Keith's Journal

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Keith

April 15, 2024 by Keith Comments (0)

Tribulation is something that comes against us as God's children... it is not a result of doing something wrong, but of doing something right... Tribulation happens in our lives as a result of following Him.

All...who live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 AMP

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NKJV

When we experience tribulations of various kinds, our adversary, the devil, will try to discourage or condemn us through false accusations... One of his greatest accusations is to tell us that we deserve what we are going through because we have done something wrong... We cannot rejoice and glory in tribulations (as God desires us to) if we walk around with a cloud of condemnation hanging over our heads that has blown in upon the wind of the enemy's lies.

Good can come out of the suffering we experience through tribulation. "Diamonds were formed within the earth as a result of the "suffering" of carbon. This "suffering" was caused by great heat and pressure coming against carbon...without it, the precious stones that we call diamonds would not exist."*

We can be assured that God is using the heat and pressure of our suffering in this world to produce something precious within us that will bring an eternal reward.

Let the following truths of Scripture be an encouragement to you whenever you are facing times of tribulation... May they help to lighten your load, lift your spirit, and place a strong song of praise in your heart.

Tribulation is not a result of doing something wrong, but of doing something right. 2 Timothy 3:12

Realize that you are in good company when you are counted among those who have had the honor to suffer for His sake. Acts 5:41

You are walking as Jesus walked. John 15:18-20

Tribulation is the world's way of letting you know you are not a part of that system. John 16:33

Deliverance is certain. 2 Timothy 4:18

God will bring you through...victoriously. Romans 8:35-37

You are blessed with Kingdom blessings. Matthew 5:10

It may be difficult now, but it will be worth it in the end. Matthew 24:13

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance. and perseverance, character. and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5 NKJV

God Bless You!

His Day of Victory

Keith

March 27, 2024 by Keith Comments (0)

Jesus-

His shed blood means...

We can live each day in His forgiveness.

His resurrection means...

We can walk constantly in newness of life.

His presence means...

We can know His victory in each situation.

His love means...

We will never face anything alone!

His day of victory makes all our days complete!

Praying His Very Best is Yours this Easter Season

For in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28

Jesus came into this world before we were living in it.

He gave His life before we had ever committed a sin...

If He did that much for us before we were born, think of all He desires to bless us with now that we are here!

May your Easter be a time of fully enjoying His gift,

His blessings, and His love for you!

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32

A Correct View of Salvation

Keith

March 3, 2024 by Keith Comments (1)

salvation

'You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house'. Matthew 5:14-15 AMP.

Every Sunday countless people all over the world sit in church buildings with a false sense of security... they assume that their morality, lifelong church membership, or baptism will earn them a place in heaven... while many of these folks have a sincere desire to please God, they are confused about what the Christian life is all about... they think in terms of doing rather than being... So they imitate the actions of good Christians: going to a weekly service, praying, reading the Bible, and trying to be decent people.

However, salvation is not the product of our good works... we come into the world with a corrupt nature, and our wrongdoing is born of a heart turned away from the Lord... Because we are all sinful people, we sin... it's that simple... The good news is that in the salvation experience, we are given a brand-new nature (2 Cor. 5:17). Our sin is wiped away because Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself to pay the penalty we owed... from the moment we trust in Him, the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart so we can live righteously.

The world values action, but God prioritizes relationship-specifically a right relationship with Him... People who scurry about flaunting religiosity are missing out on the deeply satisfying and joyous intimacy between a believer and the heavenly Father.

We can help correct others' tragic misunderstandings by being ready to explain the reason for our hope. (See 1 Peter 3:15.) Knowing Christ is what matters... so speak of the personal relationship with Him that's possible when a person admits his or her need and trusts in the Saviour.

A True Story of Hope

Keith

January 14, 2024 by Keith Comments (2)

Imam's Daughter Finds Prince of Peace

Subaidath is the daughter of an Islamic scholar and imam, who considered herself a staunch Muslim... However, there was one thing she lacked-peace of mind... One day she discovered a Christian tract in her school dormitory... When she read the Gospel for the first time, it resonated within her soul, but her heart was hardened... But a few nights later something unusual happened... Jesus revealed Himself to her in a dream, touched her with His nail-pierced hands, and said, "Do not be worried and upset. Believe in God the Father and also in me. for I am the Prince of Peace. I have been crucified, died, and resurrected to give you peace and eternal life."

When Subaidath told her family about her commitment to Jesus, they got extremely upset... When they recognized she would not change her mind, her father and brothers decided she must pay the ultimate price for dishonouring the family... They devised a crude electric chair... They stripped off most of Subaidath's clothing and forcibly bound her to the chair... But when her father flipped the switch to send high voltage through the chair, nothing happened... They tried different outlets and sockets, but it was as if the electricity refused to flow... Her father got so angry and frustrated he beat her once more and screamed, "You are no longer my daughter," then threw her outside the house, half-naked... with tears streaming down her face-filled with humiliation and pain-she ran to a Christian friend's home across town.

The following day, her friends asked their neighbours what they thought when they saw a half-naked woman run through the streets... One of the neighbours happened to see Subaidath that night, but he reported that he saw her wearing a beautiful white dress... She believes God hid her nakedness, clothed her in the white dress, just as He took away her shame and covered her with the righteousness of Christ... Subaidath remains a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and is active in the underground church.

Praise God that He 'seeks and saves that which was lost.' Please Pray for Muslims converting to Christ... Thank You myCBN Brother's and Sister's. God Bless You Always.

Jesus' Birth

Keith

December 22, 2023 by Keith Comments (1)

The time came for the baby to be born, and [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)

I wonder if you spotted something different in this reading? Instead of 'no room . . . in the inn' we had 'no guest room'.. It's a recognition that the Greek word traditionally translated 'inn' is better translated as 'guest room'.. It makes more sense because given that Joseph was of the line of David he could probably have knocked on almost any door, listed his ancestry, been identified as a distant relative and been offered a room.

What seems likely is that the house where Joseph and Mary planned to stay had only two rooms: one for the family and one for the guests.

For some reason-possibly the census-the guest room was full... The only alternative was the lower part of the house, where the animals were usually kept... Of all the traditions associated with Jesus' birth, one of the most reliable is that he was born in a cave, and it's quite likely that the lower part of the house would have been cut in a cave-like way from the rock.

So, the baby is born, wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in the manger-the animal feed trough... That this was highly unusual is suggested by the shepherds being told that 'the baby in a manger' is a sign.

With Jesus' birth we come to something quite extraordinarily profound... Christian teaching is that, in this baby, God was somehow entering his own creation... The all-powerful Maker and Sustainer of everything-from tiniest bacteria to largest galaxy-is reduced to a few pounds of helpless flesh.

This is the extraordinary truth that we call the incarnation-that, in Jesus, God became one of us... It is an extraordinary descent from highest majesty to lowest insignificance, from unbelievable wealth to desperate poverty... What can we learn from this? Well, we get some idea of exactly how much God loves us... being born in this context set the pattern for the rest of Jesus' earthly life.

There is another thing worth noticing-the phrase that Luke uses: 'She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger . . . 'At the end of Luke's Gospel, in chapter 23, we read that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body and 'then he took [the body] down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock'. The parallel is very striking.

For our sake Jesus became the lowest of the low, quite literally from the cradle to the cross.

Lord Jesus, as we at this Advent time marvel at the fact you became human in order to show your great love for us, thank you that by your death and resurrection we can now know freedom from the past, new life today and a hope for the future... in Your name Amen. God Bless You myCBN Brother's and Sister's.

Just Like a Child

Keith

December 10, 2023 by Keith Comments (0)

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it (Mark 10:15, NIV).

I recently read the story of a young family who went out to eat at a local restaurant. They were the only family with children in the restaurant. The mom sat their little boy, Erik, in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi." He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin as he wriggled and giggled with joy.

The mother looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man wearing baggy pants and shoes so worn that his toes poked out. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. The man sat far away but the mother was sure he smelled bad. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists in an effort to make Erik laugh.

"Hi there, baby. Hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. Erik's mom and dad exchanged looks and asked, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi." Everyone in the restaurant noticed the man who was creating a nuisance with the beautiful baby. Their meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.

Erik's parents were embarrassed and ate in silence. Not Erik. He was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. The parents finally got through the meal and headed for the door. The husband went to pay the check and told his wife to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between the mother and the door. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," she prayed. As she drew closer to the man, she turned her back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As she did, Erik leaned over her arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before the mom could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from her arms to the man's.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head on the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and tears hovered beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled the baby and gently stroked his back.

No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. The mother and every other person in the restaurant were awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and in a firm and even commanding voice said, "You take care of this baby." Somehow the mother managed, "I will" from a throat choked with emotion.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. The mom took her baby and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." With Erik in her arms, the mom ran for the car. Her husband was wondering why his wife was crying and holding Erik so tightly saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." Everyone had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment. a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. The mother was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. A ragged old man had unwittingly preached the message found in Scripture, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

It is so easy for us to live each day with tunnel vision... to dismiss people because they don't look like we do or act like we do... Jesus never did that... He always made time for the lonely man, woman and child in need... I want to be more like Him... I want to have His eyes and His heart when it comes to meeting the needs of people He brings into my life... How about you?

Father, please forgive us for the times we have judged others and failed to love them like You wanted us to love them... Help us see others through Your eyes of unconditional love... please give us a heart of love and mercy toward others in need... in Jesus' name Amen.

Be Anxious for Nothing

Keith

September 12, 2023 by Keith Comments (1)

Jesus warned that, in the last days, the world would face unfolding trauma. There would be wars, earthquakes and many other disasters. Yet, to His disciples, He said, "Do not be terrified" (Luke 21:9). He also said that, because of world conditions, men's hearts would fail "from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth"(Luke 21:26 NKJV). Not only would actual events generate worldwide fear, but the ..expectation ..of difficulties would cause men's hearts to fail.

Today, heart failure is the number one cause of death in North America. Approximately every thirty-four seconds a heart stops beating and another person dies, usually suddenly. There may be many contributors to heart failure, but one major source is the inability to handle stress.

There are times when stress is unavoidable - the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, moving to a new home, severe illness, or going through a divorce - all take a toll. But most of the time accepting anxiety should not be so readily accommodated. The problem is that, just as death entered the world through Adam's sin (see Rom. 5), so the substance of death enters our personal world through our sins as well. Indeed, when we carry anxiety-related stress, we are carrying in our soul a container of death that, without fail, takes an ever increasing toll upon our lives.

Consider our world: War and terror attacks can occur at any time and anywhere. Our stock market and economy continues to bolt up and down, like a wild roller coaster. We have many unanswered questions about the future that are multiplied stress factors.

We also have personal situations. We worry about aging and our health. We have stress at our jobs and stress with a lack of jobs. Our homes should be a harbor of peace, yet they often are a place of strife and anxiety, especially as our children become teens. Someone once said, "A mother is only as happy as her saddest child." It is true for fathers also. We all carry people in our hearts, and as we love them their battles become ours, further adding to the burden of anxiety we carry.

If you want to know how stressed you are, look at your disposition when you drive. If you are always exceeding the speed limit, it reveals the lack of rest in your soul. That extra push on the accelerator is continually occurring on your heart throughout the day, not only when you are driving. Driving simply makes apparent the level of anxiety we have learned to live with.

Paul wrote, "Be anxious for nothing" (Phil. 4:6). Yet we seem to be anxious for everything. In fact, stress-related anxiety is so much a part of our lives that, somehow, it has escaped being identified as being sinful. We medicate it, but do not change the habits of fear that caused it in the first place. But anxiety is sin. At its core, it is a stubborn refusal to trust the goodness of God or rest in His power. Anxiety is a by-product of unbelief. It is a spiritual "terror attack" from hell that is silently killing tens of thousands every day.

God Is With Us

Certainly, I am not suggesting we become passive. However, I am saying we ought to abandon our fears and the stressful anxieties that come from not trusting in God. Our Messiah is "Immanuel," which means "God with us." Jesus promised to be with us, "even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). At some point we must accept the wonder and power of Christ's promise. Those who ..believe ..enter His rest (Heb. 3). He is with us always! To mistrust this promise is to reject the very character of God's nature. This is not a minor issue.

Yet, even now Jesus says,

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).

Let us come to Him. Let us cast our burdens upon Him, for truly He cares for us. Let us break our addictions to stress. We don't have to be tied up in knots inside. The God of peace will crush Satan beneath our feet shortly (see Rom. 16:20). Anxiety is sin. Let us break the bondage of this sin and walk as sons and daughters of God, who are anxious for nothing.

Lord, forgive us for our sin of anxiety... we renounce fear... we declare that our souls are Your property, that You have promised to care for us... we believe Your promises... we come to You and entrust all that we are into Your love and care... in Jesus' Precious name Amen.

Pray a Prayer of Release

Keith

May 2, 2023 by Keith Comments (1)

'...[The] curse does not come to rest.' Proverbs 26:2 ......

Author Stormie Omartian grew up with a mother who told her she was worthless... She locked Stormie in a closet because she couldn't 'stand to see her daughter's face'! Stormie writes: 'I was raised by a mentally ill mother...and...her behaviour left me with guilt, hopelessness, helplessness and deep emotional pain... By the time I was a young woman I was still locked in-only the boundaries were emotional not physical-a deep, ever-present pain which expressed itself through self-destruction and paralysing fear... Years later [with help from a Christian counsellor] I learned that unforgiveness as deeply rooted as mine...must be unravelled one layer at a time. One day I felt led to pray, "Lord, give me a heart like Yours for my mother." Immediately I had a vision of her as a beautiful, fun-loving, gifted woman with no resemblance to the person I knew...I was seeing her the way God made her to be, not the way she'd become... What an amazing revelation! In an instant I put together the pieces of her past-her mother's tragic death...the suicide of her beloved uncle and foster father, her feelings of abandonment, guilt, bitterness and unforgiveness...Touching the heart of God brought such forgiveness that when she died...I had no bad feelings... In fact, the more I forgave her the more God brought to mind good memories...People are often the way they are because of how life shaped them, and only God knows their history... To enjoy everything God has for you, pray a prayer of release and let go of the past.' Only then can you move on.

Blessings to you myCBN Brother's and Sister's.

How do I accept Jesus as my Saviour?

Keith

April 27, 2023 by Keith Comments (1)

Do you want to know God?

Do you yearn to experience the Lord's comforting presence, power, and wisdom? That's good, because God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you forever.

The problem is . . .

.. . . one thing separates you from a relationship with God-sin. You and I sin whenever we fail to live by the Lord's holy standard. In fact, Romans 3:23 "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Furthermore, Romans 6:23 explains that the penalty for sin is death-separation from God in hell forever. No matter how hard we try, we cannot save ourselves or get rid of our sins. We can't earn our way to heaven by being good, going to church, or being baptized (Eph. 2:8-9).

Understanding how helpless we are because of our sins, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save us.

Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom 5:8). Three days later, He rose from the dead-showing that He had triumphed over sin and death once and for all.

So how can you know God?

It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection (Rom. 5:10).

Romans 10:9 promises, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you loves you no matter who you are or what you've done. He wants you to experience the profound depth of His care.

Therefore, tell God that you are willing to trust Him for salvation. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus' name, amen.

If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations! You are now a part of God's world wide Family, Welcome!

You have received Christ as your Savior and have made the best decision you will ever make-one that will change your life forever!

The Passion of the Christ

Keith

April 7, 2023 by Keith Comments (2)

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17

When I saw the movie The Passion of the Christ years ago, I was struck by the brutal cruelty with which the soldiers treated Jesus... like a bunch of poorly paid drunken legionnaires, they couldn't wait to take out all their frustrations on who they thought was a stupid, luckless Jew... they beat and abused him mercilessly.

The face which Moses had begged to see--was forbidden to see--was slapped bloody (Exodus 33:19-20). The thorns that God had sent to curse the earth's rebellion now twisted around His brow... the back and the rear of Jesus' legs felt the whip--soon the body of the Saviour would look like a ploughed Judean field... by the time the spitting is through, more saliva is on Jesus than in Him... when the soldiers raised the mallet to sink the spikes into Jesus' hands, it occurred to me that the Son of God whom they were crucifying was the very One sustaining their lives! Someone must sustain their lives minute by minute, for no man has this power on his own... Who supplies breath to his lungs? Who gives energy to his cells? Who holds a man's molecules together? Only by the Son do "all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). How amazing, how incomprehensible that the Son, the victim, is granting breath and being to His own executioners!

Close your eyes if you will and think deeply on the things you just read... consider so great a Saviour who would submit himself to such torture...for your salvation. Think of the cost and sacrifice involved in Jesus' crucifixion... then, commit afresh and anew to live on a higher, more sanctified level as you trust and obey Him with new resolve... Praise your Saviour for granting you breath and being, as well as life eternal... what a Saviour!

Dear Saviour, We are awestruck that You did not turn away from the cross and also glad that You didn't, but travelled the road to Calvary for us... may our lives today reflect our love and devotion to You... in Jesus' Precious name Amen. God Bless You myCBN Brother's and Sister's.

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