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The Divine Command and Invitation

“O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God (repentance); for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. 3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:1-4

Returning to the LORD is synonymous with repenting.

“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3, 5

Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace” and yet if you don’t repent and DO YOUR LIFE HIS WAY – OBEYING HIM METICULOUSLY, you will continue to be filled with misery, guilt, confusion, strife, unrest, shame, guilt, and no peace – because you are unrepentant and vile in His holy eyes (Isaiah 9:6-7).. Shut your mouth. Shut your stupidity and repent now. Die the death. What is the definition of insanity? And yet you still wonder why you have no peace and rely on mood drugs and psycho-babble and every other satanic cheap substitute? Repent sinner. You are a vile sinner in need of the only Savior who will not bless your life until you repent and lay it down flat before Him. Hell awaits your wicked soul. The fruit of your life makes it clear that you do not know Him and your eternal soul is hanging by a spider thread over the flames of eternal damnation.

Repentance is not just a one-time fix all. No, we must return to the LORD if we at all wane from Him. We must abide in intimate union with Him (John 15:1-6; Revelation 3:20). He wants to dine and to sup with His children (John 21:12; Revelation 3:20).

Throughout Israel’s history, through which we are to learn, the LORD called them back to Himself from their sin (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). Even in their vile, hard-hearted rebellion, God called His people to repent – to “return” to Him. He has not changed (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Today the LORD still beckons and beseeches us to present our bodies a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1).

When we remain in close fellowship with Christ, our hearts remain soft and pliable. This is the divine intention for His children.

“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:24-27

The reason God unites us with Him in the new birth is to take us from among the lost and bring us to His land, sprinkling clean and cleansing water upon us, delivering us from all idolatry, granting us a new heart, putting His Spirit in us, taking away those hardened places, and giving us an heart of flesh so that we walk in His Words and do them.

It’s a special blessing when we are outright, up front, transparent and tell others “I was WRONG… will you please forgive me?”

If we don’t confess any sin we may have committed, our hearts will become hardened against the LORD.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Hebrews 3:12-15

This invitation to return to Him is a divine invitation that our LORD delights to see come to pass. Yet first we must realize that we are separated from Him. There are so few who lead and who write books today in Christ’s name who preach on the sins listed in Scripture or repentance. So, most churchgoers have no conviction of sin much less the quickening to repent.

Jesus Christ says:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Why remain in our sins since they are dealt with at the cross? Why not be honest and admit, confess, and receive divine grace to overcome?

There’s no reason to carry the heavy burden of sin and the associated guilt it brings. Returning to the LORD and relinquishing any sin that may have been committed is essential to resting in Christ our LORD.

Did the Father not establish His holy “throne of grace” where we freely receive His mercy (undeserved forgiveness) and grace (overcoming power; divine enablement)? Because of Christ’s precious blood, does the LORD not beckon and invite His children to “come boldly”?

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

As seen in this Hebrews passage, due to the “finished,” perfect work of Christ, our sin debt is “paid in full” and therefore the only reason a child of God would retain any sin is due to not taking God up on His “benefits,” including the forgiveness of sins (John 19:30; Psalms 103:2-3, 11).

The obedience of faith, repentance, confession of sin, and abiding in Christ are essential (Luke 13:3, 5; John 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 1:9, etc.). God has conditions for the application (applying) of the blood of Jesus. One must meet those requirements.

The LORD tells us in His Word that He is not willing that even one of His children perish (2 Peter 3:9).

Fellowship and Fullness of Joy

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2:1  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 1:3-2:2

It’s not really that difficult and boils down to who we truly love the most – the LORD or ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). What excuse shall we have on that Day? We simply must lay down our lives afresh, bringing our words of confession before Him – drawing nigh to Him and He promises to draw close to us as we do (James 4:7-11).

To the remnant who remain, who “abide” with and in Christ, all our sins are washed away in the blood of the Lamb! (John 15) They truly fear the LORD and therefore will confess all sin and receive His mercies.

“3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies … For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:3-4, 11-12

Honesty Goes a Long Way with God

As it was when John the Baptist preached to the false religionists of his day, lame moral coward counterfeits hate when they are called to man-up and render real repentance and the fruit of good works to prove it (Matthew 3:7-10).

Recently I was blessed to serve with a brother in Christ who just got out of prison. He had murdered someone and was in jail since 1988. He’s a vibrant brother who loves Jesus. God is “Holy, holy, holy,” and so those who hate someone are just as guilty as if they had literally killed someone (1 John 3:14-15). Those who look on someone else in order to lust have already committed adultery in their hearts and are just as guilty before the Almighty as if they had done such (Matthew 5:28). This begs the question:

What stone have you and I to throw? (John 8:7-11)

Jesus scattered the religionists with what He said to the crowd of Pharisees who had thrown the adulterous woman at His feet. The Son of God said: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) They were gone. Those who unduly condemn others will be separate from Christ who came to forgive all men. Self-righteousness is sure damnation (Matthew 21:31). Those who vainly believe they are in and of themselves righteous and therefore condemn others, will be scattered into eternal damnation (Luke 18:9-14; Romans 2:1-7; James 2:13). All those condemning men who were religious leaders fled the scene. Only the humbled woman whose sin was revealed realized her great need of the Savior’s mercy. She was the only one left there with Christ. In eternity, the only people who are with Christ will be those willing to admit their sin and fall upon the mercy of the LORD in repentance and returning. Jesus taught that honesty goes a long way with God (Luke 8:15; Proverbs 28:13). They come boldly before His throne of grace and mercy as needed.

“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” John 8:7-11

We should answer His call today to lay down our lives afresh (repentance). This is so we can meet and know Him now as merciful Savior and LORD and not later as our Judge. Each one of us has this choice to make. None of this (having a real relationship with Christ) requires or pertains to the church attendance or other religious activities so many pastors today have made important. Fellowshipping with Him and His beloved body is to be “daily” not weekly – it’s to be perpetual (Acts 2:42-47).

WHAT’S the Difference?

See if you can discern this truth …. “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” (2 Corinthians 12:21) …

There’s no mystery to the fact that we have all sinned even after He found and saved us. Yet, only some choose to repent – return to the LORD and thereby be delivered from sin (Hosea 14:1-2). “Have not repented” is the telling difference. Those who truly repent – turn back to the LORD and amend their ways – are promised forgiveness, fulness, and eternal glory with Christ.

Have you repented – returned to Christ’s feet in brokenness and humility? (Matthew 5:3; 18:3-4)

To Cover or to Confess

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

There’s a Time Limit on His Invitation

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

Prayer: Holy Father in Heaven, thank You so much for sending Your only begotten Son for the whole world and for my sins. This moment, I choose to return to You. I lay it all down and give my life into Your holy hands. Into Your hands I submit my spirit – the whole of who I am that You made me to be. Jesus please still me. Please help me to slow down this life You have given me and to sit before You to commune with You. I love You my LORD Jesus and thank You for Your unspeakable gift of salvation! In Jesus’ name, amen!

Do you want to get deeper into God’s Word? If so, send a reply requesting the “Moments with My Master” email that is sent out to edify Christ’s body. Sign up Here.

Our Sin Should Lay us at His Feet [podcast]

LORD, Change Me

 

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Articles

WHEN PARENTS GET OLD …

author unknown

WHEN PARENTS GET OLD …

“Let them grow old with the same love that they let you grow … let them speak and tell repeated stories with the same patience and interest that they heard yours as a child … let them overcome, like so many times when they let you win … let them enjoy their friends just as they let you … let them enjoy the talks with their grandchildren, because they see you in them … let them enjoy living among the objects that have accompanied them for a long time, because they suffer when they feel that you tear pieces of this life away … let them be wrong, like so many times you have been wrong and they didn’t embarrass you by correcting you …

LET THEM LIVE and try to make them happy the last stretch of the path they have left to go; give them your hand, just like they gave you their hand when you started your path!

(“Honor your mother and father and your days shall be long upon the earth”.) – God”

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3

Karen Cochran writes:

“A few years ago the Lord spoke to me and I heard honor your Father and Mother. I didn’t know that my Mom would be moving close to me in a few months and I would become her primary helper. It has been one of the biggest challenges of my life because she has dementia and isn’t always kind. I have had to come home many nights and sit at the feet of Jesus and ask forgiveness because I was not like Jesus to her. Then I go back everyday because the Lord commands us to Honor our Mother. He didn’t promise it would be easy. I have to be like Jesus and say Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Luke 23: 34 .As people who have dementia do not know what they are doing or saying.”

Sharing how God is working in her life concerning her relationship with her beloved mother, Karen Cochran writes:

“I had to die to being right. Pride! How could I love her (my mother) with the love of Jesus? How would she see Jesus in me? She would not see Him in me in all my pride and arrogance! By being full of pride, all I did was stir up strife. Proverbs 10:12 ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.’ Because she would retaliate and would be angry. I had to learn to keep my mouth shut. And it has completely changed our relationship. But first the Lord had to change me and cleanse me from my ‘know it all’ attitude and my pride. I went to the Lord and said ‘why is she (my mother) so mean to me’. The Lord straightened me out quick. It was me not her! I couldn’t control her! All I could do was allow God to root out what was sin in me.”

“Being broken to the core has been a continuous prayer for me. Otherwise my stone heart will hurt someone else that does not deserve to be hurt. Jesus had shown me my resentment against my parents. As I went to their grave, Jesus begin to say, ‘If they hadn’t taken you to Jesus at an early age, you wouldn’t be where you are now.’ I felt all the bitterness, anger, and hatred leave. How gracious is our Savior!” Thomas Cochran

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Articles

Gospel Action in Mexico Part 37

UPDATE – DELIVERED FOOD TODAY; – I purchased numerous food items for Clara and her boys today. Traversing difficult terrain to deliver the goods God supplied through your faithful giving left me with a sidewall puncture. A sidewall puncture cannot be patched and replacement was quoted at $274. Settled for a used tire. In this challenge came opportunity.

God used the punctured tire for me to meet a wayward man. Jose has spent time in the USA and has family there. His wife is presently in Colorado; he expressed strain on his family. Jose received God’s Word preached to him and the JESUS tract and said “You know what? My wife is also a Christian.” Wow. So, his beloved wife is praying for him to be saved and God answered her prayer in part by connecting me with him. This opportunity is because of your support for this ministry. Can we please pray for Jose and his family?

I am continuing to learn to assert Romans 8:28-29 into everything:

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Can anyone relate?

Mark is encouraging me in helping more people, one person/family at a time. Your prayers and giving are more than important, it is essential.

I found out Clara was in need again and was moved upon by the LORD to get her and her 3 sons some food. Her whole monthly money needed to sustain her, and her boys is about $350. The house she rents is $120 per month. I will leave it there.

It is amazing how much further our contributions go in Mexico, how much more it’s multiplied. A little bit of money and ministry here goes a long way to bless and expand Christ’s kingdom! …and to give hope to the hopeless.

We continue to pray for a few more saints to assert themselves into this opportunity. God is able, amen! All I can do is let these things be known. I am blessed by your support as I am encouraged by the fruitfulness of Mission Mexico both in the reach of the spiritual needs and the physical needs of God’s children. You are responding to Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 6:19-21

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Clara’s Cry Video was featured recently. Click here.


Please lift a prayer in Jesus’ name for the fruitfulness and supply of our LORD’s work here with Mission Mexico. God be praised. Multitudes being reached daily with Jesus Christ’s bless-ed Gospel – spoken to them and given in print in the JESUS tract in Spanish.


BELOVED ANTONIO came by again tonight to get something to eat. I warmly received and welcomed him. Had him sit down and rest with fresh water to drink while his delicious meal was cooking. When he left I broke down while hugging him and letting him know you are lifting him in prayer and that God loves him. I played the Spanish Bible audio of Scripture to him while I was cooking so the Word would be planted in his heart…. WHO wants to cry out with me to our LORD for this young man? WHO wants to seek God for a complete change in his precious life? Salvation and good employment/work, etc. Let it not be that he could ever say that “No man cared for my soul.”“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul” (Psalms 142:4). Jesus is coming saints. Let us pour out His love to the hurting. Jesus Christ died for this beloved young man! Mission Mexico is rolling! “WE are labourers TOGETHER with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9). This is what it’s all about dear saints. Jump in. God will bless.

“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” Psalms 145:14

Mission Mexico!


Beloved brother in Christ, Cesar, spent the last 14 days with his beloved mother before she passed. Mark and I went to visit Cesar the day after his mother passed. Mark and I agreed that Cesar was ministering to us. We went to comfort him and he ministered to us! Whew! You are invited to lift our beloved brother Cesar in prayer.

Oh and Cesar took about 50-60 JESUS tracts to distribute.

The plans are to be spending more time fellowshipping with Cesar again soon.

Months ago, I handed Cesar a JESUS tract and we begin to talk and he shared that he is a born again disciple of Jesus. Yesterday, with tears in his eyes, Cesar shared his testimony of Jesus’ salvation of his life 24 years ago. This is a beloved brother in our LORD Jesus for certain. Unpretentious.


As is so often the case, we gave this man a JESUS tract and spoke the Word to him. A few moments later here he is hungrily reading about His Maker and King, and Savior Jesus.


Saints we are supporting a missionary in the Philippines and am thanking the LORD for your prayers and supply to our LORD’s Gospel work …..


Anyone wish to pause and lift this man to our LORD in prayer? When ministered to, Victor asked questions. He is searching. God is able.



Thank you for praying for the beautiful people of this country. More Mission Mexico coverage here.





Remember brother Justin (from Australia) whom God miraculously saved here in Mexico? He is very grateful that you are lifting him in prayer. Praying for Christ’s saints is an essential (Colossians 4:12). Today Justin sent this:

“I was reading the book of John and the woman at the well last night, contemplating how some plant seeds to be harvested by others (John 4). Just being grateful to serve the Lord without needing to see results. Bless you. You certainty planted some seeds with me. I’ll check out Titus! Thank you brother. I am working out my salvation with fear and trembling, for sure, and I wouldn’t be doing it so much harder now without your support.” Justin B.

UPDATE ON BROTHER JUSTIN B.

Thank you for lifting in prayer our brother Justin B. (Australian) here in Mexico. He was saved just a few months ago here. Here’s the latest from our brother. Please pray the Word for him. John 15; Colossians 4:12.

“I am good, brother. I am back in the slipstream of the Word. Felt like I had to experience the desert of doubt to come out with more clarity. Though, ultimately, trust in God is not necessarily clear. Getting confident in God with that ‘cloud of unknowing.’

“Daily brother. It’s my clarion call/prayer now. Diminish me but increase my faith. Purify my heart, Lord, so I may glorify Your name. Thank you for showing me the way and keeping faith in me, brother.” Justin B.

Do we recall how Jesus told Peter: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).

Here’s the post where the account of Jesus saving Justin is contained.

Jesus Saved Justin [podcast]


This is beloved David (pictured above) who received extensive ministry of God’s love and Word. Please lift up David, Daniel, and Justin. Colossians 4:12.


Omar was invited to have you pray for him. He readily agreed and is glad to know you are lifting him to our LORD in prayer. Jesus told us He desires to save Omar (1 Timothy 2:4).


“My Dear Brother, I will continue to lift Clara and those precious children in prayer; for I know firsthand the hardship of raising 3 little ones alone in this selfish world.  I am thankful to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY for sending strangers into my life during my time of despair and brokenness. Thank you brother for being a good steward with the gifts that the people of God send into the Lord’s Ministry. May the Lord God bless and keep you all the days of your life.” Jacquie



Support Mission Mexico here. Takes seconds.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

Mission Mexico – See more here.


Download. Read. Print out your supply of the JESUS tract – English and Spanish.

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Abiding

Seeking the Will of God [podcast]


Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

Maturity in Christ is seen in those who unrelentingly seek His face! 1 Chronicles 16:11

YOU are either going to clearly prove you love God by perpetually flooding your heart and mind with the Word, prayer, and praises of our LORD Jesus Christ…. or you absolutely will fall away (Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy 4:1-2, etc.).

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalms 27:4

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” Psalms 27:8

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3

Notice that those not seeking the LORD today, are forsaking Him.

“if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”  Romans 8:14

YOUR PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive my sins afresh. I have had other gods before You and so have committed the sin of idolatry and spiritual adultery. Please wash me afresh with Your blood dear LORD Jesus. Create in me a clean heart, an heart of flesh and remove the stony places. Please help me to sense Your leading and impressions. You are my Great Shepherd and I am Your sheep. Fill me with Your Holy Ghost dear LORD and please use me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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