LET US RETURN TO THE LORD!

LET US RETURN TO THE LORD!

“HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD… “The LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "THERE IS NO FAITHFULNESS, NO LOVE, NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD IN THE LAND. There is ONLY cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.” (Hosea 4:1-3)

Our nation has fallen so far away from the godly morals it was founded on … From the word of God. When we see the news, our society, our schools, our cities, our jobs, etc.---We can clearly see that good morals, kindness, brotherly love, loyalty, and respect for others … Are rarely seen. Without God our society (Our lives) will continue to deteriorate … Everyone lives their lives by their own standards and not God’s. This kind of behavior will only bring devastating judgments upon ourselves and our nation.

Have you ever heard it said: “Common sense is completely lost these days?” Did you know that sin completely dumbs out a person, a society and a nation of making good choices? God said that it does… “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Even as fools walk along the road, THEY LACK SENSE AND SHOW EVERYONE HOW STUPID THEY ARE.” (Ecclesiastes 10:2-3)

Note: As the saying goes, “The BIBLE (God’s word) may hurt you with the truth but it will NEVER comfort you with a LIE.” Why, would you want a lie anyway? It is THE TRUTH of the word of GOD that sets the captives free. (John 8:32, 34, 36)

A sinful lifestyle makes a person stumble in ALL their ways…It completely robs them of knowledge, of a good common sense…And because of their open rebellion against God—they will also be completely incapable of making wise choices (Decisions) in their lives because of their sin. The Lord says that SIN: “…Takes away the understanding of my people.” (Hosea 4:10)

Note: There’s nothing great or attractive in living a sinful life. Sin dumbs people out… Sin brings NOTHING but judgments and destruction to those who partake in them… The LORD says: “WOE to them, because they have strayed from me! DESTRUCTION to them, because they have REBELLED against me!” (Hosea 7:13)

A sinful lifestyle will also keep God’s best away from us too--ALWAYS! The Lord says: “YOUR WRONGDOINGS have kept these away; YOUR SINS have deprived you of good.” (Jeremiah 5:25)

Note: A sinful lifestyle is NOT worth ALL the TROUBLE and the MISERY that it brings to ones life... “Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize HOW EVIL AND BITTER it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.” (Jeremiah 2:19)

The Lord wants to bless and do good for His people (Jeremiah 29:11) … BUT how can He, if we continue to rebel against Him?  “…They DO NOT realize that I remember ALL their evil deeds. Their sins ENGULF them; they are always before me.” (Hosea 7:2)

 

Friend, if you have been living in sin and are tired of riding that destructive roller coaster in your life …Our loving Savior allows us a way out. (John 8:3-11, Psalm 103:2-4, Jeremiah 3:22, Isaiah 1:18, 44:22) There’s still time to repent and turn from all of your sins. Return to the Lord, admit your guilt and confess your sins to Jesus and He will forgive you of ALL of your sins and purify you from ALL unrighteousness…Jesus loves you so much and He’s reaching out to you now...Because He does not want to lose you.  (Matthew 18:12-14, Luke 15: 4-7, 19:10)

The Bible says:  “If we confess our sins, he (Jesus Christ) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, 2 Peter 3:9) Amen!  

“LET US RETURN TO THE LORD… Because sin does not only destroy our lives, but it also destroys our planet … “There is ONLY cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. (Watch This…Don’t Miss It! à) Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away (Are Dying).” (Hosea 4:1-3)

Note: The mass die outs of animals in our planet today…  Devastating natural disasters are ALL a result of the sins of mankind. Most people do not know or even realize that this is why it is happening. The word of God gave us the warning that this would happen, if we turned our backs on Him and willfully rebel against Him.  Sin is destructive to everyone and to everything around us.  Question: Is sin worth all of this death, disasters, pain and misery that it brings when we sin against our God and break His commands? Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Friends, NOTHING good comes from living a sinful lifestyle, NOTHING!

Friend, do you also know that if you didn’t give your heart and life to Jesus and you die with your sins, Heaven WILL NOT be your eternal home?

Jesus said: “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:24)

Note: In the book of Matthew Jesus said this: “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”(Matthew 13:40-42)

Sin will cost you more than you know…More than you are willing to pay for them--let them GO, they are NOT worth it! (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:1-8, Colossians 3:1-10, 2 Titus 2:19)  Repent and turn from ALL your sins…Because they will eventually lead you (someday) to a place that you DO NOT want to be in for all eternity! (Hebrews 10:26, 30-31, Revelation 21:8, 27)

If sin has you captive come to the ONLY ONE (Jesus Christ) that can set you free… And you will be “FREE INDEED”, my friend. (John 8:36) DO NOT wait…Tomorrow might be too late.

The Bible says: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; “ALL WHO FOLLOW HIS PRECEPTS HAVE GOOD UNDERSTANDING.” To him belongs eternal praise.” (Psalm 111:10) Amen

The Lord says: “My people are “DESTROYED” from lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

Friends, “LET US RETURN TO THE LORD, WHILE WE STILL CAN” … “SEEK the LORD while he may be found; CALL on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)

GOD BLESS YOU ALL NOW AND ALWAYS

YOUR FRIEND,

VICKY RIVERA  

A CALL TO HOLY LIVING

A CALL TO HOLY LIVING

A call to holy living, what does this mean? How can we live a holy life before our God?

To live a holy life is to walk on this earth as the Lord commanded. Are these commandments too hard to carry out?  No. The Question Is: Are we willing to do them?  Everyday we make choices … whether to do right or wrong, and the choices we make will either lead us to eternal life with Jesus Christ in Heaven, or Separated from God in hell; and then for all eternity to the lake of fire. (Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 13:40-42, John 8:51, Revelation 20:14-15)

The Lord commands that we do not: commit adultery, (cheating on your spouse) fornicate, (sleeping with someone your not married to) idol worship, lying, not to steal, murder, no witchcraft practices, (do not consult psychic’s / mediums) etc. Those that do not obey the commands of the Lord are not His children and only His children are heirs of the kingdom of God.

The Bible says, that the disobedient are children of the devil. “ He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.” (1 John 3:8)

1 John says this concerning the true children of God:

"NO ONE" who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:9)

Note: Do you know that if we hate another fellow human being…the Lord considers us, “A Murderer”? Let me show you where it says this in the Bible…

“Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him” (1 John 3:15)

Note: The children of God will love God not by words only BUT in ACTION…When we put into practice what the Lord has taught through the Holy Scriptures then we are considered HIS children.

Jesus says: “Whoever has my commands and obey them, he is the one who loves me. (John 14:21) and this is how the children of God will live a holy life here on earth by walking in obedience to their Creator and Father. Not just by talking the talk but by walking the walk. “Doing what the word says”. (James 1:22) Jesus is the door to Heaven …If you don’t know the man at the door your not getting in. (John 10:9- NKJV /John 14:6- NIV)

Note: According to Jesus own words, to receive eternal life is to believe in HIM…That’s our first step (John 3:16). Does everyone that hears the words of the Lord believe and repent?  NO. Why?

The Lord answers this question in his conversation with Nicodemus….

This is the verdict: Light (Jesus) has come into the world, but men loved darkness (their sin) instead of light because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

Jesus says: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17)

Note: Jesus has his arms open wide waiting for people to come to Him…To believe in Him, to follow and obey Him but sadly not everyone will believe in Him or accept Him…Their sin is a lot more attractive to them than following and obeying the Lord.

Eternal life is a free gift to all, but we must reach out and get it… It’s there for you if you want it. God is not going to push Himself on anyone. I personally wouldn’t want anyone to be with me who didn’t want to be …I would rather that they be with me because they want to be ... Wouldn’t you? So the choice is up to us to reject Him or accept Him.

There are only two roads in life that man can take: one that leads to heaven (Jesus) and the other one (going your own way/making up your own rules) that will lead to hell. You could follow and obey the Lord and receive a rich welcome into heaven, Or you can go your own way and do what seems right to you but know this… The consequence of living this way will lead to a separation from God in hell and then for all eternity in the lake of fire.

The Bible shows us how to live holy lives; this is why it’s very important that we study the Scriptures. In 2 Peter it says:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

Note: This is how the children of God will behave while living here on this earth…

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness; knowledge; and to knowledge; self-control; and to self-control; perseverance; and to perseverance; godliness; and to godliness; brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. (Watch this last verse…Don’t miss it!) For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:3-11)

Note: Peter says add to your faith goodness, etc… What is Peter saying here? Faith in what? Faith in Jesus Christ is what Peter is telling the reader. The first step of whoever wants to be saved is to believe in the Savior of man’s soul…Jesus Christ. (John 3:16/ Acts 16: 30-31) and after we do this, the next step is to walk on this earth as the Lord commands. (Holy Living)- (John 14:15, 21, 23-24, James 1:22, 1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 5:3)

Can we behave like this on our own…Like the Bible is telling us to do in the book of 2 Peter and many more other passages in the Bible? No. Jesus tells his disciples in the book of John this…

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (But watch what happens to those that do not remain in Jesus) If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." (John 15:5-6)

Note: To remain in Jesus means to apply to your life His commands… To live your life here on Earth, following His examples; by these actions… You will remain in Him and He in you. You have Jesus word that if you believe, trust and obey Him…YOU WILL GO TO HEAVEN. That’s all you have to do…I think that’s a pretty good deal, if I ever heard it. But once again the choice is yours… To reject Him or accept Him.

John the Baptist says in the book of Luke:

“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:9)

Note: The trees here represent people; good fruit means to repent of our sins, following, and obeying the Lords commands and the fire here means hell.

What John the Baptist is telling people through the book of Luke could be translated as this:

“People that do not repent of their sins and do not follow the Lord, like the Bible commands…These people will be send to hell and then for all eternity in the lake of fire.” (God does not play games; what He says, He really means!)

The Lord is calling His people to Holiness and to get ready for His return. I believe with all my heart that His return is very near. It is not hard to see all the things that the Lord spoke about when his disciples asked Him the question: What would be the “Signs of the end of the age”? (Matthew 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37, Luke 21:5-36). We see it every time we turn on our televisions. It’s on the news, politics, technology, and even in the weather. We as the body of Christ need to walk in holiness and reverence before our God daily.

In the book of Hebrews it says:

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness "NO ONE" will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

We do not want to be left behind like the foolish virgins; who weren’t prepared to meet their bridegroom. (Matthew 25:1-13) The Lord said these parables to us so that we may watch and pray, and that in watching and praying we would be found a holy nation prepared for HIS kingdom.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL NOW AND ALWAYS
YOUR FRIEND,
VICKY RIVERA