ENCOURAGEMENT !!!: I thank God for you

ENCOURAGEMENT !!!: I thank God for you: I have not stopped thanking God for you (the reader), I pray for you daily. Ephesians 1:16 Even before God created the world, He loved u...

Answered Prayer

The prayers you offer in loneliness, in weariness, in trial, God answers - not always according to your expectations, but always for your good.

Gospel Workers, 258, e g white

Our Prayers Cannot Die Away

Amid the anthems of the celestial choir, God hears the cries of the weakest human being. 

...They may be inaudible to any human ear, but they cannot die away into silence, nor can they be lost through the activities of business that are going on. 

Nothing can drown the soul’s desire. 

               Christ’s Object Lessons 177  e g white

God Believes in You!

God is so powerful that He could force us to love Him, but

God doesn’t use force, because He loves us and wants us to love Him back.  Even if you hate God – He still loves you.

Bad things happen to good people – it’s because of sin,

not  because God hates you.  

God loves everyone.   The devil hates everyone. 

You don’t believe in God?  He believes in you!

Trust yourself to God – He will care for you.

Dear Friend

Dear Friend: God loves you so much. Go to Him with your problems, your worries, your heartbreak. He understands. He will not judge you. He will help you. He is your best Friend - your Friend forever. Trust Him!

Biblestudies.com

Excellent sources for Bible study: biblestudies.com

SIGNS OF JESUS SOON COMING

As time winds down, the signs of Jesus' coming increase!

INCREASING SIGNS IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD
Earthquakes/Disasters [Violent Weather?] - Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11, 25
Famine, Strange New Diseases/Pestilence - Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11
Signs in the Sun, Moon and heavenly bodies - Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25

INCREASING SIGNS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD
Labor & Money Troubles - James 5:1-6
Increase in Knowledge - Daniel 12:4

INCREASING SIGNS IN THE POLITICAL WORLD
Disregard for Justice - Isaiah 59:12-14; James 5:6
Fear, Distress, Perplexity Everywhere - Luke 21:25-28
Wars & Rumors of War - Matthew 24:6, 7; Luke 21:9, 10
World Leaders and Pastors preach “Peace & Safety” –
1 Thessalonians 5:3; Jeremiah 6:14; Ezekiel 7:25

INCREASING SIGNS IN THE SOCIAL WORLD
Moral Collapse, Increase of Violence & Crime - 2 Timothy 3:1-6, 13
Love pleasure more than God - 2 Timothy 3:4
No Natural Affection - 2 Timothy 3:3
Disobedient to Parents / No Self Control - 2 Timothy 3:1-4
Evil increases, so the love of many grows indifferent - Matthew 24:12

INCREASING SIGNS IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
Form of godliness, but denying God - 2 Timothy 3:5
Disregard for God’s will, but doing “religious” works - Matthew 7:21-23
Ignoring/Rebellion against God’s Truth - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
False christs & prophets - Matthew 24:11, 24
Scoffing at Jesus’ Promise to Return Soon - 2 Peter 3:3-14

The closer we come to the end, the more frequent the signs will come.

Your Past Experience

Whatever may have been your past experience, however discouraging your present circumstances, if you will come to Jesus just as you are: weak, helpless, and despairing, our compassionate Savior will meet you a great way off, and will throw about you His arms of love and His robe of righteousness.

  Jesus presents us to the Father clothed in the white raiment of His own character. He pleads before God in our behalf, saying: I have taken the sinner’s place. Look not upon this wayward child, but look on Me.

           Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing 21, E G White

Clouded because of Pain

“Often your mind may be
Clouded because of pain.
Then do not try to think.
You know that Jesus loves you!
He understands your weakness.
You may do His will by simply
Resting in His arms.”
Ministry of Healing 251
E G White


And the Lord your God will
Turn a curse into a blessing
For you,
Because the Lord your God
Loves You!
Deuteronomy 23:5


Those who have a humble, trusting,
contrite heart, God accepts,
and hears their prayer, and
When God Helps
All obstacles will be overcome.
Prayer 33
E G White

Our Defense Attorney in the Final Judgment

          The Biblical judicial system was not like ours.  The one bringing the charges served as prosecutor.  The judge served as defense attorney.  If the judge realized the charges were serious, he could call for the accused's eldest male relative to sit at his right side to help him with the defense.

          Jesus speaks with the Father, because they are both on the same side defending us against Satan's accusations!!  This is why the Bible speaks of looking forward to God's Judgment.  It means vindication to those who love and obey the Lord!!

          "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ..." 2 Corinthians 5:10.  "The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son."  John 5:22.

           "Who is to judge us?  It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, for He is at the right hand of God, who intercedes for us!"  Romans 8:34.   "And to testify that it is He [Jesus] who was ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and dead."  Acts 10:42.

          Jesus speaks, "My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me."  John 8:16.   "…if anyone sins, we have an Attorney with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous." 1 John 2:1.  "He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man God ordained."  Acts 17:31.

           "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9.  Jesus says, "But I say to you, that every idle word that people speak, they will give account thereof in the Day of Judgment!"  Matthew 12:36.  

           "As many as have sinned in the Law [Ten Commandments] shall be judged by the Law.  Romans 2:12.   We shall be "judged by the Law of liberty" [the Ten Commandments].  James 2:12.

           "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole duty of humanity.  For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil."  Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14.

Why Worship God?

Why worship God when the ungodly are rich and happy?

 "Such words are spoken against Me!” says God.

 But you reply, "What did we say against God?" 

 You have said, "it is useless to serve God for what difference does it make if we keep His Laws and live a moral life?  The conceited are happy and the immoral have honor and prominence.  It seems that even those who provoke God are exalted!'"

 But the Lord hears those who love Him and witness about Him to others. The names of those who love and serve Him, and pray to Him are written in His Book of Remembrance.

"They will be My people", says God, "in the day when I return to claim My own.  I will save those who love Me, as a man saves his own son that serves him.  Then the difference between the righteous and the wicked will be discerned, between those who serve God and those who do not."

 The above quotes are from these Bible texts: Malachi 3:13-18

Even those who hate God

God loves everyone, even those who hate Him.

Creator of the Heavens

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and all things were created through Him and nothing was made without Him.

By faith we understand that the world was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made of things which cannot be seen.

Scoffers deliberately ignore this fact: that by the Word of God the heavens existed long ago. Since earliest times men have seen God's Creation and have known of His existence and great eternal power. So they will have no excuse for saying, "there is no God".

For in these last days God speaks to us by His Son....through Whom He created the world!

[The Hands that sustain the worlds in space, and holds them in their orderly arrangement, are the Hands that were nailed to the cross!]


Look into the heavens! Who created all these stars and planets? He creates them in number calling each one by its own name. By His great might and strong power not one strays or is lost.

Why do you say that the Lord God does not see your troubles and is not being fair? Don't you know? Haven't you heard?! The everlasting God, the Creator of the Universe, never grows faint or tired. No one can fathom His understanding.

[Remember how He cares for the stars? He loves you even more!]


The above quotes are from these Scriptures: John 1:1-4/ Colossians 1:16/ Hebrews 11:3/ Genesis 2:3/ Nehemiah 9:6/ Psalms 33:8-9; 95:6; 148:3-5/ Acts 17:30-31/ Hebrews 1:2/ Isaiah 40:26-28

A Sympathizing Friend

Whatever our situation, if we are doers of His word, we have a Guide to direct our way;
whatever our perplexity, we have a sure Counselor;
whatever our sorrow, bereavement or loneliness, we have a Sympathizing Friend (His name is Jesus Christ).

Ministry of Healing 249 E G White

In Answer to the Prayer of Faith

It is a part of God’s plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask.

The Great Controversy 525 E G White

God always hears Our Cries

Amid the anthems of the celestial choir, God hears the cries of the weakest human being.

 We pour out our heart’s desire in our closets, we breathe a prayer as we walk by the way, and our words reach the throne of the Monarch of the Universe

. [Our prayers] may be inaudible to any human ear, but they cannot die away into silence, nor can they be lost through the activities of business that are going on.

   Nothing can drown the soul’s desire. 

  Christ’s Object Lessons 177, E G White

Ashley Madison - Forgiveness

Compassion for those who have been exposed by the Ashley Madison hack has been in short supply. There has been a lot of "they got what they deserved," even though the innocent spouses, children and family members deserved nothing of the sort.

But the truth is, we all have secrets! How would you feel if your most personal details were exposed? What if your deeply-held secrets were published on a searchable database? Yet as uncomfortable as that sounds, the Bible is clear that one day the private secrets of all people who have ever lived are going to be revealed.

The Bible says, "Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment is come." Revelation 14:7. And Daniel 7:10 states, "...the judgment was set, and the books were open."

The Books of Record that contain the deeds and misdeeds of every person (good or evil) will one day be opened. As Solomon wrote in Holy Scripture, "God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14.

While many are trying to figure out how to handle the damage caused to their reputations, God offers every person a simple remedy. Acts 3:19 states, "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."

In the judgment that precedes Jesus' return, the sins of those who have faith in God will be blotted out. When the Books are opened, their pages are clear rather than stained by sin. In place of sin is purity and righteousness. The grace that forgives is the grace that cleanses, and in the judgment the redeemed are found to be white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

The woman taken in adultery repented for her sin and heard Jesus say, "neither do I condemn you" John 8:11

Repentance opens the door to the cleansing power of God. Grace does not justify sinful behavior, but it does justify the sinner.

God sees the hearts of all, and He does so without condemnation. King David wrote that God "knows our frame, He remembers that we are only dust" Psalm 103:14, and God loves us anyway.

Holy Scripture promises that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9.

We all have secrets. What shouldn't be a secret is that God is able to cleanse and heal, remake, restore, forgive. The reality of the judgment isn't only that sinners will be judged, but that sinners - when they repent - are forgiven! God offers that hope to all sinners everywhere.

Original Blog by John Bradshaw, August 31, 2015. blog.itiswritten.com

We are Never Abandoned

Christ will never abandon those for whom He has died. We may leave Him and be overwhelmed with temptation, but Christ can never turn from one for whom He has paid the ransom of His own life.

Prophets & Kings 176 E G White

Benign tumors

Four weeks ago Andy's doctor (ENT) found two tumors on Andy's neck, one was quite large. A biopsy was performed - both were benign! The ENT urged to have them removed ASAP - so the following week they were removed in a 3 hour surgery. Andy's incision goes from around the ear down almost to the adam's apple. Praise the Lord that none of the facial nerves were cut/damaged!

The day after Andy's surgery I noticed a large, painful purple/red lump on my left breast. My doctor saw me the next day and it was removed. It was benign!

We are both in pain still, but healing.

Praise God the tumors were benign and removed promptly!

Not by Feeling, but by Faith

Whether we feel God’s love towards us or not – God does love us – God loves you. Believe that He does.

  Go not by feeling but by faith!


When something is wrong in your life you must make the change to line up with what God says in Holy Scripture. God cannot truly bless unless our lives are right with Him.

 God bless you.