satan’s great lie.”
Those that live in this fantasy wish to have their cake and eat it too as the saying goes. You cannot get into heaven if you live in sin period. If you live in sin on Monday, accept Jesus as you Savior on Tuesday and go back to living your live on Wednesday EXACTLY like it was Monday and have no desire to change in anyway, then you are not saved, period.
“Some believe they will automatically walk into Heaven when this earthly life is over because God is love.” I agree with the next sentence as well this makes Jesus going to the cross a waste of time, thus making the entire Bible irrelevant. People need to come to a realization, that not only are many events in the Bible able to be documented in other historical records but all archaeologically. Since there is more to say that the Bible is real than any other “religious” manuscripts on earth. Also the mere fact that many key figures of political power mentioned in the Bible supported by the above mentioned material makes trying to make them “irrelevant” an act of willful ignorance so as to condone the desire to live life as these people choose. Thus in their own minds free them from God’s justice. As Mr. Graham notes, they are mocking God, something I would highly suggest they not do.
What is “righteousness” in the Bible?
Righteousness in the Hebrew is “tsdaqah” – rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity):–justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness).
Righteousness in the Greek is “dikaiosune” – (usually if not always in a Jewish atmosphere), justice, justness, righteousness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness.
This is how it is defined in the Bible. Yet as noted above many do not wish to hear this, but if you accept any part of the Bible you must accept all of it. Yet many just pick out what allows them to comfort their conscience, to place a band aid upon their sins not realizing that it is quickly pull off to allow the sin to ooze its corruption throughout their soul.
If you are unrepentant if you openly live in something that is called a sin within the Bible and have no true desire to turn from it. You are not welcome in Heaven, period.
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
“While we have contributed nothing to God’s free gift of salvation, there is a condition to possessing it—we must confess our sin, turn from it and receive Christ on His terms.”
I think the last part of this sentence is the key to everything when it comes to salvation. “Receive Christ on HIS terms.” Not our own terms which allows us to live life as we see fit, but God’s Son’s terms. Living life to His expectations and desires. It is this that many do not wish to acknowledge or accept for to do so would place them in an uncomfortable position.
How I feel about that is good, I hope it does. Would you rather feel some discomfort here in this life or be subjected to an even more uncomfortable situation for all eternity with no hope of parole.