Dispensation: Why doesn’t God speak directly to man anymore?

Do you ever wonder why the ways in which mankind has communicated with God and the way He has communicated with us has changed over the years? Doesn’t the Bible say that God is the same forever and does not change?

God does not change, but man does. In the Garden of Eden, God walked with and talked directly to Adam and Eve. Then they chose to sin, by disobeying God and He kicked them out of the Garden. After the Garden, God spoke with but did not walk with men on Earth. We see evidence of this in the way He communicates with Noah and Moses in Genesis and Exodus. God was then asked specifically by the people at Mount Sinai not to communicate directly with them, but to go through Moses and thus started a time period of prophets, where God communicated with men per their request through a chosen few, and these men were called prophets. This request by the people to communicate through a mediator is found in Exodus 20:19, “And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

Eventually the time period of God communicating with man directly through prophets ended too, because He had provided His revealed Word to us in the form of the Bible and bestowed upon us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside those who have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. God has given us all we need to know who He is and what He wants for us in the Bible. His Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and helps communicate to the Lord on our behalf. It will remain that way until our time on Earth is through.

These different time periods are known as dispensations. The time in which we live is known as the church age. God has given us the church, a body of believers, not any building or religious organization. I’m so thankful for my Brothers and Sisters in Christ. They help carry my burdens and I help carry theirs. I’m thankful for the Word, the Bible, that God has given us to know who He is and what He wants and I’m very thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit too, as the Spirit helps show me the error of my ways.

So you see God has not changed, He always wanted and always has communicated with man. We have just as much access to Him today as we always have. We can speak with him directly via prayer and we can read clearly His desires and wishes for us in the Bible, His inspired Words, where He tells us what to do, what not to do and most importantly how we can spend forever with Him. I’m so glad the Lord God doesn’t change. I’m glad He allows me the opportunity to speak with Him directly and most of all I’m glad He allows me the chance to read His Word, so I can hear from Him directly. God is good. I’m happy I get to live in the church age.

Why should Jesus let you into Heaven?

If you were standing at the gates of Heaven and Jesus Himself was to ask you, “why should I let you in?”

How would you answer?

So many people are confused about this. Almost everyone I meet can’t answer this question, as taught by the Bible.

This is why we must share the Good News. Easter isn’t about eggs or bunny rabbits. My heart is broken for the lost, because I know I’m no better then they are. I’ve simply believed in the promise of the Holy Bible as given to us all by God. I’ve repented of my sin, believed in His resurrection and placed 100% of my faith in Jesus, who died to pay my sin debt.

So what is the answer? Jesus. He is the only way, as He told us in John 14:6, ” Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Religion won’t do it. Good works won’t do it. “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” Philippians 3:9 Further we learn in Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

In Luke there was a man next to Jesus who was also crucified. He was never baptized, didn’t attend church and certainly did something bad enough to be put to death, but that man was forgiven by Jesus because he put his faith in the Lord. God loves us because of who He is, not because of what we have done or who we are. Are we to boast to God and tell Him the reason He should let us into Heaven is because we did anything other than trust in Him? Nicodemus was told be Jesus plainly that a man must be born again and that anyone who has the Son has eternal life and anyone who doesn’t have the Lord Jesus will not in John Chapter Three.

When you are asked by Jesus why He should let you in, remember that there is only one answer, just say Jesus. Have you placed your trust in Him alone? If not, get it settled right now. Believe in Jesus, repent of your sin and call on Him who has risen from the grave, conquering death to save you from the debt you owe for your sin. We are all sinners, but we can all be saved, if we simply repent and believe.

Easter is about Jesus. Do you believe?

Religion can’t save you. Only Jesus saves!

If religion could save you, then Jesus wouldn’t have had to die on the cross.

Religion existed before Christ died, but man could not be saved by it. Religion today has the exact same problem. It abounds in many forms and fashions, however none of them have the power to save you when you die. If you are trusting in your religion, any religion, you are lost and need to see the Light.

We don’t need religion, we only need Jesus.

Do you know if you’ll go to Heaven when you die? You can. You don’t need to be religious, what you need is to know Jesus. You need to know more than who He is, even the demons and the devil know that. What you need to do is know who He is, repent of your sins and accept Him into your heart. You need to be washed in His blood. Have you done that? Read John chapter 3, as Jesus has a personal conversation with a very religious man, about what he must do to be saved. The answer from the Savior Himself. I’m so thankful for the Bible, it gives me the answers I need to know who God is, who I am and how I can know for sure I’m going to Heaven when I die. It isn’t because of my religion, it’s only because of my Savior.

If you don’t know you are lost…how can you be found?

One who doesn’t know they are lost can not be found.

Are you counting on your religion to get you into Heaven? I don’t care what religion you are, no religion can save you.

Only Jesus has the power to save.

It is Jesus alone, not Jesus plus.

We are all sinners according to Romans 3:23.

The penalty for sin is death according to Romans 6:23.

Who’s going to pay for your sins? Are you lost and don’t know it? What will happen to you when you stand before the Lord God and He judges your sin? Will you have been bought with the redeeming blood of Jesus, or will you have to pay for your own sins and spend forever separated from God in Hell, the only other eternal destination other than Heaven?

You may not want to think about it, but you should. You should ponder it every moment of the day and night like an all consuming fire, until you settle the answer. Are you going to accept the Lord Jesus or reject Him?

I hope you chose Jesus. If you want help, let me know. This is why I am here.

Exodus 17:10-12 More than you can handle on your own

The Lord will never give you more than you can handle is not from the Bible. In fact very much the opposite is true. He will allow you more than you can handle, so you will learn to lean on Him and your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for help. Do you want an example from the Bible of this? Consider Moses in Exodus 17.

“10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” Exodus 17:10-12

Without the help of his brother Aaron and Hur, Moses wouldn’t have been able to keep his hands up on his own power. This obviously was important as the battle’s outcome was dependent on Moses keeping his hands raised. What he couldn’t do on his own however, he was able to do with help from the support system God gave him.

The lesson here is obvious, God will allow us, as He did Moses, to be confronted with things too big for us to handle alone. We who have put our faith in Him are still human, not supernatural heroes who can handle everything on our own power. God has incorporated us into the Body of Christ. As such we are dependent on each other. He gave us different strengths and gifts so that together we are stronger and more able then anyone of us is alone. With God nothing is impossible, but with mankind much is. We need each other. We need God. Trying to do things on our own many times is simply our pride getting in the way of following the Lord and His will for our lives.

If you’ve fallen into that trap, and have believed “the Lord will never allow me to endure more than I can handle on my own” don’t worry, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. The lesson here is easy to learn. Pray to God whenever you feel like the burden is too much, because it might just be so by design. Look for others He has put in your life, so they can help you carry the heavy burden, just as He gave Moses Aaron and Hur to help carry his heavy hands that fateful day, during the battle with Amalek in Exodus 17.

Have you trusted Jesus?

Your religion doesn’t interest me as much as your salvation…

…Have you placed your trust in Jesus? That is the question that matters.

If yes, you are good. If not, no religion will save you. If not, no amount of good works will save you. If not, no amount of “karma” will save you. Neither the religion of your ancestors or your religion matters.

Only Jesus saves. Salvation is a gift of God that you can’t earn. You aren’t born with it. You have to ask for it yourself. Any questions?

“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Romans 11:6

he that hath the Son hath life

“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18.

“11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:11-13

It’s really pretty simple, without Jesus you can do, believe or say anything you want but you are condemned. The only thing a person needs to be believe in to be saved is Jesus. Jesus alone saves. Do you believe in Jesus alone for your salvation? If yes, you are saved, if you never have, then you are not.

Do you want to be saved? Trust in Jesus alone for your salvation. Why does man always try to make it more complicated than that? Because we imitate Satan and his original sin, pride. Salvation is a gift. Accept it and live. Don’t let pride stop you from spending forever in Heaven. Are you ready to repent of your sins? God is ready with His arms wide open to accept you into the family. Want help, let me know and I’ll gladly be your tour guide through the Bible and/or help you with the prayer. I can also help you figure out what to do after you receive Jesus as you start walking with the Lord. Humility is easy once you realize who He is and who we are. The only thing that is different between my sin and the sins of others is that mine have been forgiven. I’ve been bought with a price and any who dare ask the Lord to do it, can have the same freedom. God is good. Ask Him into your heart right now.

Pray for your Pastor!

When’s the last time you prayed for your Pastor?

The target the devil places on the back of your Pastor can be humongous as they try to be a living example for others to follow. The devil wants to ruin their testimony to destroy the chances of the unsaved to ever find Jesus. The world is full of hypocrisy, both inside and outside of the church. When the unsaved are hypocrites, no one seems to pay much attention, but the spotlight shines brightly on the pulpit and the men God has elected to serve behind them. The devil knows he can affect the hearts of many by destroying the testimony of those who are trying to serve the Lord.

So as the church body, we should be daily in prayer for our under shepherds. God has given us these men, specifically placed us where He wants us to be for a purpose. They serve us it’s true, but we should also serve them. We should aid them in every way we can, both physically and spiritually.

Do you pay your pastor well by tithing like you are commanded?

Do you pray for your pastor, to ask the Lord to protect, guide and strengthen him?

Do you encourage your pastor?

Do you help your pastor by serving in the church and volunteering for the tasks that are not glamorous but necessary?

Do you help the pastor build the church by inviting others to the church?

Do you help shepherd the flock God gave your pastor by following the Word and setting a good example?

Do you help keep peace in your church by not gossiping?

There are so many things we can do to help our church, by assisting our Pastors. God has called them to do a very honorable but difficult task. They sacrifice very much to help us. I pray the Lord will open our eyes to the needs of our Pastor and our Church, so the Lord can bless us all. We need to quit thinking that the church is where we come to be served and start thinking about how we can serve in our church. Didn’t Jesus come to serve? If we are to be like Christ, then shouldn’t we pick up our cross and follow Him?

I don’t deserve this!

Why me? I don’t deserve this!

Ever feel this way? I have, plenty of times….but as I have grown in my understanding of the Bible, my attitude has changed.

Now I ponder this, I wonder what Jesus was thinking on the cross. When He was beaten and His flesh was torn off His body from the whipping, or when He was being punched in the face, or having His beard literally ripped off of His face. As he was bleeding and placed in the miry clay and His wounds burned as He waited to be marched up the Hill, mocked the whole way. The journey of Jesus up Golgotha’s Hill to be crucified was anything but pleasant. This is the ultimate valley experience. So what was Jesus thinking as He suffered to fulfill God’s plan?

Was he thinking how unfair this was? Was He thinking that God doesn’t love Him, or God must not exist because if He did, He wouldn’t allow such an injustice to happen to someone who never sinned?

This question about the thoughts of Jesus motivates me to quit my whining and count it all as joy. Jesus was perfect. He wasn’t punished for His sins, He was punished for our sins, both yours and mine. Why? Not because of how good we are, but because of how good God is. He loved us so much that ” while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” according to Romans 5:8.

Our attitude is important. No matter what my circumstances are, I am to praise the Lord. If Jesus didn’t complain being beaten, tortured and crucified, perhaps I shouldn’t gripe and bemoan the Lord for allowing me to suffer both for things I deserve and/or that bring Him glory. To be like Jesus is my hope. How much I let Him down. I have a long way to go. Jesus is my Savior and my role model. He is the only reason I have hope. I’ve learned that the suffering I endure isn’t what I don’t deserve. The forgiveness of my sins and the eternal life God has given me is actually what I don’t deserve.

God is good. I don’t deserve His love. I’m so thankful for it. If you have yet to claim the free gift of salvation, one none of us deserve, you can have it today. How? Here’s what the Bible says. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9. Is that too easy? Well it is for man. For Jesus there was a much higher price. He has already paid it though, so for you, yes it really is that easy. “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. You don’t deserve it and neither do I, but none the less, it is ours for the claiming, if we simply believe in Jesus and receive it. Get Jesus and live.

Too Old to Serve?

Too Old to Serve?

Are you “past your prime” and feel too old to serve the Lord or do anything meaningful for the Kingdom of God because you aren’t twenty whatever anymore? You could listen to that voice in your head, but you must realize that isn’t the Lord speaking, that is something else. Could be your own fear, perhaps you’re not wanting to move out of your comfort zone, could be the influence of the world, could be the devil trying to keep you from following the will of God. Whatever it is, don’t listen to it. There are plenty of examples of people in the Bible beyond their twenties doing great things for the Lord.

Abraham and Sarah were in their 90’s when they conceived Isaac. Noah was 500 years old when he started to build the ARC and 600 years old when the flood came. Moses was 80 years old when he was sent by the Lord to go speak to Pharaoh and 120 years old after leading the people of Israel through the desert for 40 years. How old are you?

The question isn’t about age. God knows how old you are. It isn’t about strength either, as God will provide all the energy you need to complete the task He’s called you to do. The real question is, are you going to be obedient and walk by faith or not? I’m 37 years young and on the verge of starting a new ministry. God has made it clear to me that is what He wants me to do. Am I too old, too tired, too busy to do these things? Well maybe if it was under my own power, but with God, I must simply say, yes Lord, here I am, as so many of my Christian Brethren have done before me.

What excuse is keeping you from doing the Lord’s will? Let go of the excuses holding you back. Pray to God for guidance and then have the faith it takes in Him, to follow His will for you. You’ll never regret following Jesus.