FRIENDS, Accept God- Your Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah and Christ, Today! Be Sure to Go to Heaven with God!

"Forgiven" by Thomas Blackshear II

Easter, Good Friday, Every Day of Your Life into Forever!  
A Salvation Prayer!
Actually, this message is for every day to start living in God's Kingdom as a believer, then on to Heaven with Him forever- the only Place you would ever want to be,

dear Friends!
Updated, April 3, 2020 for Easter,
April 12, 2020

If you have already accepted Jesus Christ as Your Lord and your Savior, Rejoice!!  Praise Him!  God inhabits the praises of His people.

Psalm 22:3

If you need to recommit, do so, please!  You can get back on the right track, make a difference in your own life as well as your family's, loved ones, friends- and even your enemies- for the BEST.

If you do not believe or have not fully accepted Christ (unsure, half-heartedly), oh, please do accept Him now!  
Death from this Earth? Assuredly! 

Only God knows how and when.

You truly are not your own, folks.  I did not bring myself into the world- this is my one life (no matter what some occult ideas say). 

I will die some day, and I know where I am going- straight to Heaven with my God, the Only One, the LORD Almighty~~~ I know that I am definitely joining my mother; I believe from our conversations and hope that my dad is awaiting me in Heaven; my Grandma and Grandpa Binder; my so sweet Grandpa McCoy, and I hope my Grandma McCoy, whom I adored my whole childhood; Uncle Jack and Aunt Velma; Uncle Paul and Aunt Helen; Aunts Virginia, Pearl, Ruth and Ruby and her husband- kind Uncle George (all of these aunts had Jesus-believing husbands who surely must be in Heaven); Aunt Opal, (twin to Ruby) who died as a very young child with Bright's Disease, whom I have not met yet; and Uncle Harry who died working in the oil fields with his dad and brothers before my mother was born, and the list goes on. 

Oh, I know certainly my close friend Cheryl Patton will be there because my husband and I saw her two times before her illness overcame her, and Cheryl nodded so happily and said, indeed, she believed in Jesus!! My beloved mentor, Phyllis Del Vecchio, whom Christ put in my life to harken me back to Him.  She laughed and talked so joyfully about Jesus day in and day out as we taught together, and she answered my very curious and serious questions about Him to her...  I cannot wait to see these loved ones! 

However, I am completely happy to stay here with the LORD for now, to stay with my blessed- my family, church, dear friends and Bible study, new friends to make and to meet- even the enemies of God. 

I intend to say and to do, including writing this blog I hold dear for Christ until He calls me to my true HOME with Him.

Why Do We Say, Good Friday?! 

It is the darkest yet, most glorious day of our Lord and King, Christ Jesus- and for His believers! God was accomplishing what He knew that He would do for mankind, for us, before the foundations of the world- all of which and of whom He created.

Lord Jesus, God the Father's Son, (the Son of God), was taking on all the sin that was or ever would be committed by His children.  The Almighty God wanted His children to stay permanently in the Garden of Eden with Him and continue to walk in the cool of the day together, but we would choose to listen to the lying, deceitful serpent, Satan.

Jesus, the Son of God, was sent by the Father God for the express purpose of saving us- all of us- because we each fall below the mark that is Holy.  (Each one of us has the choice, free will, to accept Christ as Lord and Savior or to reject Him.)

Bible Gateway - find Scripture from the Bible, read commentaries, etc.

Romans 2:23-26 (NRSV) New Revised Standard Version

²³ since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴ they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement^[a] by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶ it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.^[b]

God cannot have sin in His sight, for He is completely Holy, so He sent His most Beloved, His Son Jesus, the second part of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- to live as the Only fully God/ fully Man Who ever was and ever shall be.  Some called/call Jesus a Prophet- oh, my- He is much more than that.  Jesus is the Living Water, the Bread of Life, I AM Who I AM, God.  Jesus is still alive forevermore!!!

There were other people who purported to be God.  Where are they today?  Are they alive?  No, they are not.  Not unless they changed and turned around completely, accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, then when they put their trust and faith in Christ Jesus of Nazareth, in Heaven, Who is the same yesterday, today and forever, they~ any of those people~ indeed, are with Him forever and ever.

Jesus was born of the virgin, young and sweet Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph.  An angel visited each one to explain that Mary would have a Baby, Who would be the Promised One of their faith...they were Israelite, Jews.  Joseph did not put Mary away as was the custom.  Instead, they married but remained in abstinence from each other until Jesus was born.  The Holy Spirit of God had come upon her to bring Baby Jesus to Earth for His great mission.

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus sweated blood as He was praying to the Father in Gethsemane...Jesus knowing what would come the next day. Jesus would suffer like no one ever has because of the horrific treatment at the hands of those mocking, beating, and killing Him, but especially because Jesus did take ALL of OUR sin from each and every person ever born- past, present, and future.

It was so awful and terrible that the Father had to look away from His Beloved Son, and then Jesus said, "Why has thou forsaken Me?"  Jesus knew why, and as has been said thousands of times, Jesus could have called down thousands of His angels to rescue Him, but He did as the Father wanted.  Jesus is God, also, so He wanted to give Himself to be crucified, buried and resurrected in three days to complete the at least 108 prophecies in the Bible about the One and Only Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
His Blood shed on Good Friday is our guarantee of His Presence as a Jason Upton song says from The Sound of Heaven cd by David and Nicole Binion with The Lion of Judah by Jason.

Jesus' Crucifixion, Death, and Resurrection Paid for You!

Wiping that Sin Away Forever, for Your Eternal Life.

Beloved People!  Accept Jesus, the Christ and the Messiah, right now.  Then, you know for absolutely sure- no second-guessing, those "little" worries that fly around your head, the unknowing and wondering, the lies that the devil most-assuredly is telling you- Satan knows your weaknesses well (he tricked Eve and Adam, and they were God's first people in the Garden of Eden!  The LORD lovingly warned them...).  We human beings are made in the image of our Creator, God.  We are like Him, but we will never be Him.  He was and always is.  We are His most loved, created beings, whom He gives free will to choose.  What an honor!!  It is a mighty and amazing honor.  I am so very thankful that He made Himself known to me, and I chose Him. 
Thinking that makes me cry with Joy, every day.

Here is a Salvation Prayer.  It does not have to be just-so, i.e., exact words...tell God in  your own words, or please do use these.  He knows your heart and every corner of your mind- your beauty, your dark thoughts- every cell in your body because He made you in His image.

If you are serious, even if you are unsure (once you step over that line of faith, you will see changes and you will begin to understand the Bible and God, the body of Christ- his fellowship in church, etc.)  No one, not even the very smartest, true Christian or scholar knows everything about God- Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  However!  You will be completely forgiven and redeemed and every day of the rest of your life here, you will grow closer to God (pray and talk to Him each day; surround yourself with loving, fellow believers; reach out to those in need;
and~~~spread the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus!)

God loves you more than you can imagine, and it is much more than any human being or group of human beings are capable.

A Salvation Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I believe that Jesus died for me.  He took the pain and the suffering to pay for my sin.  He redeemed me!  The blameless Jesus, the Lamb of God, arose from the grave three days later.  He was here on earth and seen by hundreds of people.  Days later He went to the Father in Heaven to sit at His right hand and to intercede for me and us.  When I die, I want to be in Heaven with You.  I thank you that Jesus went to Heaven so that now the Holy Spirit can live within me, my mind and heart- to guide, direct and comfort me.  Help me walk with You each day, God.  In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Jesus Death and Resurrection Foretold in the Book of John

Thank you lostseed.com for the picture of Jesus after the cross at Calvary where He was killed for our sins.  It is entitled "Forgiven", and it is painted by Thomas Blackshear.  A young man, with the hammer he used to crucify the Lord and Savior, is depicted as falling into Jesus' arms with great remorse and the letting go, relenting, and submitting to the power of the Lord because He loves us and is greater than us.  This is an essential part of accepting Christ.  People who refuse to give themselves to Christ will not be saved.  I urge YOU, please, accept the Redemption that Forgiveness that only He can give you.  Step over that line to Him, Dear Friend, no matter what you have done.  He will forgive you as though it never happened, indeed.

God bless you this Easter and always, Friends.  I love you;

God loves you exponentially, incalculably more!  MOST!

Donna M.

Have Blessed Assurance in Christ Jesus This Year and Forever!!

The very best thing, bar none, is to have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  There is nothing else in Heaven or Earth that is absolutely essential for your eternal Life, now and forever, except to accept God's Son, Jesus. If you have Him, you have it all, everything!  If you do not have Jesus, you have nothing.

I do not know how to say it any better... John 3:16-18, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

There are so many incredibly magnificent Scriptures in The Holy Bible that speak to the Truth that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully Man, the Savior and Lord of our lives!  God- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- One God in the Trinity, Three Persons, is our Creator.  We were created in God's very own image. He created you and me to have a relationship with us!

In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve had perfection with the LORD, but then they listened to the serpent, Satan/the devil, formerly one of God's most beautiful angels.  God had told Eve and Adam that they could have fruit from every tree in the Garden except the one, the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Evil.  He said that they would surely die if they ate from that forbidden fruit.  The devil told the couple that the LORD was trying to keep something good from them- as in being more like God- when they were already made in His image!  They had walked in the cool of the day with the LORD God...but now, sin had entered into the Garden.  The man and the woman had to leave the Garden.  They would surely die, but there was Jesus, the Son of God, Who would take away the sin of the world!

It is up to each person, individually, to accept Christ as Savior.  Jesus died a gruesome, horrible death that was among the many prophecies of the Bible that foretold Jesus' coming as Messiah.  Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for you and me was the fulfillment of the Scripture.  No one else, no other figure in history could have fulfilled what Christ fulfilled!  He is returning soon for His own, those of us who accept Him, and we will be with Him forever in Heaven.  Those who reject Him will for eternity be separated from God in a place called Hell.  You do not want to be there!

All have fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23-26)

2 Corinthians 6:2, For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

The Way to God is through His Son, Jesus.  Please tell Almighty God that you choose Life; you choose Jesus!  Here is a prayer that you may say to tell Him, or you can tell God in your own words.  He is listening.

Dear Father in Heaven, I want to accept the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ for my Life.  He is the only acceptable Person Who could do this for me.  He lived a sinless life on Earth.  You sent Him to take my place on the cross.  I ask for forgiveness for the wrongs I have done.  You will cast them into the deepest part of the ocean and forget that I did them.  I want to live in Christ as my Lord and Savior.  Help me each day to live as You would have me.  I know the Holy Spirit will guide and direct me, comfort me, also. Thank You, LORD!  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

I am praying for you, dear one, and for your family's acceptance of salvation, also.  We claim it in Jesus' Precious Name, the One above all!!

God's grace, love, and mercy upon you for all of 2017 and the coming years!

Part 2 (of 3): Only Jesus Christ is the LORD God and the Savior of All People! HE IS YOURS, too, Friend.

And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. 

(Acts 4:12)

Breath-taking art piece, "The Rescue," by Nathan Greene

Today's posting is the second part of a piece started a while back~~~ Part 1: Only Jesus Christ is the LORD God and the Savior of All People!~~~ + Salvation Prayer! + 10 Commandments! + 2 Songs!

~~~God's Truth~~~

It is vital to me, actually, it weighs greatly upon me to tell you this message:

The one and only Message of Truth is that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God- Who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords! It is He Who is the Creator of the universe and all that is in it: you, me, every thing that is alive- living and breathing- also, atoms, matter, and cells~~~ including the rocks and mountains, all plant life, all water that comes down and goes into all the streams, lakes, oceans, and on and on...Life! and matter, substance.  We would not have the emotions we have unless we have a God who wanted to experience love, intimacy, understanding, compassion, faithfulness, even anger and sadness and loss.  He felt these emotions long before we were ever created in His image.

The Lord God Almighty, the Trinity of our One God 

(the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit- Three Persons and also One Spirit)~~~

Our God is the Lord of us.  Jesus Christ (alone, only) is the Great I AM, the Way to the Father- the Way, singly, to Heaven and Life eternal!!

John 14:1-7 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus is speaking: 

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life 

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord,we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

---Problems and Lies of This World... 

No guru, dharma, or other charlatan can save you!  No other religion, faith, or philosophy can bring you Redemption and Salvation with 
the One, True God, Jehovah, God Almighty.
I am quite tired, actually~ I am sad, angry, and heartbroken~ for people who refuse to accept Christ's offering of Salvation.  I can barely stand to think of my closest loved ones who could miss the mark- even though they have been given the Truth of Jesus Christ countless times, but I must press on for them and others I know and also strangers, in prayer and in boldness!  
I completely trust my Lord God because He is Holy, Good, Loving and Just.  His Character, Attributes, and Qualities are the antithesis, OPPOSITE of anything evil.  He made you, and He wants GOOD for you!!!
He will do absolutely everything in His power-
which is massive, unlimited, and has no boundaries- 
to bring a person to the Truth of Personal Salvation; 
however, God will not overstep a person's free will, which He also has given to us. 
I have heard people say, "the universe" brings it to me; that there are many paths to God; that every person's journey to God can be whatever that person wishes or desires, etc.  These human-based, as well as certainly devil-based distortions and untruths, abound and flourish in our world!  
These lies and half-truths, which is no truth whatsoever, are agendas of the devil ever since he, Satan, lied to Eve in the Garden of Paradise. 
The Lord Himself walked daily with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day!! 
Can you hardly comprehend that they had such an intimate and deep kind of loving fellowship with HIM, the One Who Sustained them, and the Lord of their lives? 
And yet, the human pair listened to the devil instead of their loving Maker.  
It was the most terrible of all moments- for them, their family, and down through history today with us.  How utterly sobering.  ALL of the madness, sickness, hatred, even petty issues of humanity began when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden 
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil because they believed the devil, the serpent, that God was trying to keep something good from them- which was A Bold-Faced LIE.  God had told them they "would surely die," if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but that they could eat fruit from every single other tree in the whole Garden!
The couple ate fruit from the forbidden tree. (Read Genesis, Chapters 1-3.)
(Oh, how many times have I wished that I do not know of the malevolent, ugly, even cruel and hateful ways of people that plague our world...How we can treat each other in selfish, petty, and sometimes vile manners and ways.  Yet, look at the love that a new mother and father have with the just-born child; see how a sister and brother laugh so knowingly, unselfishly and have a love and a bond that can never be broken...the list is endless how God has shown us His Love in His Son Jesus Christ, and we only know how to love because of what He, alone, has put into us long before He knit us in our mother's womb.)
I have come to believe, personally, that any one of us would have succumbed to the devil's crafty trickery and, in our humanity, we would have taken the deadly advice of Satan.
HOWEVER, God so loved us that He gave every woman, man and child Salvation. Each person has the choice to ACCEPT or to REJECT Christ...adults at the age of consent and understanding, which begins around the age of 12 years old. 
 Each person needs- there is no more important decision!- TO ACCEPT Salvation by telling God of his/her faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that He died and was resurrected in three days; and that we are truly sorry for our sins and mistakes and will go on living for the LORD and Savior Christ Jesus.
(+++See the Salvation Prayer toward the end of today's posting, please : )
The Lord God in the Garden of Eden caused Eve and Adam to leave the Garden.  
He SO LOVES us that if the two had stayed in sin, they would have eaten from the Tree of Life and lived in sin forever, probably decaying and being sick for eternity.  

GOD'S PLAN was that Jesus Christ His Son would come to Earth as The Little Babe to free us forever and ever- those of us who choose to BELIEVE in CHRIST, alone, no other gods.  

The Holy Bible is the true source of all inspired, God-filled writing about Jesus Christ and the Way for eternal life, including living in the Kingdom of God right now, continuing into forever- with Him!  The Bible is God's story with us, and everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and in the New Testament tells how "Love Came Down, from Heaven" in the Person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, fully God and fully Man.  ...And much more- His birth, Life, Ministry on Earth, the Disciples, Jesus' Death and Resurrection, His Ascension to the Right-Hand of God, the Father, so that the Holy Spirit of God could come down to woo us to God and to live within, guiding, directing and comforting the New Believers in Christ.  Read about the First Apostles!!

No false person, "faith," religion, or church (coming in all forms and diversions) has the way to God, except through Jesus Christ and the Christian Church~ 

Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him,“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[b] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[c] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[d] in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

The Bible says that there will be many false witnesses and...Sometimes people and groups that say, purport, spread widely and teach- sometimes these people are misinformed and have taken on beliefs, unwittingly, that are untrue, i.e., false. 

At other times! these groups, including some very pious, arrogant, and pridefully bad ministers~ derelicts of Christianity and wrongly teaching "churches"- spread the various forms of twisted half-truths- as in false- on the real Truth of God- ON PURPOSE.  In other words, people at times KNOW they are spreading counterfeit information and want to dupe people into believing that- they themselves or the person to whom they are speaking- are much more than a normal human being, which of course is complete deceit. 

We believers/disciples of Christ are fully redeemed when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and the Lord of our lives.  We have the Kingdom of God, but it will not be fully realized until we meet our LORD one day in the Rapture, or when we die from this Earthly life and pass on to Heaven in Glory for Life-everlasting!

As people/human beings, when each of us passes away, we will either go with Christ to Heaven forever, or if we have rejected Him, we will go to Hell- forever, also.  Both places are very real.  The Bible says that our lifetimes and what is happening here now is a shadow of Life Eternal.

Colossians 2:16-18 (NIV)
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebrations or a Sabbath day.  17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you.  Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

+++Please be sure that you have told God, our Father, that you believe in His Son Jesus Christ; that you know the Son of God died on the cross for your sins, and that you have repented and are accepting Christ into your heart.  Tell the LORD that you want to walk with Jesus now and forever!

Dear Heavenly Father,
I know I have sinned against you.  No matter how awful my sins are, You can take them away from me forever and ever.  I have not kept the Ten Commandments all of my life. Jesus, you put it this way: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength, and then love others as you love yourself.  I want to turn away from my past.  I know you put it away from Yourself as far as the east is from the west and as deeply into the ocean where you remember that sin no more.  You completely forgive me, God!  I am so grateful and blessed to be your child!  I believe in Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross for me, arose after three days, stayed with the Disciples and others for 40 days, then He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes for us!  Jesus left to take the Crown and to be the King of kings and Lord of Lords! Thank you for your undying Love for me, now and forever.  Help me stay with your Bible, find a good, solid, loving church that exemplifies Your Truth, not some candy-coated, feel-good, meaningless imitation.  I want your Truth and to be in fellowship with people who care and want to be your disciples. 
In Jesus' Name, Amen, So Be It!

Part 1 (of 3): Only Jesus Christ is the LORD God and the Savior of All People! The Ten Commandments Included. A Prayer of Salvation!

Part 3 (of 3): Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Only One and the Way to Almighty God & A Salvation Prayer
~~~Watch for Part 3 of this series, which is coming to this blog very soon, in 1-2 weeks! 
Only Jesus Christ is God, including His Father and the Holy Spirit, which makes Our One LORD, Triune in Persons, Yet Spirit- and Jesus Alone is the Way to Salvation!  Watch for it, Part 3!

Donna M.

One Thing So Dear to Me about Christians: Something We Do That Defies Human Nature!

Re-posting November 13, 2024

Well Done, My Good and Faithful Servant!
This is what I want to hear Jesus say to me when He welcomes me into Heaven...oh, yes, that I want to hear with all my heart and have every reason from the Bible and in my faith to believe it will come true...Matthew 25:21, NKJV: "His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'"
(Thank you so much for this lovely depiction of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ welcoming a Believer into Heaven, godisreal.today/picturesofjesus)

As Christ followers, even when life can be daunting at times, we remain true believers in Jesus; we praise Him in all things and stand firm.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18~~~Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (NKJV)
Exodus 18:23~~~If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace." (ESV) (Very interestingly, The Israel Bible commentary states the meaning of this Scriptural verse is that as Isaiah 1:27 says, "Zion shall be redeemed with justice".)

Matthew 16:17-20~~~
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (NIV)

Today is a year to the date, Sunday to Sunday in one year that our church moved into the great building on Vista Drive, in Shawnee, Kansas.  I realized that I must finish this posting and publish/share it today to celebrate and to tell the story of how Christians are mighty and powerful, only in Him!  Because of Him, the LORD, we are able to keep our faith and to have the strength, never waning from the Salvation that only Jesus can give, that we have accepted.  God will never force His Salvation upon anyone.  Indeed, the Holy Spirit draws you to God.  Once we believe and are true Jesus followers/disciples, then we just keep getting stronger and stronger! Why?  Because we have God on our side, in our corner, walking with us, making the way for us on the path that is best for us.

As I was driving home from church that Sunday last December, I was feeling uplifted about our new building!  It was the very first day we had been in the sanctuary for worship service and, naturally, we were continuing with KidzLife (Sunday School) at our wonderful, spacious church site! The layout of the rooms and areas seemed to have been made just for us.  We had acquired this "just perfect" church place through a very caring, businessman friend of our Pastor Chris where the two knew one another from a shared civic group.  Relationship!  Yes, that is a good part of our walk with the Lord at Community Life Church, Shawnee, Kansas, U.S.A.

These relationships of which I speak are 1) our most important relationship is with God including worshiping Him- through love, honor and thankfulness; 2) our relationships with each other such as Bible study and being in fellowship, and the learning and the doing to be great disciples of Christ; and 3) our relationships to the people in our mission areas ~locally with a school where people tutor children and pray for the staff or help folks with very needed yard work such as helping a widow or older folks who are unable to do a house project, etc.

Internationally, we also give of time, talent, and funds, including actual physical help in re-building and helping to strengthen pastors at an orphanage and school in Haiti or to support some of their physical needs such as much-needed lighting and water systems, etc.

Our church folks have gathered clothes, then sorted them to help a great lady of faith, Pastor Alice of  True Light Resource Center, Kansas City, Missouri U.S.A.  Her spiritual gifts- in heart and mind- enable her to love and teach folks about the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who God is, and how much He loves us!  She offers assistance for people who come to the church such as clothing, resources, help to get back on one's feet and toward goals- as she shows them the hands and feet of the Lord (the Body of Christ) from herself and other believers.

There is something quite unique, special, and amazing within the Christian church community. When one of us goes through a serious or threatening time, such as illness, the passing on of a loved one, loss of job, and so forth- we are all in solidarity to support our suffering fellow sister of brother.  We may be set back a bit for a time, but we remain solid in our love for Jesus Christ and remember the Scripture, Romans 8:28-29~ "And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Back to our own building where we are the church, too!  We rent one-half of the building. There is a very welcoming church area that helpers in the church had created...walls and rooms already formed,  and as the Lord would have it for us, everything was working well (space, design, arranging/re-arranging) for the sanctuary to worship and to hear sermons, the kitchen and small banquet area, a more gym-like area for fun and games, ladies' nights, etc.  There are marvelous class rooms for the children to learn about God's love for them- the Father above; Jesus, the Son of God, their best friend, Who lives in their hearts; and the Holy Spirit Who guides, protects, and comforts them through life.  There is an area for small groups and prayer, foyer where we can sign children in to classes right down the hall with bathrooms handy and also where people can gather to have coffee, and larger areas to have ladies' nights, conferences, lunches after worship.  Our church is a place of worship and learning about Jesus and our faith in God is a dream come true!

Our church has worked through difficult times, and we will yet again!  Such is the nature of humanity; the problems can press in at every corner it seems, and yet, we press on toward our goal, our Lord and our Savior, Who is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, Jesus Christ of Nazareth!!

Truly, since the beginning of Community Life Church, we have had challenges, joyous and happy times, seen spiritual growth and programs that fit "where we were" as a church family. God has remained faithful, always! Likewise, we want to be learning and growing in the Lord God,  it has always been the same, really: God, first at the top of our focus and time spent with Him, then on one side- the fellowship with each other, worship services, and Bible studies; then, the other side of the 3-focuses, which is the outward growth and help, missions, helping people in our community and individual spheres of influence...

Hmmmmm, Jesus said, you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength... No matter how arduous, even grueling, the strife or challenge, no matter come what may: the good, the difficult, and, yes, even the ugly~ the one thing I love about true Christians as I have moved amongst them and even in my very early 20s when I was on the fringe~ Christian people have an abounding love for the Lord that makes them exclaim, "God is good!!  All the time, God is good!"  When things are going wrong, left and right, and seemingly on every side, we proclaim- Joy and Love in our Jesus Christ!  He does make all things new~!  We can do all things in Christ~!

I have marveled at this strange and yet very wonderful aspect of Christ-followers...I remember way back in my early 30's, I was invited to Christian women's gatherings by a very nice and welcoming woman who worked at our newly found car insurance company.  Whenever I dropped by, this good lady of the Lord would invite me to an evening talk with Christian women, to a dinner with same, etc.  It was either at this point or thereabouts that I decided to take a sister-in-the-Lord at her invitation and to go to a praise and snack gathering one afternoon.  There was a presentation of singing and worship, reading from the Bible, small discussions, and our Scripture for that day was: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV), which says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in you." 

At the time, it baffled me.  How can one rejoice when things are not so good?  I had much to learn and still am learning and maturing in faith, but now I have grown to understand that we are not happy about our present circumstances in these moments and times, but we know that God is working in them because He loves us so very, very much and is working for us.

Before, during, and after a crisis of life, many believers in Christ Jesus will proclaim that our Lord is the Almighty Who Sustains and Loves of us...loves in agape love, you and me.  He is our most intimate and personal Savior, the Lord Jesus Who created us and all that is in the universe.  We, only, are made in His image!

Be a true believer in Christ, the Messiah, because He is Who He says He is!  Jesus go with you today and all the days of your Life.  Blessings for the road :)

Donna M.

The Rapture: Take Hold of Christ! Vicky Thomas' Postings AND Jeanie Windes' Dream & A Salvation Prayer!

(February 3, 2018, the updated re-sharing!)

There is much good that I could say about these two women of God- Christian ladies who are dear friends of mine.  They are so important, and I am very thankful to them for sharing their hearts and gifts with us.  Each one prays and studies the Bible, loves her Lord and family.  Both Vicky and Jeanie are precious, and they spread the Good News, the Gospel of Christ Jesus, Who is the Living God, both Bread of Life and Living Water.  Jeanie and Vicky are married to Christian men, are mothers and grandmothers- and wonderfully so, you can see the love of the LORD in their faces!

I must quickly share how today's vitally important posting came about...how Almighty God orchestrates happenings for His will and greatness, for the goodness of His created ones, us.  The unity of God's Spirit is incredible and magnificent!

When I saw Vicky's blog title come up for my favorites, I clicked on the title of the Rapture, and when I saw the whole title there on her beautiful blog and read just a small portion, my mouth fell open, and I just knew this was it!  By that, I mean I knew it was time and that her work must be shared on my blog, too! ~~~(See below for each of the three parts on the Rapture, plus her new book at Active Relational Christian Mentoring, with Christ at the center, and focuses woman-to-woman.)

Meanwhile, Jeanie had seen a posting of mine recently that caused her to contact me.  We had not seen each other in a while and wanted to catch up on each other's lives and our faith.  When we met and talked over coffee that particular day, one of the last things Jeanie said to me was, "Oh, I had a dream about the Rapture, too."  As we shared with one another, we had been discussing Godly dreams.  Well, my mouth fell open a second time!  I was astonished that now I was hearing from another Christian about the Rapture.  God's timing was perfect, as usual... The two must come together, so here are Jeanie's dream and Vicky's blog postings...God bless you and enjoy, Dear Friends.

Rapture Dream (in Jeanie's words and writing)

I was walking along on the sidewalk in downtown

Sedalia, Missouri close to where I grew up.  It was

a beautiful warm sunny day.  No one was around me.  I was walking alone.

I looked up at the beautiful blue sky and marveled

at all the little clouds that were gathering.  They were beautiful white clouds that were swirling around and increasing in number and size.  Suddenly I realized they were Angel wings and the sky was filled with Angels.  Then the blue sky split open and all I could see was a brilliant Gold Light. Instantly my body started ascending into the air and I realized "this is the rapture."  I saw other specks ascending around me and realized it was other people.  I said, "Praise God, this is the rapture."   I woke up feeling that this dream was God saying to me, "In your lifetime."

 
The Rapture is the Truth of God in His Holy Word, the Bible.  God's Biblical Promises to this point in time have all come true, and those still to be done will most certainly happen, including the Rapture, followed by the Tribulation and the whole of God's Plan to completion.  The New Heaven and the New Earth will form, which is God's Kingdom for those who have believed in God the Father's Son, Christ Jesus. 

When Vicky and I talked last, we each had thought prior to the other's knowledge: "We want people to know that the Rapture is not a fairy tale.  It is going to happen." 
Please, dear ones, be with those of us who have chosen Life in Christ; it is eternal.  None of us wants our eternal life without God.

~~~Vicky's first in her series of three postings on the Rapture: Are You Ready for the Rapture?

~~~The second in the Rapture series: When Will the Rapture Occur?

~~~Vicky's third in her series on the Rapture: 

What Will Happen When the Rapture Occurs?

Vicky has an excellent new book out!  I highly recommend getting it to read through and also to keep as a valued resource in Christian mentoring:

The Three-Strand Cord of Active Relational Christian Mentoring: Women Mentoring Women with Christ at the Center

A Prayer of Salvation

When you want to step over the line of faith to God, you can tell Him in your own words or pray this prayer, simply telling the Almighty that you believe in His Son, Jesus Christ- that He died on the cross for your sins and that you want to be with the LORD forever and ever.  My husband Royce says that we make it so complicated about faith and trust in Christ and that it is simple.  Yes, it is...if you are sincere, take that step now...you will be new in Christ, and you will never, ever regret asking Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior forever.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I know I have fallen short when it comes to living the life that I should.  In small and even big ways, I need Your complete redemption through Your Son, Jesus.  I believe that He is the Savior and the Lord of Life, that He came to earth and is the only fully human and fully God Person ever.  He died for me, was resurrected, and He arose to the right hand of the Father in Heaven; JESUS LIVES!!!  After being seen by many people 40 days from His redeeming crucifixion- just for me.  He took on the sin of everyone.  I am sorry for the sin I have done.  Thank You, God, for being my God!  I want to follow you all the days of my Life and then go to Heaven one day to be with You and others who have believed in You, only. 
In Jesus's Name, Amen.

A Dear Thanks to my Beloved Sisters in Christ Jesus~

Vicky Thomas and Jeanie Windes!!!

Bless you mightily in the Name above all names, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

Jesus Christ!!

Donna M.