Are You Acceptable? Isaiah 61:2

Hebrew Translation: “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. The year of delight, favor, love, grace, kindness, as the pleasure of a King blessing his subjects! The year the High Priest’s sacrifices were accepted with the blood sacrifices and death accepted for our sin. The debt is now paid and the petitions or prayer requests are now heard and acted upon. And the day of vengeance when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies and God’s rage, revenge and jealousy was poured out upon the sacrificial offering and accepted. Now after this the people can be comforted with compassion as the sacrifice for their sin has been accepted and they can take a deep breath and sigh of relief for their trespasses have been atoned for.” Comment: Today when we accept the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross for our sin this offering of God for God on  behalf of God is presented before the Father and our sin is forgiven. But what of the fate of those who reject the sacrifice of God’s only Son Jesus Christ for their sin? I would rather be a fallen angel in Hell than an unbeliever in the earth! Why? Because then they themselves become the sacrifice in judgment condemned to an eternity with their leader Satan! The one and only unpardonable sin is the rejection of Jesus Christ as their Savior! While you still have breath you can still chose Jesus Christ! But one day the opportunity in the chapter of your life will end! You are only acceptable to God through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross for your sin! Nothing else qualifies you for Heaven! No works or no efforts of your past, present or future will suffice! The Apostle Paul with all his great scholarly abilities said I only know Christ and Him crucified and nothing else! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Church Growth & Decline! II Chronicles Chapters 6-7

Mary pondered these things in her heart! Do we ponder the things of God? His House? A church that was once strong and powerful fades away into history? Solomon built the most beautiful Temple for God in history! Solomon had so much wealth given to him! The Queen of Sheba gave him 4 tons of gold for a gift! Solomon did not spend on himself but invested it into the building of the Temple! The Jews made sacrifices to construct the Temple! Solomon asked God for wisdom but God gave him both wisdom and riches! Riches outside the will and purpose of God will come to nothing! After Solomon and many years passed the Temple declined and was destroyed and the Jews went into captivity! Why do some churches fail while others prosper? What series of events cause these opposite outcomes? We must see life God’s way and not our own way! Solomon took the wealth God had given him and invested it into the Temple for worship! God gave the provisions! The church began and the people gave their best! We see from the recorded scriptures here the people prayed and God heard their requests and acted upon them! He bless their cause and work! At the end of Solomon’s prayer God was pleased and fire came down from Heaven and the sacrifice was consumed! What was going right in the Temple! People were obedient to leadership! It was more than just the ornaments of gold silver and jewels! Something was going on inside the Temple! Fire came down and the Lord’s House was filled with His Glory! His mercy endures forever! Solomon built a place where people could bring the sacrifices! God confirmed the blessings with his presence! God has chosen this place for himself! The power of faithfulness and obedience! God heard their prayers! If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves………! We will hear from Heaven! Revival! Times of refreshing! Heart’s right with God! Eyes opened! New revelation! Examine ourselves! Meet God! Who is your God? God is not the reason for a declining church! People have forgotten who they are in Christ! Lost favor of God! Lost sense of purpose! Focus on themselves! No witness of God to the community! Forsaken the God of our Father’s! Calamity follows! God moves out and the world moves in! Secularism! Return to the Lord! He will hear from heaven! He will heal with church growth! Now I must ask you a personal question? Have you given any sacrifice to God that he can consume? When God consumes your sacrifice his presence is manifested in his House! No sacrifice no consumption and no presence! No God in the House! Empty! Christ’s sacrifice caused God to consume Jesus completely with His manifested Glory! Miracles left and right! Are tithes and offerings too much sacrifice for you? Are ministries into your community too much for you? Prison ministry? Hospital and nursing home visits too much for you? Without your sacrifice he has nothing to work with! Do not waste your sacrifice on the world! Your effort will be lost forever! Have faith in God and trust him! You will never be disappointed! When the leadership and people stop sacrificing the ministry declines! When they begin to sacrifice the ministry grows! Pastor Ron Wilder, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia.

Sprinkle the Nations? Isaiah 52:15

Hebrew Translation: “So shall he sprinkle, gush, spatter, startle with the execution of his whole hand the nations to cleanse them from sin! To sprinkle with his blood; the idol Kings shall stop their speech at him for that which they had not celebrated they shall see; and that which they had not heard intelligently with undivided attention they shall perceive and understand intelligently.”

Who Can You Trust? Micah 7:5-7

These statements in verses 5 – 7 in Micah Chapter 7 made by Micah are reflected in the teaching of Christ to His disciples. (Matthew 10:35-37) Jesus was also showing how complete dedication to Him would bring about rejection from those close to you and even in your immediate family! The person who places family ahead of his or her service to Christ is called “unworthy.” (Matthew 10:38) The assurance is given by Micah that it is worthwhile to trust completely in God for salvation! Resting in Him is the only way to find peace, especially when a believer’s on family forsakes him or her. (Hebrews 13:5) A qualifier here is that you do not neglect, abuse or abandon your family in the Name of the Lord! I can remember when we left for India in 1984 for a 3 year commission I shared with my father that I heard from God and was sure of my calling and confirmed by other people. My father said you must have heard from the devil? I love my dad and he passed away about 4 years ago. I still love him. Point here is this comes with the calling of Christ in your life. People and family do not understand your calling and judge it prematurely! If you do not get resistance from family and others in ministry you are probably spiritually dead! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com