(Joshua 5:13; Chapter 6; Exodus 14:13-21)
Do you expect the walls of Jericho to tumble down, the Red Sea to part, or do you just live your life hoping a wall doesn't tumble down on you or you are not drowned in a sea? One of the biggest problems we have today is that people don't believe God for real miracles any longer. They are completely content with the status quo. They are perfectly happy with everything remaining just as it is. They get into a comfortable routine in their life and their goal each day is to simply get from one day to the next without any major problems. People have no greater expectations in their life other than just making it through the day.
Sadly, this has also become the mindset of the church and many ministries. Their goals are not mountain moving miracles but mere survival. They have figured out how to operate from year to year and have become totally content with the status quo. They quit depending on God to sustain them and instead have turned to the cleverness of man. They have quit listening to what God may be calling them to do and only do what is safe. No longer do they think about doing great things for the Kingdom, only what they have to do to survive.
My friend, God's people, His church, those ministries He has raised up in these last days HAVE NO SPIRITUAL GUTS! It takes spiritual guts to be a Moses. It takes spiritual guts to be a Joshua. If you want "Jericho-Wall tumbling, Red-Sea parting" faith you have got to be willing to put it all on the line for God regardless what the personal consequences may be. You have got to trust God no matter what may happen to you. Those men and women through the ages who have done great things for God, who God has worked real miracles through, paid the ultimate price and laid everything on the line, including their very life, to do what God called them to do.
TODAY, NOBODY IS WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR GOD! GOD'S LEADERS MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE!!!
Joshua was a great military general. I am sure Joshua looked at taking down the walls of Jericho as being virtually impossible. No doubt Joshua could call on his military expertise and make an attempt to take down the walls of Jericho and nobody would have blamed him for failing. Let me tell you something my friend, when you have the hand of God on you, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
What happened was Joshua sought the counsel of the Lord and was given a special battle plan for taking down the walls of Jericho. Joshua put everything he had on the line to follow what God told him to do. He put his entire faith and trust in the God of Israel and God honored his faith and miraculously brought down the walls of Jericho.
I love you and care about you so much. We are living in a day and time when now more than ever we need God's miracle working power. We need men and women of God who will dare to hear God's voice and regardless of the personal consequences go out and let God use their lives. Men and women of great faith who will believe God for the impossible, who refuse to listen to those who say why something can't be done, but believe that WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!!
I will be praying for you today. Praying that you will spend some time with God in prayer. You see, Moses; Joshua; Esther; David; Solomon; Elijah; Peter; Paul; these were all just normal people that were born into this world as you and I were, lived their life as you and I do, but heard from God and allowed God to use their life for Him. The fact is, God WANTS to use your life! God WANTS to do great things through your life! God WANTS to work miracles through your life!
The questions I leave you with today are these. Are you willing to give God your life -- to fully, wholly, and unconditionally surrender your life to Him? Are you willing to put all that you have on the line, pay whatever price there may be even if it's your very life for God? Do you have the faith to trust God no matter what He may be calling you to do? God is still in the miracle business in the year 2009 and He is looking for a Moses; a Joshua to lead the people today!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Rebellion
(Deuteronomy 9:24; 1 Samuel 15:23)
Dealing every day on the Internet and every night on the TV program with people who choose to live in rebellion to God and His Word, it is sad how satan has so blinded people with his lies that they live in wanton ignorance regarding what awaits them the moment they die. They think by believing there is no God or that God will not judge them, they can live their lives any way they want, being accountable to nobody. The fact is, God WILL hold each person accountable whether they like it or not!
The reality is, people hate someone telling them what to do. That rebellious nature is evident in children, and is something most people deal with throughout their entire life no matter how old they get. That sin nature all men are born with breeds rebellion against authority. The authority of your parents. The authority of your teachers. The authority of the law. THE AUTHORITY OF GOD!!! Man by his very nature does not like being subject to ANY authority.
This is why parents have so many problems with their children. Children by nature rebel against their parents and only do what they want. This is why so many teens and young adults end up hurting, damaging, even destroying their lives at such a young age. Since they are older, they have more freedom to exercise their rebellion by drinking, doing drugs, having sex, not doing well in school, polluting their minds with porn, horrible music, becoming preoccupied with death and the dark side of life. Satan has an endless array of traps out there for teens and young adults to fall into when they want to rebel.
Of course, as people get older, their rebellion does not cease, and often increases. Adults make the choice to break the law, get involved in illicit sexual affairs of every kind in and out of marriage, "escape" through drugs, alcohol, gambling, and a whole host of other addictions that people become enslaved to, not to mention just living in such a selfish way that others get hurt through their choices. Even those in their golden years still live in rebellion in a multitude of ways.
The point I am making today is that because of the sin nature we are all born with, living our lives in rebellion is "natural" and something we all must fight all the time. The reality is, most people choose NOT to fight their rebellion, giving in to their natural desires to do what they want, when they want, and how they want, regardless of the consequences. So many simply choose to just give in to their rebellious nature and don't even care what the consequences of that rebellion will be.
Of course, this includes a persons spiritual life as well. The first sin was the sin of pride, satan deciding that he wanted to be God. It was an act of rebellion for God's creation to try and supplant the Creator. God created man with free will. The free will to obey Him or the free will to rebel against Him. Man had ONE RULE to follow in the Garden, ONE! Sadly for us and all mankind, Adam decided to rebel against the one rule God gave him, and thus sin entered into the human condition, and as a byproduct of sin, that rebellious nature we all fight.
Because of man's broken relationship with God his Creator, his rebellion extended to his spiritual life as well. He no longer honored and revered God, but saw God as the "rule maker." Man, of course, not wanting to follow any rules, found it easier to simply act like God didn't exist. God gave man His Word so His creation would know how to live this life in victory. Again, man had no desire to follow anyone's rules, even God's, so he quickly dismissed God's Book.
THE ETERNAL MISTAKE MEN MAKE IS THIS. YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS LIFE ACTING LIKE GOD DOESN'T EXIST SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW GOD'S RULES, BUT WHAT SATAN FORGETS TO TELL YOU IS THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL DIE AND AT THAT MOMENT GUESS WHAT? YOU WILL BE STANDING BEFORE GOD YOUR CREATOR TO BE JUDGED! YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY GOD WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!
I love you and care about you so much. Here is what I learned as a child, as a young adult, as a grown man, and still learn every day about rebellion, IT COSTS! There is always a huge price to pay when we choose to live in rebellion to our parents, to our teachers, to the law, to anyone in authority over us, and especially to God! REBELLION IS NOT FREE!
One of the things that drives me every day is knowing that those who are living their lives in rebellion to God, living their lives without Christ, will die at any moment and be judged by God for their sins and cast into hell for all eternity. THAT IS THE REAL FATE OF MEN WHO DIE WITHOUT JESUS! This is not a game. Death is final and there are no second chances. Those who die without Christ are destined to spend eternity in a place created for satan and the fallen angels who followed him. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS NOT A SPANKING, OR BEING GROUNDED, OR BEING EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL, OR BEING PUT IN JAIL...IT IS FOR ETERNITY!!!
I am saddened by those I encounter every day who have decided to listen to the lies of satan that there is no God, or that they can live however they want and God doesn't care. Saddened by those who listen to the lies of satan that the Bible is not God's Word, thinking if they deny what that Book is, they don't have to follow it. Saddened by those who have been so blinded by the lies of satan they can't even begin to comprehend the fact that the moment they die they will be standing before God their Creator to be judged. Saddened because I know those who buy into these lies will be spending all eternity in hell!
I will be praying for you today. If you are one of those people who is living in rebellion to God, to the Truth of His Word, refusing to accept Christ as your Savior, please hear this plea today. There is a very real God who created you and loves you so much. He is also a God of judgment. He has given you a way to find an everlasting relationship with Him if you will only surrender you heart and life to His Son Jesus who died for your sins. Please, take a moment and watch this video clip. If you do not know with 100% certainty that if you died in he next 30 seconds you will be forever with God your Creator, you MUST watch this clip! http://www.liveprayer.com/altarcall.cfm
Because of the sin nature we are born with, we all have to fight rebellion our entire life, in all areas of our life. That is why having a relationship with Christ is so critical. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling every Believer that we have the strength to live our lives in OBEDIENCE, not rebellion. I will be praying for you today as you follow the Lord each day and live your life in obedience. There will come a moment for each of us when this life is over, and at that moment we will be standing before God. GOD WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Dealing every day on the Internet and every night on the TV program with people who choose to live in rebellion to God and His Word, it is sad how satan has so blinded people with his lies that they live in wanton ignorance regarding what awaits them the moment they die. They think by believing there is no God or that God will not judge them, they can live their lives any way they want, being accountable to nobody. The fact is, God WILL hold each person accountable whether they like it or not!
The reality is, people hate someone telling them what to do. That rebellious nature is evident in children, and is something most people deal with throughout their entire life no matter how old they get. That sin nature all men are born with breeds rebellion against authority. The authority of your parents. The authority of your teachers. The authority of the law. THE AUTHORITY OF GOD!!! Man by his very nature does not like being subject to ANY authority.
This is why parents have so many problems with their children. Children by nature rebel against their parents and only do what they want. This is why so many teens and young adults end up hurting, damaging, even destroying their lives at such a young age. Since they are older, they have more freedom to exercise their rebellion by drinking, doing drugs, having sex, not doing well in school, polluting their minds with porn, horrible music, becoming preoccupied with death and the dark side of life. Satan has an endless array of traps out there for teens and young adults to fall into when they want to rebel.
Of course, as people get older, their rebellion does not cease, and often increases. Adults make the choice to break the law, get involved in illicit sexual affairs of every kind in and out of marriage, "escape" through drugs, alcohol, gambling, and a whole host of other addictions that people become enslaved to, not to mention just living in such a selfish way that others get hurt through their choices. Even those in their golden years still live in rebellion in a multitude of ways.
The point I am making today is that because of the sin nature we are all born with, living our lives in rebellion is "natural" and something we all must fight all the time. The reality is, most people choose NOT to fight their rebellion, giving in to their natural desires to do what they want, when they want, and how they want, regardless of the consequences. So many simply choose to just give in to their rebellious nature and don't even care what the consequences of that rebellion will be.
Of course, this includes a persons spiritual life as well. The first sin was the sin of pride, satan deciding that he wanted to be God. It was an act of rebellion for God's creation to try and supplant the Creator. God created man with free will. The free will to obey Him or the free will to rebel against Him. Man had ONE RULE to follow in the Garden, ONE! Sadly for us and all mankind, Adam decided to rebel against the one rule God gave him, and thus sin entered into the human condition, and as a byproduct of sin, that rebellious nature we all fight.
Because of man's broken relationship with God his Creator, his rebellion extended to his spiritual life as well. He no longer honored and revered God, but saw God as the "rule maker." Man, of course, not wanting to follow any rules, found it easier to simply act like God didn't exist. God gave man His Word so His creation would know how to live this life in victory. Again, man had no desire to follow anyone's rules, even God's, so he quickly dismissed God's Book.
THE ETERNAL MISTAKE MEN MAKE IS THIS. YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS LIFE ACTING LIKE GOD DOESN'T EXIST SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW GOD'S RULES, BUT WHAT SATAN FORGETS TO TELL YOU IS THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL DIE AND AT THAT MOMENT GUESS WHAT? YOU WILL BE STANDING BEFORE GOD YOUR CREATOR TO BE JUDGED! YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY GOD WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!
I love you and care about you so much. Here is what I learned as a child, as a young adult, as a grown man, and still learn every day about rebellion, IT COSTS! There is always a huge price to pay when we choose to live in rebellion to our parents, to our teachers, to the law, to anyone in authority over us, and especially to God! REBELLION IS NOT FREE!
One of the things that drives me every day is knowing that those who are living their lives in rebellion to God, living their lives without Christ, will die at any moment and be judged by God for their sins and cast into hell for all eternity. THAT IS THE REAL FATE OF MEN WHO DIE WITHOUT JESUS! This is not a game. Death is final and there are no second chances. Those who die without Christ are destined to spend eternity in a place created for satan and the fallen angels who followed him. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS NOT A SPANKING, OR BEING GROUNDED, OR BEING EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL, OR BEING PUT IN JAIL...IT IS FOR ETERNITY!!!
I am saddened by those I encounter every day who have decided to listen to the lies of satan that there is no God, or that they can live however they want and God doesn't care. Saddened by those who listen to the lies of satan that the Bible is not God's Word, thinking if they deny what that Book is, they don't have to follow it. Saddened by those who have been so blinded by the lies of satan they can't even begin to comprehend the fact that the moment they die they will be standing before God their Creator to be judged. Saddened because I know those who buy into these lies will be spending all eternity in hell!
I will be praying for you today. If you are one of those people who is living in rebellion to God, to the Truth of His Word, refusing to accept Christ as your Savior, please hear this plea today. There is a very real God who created you and loves you so much. He is also a God of judgment. He has given you a way to find an everlasting relationship with Him if you will only surrender you heart and life to His Son Jesus who died for your sins. Please, take a moment and watch this video clip. If you do not know with 100% certainty that if you died in he next 30 seconds you will be forever with God your Creator, you MUST watch this clip! http://www.liveprayer.com/altarcall.cfm
Because of the sin nature we are born with, we all have to fight rebellion our entire life, in all areas of our life. That is why having a relationship with Christ is so critical. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling every Believer that we have the strength to live our lives in OBEDIENCE, not rebellion. I will be praying for you today as you follow the Lord each day and live your life in obedience. There will come a moment for each of us when this life is over, and at that moment we will be standing before God. GOD WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Garbage In, Garbage Out
DAILY DEVOTIONAL
(Proverbs 2:11)
There is a familiar saying in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out".
How perfectly that saying can be used in regard to the things we see and hear each day. Let me ask you a question. Would you take a steak, rub it all over the floor, and than eat it? Or how about taking a glass that has been in the garage or basement for a year, and filling it up with water and drinking it? Or what about picking a tomato out of a garden and eating it without washing the dirt off of it?
I am sure by now you have to be thinking I must be losing it, that I really can't be serious. The fact is, we would never think about doing these things, eating and drinking things that are dirty and not clean. Yet, consciously or subconsciously we do that every single day by what we allow ourselves to see and hear.
For those who have been reading my Devotionals for a while know, I try to teach balance. We live in a very real world, and have to put our faith in context with living in this world. We will NEVER be able to live apart from the sinfulness that infests every part of life. Over the years, sin has crept into every element of life and that is a reality we must not only deal with but never lose sight of. While we can never be totally immune from the sin that infects our world, we can take measures to minimize our exposure to it. We can be diligent to guard ourselves from it. We must always be careful about letting sin into our life.
Today's Devotional is a warning that should not be taken lightly. It is a trumpet call to stop, and pay attention to what God is trying to say to you this day. DO NOT IGNORE THIS WARNING. How we think, how we act, are manifestations of what we are exposed to in this life. What we see and what we hear go into our "computers" (brain) and become elements in our thought process, and ultimately in our actions.
If you think for a second that what you listen to, and what you watch does not have a bearing in how you think and act, you are sadly mistaken. The Bible talks about the renewing of our mind. This is literally talking about reprogramming our "computer". Deleting all of the garbage and useless information we have stored up, and replacing it with Godly, inspirational content. Just like the saying "garbage in, garbage out" is true, so is "God in, God out."
I love you, and care about you so much. You really do mean much to me. It is no accident God has brought us together for this season. I pray today that you will heed this warning. Be aware of what things you allow yourself to hear and see. Understand the harmful affect so much of the world can have on your life if you allow it in. I am not saying don't go to the movies again,or ever watch TV, or never read a non-Christian book or magazine, or only listen to Christian music.
What I am saying is think before you listen to a CD, think before you start reading a book, think before you watch a TV program, think before you go to a movie. Simply ask yourself if this is content you want to input into your "computer," and what purpose it will serve.
Be careful, because the enemy is the great justifier. John 8:44 says he is a liar, the father of lies. He will tell you that it is okay, that it is just entertainment, it is just harmless fun. Remember, what you allow yourself to hear and see WILL be part of you. Just like you are careful about what you eat and drink, be equally as concerned about what you see and hear!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:
bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
(Proverbs 2:11)
There is a familiar saying in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out".
How perfectly that saying can be used in regard to the things we see and hear each day. Let me ask you a question. Would you take a steak, rub it all over the floor, and than eat it? Or how about taking a glass that has been in the garage or basement for a year, and filling it up with water and drinking it? Or what about picking a tomato out of a garden and eating it without washing the dirt off of it?
I am sure by now you have to be thinking I must be losing it, that I really can't be serious. The fact is, we would never think about doing these things, eating and drinking things that are dirty and not clean. Yet, consciously or subconsciously we do that every single day by what we allow ourselves to see and hear.
For those who have been reading my Devotionals for a while know, I try to teach balance. We live in a very real world, and have to put our faith in context with living in this world. We will NEVER be able to live apart from the sinfulness that infests every part of life. Over the years, sin has crept into every element of life and that is a reality we must not only deal with but never lose sight of. While we can never be totally immune from the sin that infects our world, we can take measures to minimize our exposure to it. We can be diligent to guard ourselves from it. We must always be careful about letting sin into our life.
Today's Devotional is a warning that should not be taken lightly. It is a trumpet call to stop, and pay attention to what God is trying to say to you this day. DO NOT IGNORE THIS WARNING. How we think, how we act, are manifestations of what we are exposed to in this life. What we see and what we hear go into our "computers" (brain) and become elements in our thought process, and ultimately in our actions.
If you think for a second that what you listen to, and what you watch does not have a bearing in how you think and act, you are sadly mistaken. The Bible talks about the renewing of our mind. This is literally talking about reprogramming our "computer". Deleting all of the garbage and useless information we have stored up, and replacing it with Godly, inspirational content. Just like the saying "garbage in, garbage out" is true, so is "God in, God out."
I love you, and care about you so much. You really do mean much to me. It is no accident God has brought us together for this season. I pray today that you will heed this warning. Be aware of what things you allow yourself to hear and see. Understand the harmful affect so much of the world can have on your life if you allow it in. I am not saying don't go to the movies again,or ever watch TV, or never read a non-Christian book or magazine, or only listen to Christian music.
What I am saying is think before you listen to a CD, think before you start reading a book, think before you watch a TV program, think before you go to a movie. Simply ask yourself if this is content you want to input into your "computer," and what purpose it will serve.
Be careful, because the enemy is the great justifier. John 8:44 says he is a liar, the father of lies. He will tell you that it is okay, that it is just entertainment, it is just harmless fun. Remember, what you allow yourself to hear and see WILL be part of you. Just like you are careful about what you eat and drink, be equally as concerned about what you see and hear!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:
bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
I Believe
For those unfamiliar with Bluegrass, I want to introduce Dailey & Vincent. Although they have been performing for many years, we just 'discovered' them recently. They are more than just Bluegrass, they are more than just gospel, they are gifted in a way that very few have been to spread love, laughter, and such profound truths about God, family, love, and self.
Treat yourself. Sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy a moment with Dailey & Vincent. You will be glad you did.
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; and where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-2
Do you believe?
May the Lord bless you.
Treat yourself. Sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy a moment with Dailey & Vincent. You will be glad you did.
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; and where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-2
Do you believe?
May the Lord bless you.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Salvation Roulette
(Romans 6:1-18)
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? These are two questions I get asked often from both Christians and non-Christians. Many non-Christians are looking for an "angle" with God. Those Christians see people living this way and think it is unfair,especially when they are living a life of obedience to God. Today, I want to look at the answers to these questions to help the non-Christian realize that you can't play games with God, and for the Christian to understand that God's grace is available to everyone.
Why not sin and just ask God to forgive you afterwards? Sadly, this is a far-too-common mindset, especially among Christians. They are faced with the opportunity to sin and the knowledge that God will forgive them actually motivates them to give in to sin. Of course, satan is there encouraging this perverted thought process, telling the person to, "Go ahead and sin, you know God will forgive you." Some look at the promise of God's forgiveness as a license to sin.
First of all, will God forgive you? Absolutely. God is not a liar. If you repent and ask Him to, He will forgive you, but listen to me carefully. God knows your heart! Never forget that consequences ALWAYS follow sin, just like blessings ALWAYS follow obedience. Will God forgive you if you repent and are serious? Yes. However, that does not stop whatever consequences there may be from your sin. As I share with you often, sin costs. It costs much more than you ever expected to pay. So yes,God will forgive you when ask Him,but what you are doing by sinning is opening up your life to whatever consequences there may be from your sin.
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? This is what I call "salvation roulette." Can a person live their life in complete rebellion to God and His word, and then right before they die accept Christ and be saved and spend eternity in Heaven? ABSOLUTELY! That thief on the cross lived his life without Christ and it was with his last breaths that he came to know Jesus. Some may think this is a great plan. Live your life however you want and in those last moments accept Christ and God's free gift of everlasting life with Him. Only one problem. You may never get that chance!
How many people die instantly in a car accident or some other accident? How many people die of a heart attack or suffer some other health issue where they are incapacitated? People die daily as victims of crime, in natural disasters, in every way imaginable. Those people never had the opportunity to accept Christ in their last breath and if they were living their lives apart from Him, are separated from God their Creator for all eternity. No my friend, you are playing with your eternal soul when you take on the mindset that you will simply live your life your way and right before you die accept Jesus.
Now many people who love the Lord and do their very best to follow Him each day, get enraged when they see people living a life of debauchery and in their last moments accept Jesus. They feel like they have been "cheated" in some way. This is exactly what happened to the brother of the Prodigal Son. He became infuriated with his father that his brother, who chose to live in complete rebellion to his father, was given royal treatment when he returned home. He felt like he got cheated, like it wasn't fair.
First, never forget, NONE of us are worthy of God's love or His promise of everlasting life. NONE OF US! We are all saved by faith and GOD'S GRACE, His unmerited favor that we did nothing to earn. As I stated earlier,consequences follow sin and blessings follow obedience. The person who lived their life apart from God has had to suffer the consequences of their rebellion throughout their life. Without the Lord they never knew the peace, the joy, the abundance that this life offers. Their rebellion kept them from fully achieving God's plan and purpose for their life. Sadly, their rebellion throughout their life kept them from knowing the fullness of God's love.
The person who does follow the Lord throughout their life has enjoyed God's blessings, even in the midst of the trials and tribulations we all face in this world. That person has lived knowing God's love as well as His peace, His joy, and enjoyed the abundant life Christ spoke of. The person who follows Christ in their life also has the blessing of allowing God to use their life for His plan and purpose. Never forget, serving and glorifying the Lord is our purpose in this life. I can assure you that a person who follows Christ throughout their life enjoys a full and rich journey that those without Christ will never know.
I love you and care about you so much. So many people are deceived by satan into thinking that they can simply sin against God and than go ask Him to forgive them. The fact is, they can. What satan conveniently forgets to tell you is that you now have to pay a price for that sin. Oh yes, God WILL forgive you, but that does not stop you from having to deal with the consequences of your sin. You can't sin and not pay a price and often that price is so much greater than you ever imagined it would be.
The other lie of satan so many buy into is that you can live your life however you want and at the last moment, accept Jesus and God's free gift of everlasting life. The fact is, you can. However, you are playing games with your everlasting soul since you may never have the opportunity to confess Christ as your Savior and you will die in your sin and be lost for all eternity. That is why the Bible proclaims, "Today is the day of salvation." Even if you do have the opportunity to accept Christ at the very end, you have sadly forfeited the peace, the joy, and abundance this life can offer by not having Christ in your life earlier. In essence, your life has been wasted.
I will be praying for you today. Praying that you will not fall for either of these lies of satan. Satan wants to destroy you, God wants you to have the very best. Destruction comes when you listen to and follow satan, blessings come when you listen to and follow Jesus. Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey me." We prove our lives for Christ through our obedience, faithfully serving and following Him every day. Instead of looking for ways to sin, and live in rebellion to God, look for ways to serve Him and bring glory to His name in how you live your lives each day.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you willdie one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? These are two questions I get asked often from both Christians and non-Christians. Many non-Christians are looking for an "angle" with God. Those Christians see people living this way and think it is unfair,especially when they are living a life of obedience to God. Today, I want to look at the answers to these questions to help the non-Christian realize that you can't play games with God, and for the Christian to understand that God's grace is available to everyone.
Why not sin and just ask God to forgive you afterwards? Sadly, this is a far-too-common mindset, especially among Christians. They are faced with the opportunity to sin and the knowledge that God will forgive them actually motivates them to give in to sin. Of course, satan is there encouraging this perverted thought process, telling the person to, "Go ahead and sin, you know God will forgive you." Some look at the promise of God's forgiveness as a license to sin.
First of all, will God forgive you? Absolutely. God is not a liar. If you repent and ask Him to, He will forgive you, but listen to me carefully. God knows your heart! Never forget that consequences ALWAYS follow sin, just like blessings ALWAYS follow obedience. Will God forgive you if you repent and are serious? Yes. However, that does not stop whatever consequences there may be from your sin. As I share with you often, sin costs. It costs much more than you ever expected to pay. So yes,God will forgive you when ask Him,but what you are doing by sinning is opening up your life to whatever consequences there may be from your sin.
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? This is what I call "salvation roulette." Can a person live their life in complete rebellion to God and His word, and then right before they die accept Christ and be saved and spend eternity in Heaven? ABSOLUTELY! That thief on the cross lived his life without Christ and it was with his last breaths that he came to know Jesus. Some may think this is a great plan. Live your life however you want and in those last moments accept Christ and God's free gift of everlasting life with Him. Only one problem. You may never get that chance!
How many people die instantly in a car accident or some other accident? How many people die of a heart attack or suffer some other health issue where they are incapacitated? People die daily as victims of crime, in natural disasters, in every way imaginable. Those people never had the opportunity to accept Christ in their last breath and if they were living their lives apart from Him, are separated from God their Creator for all eternity. No my friend, you are playing with your eternal soul when you take on the mindset that you will simply live your life your way and right before you die accept Jesus.
Now many people who love the Lord and do their very best to follow Him each day, get enraged when they see people living a life of debauchery and in their last moments accept Jesus. They feel like they have been "cheated" in some way. This is exactly what happened to the brother of the Prodigal Son. He became infuriated with his father that his brother, who chose to live in complete rebellion to his father, was given royal treatment when he returned home. He felt like he got cheated, like it wasn't fair.
First, never forget, NONE of us are worthy of God's love or His promise of everlasting life. NONE OF US! We are all saved by faith and GOD'S GRACE, His unmerited favor that we did nothing to earn. As I stated earlier,consequences follow sin and blessings follow obedience. The person who lived their life apart from God has had to suffer the consequences of their rebellion throughout their life. Without the Lord they never knew the peace, the joy, the abundance that this life offers. Their rebellion kept them from fully achieving God's plan and purpose for their life. Sadly, their rebellion throughout their life kept them from knowing the fullness of God's love.
The person who does follow the Lord throughout their life has enjoyed God's blessings, even in the midst of the trials and tribulations we all face in this world. That person has lived knowing God's love as well as His peace, His joy, and enjoyed the abundant life Christ spoke of. The person who follows Christ in their life also has the blessing of allowing God to use their life for His plan and purpose. Never forget, serving and glorifying the Lord is our purpose in this life. I can assure you that a person who follows Christ throughout their life enjoys a full and rich journey that those without Christ will never know.
I love you and care about you so much. So many people are deceived by satan into thinking that they can simply sin against God and than go ask Him to forgive them. The fact is, they can. What satan conveniently forgets to tell you is that you now have to pay a price for that sin. Oh yes, God WILL forgive you, but that does not stop you from having to deal with the consequences of your sin. You can't sin and not pay a price and often that price is so much greater than you ever imagined it would be.
The other lie of satan so many buy into is that you can live your life however you want and at the last moment, accept Jesus and God's free gift of everlasting life. The fact is, you can. However, you are playing games with your everlasting soul since you may never have the opportunity to confess Christ as your Savior and you will die in your sin and be lost for all eternity. That is why the Bible proclaims, "Today is the day of salvation." Even if you do have the opportunity to accept Christ at the very end, you have sadly forfeited the peace, the joy, and abundance this life can offer by not having Christ in your life earlier. In essence, your life has been wasted.
I will be praying for you today. Praying that you will not fall for either of these lies of satan. Satan wants to destroy you, God wants you to have the very best. Destruction comes when you listen to and follow satan, blessings come when you listen to and follow Jesus. Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey me." We prove our lives for Christ through our obedience, faithfully serving and following Him every day. Instead of looking for ways to sin, and live in rebellion to God, look for ways to serve Him and bring glory to His name in how you live your lives each day.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you willdie one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Friday, August 7, 2009
Let Your Light Shine
One of the commands that Jesus has given His children is to go out into this world that we live in and "let our light shine before men." This was NOT a suggestion of something we can do on a Saturday afternoon when we are bored. This was a direct command to LET OUR LIGHT SHINE in this dark, lost, and sin-filled world that we live in. Today, I simply want to reiterate that order Jesus gave to His children 2000 years ago. To fulfill our God-given purpose in this life, we have to serve and glorify HIM with our lives. (Matthew 5:16)
Ultimately, that is what the life of EVERY believer is all about.
I will never forget back January 1996 when the National Religious Broadcasters held their annual convention at the huge downtown convention center in Indianapolis. One evening at about 5:30 p.m., I left the convention center by a side door. As those who live in the Midwest know, 5:30 the afternoon in January, it is getting dark, it is cold, and it is very dreary. The moment the door to the convention center closed behind me, there was a moment frozen in time when everything stopped.
The Holy Spirit spoke to me as plain as I am speaking to you now. He told me that behind that door, inside the convention center, was a collection of some of the most gifted men and women on the face of the earth. There were hundreds of millions of commerce involved in the Christian broadcast world. Yet, with all of those incredibly gifted people of God, with all of those vast resources, outside that convention center was a dark, dreary world that for the most part, DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY EXISTED!!!
For the most part, all they were doing was trading dollars with each other, enjoying the fellowship Christians enjoy together, and simply self perpetuating the Christian broadcast world to survive one more year! Rather than letting their light shine before ALL men, they were content with keeping their light in the safety of the world that they had established. And as guilty as the Christian broadcast world is of this, the church is just as bad; stay within the safety of the four walls and keep the doors locked!!!
Now, you know a little about where my passion comes from for the work that is being done every day through Liveprayer. I loved my time of preaching in churches all over the country, but knew deep inside this was not where God wanted me long term. I loved my time in the Christian t.v. world, but knew that this wasn't really where God wanted me long term. Why? Because in both cases I knew that the light of Christ in me was not being seen by the majority of those who needed it the most. Those in the world who were lost, looking for answers, trying to find just a tiny piece of hope to hold on to.
I HAD THE ANSWER THEY WERE LOOKING FOR!!!
That is why I am more committed then ever to make Liveprayer VISIBLE in a world where the majority of God's work is INVISIBLE!!! One of the things that has frustrated me for so long is how bold satan is in getting out his message that leads to the death and destruction of so many every day. Yet the people of God, who have the only REAL answer to life, are so afraid to be just as bold. Well, I am not afraid, and I have no idea how much work God has left for me to do, so I am going out each day and giving 100% of all that I have to let the beacon of light that is Liveprayer shine bright enough for the entire world to see!
The enemy has boldly used the Internet to do his work, well, we are using it in just as boldly to proclaim the hope and love of Jesus Christ, and will continue to increase the amount of people that we can reach each day. The enemy boldly uses television for his purposes. The Liveprayer television program has been a vehicle for nearly 7 yrs that is JUST as bold as anything satan does! This is EXACTLY what we need to do. Find ways of packaging the Gospel and get it to the mainstream public!!!
You see my friend, the strategy of most Christian organizations has always been to operate within the confines of the walls of the Christian world. It is safe there, they don't have to deal with the endless attacks the lost world will bring on them, AND it is very expensive to try and compete in the secular world. BUT IT IS OUT IN THE LOST WORLD WHERE OUR LIGHTS WILL OUR NEEDED THE MOST! We have created a synergy between the Internet and secular TV to BOLDLY proclaim that there is hope, that there are answers, in the name of Jesus!
To me, THAT is what Jesus meant when He told us let our light shine before men. That is what He has called YOU to do, and that is what He has called ME to do. Now, more then ever this world needs the hope that we have and know in Jesus. It is time to let our lights SHINE AS BRIGHT AS WE CAN UNTIL THIS ENTIRE DARK WORLD IS LIT UP LIKE IT IS HIGH NOON ON A SUNNY DAY IN FLORIDA!!!
I love you and care about you so much. I pray today that you not only take this message to heart for your own life, but that pray for me as God brings together all of those people and resources necessary to let Liveprayer be a powerful beacon of light in this world. The Bible says that people perish for lack of vision. Well, people in the world we live in are perishing every moment, being lost for eternity. One major contributing factor is the lack of vision among God's people. For reasons only God knows, He has given me the vision of how to play a small part in taking His message of hope to the masses.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE LIGHT OF LIVEPRAYER TO SHINE BRIGHTLY IN THIS DARK WORLD. NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOUR LIGHT TO SHINE BRIGHTLY!!! May you and I always be faithful to honor what Jesus asked us to do!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
Ultimately, that is what the life of EVERY believer is all about.
I will never forget back January 1996 when the National Religious Broadcasters held their annual convention at the huge downtown convention center in Indianapolis. One evening at about 5:30 p.m., I left the convention center by a side door. As those who live in the Midwest know, 5:30 the afternoon in January, it is getting dark, it is cold, and it is very dreary. The moment the door to the convention center closed behind me, there was a moment frozen in time when everything stopped.
The Holy Spirit spoke to me as plain as I am speaking to you now. He told me that behind that door, inside the convention center, was a collection of some of the most gifted men and women on the face of the earth. There were hundreds of millions of commerce involved in the Christian broadcast world. Yet, with all of those incredibly gifted people of God, with all of those vast resources, outside that convention center was a dark, dreary world that for the most part, DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY EXISTED!!!
For the most part, all they were doing was trading dollars with each other, enjoying the fellowship Christians enjoy together, and simply self perpetuating the Christian broadcast world to survive one more year! Rather than letting their light shine before ALL men, they were content with keeping their light in the safety of the world that they had established. And as guilty as the Christian broadcast world is of this, the church is just as bad; stay within the safety of the four walls and keep the doors locked!!!
Now, you know a little about where my passion comes from for the work that is being done every day through Liveprayer. I loved my time of preaching in churches all over the country, but knew deep inside this was not where God wanted me long term. I loved my time in the Christian t.v. world, but knew that this wasn't really where God wanted me long term. Why? Because in both cases I knew that the light of Christ in me was not being seen by the majority of those who needed it the most. Those in the world who were lost, looking for answers, trying to find just a tiny piece of hope to hold on to.
I HAD THE ANSWER THEY WERE LOOKING FOR!!!
That is why I am more committed then ever to make Liveprayer VISIBLE in a world where the majority of God's work is INVISIBLE!!! One of the things that has frustrated me for so long is how bold satan is in getting out his message that leads to the death and destruction of so many every day. Yet the people of God, who have the only REAL answer to life, are so afraid to be just as bold. Well, I am not afraid, and I have no idea how much work God has left for me to do, so I am going out each day and giving 100% of all that I have to let the beacon of light that is Liveprayer shine bright enough for the entire world to see!
The enemy has boldly used the Internet to do his work, well, we are using it in just as boldly to proclaim the hope and love of Jesus Christ, and will continue to increase the amount of people that we can reach each day. The enemy boldly uses television for his purposes. The Liveprayer television program has been a vehicle for nearly 7 yrs that is JUST as bold as anything satan does! This is EXACTLY what we need to do. Find ways of packaging the Gospel and get it to the mainstream public!!!
You see my friend, the strategy of most Christian organizations has always been to operate within the confines of the walls of the Christian world. It is safe there, they don't have to deal with the endless attacks the lost world will bring on them, AND it is very expensive to try and compete in the secular world. BUT IT IS OUT IN THE LOST WORLD WHERE OUR LIGHTS WILL OUR NEEDED THE MOST! We have created a synergy between the Internet and secular TV to BOLDLY proclaim that there is hope, that there are answers, in the name of Jesus!
To me, THAT is what Jesus meant when He told us let our light shine before men. That is what He has called YOU to do, and that is what He has called ME to do. Now, more then ever this world needs the hope that we have and know in Jesus. It is time to let our lights SHINE AS BRIGHT AS WE CAN UNTIL THIS ENTIRE DARK WORLD IS LIT UP LIKE IT IS HIGH NOON ON A SUNNY DAY IN FLORIDA!!!
I love you and care about you so much. I pray today that you not only take this message to heart for your own life, but that pray for me as God brings together all of those people and resources necessary to let Liveprayer be a powerful beacon of light in this world. The Bible says that people perish for lack of vision. Well, people in the world we live in are perishing every moment, being lost for eternity. One major contributing factor is the lack of vision among God's people. For reasons only God knows, He has given me the vision of how to play a small part in taking His message of hope to the masses.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE LIGHT OF LIVEPRAYER TO SHINE BRIGHTLY IN THIS DARK WORLD. NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOUR LIGHT TO SHINE BRIGHTLY!!! May you and I always be faithful to honor what Jesus asked us to do!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sin Has A Price
(Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 5:28; Ephesians 5:22, 25)
Last weekend came the tragic news that former All-Pro NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot 4 times and killed, found dead with a young woman who had a single gunshot wound to her head. McNair came out of a small college, Alcorn State, and went on to a great pro career with the than Houston Oilers that moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans.
"Air" McNair as he was known, was a tough player who led the Titans to their only Super Bowl appearance several years ago, where they ended up 1 inch from the goal line on the last play of the game, losing to the St. Louis Rams by 7 points. McNair had a wife, 4 children, and was known as a great guy who did lots of great work in the community. That is why the details of his death are so sad.
As it turned out, McNair was killed in a Nashville condo he was sharing with his 20-year-old girlfriend. She was a very troubled young lady, had told friends prior to last weekends tragedy that she was worried about her finances, had seen McNair with another woman days earlier, and had thoughts of "ending it all." Last Saturday as McNair slept on the couch, she pulled out a gun she had bought a few days earlier, shot him in the temple, shot him 2 more times in the chest, and than one more time in the other temple. She sat down next to him, put the gun to her head, and pulled the trigger ending her life.
This sad story is a great reminder to men and women who are cheating on their spouses, SIN HAS A PRICE. Sometimes you will pay the ultimate price for your sin. While you think you are getting away with your sin, never forget God is watching. In the end, is it worth the cost? Satan is so crafty as he entices men and women to sin. It looks so attractive. It looks so perfect. He knows your weaknesses. He will give you all the justification you need. Once you give in, all of a sudden the bill for your sin starts to come in. It is like getting a $5,000 water bill, or a $12,000 electric bill. Satan is only going to laugh at you when you complain about the price!
Would you be Concerned if your Husband or Wife Read your Emails or Instant Messages? What about listened to your phone calls? What about if they knew every place you go each day? How about the places you go when you are out of town? Would you worry if your husband or wife heard a tape of all the conversations you had each day with people of the opposite sex? For those who are still reading, you either have no problem being this open with your spouse or you are now under great conviction and God is speaking to you today.
For those who have no problem being this open with your spouse, praise God! A marriage centered in Christ should include this type of openness and transparency. With Christ at the head of your life and loving and honoring your spouse as the Word calls for, there is no reason you should be afraid to allow your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, listen to your phone calls, know exactly where you are at, or hear any of your conversations with people of the opposite sex. I pray that you will continue to love and honor your spouse so that you can always be this open and transparent.
For those who are under conviction by these words today, this could be the very tap on the shoulder from God that will keep your marriage from ending in divorce. Satan is very subtle in how he destroys marriages. No marriage ends in divorce overnight, but over time. One of the chief ways people open the door for satan to come in and destroy their marriage is in their relationships with people of the opposite sex. If your heart began racing as you read those questions, if you know deep down you would never want your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, hear your phone calls, know exactly where you are at all times, or hear a tape of the conversations you have with people of the opposite sex, please hear what God is saying to you today. It may very well save your marriage!
Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become an alcoholic. They have a few drinks, it becomes part of their life, and over time they get into bondage to alcohol. Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become a drug addict. They experiment with drugs occasionally, begin to use them more frequently, and over time they get into bondage to drugs. It is the same thing with someone who is in bondage to food, shopping, gambling, making money, sex, or any other type of bondage you can name. A person doesn't get into bondage to anything overnight, but over time.
This is also how relationships outside of your marriage develop, over time. You get friendly with someone of the opposite sex at work, you see them every day, you make sure you spend some time with them every day, talk to them every day, you start to develop that elementary school crush and fantasize about them, pretty soon you create opportunities to have lunch with them or see them after work, and during this process the conversation turns from work to your personal lives and often to sex. One thing leads to another and one day you and your co-worker are in bed together.
Even if this relationship never culminates in having sex together, never forget that Jesus said if you lust in your heart you have committed adultery. You are giving someone else the emotions, feelings, and attention that should ONLY be given to your spouse. When you got married, that is the person God gave you for the rest of your life to pour all of your emotions, feelings, love and attention into. NOBODY ELSE! That is the person who God gave you to enjoy sex with. NOBODY ELSE!
Satan's new lie to people that there is really nothing wrong with carrying on a relationship with someone "online." The reality is, you begin to pour your heart, emotions, and feelings into this person you are having the online relationship with just like if you were with them in real time. Ultimately, in most cases it actually does evolve into meeting in real time and ends up being no different than any other extra-marital affair. It all started so harmlessly. A few innocent emails and Instant Messages that became more frequent, more personal, more sexual in nature. The next thing you know you are actually sitting side by side with this person.
Again, even if this relationship never culminates in having sex together, never forget that Jesus said if you lust in your heart you have committed adultery. You are giving someone else the emotions, feelings, and attention that should ONLY be given to your spouse. When you got married, that is the person God gave you for the rest of your life to pour all of your emotions, feelings, love and attention into. NOBODY ELSE! That is the person who God gave you to enjoy sex with. NOBODY ELSE!
I love you and care about you so much. Pray for the families of Steve McNair and this troubled young woman who killed him and herself. They need the Lord's strength during this difficult time. Today's message is a warning that you must guard yourself from opening the door to satan, allowing him to enter into your marriage and destroy it through your relationships with people of the opposite sex.
If you are married, you simply cannot allow yourself to get too close to someone who is not your spouse. You have got to be aware this is an avenue the enemy will use to try and destroy your marriage. The way you judge if you are getting too close to someone of the opposite sex is by answering the original questions I posed. If the answer to any of them is "yes," you need to back off because you are too close to that person.
I will be praying for those of you today who God brought under conviction because you know that you would NOT want your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, hear your phone calls, know all the places you go, or hear the conversations you are having with people of the opposite sex. Be like Joseph and RUN from this relationship NOW before it destroys your marriage. God is speaking to you today and God is trying to help you save your marriage. I will be praying for you to listen to Him and cut off ALL communication with this other person.
I already know many of you will email me and tell me that your spouse doesn't understand you, that you have "grown apart," and a whole plethora of reasons to try and justify your involvement with someone who is not your spouse. SAVE IT! Let me encourage you that if you put the same time, effort, emotions, feelings, and energy into your spouse as you do this other person, you would be amazed at how different your relationship with your spouse would be. Whatever the problems in your marriage may be, being involved with someone else is NOT the answer. I will pray today for God to bring healing and restoration to your marriage. The first step, however, is to cut off all communication with this other person you are involved with.
I will also be praying today for those of you who are dealing with a spouse who has become involved with someone else. Never forget, you are not responsible for the actions of your spouse. God gave us each free will and only He can change your spouse's heart. Now is the time to make your faith real and learn to trust God during this difficult time. Find your peace and strength in Him each day and know that He is still in the restoration business! I will be praying for you and for your spouse to turn their heart and life back to the Lord and bring healing to your marriage.
Would you be concerned if your husband or wife read your emails or Instant Messages? What about listened to your phone calls? What about if they knew every place you go each day? How about the places you go when you are out of town? Would you worry if your husband or wife heard a tape of all the conversations you had each day with people of the opposite sex? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," God is speaking to you today. Please, listen since your marriage is at stake.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Last weekend came the tragic news that former All-Pro NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot 4 times and killed, found dead with a young woman who had a single gunshot wound to her head. McNair came out of a small college, Alcorn State, and went on to a great pro career with the than Houston Oilers that moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Titans.
"Air" McNair as he was known, was a tough player who led the Titans to their only Super Bowl appearance several years ago, where they ended up 1 inch from the goal line on the last play of the game, losing to the St. Louis Rams by 7 points. McNair had a wife, 4 children, and was known as a great guy who did lots of great work in the community. That is why the details of his death are so sad.
As it turned out, McNair was killed in a Nashville condo he was sharing with his 20-year-old girlfriend. She was a very troubled young lady, had told friends prior to last weekends tragedy that she was worried about her finances, had seen McNair with another woman days earlier, and had thoughts of "ending it all." Last Saturday as McNair slept on the couch, she pulled out a gun she had bought a few days earlier, shot him in the temple, shot him 2 more times in the chest, and than one more time in the other temple. She sat down next to him, put the gun to her head, and pulled the trigger ending her life.
This sad story is a great reminder to men and women who are cheating on their spouses, SIN HAS A PRICE. Sometimes you will pay the ultimate price for your sin. While you think you are getting away with your sin, never forget God is watching. In the end, is it worth the cost? Satan is so crafty as he entices men and women to sin. It looks so attractive. It looks so perfect. He knows your weaknesses. He will give you all the justification you need. Once you give in, all of a sudden the bill for your sin starts to come in. It is like getting a $5,000 water bill, or a $12,000 electric bill. Satan is only going to laugh at you when you complain about the price!
Would you be Concerned if your Husband or Wife Read your Emails or Instant Messages? What about listened to your phone calls? What about if they knew every place you go each day? How about the places you go when you are out of town? Would you worry if your husband or wife heard a tape of all the conversations you had each day with people of the opposite sex? For those who are still reading, you either have no problem being this open with your spouse or you are now under great conviction and God is speaking to you today.
For those who have no problem being this open with your spouse, praise God! A marriage centered in Christ should include this type of openness and transparency. With Christ at the head of your life and loving and honoring your spouse as the Word calls for, there is no reason you should be afraid to allow your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, listen to your phone calls, know exactly where you are at, or hear any of your conversations with people of the opposite sex. I pray that you will continue to love and honor your spouse so that you can always be this open and transparent.
For those who are under conviction by these words today, this could be the very tap on the shoulder from God that will keep your marriage from ending in divorce. Satan is very subtle in how he destroys marriages. No marriage ends in divorce overnight, but over time. One of the chief ways people open the door for satan to come in and destroy their marriage is in their relationships with people of the opposite sex. If your heart began racing as you read those questions, if you know deep down you would never want your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, hear your phone calls, know exactly where you are at all times, or hear a tape of the conversations you have with people of the opposite sex, please hear what God is saying to you today. It may very well save your marriage!
Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become an alcoholic. They have a few drinks, it becomes part of their life, and over time they get into bondage to alcohol. Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become a drug addict. They experiment with drugs occasionally, begin to use them more frequently, and over time they get into bondage to drugs. It is the same thing with someone who is in bondage to food, shopping, gambling, making money, sex, or any other type of bondage you can name. A person doesn't get into bondage to anything overnight, but over time.
This is also how relationships outside of your marriage develop, over time. You get friendly with someone of the opposite sex at work, you see them every day, you make sure you spend some time with them every day, talk to them every day, you start to develop that elementary school crush and fantasize about them, pretty soon you create opportunities to have lunch with them or see them after work, and during this process the conversation turns from work to your personal lives and often to sex. One thing leads to another and one day you and your co-worker are in bed together.
Even if this relationship never culminates in having sex together, never forget that Jesus said if you lust in your heart you have committed adultery. You are giving someone else the emotions, feelings, and attention that should ONLY be given to your spouse. When you got married, that is the person God gave you for the rest of your life to pour all of your emotions, feelings, love and attention into. NOBODY ELSE! That is the person who God gave you to enjoy sex with. NOBODY ELSE!
Satan's new lie to people that there is really nothing wrong with carrying on a relationship with someone "online." The reality is, you begin to pour your heart, emotions, and feelings into this person you are having the online relationship with just like if you were with them in real time. Ultimately, in most cases it actually does evolve into meeting in real time and ends up being no different than any other extra-marital affair. It all started so harmlessly. A few innocent emails and Instant Messages that became more frequent, more personal, more sexual in nature. The next thing you know you are actually sitting side by side with this person.
Again, even if this relationship never culminates in having sex together, never forget that Jesus said if you lust in your heart you have committed adultery. You are giving someone else the emotions, feelings, and attention that should ONLY be given to your spouse. When you got married, that is the person God gave you for the rest of your life to pour all of your emotions, feelings, love and attention into. NOBODY ELSE! That is the person who God gave you to enjoy sex with. NOBODY ELSE!
I love you and care about you so much. Pray for the families of Steve McNair and this troubled young woman who killed him and herself. They need the Lord's strength during this difficult time. Today's message is a warning that you must guard yourself from opening the door to satan, allowing him to enter into your marriage and destroy it through your relationships with people of the opposite sex.
If you are married, you simply cannot allow yourself to get too close to someone who is not your spouse. You have got to be aware this is an avenue the enemy will use to try and destroy your marriage. The way you judge if you are getting too close to someone of the opposite sex is by answering the original questions I posed. If the answer to any of them is "yes," you need to back off because you are too close to that person.
I will be praying for those of you today who God brought under conviction because you know that you would NOT want your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, hear your phone calls, know all the places you go, or hear the conversations you are having with people of the opposite sex. Be like Joseph and RUN from this relationship NOW before it destroys your marriage. God is speaking to you today and God is trying to help you save your marriage. I will be praying for you to listen to Him and cut off ALL communication with this other person.
I already know many of you will email me and tell me that your spouse doesn't understand you, that you have "grown apart," and a whole plethora of reasons to try and justify your involvement with someone who is not your spouse. SAVE IT! Let me encourage you that if you put the same time, effort, emotions, feelings, and energy into your spouse as you do this other person, you would be amazed at how different your relationship with your spouse would be. Whatever the problems in your marriage may be, being involved with someone else is NOT the answer. I will pray today for God to bring healing and restoration to your marriage. The first step, however, is to cut off all communication with this other person you are involved with.
I will also be praying today for those of you who are dealing with a spouse who has become involved with someone else. Never forget, you are not responsible for the actions of your spouse. God gave us each free will and only He can change your spouse's heart. Now is the time to make your faith real and learn to trust God during this difficult time. Find your peace and strength in Him each day and know that He is still in the restoration business! I will be praying for you and for your spouse to turn their heart and life back to the Lord and bring healing to your marriage.
Would you be concerned if your husband or wife read your emails or Instant Messages? What about listened to your phone calls? What about if they knew every place you go each day? How about the places you go when you are out of town? Would you worry if your husband or wife heard a tape of all the conversations you had each day with people of the opposite sex? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," God is speaking to you today. Please, listen since your marriage is at stake.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
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