The Dark Deception by Oscar Roca |oscarrocawriter.com

Please take a moment to check out my Book. I will never ask for money or donations for this blog & believe what Jesus said,”…Freely you have received; freely give….” 

I have written a Christian Thriller Novel and in the editing stages of 4 more. You can click on links below to buy my book. Appreciate the time you take reading my blog & whether you buy my book or not, may the Lord bless you and bring you His peace. 

— Oscar Roca / oscarrocawriter.com

The Dark Deception by Oscar Roca

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ISBN-10: 1498456790
ISBN-13: 978-1498456791

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Despised & Rejected—My Sins My Savior Did Take |Christian Poems

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Scripture links: Isaiah 52 & 53

If you don’t know who Jesus is, and what He did for you. These verses above are just a few predictions which came true. Jesus fulfilled these and many more.  Click on the links below to get to know Him personally…

Despised & Rejected

Despised and rejected,
My Savior my Lord
Abused and neglected
Suffered such sorrow
Afflicted, mistreated for me
My sins my Savior did take

Was struck down, tormented
My Savior my Lord
Afflicted, dejected,
Was wounded and punished
His cheek He would turn
My sins my Savior did take

Despised and rejected,
My Savior my Lord
Abused and neglected
Suffered such sorrow
Afflicted, mistreated for me
My sins my Savior did take

My Powerful Savior
Submissive and Humble
His cheek He would turn
Disfigured and bloody
My Powerful Savior endured
My sins my Savior did take

Despised and rejected,
My Savior my Lord
Abused and neglected
Suffered such sorrow
Afflicted, mistreated for me
My sins my Savior did take

Cutoff and shutoff,
My Savior my Lord
Endured the torture
His cheek He would turn
He silently suffered
My sins my Savior did take

Despised and rejected,
My Savior my Lord
Abused and neglected
Suffered such sorrow
Afflicted, mistreated for me
My sins my Savior did take

Surrendered His Spirit
My Savior My Lord
Buried so deeply
Death couldn’t hold Him
Triumphantly Risen
Death’s sting no longer
My sins my Savior did take

By Oscar Roca

 

Wrote this during one of my many restless nights…

Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 2:02 AM

Don’t wait, get to know who Jesus truly is. These were not just claims by His followers who were making things up to make Jesus look good. But indisputable truths that Jesus’ enemies would have been able to disprove during and right after His resurrection. Over 150 Prophecies about Him which were fulfilled by Him. What do you have to lose?

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

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Offend Them to Life |Salvation

Be Bold with the Good News!.png
Matthew 10:22

FOR THE CHRISTIAN WHO IS AFRAID OF SHARING THE GOSPEL BECAUSE IT WILL OFFEND OTHERS:

— As Christians, we don’t offend anyone on purpose. At least we try not to. As Christians, we are to be the salt and light of the world. Jesus tells us to be the good flavor and the light to those that have sour mouths and are blind  & lost due to the world’s depravities.

— Yet somehow, some of us have become a bunch of whiny and afraid Christians who don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Even if it means not offending them into hell.  (See Luke chapter 16:19-31)

Gent Club inoffensive.pngEternity is a long time for those offended lost souls to think of forgiving us for not trying hard enough to reach them. It is not our job to be inoffensive. It is our job to present the unbelievers with the word of God. It is our job to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth and make disciples of all nations. It is not our job to count on a list those offended or not offended by what the Gospel says.

— Jesus told us the world would hate us because they hated Him. Or did we think that the-lollypop-don’t-offend-anyone-today culture is going to save anyone?

— I wish we could talk to those people who are in hell right now. I wish they could give us a ringy-ding-ding and tell us how much they appreciate us not offending them by not telling them about Christ.

Drug Expo Inoffensive.png— So instead of everyone getting angry at those who are blinded by the god of this age, why don’t we, including me, start praying and fasting for those that got offended by a billboard of a pastor who was holding a Bible?

— Why don’t we just not pay attention to those poor lost souls acting like 2-year-olds trying to get their way? And start preaching even more….
— Don’t wait for those people who are offended to be forever away from our Lord and Savior’s presence because we went into a corner pouting about the fact that some non-Christians got offended by the Bible and the message of sin.

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Romans Chapter 1

— Instead of Christians getting mad or retreating into our communities, this is a critical and important time in our country, for Christians to boldly proclaim that it is only through Jesus the Savior of the world, that people could be saved. He is the only Way, the Only Truth and the only Life for those that are lost.
— It is up to us to tell those offended by the Billboards here in Southern California and throughout the world, that we are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because it has the power for salvation to everyone that puts their faith in Jesus our Lord and Savior…

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW JESUS IN A PERSONAL WAY:

— I will never stop sharing the gospel. This is what I am called to do and this is who I am. If you don’t know God, and if the Bible offends you, please take the time to really know what is offending you about it.

— You will find that most people don’t really understand the Jesus of the Bible. They have only heard about crazy Christians offending other by pushing their faith on them. I don’t push my faith on anyone.

— But I do share what God has done in my life and why I am thankful to Him for giving me the life changing peace I now have. That peace won’t change my life circumstances. But this peace of knowing what will ultimately be my home does.

— I want you to have the peace and knowledge that there is something far better in this life and the next for you. I would challenge you to research and see if this Christian Faith is truly offensive or just a fallacy made up from those who don’t want to change their bad habits…

Take the next steps to truly knowing God:

Steps to Peace With God

How Can I know God

Know God

 

 

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Go Take On Mountains & Get Rid of the Giants! |Get Motivated by God

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is in Joshua. Where we see Caleb at 85 years of age telling everyone that he will go take on the mountain by climbing it and defeating the giants in the land. These are the same giants (Anakim) the Israelites half Caleb’s age are cowering behind Joshua’s robe and being triggered with fear.

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Not Caleb, he tells Joshua and the rest of the Israelites, “Let me go at ’em! The Lord promised me this a whole lot of years back. It’s time, I’m only 85 years young but the Lord is my strength (my commentary view), I can take ’em all!”

I think that Caleb remembered Moses words, which gave him hope to take on his giants. Even after all those decades had passed.

Cliff Notes version: 

Caleb remembers Moses’ words that God was his strength. Caleb gets his land and takes no prisoners. He then retires and lives in peace for the rest of his life. 

So…what’s your excuse today? Start changing the I can’t to, “The Lord is my strength! He is my Salvation! I can take on that mountain and get rid of the giants! With God anything is possible!”

 

 

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Declare Yourself Free! |4th of July

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By Oscar Roca

“32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””- Jesus in John 8:32

“36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”- John 8:36

“1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

“16 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.17 Treat everyone with high regard:..”-1 Peter 2:16-17a

“”6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”” – Jesus in John 14:6

Go ahead, ask Jesus to set you free spiritually!

Get started:

Read your bible:

 

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The 2 Greatest Commandments |Greatest Commandments

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I want to caution my fellow Christians to always make sure we are:

 

  1. Loving God- in everything we say and do. Specially with this Immigration ordeal. I’m finding some very good people turning into something that is not really them. I am reading some very cruel things from both sides. We MUST remember that we are representing Christ before any political party. 
  2. We must also make sure that we don’t say things to others that would jeopardize someone else’s reputation without the person even knowing that they have been thrown under the bus.
  3. When all else fails, we will all disagree with one another from time to time but the way we handle our debates in a healthy and glorifying manner will be the way we will win over those that don’t know about the Good News of Christ. Not by stirring the pot more and letting out hatred. Because whatever comes out of our mouth is coming from our hearts.
  4. I have seen some very solid Christians reply to posts with sharp words, this includes myself. We need to take a step back and ask if this is going to edify, glorify or encourage others, leading them to Christ’s peace. If it doesn’t, maybe we need to set it in the back burner for a few days before making the decision to post it. 

I have learned not to reply to any negatives or “corrections” on social media. Unless the reply is directly affecting someone else, then I with all the might of the Word, will reply. This is the only time I will speak up. I don’t care about my reputation, I care about those who are close enough to know my character.

I also care about every one of you to send a personal reply when I see that you have crossed the line. I hope that we can all do this instead of hanging someone else’s dirty laundry out there. Because if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will never on purpose, let our hearts, which are still wicked sometimes, air out what we should not…

May we the Christian community, be a beacon of hope to all who enter our gates. May we treat all those who are in more need than us, how God would want us and would treat them, with love and compassion and not contempt….

All Scripture from:

biblehub.com

http://berean.bible

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The Alien the Widow & The Orphan |Immigration

Two things I will be addressing here. Please read to the end before making up your mind about this suddenly hot topic which has been brought to the political forefront and IS NOTpolitical and should never be politicized.

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Leviticus chapter 19 verses 33-34

Everyone is talking about what’s going on with the immigration problem that we have.
Scriptures tell us from the beginning that God tells the Israelites they are not to take advantage of three groups of people.

God doesn’t make a distinction of ethnicity or color or how wealthy one is in order to take care of the person.

God’s only provision is this:
Do not forget:
1. The Aliens
2. The Orphans
3. The Widows

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Deuteronomy chapter 24 verses 19-22 

I. What I am saying and what we must do as Christians:

— All of the above groups are to be taken care of.

— It is shameful that political leaders and news media are using this horrible and imperfect law to push their agendas.

— I don’t care much for politicians and news media outlets. They have dug their own graves with the public because they are no longer viable sources who speak the truth.

— I am only speaking to those who profess to be Christians. If you call yourself a Christian, then you must, and I repeat this, m.u.s.t., follow God’s commands over any law that will contradict His statutes.

— Taking care of the alien(foreigner), the widow and the orphan is a statute to all mankind and not just what you think is right or wrong.
— We have a problem in making aliens orphans. And we know what God says to do to those two groups.

— It’s time as Christians, not whether you lean Left or Right, to come together and take care of the unborn, the kids of incarcerated parents, the alien kids and the rest of the orphans. And this should not be a question in our minds.

— Why? Because just like the Israelites, all of us including the native Americans, which I have native blood running through my veins, migrated at some point to this beautiful land we call home.

II. Now what I am not saying:
— I am not assuming for our country to keep allowing people just to get here. If we do this, we will soon be financially ruined.
— I am not saying to allow the continued infiltration of criminals who want to cause harm to our society.
— I do not want people from any other country who want to escape their awful situation and try to change the laws and Constitution of my United States.
— If you come here, don’t expect a permanent handout. But assume that if you work hard, you will reap the rewards afforded to any citizen who wants to work hard and live in peace with others.
— Do expect to help someone in need without wanting and forcing the government to help out.
Because the Bible tells us we are to work hard with our hands, be in peace with others, help the alien, widow and the orphan.
Right now, there are thousands of foster kids, alien kids and unborn kids that need our help.

It is neither a Democratic or Republican problem but a Christian problem.
Go out and do what is right, just and will glorify our Lord and Savior.

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HAPPY FATHER’S DAY |Father’s Day 2018

Here’s to the men who have stepped up to lead their families Spiritually! To all those that are still leading their kids and grandkids! 

There are some that are playing the dad role in your grandchildren’s lives. I commend you. You know who you are.

Here’s to my son who’s taking care of his son and passing on the torch of Christ! 

Here’s to my dad, who brings me much joy to debate things about scripture! 

Happy and Blessed Father’s Day!

So here’s to the Dad’s that are or will be sticking to their godly role as their leader in our households.png

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The God Given Right |Go Vote

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery. 2 Take notice:…                         

Paul’s Letter to the Galatian Church Chapter 5 verse 1 & 2a Berean Study Bible

 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” — The Founding Father’s Declaration

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What are your Giants? Go Slay Them- The Lord is with you!

“”…..10 I am eighty-five years old today. 11″I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. 12″Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim (Giants) were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken.”…””

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What are your Giants?

Go slay them! The Lord is with you!

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Trials Come & Go~ Eternity is Forever |Monday Prayer

 

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…Lord, my prayer is for me to be entirely healed from the lungs, heart and stomach area. I believe this because you say it to be true.
Not because I am anything but because you are everything. Not because I am worthy or sinless but because You are righteous and merciful. Not because of anything I have done for you but because of your everlasting love and compassion for me. You are worthy oh Lord, You are all-powerful, all-knowing and eternal. Lord, I lift my prayers up to You because You are the only one that can answer them. Jesus, Your Son is the Great Healer, and Your Spirit comforts me. What else do I need but to praise and thank you for everything that You have done in my life.
Healer and Redeemer, thank you for allowing me to commune with You. To walk and listen to You. Help me to hear what You say and truly listen to You. To be guided by You and to be filled by You so that I too can be on the same page as Your Spirit when He is hearkening to me to do something…

The above prayer was from my journal a few years ago. I wrote it so that I would be reminded of God’s unending love for us. I also wrote it as a prayer of hope and encouragement. Time and time again, God tells us to trust Him unconditionally. Because He protects us unconditionally. He is above every problem we face and is the ultimate solutions for everything natural and supernatural.

Today, if you feel that your health is failing, or that the circumstances in life are overwhelming your total being, trust in the Lord with all your hearts and do not lean on your own understanding.

He will take care of your health, finances or emotional problems happening in your life. It may not happen instantly or all at once, but in His perfect timing.
All He asks is for you to commit yourself to His Son Jesus and to ask Him to forgive you of your sins. It doesn’t matter what you have done unto until this very moment. What matters is that you put your trust in Jesus who has paid the ultimate price for you by dying on the cross almost 2,000 years ago.
What matters is right now, not the past, and what you do from this point on. Don’t wait, Jesus is there for you. Ask Him to forgive you for all the wrong things that you have done, no matter how horrible you think they are.
Ask Jesus to heal you of all the things that people have to you, no matter how vile they may be. You will see that His love for you is impossible to understand because Jesus will give you peace beyond what you could fathom.

Just do it, he will take care of the rest. He may not heal you instantly, He may not fix your circumstances right away, but He will give you peace through the storms of life. He will, in the long run, heal your whole being. Eternity is what matters. Eternity is your ultimate goal.

Resources:

How can I know God?

Know God

Steps to Peace with God

 

 

 

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Banning the Bible-Futile Indeed |First Amendment Threatened

Article [I] (Amendment 1 – Freedom of expression and religion) 13
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The above is a direct quote of our sacred Constitution. I say scared because these rights are God-given and not man-given. There are men that have tried taking the common man’s rights which has caused great and terrible havoc on humanity.

This month we in California have seen the incredibly ignorant way the governor has been stripping away the right of all the people. In his warped mind he thinks he is helping out the little guys. But he and the rest of the leaders cannot see past their noses. In adding more foolish laws like this California AB2943 and making it sound like it’s a great idea.

Here are the reason why this bill and any other bill like this is wrong:

~ First off– I oppose any addition to any laws that take away rights in order to stop people from their God-given Faith and free speech. Leave it to California to try to do something like this.

~ Secondly, I oppose this type of bullying not just because I am a Christian pastor but as a citizen, husband, father and grandfather. This bill is horribly shortsighted and does nothing for the First Amendment.  Banning the Bible is futile

∼ Thirdly, by trying to stop a group of people from “hurting” another group, Jerry Brown is doing the same exact thing that he is “trying to fix” and that to me is foolish and shortsighted.

~ Fourthly, anytime you start taking away God-given rights, you start on a very slippery slope.

A slope that ends up with Hitler, Lenin, Stalin and Mao types. Just those good “humanitarian” men I’ve just mentioned, are responsible for killing roughly 132 million people.

This is a considerable number killed by men who had great intentions but little by little, took away people’s rights, until they were the all-powerful dictators we know them to be.

To Christians, it is time to wake up from the comfy slumber we are in! What must we do?

  1. Wake up from the slumber!
  2. Pray and fast for California, and our country.
  3. Pray for those lost souls in leadership.
  4. For all to come to the full knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
  5. Do something. Being saved is a verb…it takes action. A call to Christian action! (Click on this link )
  6. Pass the information on to others.

 

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Time to Step Up |Home Missions |StayMissions

“8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”– Book of Acts chapter 1 verse 8. Berean Study Bible

 

This is to all my Christian brethren. I include myself in this. The need is urgent. The time is now:

There are Staycations, now as Christians we must do StayMissions.  Our country is in a mess because we have imploded as a church. We were to go to the ends of the earth to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. But we were supposed to start at home, then our city, then our state and country. After this, we were to go all over the world.

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I live in California and this state is a horrible mess spiritually.  I have started praying and fasting for our city and state. I would ask that you lift up your home town and state. Also could you add California to your prayers please?The leadership in charge has become anti-christian. But I know how the story ends and am not worried.

We are to preach the gospel in full. Not just the feel good stuff but the full counsel of God. We, are not to be afraid and we must follow God first and then men. This means that God’s Law supersedes any man-made laws which contradict our faith. This is the reason for my urgency in sharing Christ’s love in my immediate area of residence.

I ask you to prayerfully consider making in home missions or as I am calling it StayMissions in your area. This could be in nursing and convalescent homes, homeless shelters, orphanages in your area jails, hospitals etc. The list is endless and the rewards are worth it…

 

 

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A land flowing with milk but no honey please! |Resurrection Sunday 2017

…9 as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 

Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Church in Corinth Berean Study Bible

It is Resurrection Sunday. Today we usually get up early enough to go to the Sunrise service and celebrate Christ’s triumph over death and sin.
I want to talk about what has happened for the last two Resurrection Sunday’s. We have had visitors migrating into our property. They fly in swarms, looking for a place to make their own. Last year we called the beekeeper. And we’ve had to do this again this year. Last year came as a total surprise when our neighbors called to tell us that there was a swarm of bees in our property. This year we knew what to do and called the beekeeper as soon as we saw a few of the scouts buzzing around our yard.

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Swarm of Bees

I was sulking about the fact that for the first time in a very long time, we were unable to go to any service for Resurrection Day. We’ve gone to Sonrise service since our adult kids could remember.
The bee swarm sank all hopes of going to any service. Our get-together was harshly interrupted by the swarm and an emergency in the family. All of us felt an emptiness we could not shake.
The crazy thing about this is, that during our Seder-Marriage Supper of the Lamb Rehearsal (as I am calling what we had in our Bible study) I spoke about the haste in which the Israelites prepared their food during their first Passover.
The Israelites would have to remember the slave to freedom period for all eternity. I correlated this with the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus on the cross and how the times of the Temple sacrifices were precisely done during the same time that Jesus hung on the cross. There are no coincidences in His perfect timing.
I was standing guard outside, making sure people passing by on the sidewalk would stay away from the bee swarm. Alone, and at a low point this year, and I was feeling sorry for myself. You see, like the Israelites, we had to leave the house when we saw a few bees enter the bathroom window.
We had our kids and our grandkids with us. I didn’t want anyone getting stung by the bees. So we left all our food, drinks and festivities in haste! I told my wife and kids to leave the house for safer pastures. I would remain behind to stand guard and make sure people knew there was a bee swarm close to the sidewalk. Now I understand why The Lord had me here on this extraordinary day.
My Jewish neighbors were walking to their synagogues with their families. I had to warn them not to get too close. The day gave me a chance to warmly say, “hello” to them and explain why they had to be careful It gave me an opportunity to tell them that I was unable to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and I also wished them a blessed Passover.
They were warm and interested in my explanation and what I was having the beekeeper do to relocate the swarm.
This past Sunday was The Lord’s perfect timing. My Orthodox Jewish neighbors walked through like they always do on Friday nights. Sunday just happened to be Easter and Passover. The Lord had me there so I could be a sweet-smelling aroma to those that don’t know the incredible love of Jesus. The sacrifice He made as the Paschal Lamb of God who took in all of humanity’s sins on the cross and nailed them once and for all. Like Passover, God has the cross as a permanent reminder for us to look up at the lifted Savior who gave His life so that we would all one day be Risen after death.
I am share my joy and peace, even when my house is literally swarmed with thousands of enemies that could have made me murmur and complain like the Israelites when they had to leave in haste during that first Passover.

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End of His perfect Day #Resurrection Day

I did not complain because Christ is in me. He lives in me, and I have to share Him during the good and bad times. As I pass through this wilderness while waiting to finally get to the real land flowing with milk and I have to say it, yes, honey! He has Risen! He is Risen indeed!
P.S. Another blessing in disguise, had we gone to services and then to a family gathering, we would have had the bees all over the house. That would have been a bad Easter stinger!

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Husband Essentials | Men of God Series

…24 The LORD bless you, and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’…
Numbers chapter 6 verses 24-26 NASB

There are a few essential things that men must do as husbands and dads. The most important thing is to pray for his family.

If a man can’t pray over his wife and children before they go to bed like the above prayer, he has already lost the battle for the next day.
You see, as men, there are things that we must do. The Lord makes this very clear. We are to love our wives and as an extension, our children. As husbands, we are to love them enough to die for them.
One of the most critical and essential things that we must do before any physical or emotional priority is to pray for our wives and our kids.  You see, the enemy has been working overtime these last few decades.

It seems that the family is under attack at an alarming speed. Satan and his minions have systematically dismantled the family structure, and the effects will be long-term. These effects are some of the most severe society has seen in history.

If you don’t believe me, look at civilizations and empires where the family was divided in such a way as our modern Western culture. They did not survive and neither will we if we don’t get back to Biblical essentials, or basics.
The first essential is Prayer. We pray when we commit to Christ. We pray when even before knowing our Lord and Savior. It is a human trait that is ingrained in our spirit even when our faith is not there or is very weak. We must pray for our wives and children for:
~ For Blessings, as in above verse in Numbers 6:24-26
~ For Protection This means that we will pray for our family and have them protected by the most powerful way we know, The Lord’s protection.

https://kcdn.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/psalm-91.jpgPsalm 91 as a whole but specifically verse 15 tells us that we can call upon God and He will answer us and will be with us through our troubles and from the terrors of the night or through what we would call dark times. But the entire Psalm is of God protecting us like a great Eagle protects its young.
~For Strength– We must pray for our wives and kids to be strong in the Lord. That they not tremble or be dismayed by anything that this life sends their way. Why? Because the Lord is with them. There is nothing the enemy can do to them.
~ For knowing the will of God and His desire for their lives.
We have been called according to His purpose, and that in itself is comforting. Because once we know He has our best interests, we can move forward from whatever trench we are stuck in. We may be weak, and we may fail, but He will always come to our rescue.

The last thing is the most important for all of us, especially the men, So goes the father, so goes the family. A weak father makes a weak and divided family. There is nothing greater for a man to give his family than eternal life.

All this is useless if we don’t know who God is. So I invite you to get to know Him as I know Him. Take the first steps to making your family secure their eternal lives. Throw the first lifesaver over into the dark and perilous waters….and grab the first one yourself. Then go and save your family….

COMMITMENT TO GOD:

Steps to having Peace with God

How to Know God

Eagle Picture from: https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/psalm-91-commentary-bible-study-and-summary/

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I wish Siri Had A Please & Thank You Button |LETTERS TO MY KIDS

 

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  • Please and Thank you…Those wonderful almost extinct words that are going away like the cassette recorder, the landline phones, and prudent public education.

Gone are the days that I hear kids asking for something without sounding like dictatorial commands. I see it everywhere. I see it in this millennial generation but they are not the only ones. People my age are beginning to be affected. It’s like one of those zombie movies which starts out by patient zero contracting a deadly form of virus. Then turning patient zero into a walking dead like person moaning and groaning at everything without any form of intelligible words coming out of them.
When I hear a person barking out orders to people in public, it makes me cringe. Especially if they have kids around them. We are becoming the Siri and Alexa Commander Generation.

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I wish Siri and Alexa had a special button that would make everyone asking them questions say please before their services could answer anything. Then in order for Siri or Alexa to take the person asking to the links or information, they would have to say, “Thank you, Siri,” or “Thanks, Alexa!”
Imagine a world where you go to order food or grab a coffee, and you hear every single person saying those two precious words!

  • When I do hear those tow precious words coming out of someone, I hear angels in heaven rejoicing because another angel has earned their wings….okay, not really but it’s almost like that in my mind.

Believe or not, when I do hear those two words being used by a family, I will go by and thank the parents for doing a wonderful job in teaching their kids those two very small but hugely important words.
You see, without the constant training of kids asking, there is no humility. Without kids thanking, there could be no spirit of gratitude.

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So parents, adults, and everyone in between; let’s please get back to having a spirit of humility and of gratitude…Thanks and God bless you all…

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Godly Wisdom v.s. Street Wisdom |Letters To My Kids

“Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
” The Book Of Proverbs— Chapter 1 verses 1-3 NLT

 

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Wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom.

Kids, I want to let you know what happens when God is with you and you have found favor with God. No, there isn’t anything you could do about this. You see, God loves us so much, that He calls out to us even before we understand that it is He who is calling out to us.

  • Poppa did not always have Godly wisdom. He grew to know who God was at a young age but still did not learn enough to understand the purpose of His teaching…

I grew up in a neighborhood with different ethnicities. I hung out with everyone and quickly realized there was a difference in the way kids acted. I learned that certain neighborhood kids were feared, and looking for trouble. Those were the kids that would be in my life for a few years. I did not pick them, they somehow picked me.  Yet, I knew, hanging out with them was not a good thing.

  • No one had to tell me this. A still small voice kept whispering in my thick-headed brain that this was not the way that I needed to go.

Back then, I had a choice, to talk to everyone or just the kids who wanted me in their gang. I chose to talk to everyone but hang out with the gang kids. To me, they weren’t gang members but kids in school and close to the neighborhood who played in the same park I did, were coached by the same coaches I was, and had the same skin color I had. So when they needed my help, I was there for them.

I won’t tell you the details of those times, because they are not important. What I do know is that by the grace and protection of God, I am still alive. A few of those neighborhood kids ended up dying too early, not by choice.

God had put Godly families in my life to pull me away from the kids I would call friends for a bit.

  • God knew better than me and knew that I would need extra instruction and discipline in choosing the right kind of wisdom.

Yet throughout all the years that I hung out with the wrong group of people, God was working in my life, instilling His wisdom and not the wisdom of the kids I hung out with.

  • You see, there is a big difference in being street-smart and God-smart.

— Street-smart is the way of the world. You are never too young for me to instruct you in what the differences are. Street-smart is what you think is right in your own mind. It draws you in, promising you fake stuff in order for you to get drawn into a life that little by little, turns down that still small voice of right and wrong, until you hear another voice. The voice that tells you lies and only gives you advice that makes you think you are smarter than everyone else. That voice will tell you to do things that are not right until you give into this “other voice” and do the things you know are wrong to do. You will know the street-smart voice because you will not be able to sleep at night. You will not be able to feel a peace. The peace that you once had will no longer be there. You will start lying to your parents when they ask you how your day was. The nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach will be a sign that you are listening to the street-smart voice and not God’s wisdom.

— Godly wisdom is the opposite of street-smart wisdom. It makes you stop hearing yourself and start depending on God’s instructions.

  • Godly wisdom brings you peace, it will encourage, uplifted and make you hopeful.

Hopeful that with God, you can conquer anything you set out to do. Why do I know this? Because with God all things are possible.

You can read about Godly wisdom in the Bible. Start in the Book of Proverbs. Read one verse a day to start. Then when you are away from your parents and get into a situation where you here the peaceful small voice whispering out to you,  ask yourself what Proverbs says. Remember to ask your self these three things:

1. Is what I am about to do the right thing to do?

2. Is this the just (Fair) thing to do?

3. Are the consequences worth doing this?

  • The short version—Is what I am about to do a right  and good thing to do? Or will I be in trouble for doing it? What does God say about this? Will Poppa give me the look?

I’ll explain more next….

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Groaning for Home |Not Of This World

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This week my wife and I found ourselves taking some time off to babysit our grandson. His parents were going to the hospital for delivery of their second child. We are always joyful for the opportunity of taking care of my him.

As the days passed and my grandson would only see his mom and dad a few hours at a time, I saw his mood changing. He loves his Nana and Poppa, but I noticed he had a burden in his little heart. No one had to tell me what it was. Because when I was a kid, I had to go and live with my aunt for about a year. She and my uncle were always great with my siblings and me, but they were not mom or dad. I still feel that separation and know my grandson is going through some anxiety being away from his parents. He loves to be here always, but his place belongs with his mommy and daddy, and now baby sister.

  • We as Christians should also be looking towards our precise destination. We love God’s creation but groan inwardly for our real home. The home that Christ has been preparing for us since the foundations of earth.

You see, this home that we are looking for had already been built once, in the garden for the first humans to live and thrive. It was a perfect paradise with everything needed for a beautiful and productive life. God was active in His guidance with the first couple, but the first couple was not ready for what was coming. They were duped into doing something that went against their Creator God. So God being who He is, had to expel them from His perfect paradise setting. He could not have imperfect people in a perfect place.

  • Fast forward to the time where God Himself would provide the perfect way to reunite humans with their Creator.
  • His Son Jesus’ death would suffice the price Adam and Eve would have had to pay for their sins, and the sins of all humanity.

Like my grandson who is happy and well-adjusted here in our house, yet wanting to be reunited with his parents and new baby sister, we as Christians also live in this world but want something more. That something more is being reunited with our Lord and Savior Jesus, who has promised us a safe and incredible place to live when our bodies no longer can live in this world…

If you don’t know what I am talking about, get to know Jesus personally. All you have to do is ask Him to come into your life and change you from within. Here’s how:

Links to knowing Jesus Personally:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

References to verses:

John 17:14-15 and Philippians 3:20-21
John 14:1-3
Jesus paid the price for us

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Don’t Crack Their Eggshells! |Faith to send them out

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There’s a story of the kid who kept raising eggs for them to hatch. His dad was a fourth generation farmer and told his son not to crack the eggs to help the baby chicks, since they would have to do all the work themselves in order to come out healthy.

  • This little boy had a huge heart and wanted his baby chicks to have an easier time going through the process of hatching.

He would see the cracking of the eggs and then start cracking the eggs more. The more he did this, the more the baby chicks were dying on him. After a few months of this, and with the last couple of chicks dying on him, he ran back to his house and cried himself to sleep.
His dad went in to talk to him and asked what was wrong. The little boy told the dad what he would do for the baby chicks.

  • The dad reminded him of what he had told his son months prior, “Son, by helping the baby chickens come out of their shells, you are hurting them. You see, the babies have to crack through their eggshells on their own. God has made the process automatic for them. Their instinct is to fight to get out and to know when to get out. When they are ready, they will come out without anyone’s help. If you try to help them, it may cause some damage to their system, and they may bleed to death. Listen, son, God has the little ones covered under His protection. Why don’t you let God do the final work and allow the chicks to fight for themselves?”

The boy didn’t believe any of what the dad was saying. He couldn’t understand all of the logic, but his heart was too broken not to listen.

Screen Shot 2018-09-23 at 7.30.49 AM.pngA month or so later, the boy saw the cracking of the eggs, with his dad’s big ol’ arms around his shoulders. The boy looked up and walked away, checking every once in a while to make sure the process was indeed happening. This boy was so nervous, thinking the worst, but having faith that God would help the baby chicks.
A little over half a day went by when the boy started seeing the chicks breaking through their eggshells. One by one started chirping away. Sunset had set in, and the last egg was finally broken through. All the baby chicks had hatched and were in excellent health…
Parents, if you genuinely believe in God, don’t break your kid’s eggshells. Don’t do the work for them. Let them crack through their battle in life so they can break through without your help. How, you ask? Let them go out to experience what rent, car payments, and budgeting are all about.
Or do you want them in their eggshell for the rest of their lives?
I have always taught that kids need the tough breaks and obstacles for them to:

  • First, learn to depend on God in everything they do.
  • Second, learn to trust that what God has for their lives will always be better than what we, their parents have for them.
  • Third, we parents need to learn to share our faith with our kids. I don’t mean sitting there sharing the gospel with them but to have our children see that we indeed are allowing God to work in their lives without our meddling.

Let them scrape a knee, break a bone, get some scars mentally and spiritually.
Don’t be like the farmer’s boy who tried to help the baby chicks breakthrough the egg shells.

  • Are we parents rescuing our adult kids so much that we have killed their dependency on what God has for lives?
  • Are we like that boy, breaking the eggshells of our children’s lives and short-changing the fight within them?
  • Are we short-changing battles that will make them get stronger mentally and spiritually by depending on God and not mommy or daddy to bail them out?

 

Referenced Verses:

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Isaiah 40:30-31

 Philippians 4:13

Chicks Hatching

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2 Men 4 Men |As Iron Sharpens Iron Rules

I am starting a new series for men only. But women are not excluded! They are needed. Why? So they can keep their husbands accountable.

In the years I have been in ministry, I have noticed a trend. Men doing their hardest work in ministry but forgetting what God truly wants from them; serving their spouses, kids and working even harder in their jobs.

Over the years, I have had wives complain about their husbands to me. One time I had a wife and the kids watching the dad cleaning the church restrooms.

  • The wife looked right at me and said,”I wish he would do that at home. I can’t get him to lift a finger inside the house. He takes care of us, but he does not do any of the stuff he does for the church.”

I wish I could say that I was stunned or at least surprised. But, more and more, I see people, specifically men, who will go out of their way to be respected at church but not care what their wives and children think of them. The story below is about a man who was not yet married to this woman, yet he served her from the start of their relationship. You will have to read all the story of Ruth but it is a wonderful story of a man who works hard, and yet has time to serve his future wife. We see a story of a man who redeemed this woman to him. He loved her enough to take care of her even before the two-way relationship and benefits were in full view.

“”…Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl. Then he went into the city. 16 When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her.…”” Ruth chapter 3 verses 14b-16 Berean Study Bible

Men, when was the last time you washed dishes just because? Or did the laundry so your wives would not have to? These chores are not just for women.

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  • These chores are an extension of loving your wives when you see that they are tired and need a little help. More importantly, these little things that you do in serving your wives, redeems them to have a deeper love and respect for you.

The redeeming rewards will be your children seeing how the husband loves his wife. Your kids in turn will love and respect their mom and have a profound love for the way they see you treating and redeeming their mom!

  • Serve at home before you go and try to at church. That should be your motto. Serve here before there!

You will find the blessings that come from serving your family and you will be fulfilling the qualifications of a true leader or Elder. These qualifications are in short supply and are highly needed in the modern church.

  • There are too many men who want to be respected at church but are failing miserably where it’s most needed, in their homes…

More on this next post in this series.

 

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