On CHRIST the SOLID ROCK We STAND

When I think of how so many people put their hope in anything this world offers, it is always that "wishful hope" that says: "I hope this comes to pass or I hope this/that happens or doesn't happen". They are never certain all because they are putting their hope in circumstances that will never stand. Just like Jesus talks about people who build their houses upon the sand or on a rock. As long as people continue to build their lives upon the sand (anything other then putting their hope in Jesus), their only hope is relying on having favorable circumstances which will one day fail and come crashing down. I certainly do not want to live my life that way with the future of uncertainty because we cannot ever expect to stand by relying on circumstances. So many people who fail to put their Hope in Christ live this way with no inner peace. Without putting our Hope in Christ, be certain that it will end one day sooner or later. When we come to learn more about the Awesomeness of God, we don't have that feeble hope that carries within uncertainties. I can't tell you what a privilege it is to be able to carry around that inexpressible HOPE that is SURE and STEADFAST when we build our lives upon Christ, the One who has proven His love for us beyond measure. If you forget this, just go back to Calvary and ask Him to give you a real life vision of the Roman Soldiers pounding those large spikes through His hands and He still asks His Father to forgive them. No money and all the richness of this world cannot ever compare to be able to carry that inexpressible HOPE that we are so privileged to have in Christ all because of His love for us. When a family or community is strong, it is because they love one another, pray for one another and know they are truly connected together relationally united as a family being mindful and having concern one for another. We, as the Church are called to be that. When you read about the early Church in Acts, they were strong because they were united in love towards one another which is the will of God. If we intend on being strong, we also need to love one another, pray for one another, being mindful one to another and refuse to allow anything that would divide us or allow any opposition to what Gods will is for His Church. When God tells us to think of others more highly then ourselves (Phil 2:3), we kick pride out of our lives and give no place for that. Everything God teaches us is always meant to bring us together as a unified body who loves the Lord first and loves one another because we are in this together. When we choose to live for the Lord, we need to be intentional to refuse to allow any other doctrine to have its way into the body that violates the law of love, peace, unity that promotes putting self above the rest. When division, strife, factions are present, we have allowed the enemy to rule and trespass into the body when we should kick him out and give him no place. We should see everything that opposes His law of love is a violation directly against Him because of the unmatched price He paid by for the great suffering He did for us. Afterall, God tells us if we love Him, it is because we love one another and fulfill the law of love by believing the best for others and seeking the interest of others (Phil 2:4). When we don't love one another, we don't love Him (1 John 4:20). Not allowing Gods Word to rule in our lives is just as bad as committing sin when we fail to do what we know is right (James 4:17). Again, we need to see the cost of our sins each time the large spike is driven into His hands. I am feeling lead to be relentless more and more to take a stand in the One who I have come to know who loves me and declare victory for Gods Church to be united in love towards Him and one another. By putting our Hope and Trust in Him, we understand that we don't have to fight the enemy to win because Jesus already fought the battles on our behalf and won the victory (1 John 4:4). What we need to do to be strong in Him is put our relentless Faith and Hope in Him by standing upon His Word, knowing His love for us, knowing our identity as His loving Child, our present and eternal inheritance because of all He has accomplished for us. We also stand strong in Him when we faithfully pray one for another and by doing His will. With the help of His Spirit, let's be relentless to put our Hope and Trust in the One who holds the future and has won all the battles on our behalf. He wants us to totally rely on Him for all things in order that we can stand strong in Him, having built our houses (lives) upon that Rock (Jesus) that will always withstand every storm. He who endures to the end shall be saved (Matt 24:13). We are able to endure to the end when our Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Blood and Righteousness. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Ministry Encourager Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/

A Tribute to My Parents

Dearest Saints, I would like to specifically acknowledge one of our ten commandments especially at this time to honour our earthly Father and Mother. I wrote a poem in honour of their Anniversary celebration a few years ago and I continue to echo these words. Even though it is a poem and it may sound nice with rhythmic wording. But I want to emphasize that they are in fact words spoken in truth. It goes like this: To wonderful parents that any child would be so blessed. Dad laboured much each day for his family to provide, while Mom worked diligently at home cooking, cleaning and caring through every ebb and tide. Our house was much more than a nice place filled with treasure, it was filled with love, peace, hope, kindness, goodness and often-times with patience without measure. I am glad to be what I have become, not only the the Grace of God, but also the enduring faithfulness and love from Dad and Mom. Through your fine examples of tireless and selfless giving, I have learned to make the most out of living. One cannot have asked to be better blessed, than having wonderful parents that anyone could have ever confessed. An inspiration you should be, of love and commitment that the world should see. Thank you Dad & Mom for being there for me. I thank God for my Parents. I want to make this tribute by honouring my Parents, Fern & Louise Poulin who will be celebrating 66 years of a blessed marriage this coming week on 14 May 2015. It is an honour to say Happy & Blessed 66th Anniversary to them. It's neat to know their wedding date happened exactly a year after the re-birth of the nation of Israel. In the second paragraph that talks about having patience without measure, I can honestly say that when I see how they have been that way for me very often when I was growing up. I know many can't say the same for their parents due to past unfavourable circumstances, but I would like to encourage you to please honour your Parents not just for their sake, nor because they may or may not deserve it, but for your sakes so that it will be well with you in relationship to the eternal One who loves you the most and promises that a long and healthy and prosperous life that He gives all of us if we would honour them. We should want to put aside any of our differences from what we think to what He tells us and make a choice to choose what He tells to honour the Lord simply because of who He is and all He has done and continues to do for us. I can only say "Lord, that I trust You to help me honour You more and more each day" because I confess I can't do this on my own strength, but trust in Him which is where He wants us all to come to that place. I find it easier to love and forgive others when I see the greater enormous debt He forgave me from. And for those who have had terrific parents, tell them so and don't wait to recite your love and appreciation for them at the time of their eulogy. May we live a blessed life that is honouring especially to the Lord as we honour our parents and ask His Holy Spirit to help us live according to His divine and perfect will. We owe it to Him who gave up so much more then we could ever imagine for each of us. Exod 20:12 "Honour your Father and Mother so that you may live long in the land that your Lord gives you". Be forever blessed by Him, in Him and for Him. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Ministry Encourager Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/

SIGNIFICANCE of that SMALL DASH

Dearest Saints, I just arrived back from attending my Mother-in-laws funeral this past week and have noticed a poem in the funeral parlour I have always liked. It definitely gives us something to think about. There is a wonderful poem written by Linda Ellis in 1996 and is copyrighted that is titled "The Dash". So I won't copy and paste for that purpose, but I would like to put this in my words as the Lord leads because when we think of something small like a dash, it is so significant that it determines everyone's eternal destiny of how we lived during that time within that "dash". When we read someone's obituary we notice the date of their Birth and date of their death and then there is a dash in between. When someone gives a eulogy of the deceased, they don't talk about the day they were born, nor talk about the day they passed away. But all is said about each member during the dash in between those dates. When a person looks at a dash, one would think about the short time they have spent on earth, even if they live to be 100 or more, it is still such a very very short time compared to eternity. A dash on one's tombstone may easily just be overlooked entirely. I like to ask myself a question and hope each of you will do the same. What would people say about us during the time that is represented in that dash between Birth and death? Have we lived our lives selfishly, only kept within our small little group, seldom gave any acknowledgement to the Lord for Who He is, trying to live a good life by our own standards? Or did we trust and rely on Him to live to give Him the glory and be a rich blessing and encouragement to one another? One thing is for certain, that all the worldly ambitions one may have and all the accumulations one could ever try to attain, or just trying to live a "good life" is not going to matter during that "dash" unless we allowed Christ to truly be Lord of our lives, inviting Him in and have that daily, increasing rich relationship to see our need of His Lordship over our lives. When we don't ask Christ to help us be the person we are meant to be, we labour in vain and our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa 64:6) because it is only His Goodness that we allow to work through us. The greatest achievement I would like my life to be said of me is for someone to say that I lived unselfishly and wanted to live for the Lord by living for others, giving to others, being an inspiration to others to be the best they can be and encourage one another to get the most of Gods Word working to empower them to do good. Even for the Christians, I feel it is a dying shame that we don't share that love outwardly by staying safely within our little group and fail to let His Word have its fullness to work in us and through us by living just within our little corner of small friends. Christ spent much of His time with many outsiders and we are told to be imitators of Christ (Eph 5:1). So that means to live as He did. If we will humble ourselves and ask God to help us use our God given talents to be a rich blessing and encouragement to others, that small dash between birth and death will mean so much more. God has given everyone talents and we need to ask Him to reveal all of our talents and help us use our talents to be a rich blessing to others to advance His Kingdom and not be like that wicked servant who hid his talent (Matt 25:18-30). So don't waste any talent or think you have none when He has given all of us talents to use. This is when that small dash means so much because it will determine our eternal destiny. May we ask God to truly bless us to receive all He suffered to give us and be all we can be for His glory. Our lives are lived most successfully when we humble ourselves enough to always choose His ways over our ways and always relying solely on Him. Then others who may recite our eulogy will be able to tell others the hope that was within us that will continue to have that positive impact on others, even though the time will come when we may not be around to tell them ourselves. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Ministry Encourager Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/ www.helpingcopewithhope.blogspot.com