From time to time when reading [feeding upon] the scriptures tears come freely. This morning it was as if I was there watching this scene unfold as a destitute blind beggar cried out to Jesus. Those nearby had absolutely no compassion for him and told him to “shut up”. But Bartimaeus had heard about Jesus and ‘knew’ Jesus could give him his sight.
He also knew this may be his one chance to see and began to scream again louder and louder, “Jesus Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now].” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him”. Now his detractors said, “Take courage! Get up! He is calling you.” Bartimaeus threw off his outer garment and came to Jesus. And Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Master, let me receive my sight.” And Jesus said, “Go your way; your faith has healed you. And at once he received his sight and accompanied Jesus on the road. Mark 10: 46-52 Amplified Bible
Even now I can see Bartimaeus clinging to Jesus with tears flowing as he thanked Him over and over. His joy must have spilled over the crowd.
They had just witnessed the power of God in giving sight to a man slowly dying in darkness. How I wish I had been there but since this is impossible I want to see Jesus respond the same way today. Did you know the Bible tells us that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever? He is Almighty God along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He hasn’t changed one tiny bit. We can find out by developing the same faith of Bartimaeus.
Did you know that the Bible is not allowed in our schools anymore thanks to Satan and the ACLU? Why do you think this is so important to the devil? If you don’t know let me tell you, God is honored every time someone is healed. Satan hates God and us and works 24/7 against us.
You should memorize Hebrews 11:6 for it is a hallmark verse. “For without faith man can not please God for we must believe that He Is and that He Is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Let it sink in to you slowly for without faith you can consider yourself worse off than Bartimaeus. He received mercy due to the compassion of our loving God. How do you think you can appeal with the same sense of urgency if you don’t really believe? Now if you try and tell me you “really believe” in Jesus I’m going to ask you for your testimony. Your story of how you came to the place where you gave up your life [not just say you believe in Jesus] so God could impart the Holy Spirit inside you. Saint Paul says it best, “The mystery hidden from the ages, Christ inside you the hope of glory.”
Folks if Jesus isn’t inside you, you’re still lost. When He comes inside God calls it being born again. Jesus said we must be born again. There isn’t any wiggle room allowed. Religion, an imitation, is an insidious killer and has taken countless souls to darkness. If you consider yourself religious please spend time with Jesus at His cross and gain a relationship with Him.
God said that He made the Gospel simple to confound the wise. Religion is just as confining and destructive now as it was when Jesus confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees. These folks took the law as given by Moses and added thousands of rules to the basic 10 commandments. To make it even worse they didn’t follow them but imposed them on the people, ugh!
Once Jesus is inside us we don’t have to work at being a Christian for the Holy Spirit [of Jesus] is inside us. It’s as if you take a car, remove the motor and ignition and replace it with a modern racing engine and sophisticated computerized ignition. The car may look the same but don’t try to pass it on the interstate. I rode in a modified Ford car in 1956. It came with a basic six cylinder engine but my friend had a highway patrol engine installed with extras like two four barrel carburetors and a ¾ custom camshaft. It went so fast I couldn’t lean forward in my seat. The speedometer registered up to 120 MPH. I saw the needle way past that and we were probably going close to 140-150 MPH. Thank God the tires held together.
My friend later wrecked this car doing 80 during a rainstorm. It spun out and landed in the canal on Alligator Alley. Thank God a road sign took out the windshield creating a way out as the car settled into the dark water. God was there or Bobby would have died! He’s also with you right now. When you have a need can you cry out like Bartimaeus? You can, if you’ve developed a discipline to prayerfully read the scriptures. Jesus is the Word of God and will meet with you each morning if you’re wiling. Are you willing? If you aren’t, why aren’t you? Bartimaeus’ faith can be yours!
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
Monday, November 23, 2009
WHAT DOES GOD WEAR
Our wonderful Heavenly Father is clothed in faithfulness and crowned with righteousness. Once we can see this our relationship with Him can begin to blossom. Many Christians have a hard time relating to God. Some out right fear Him thinking He hates them or can’t wait to unleash His wrath upon them and they are right. Don’t get upset with me until I explain this to you. God hates violence and because He does the world was flooded and all air breathing creatures died except for those in the ark with Noah and his family. Can you imagine the scene of those trying to get in after “God” closed the door? It was too late for repentance and they all drowned.
We are approaching a time now when Judgment Day can’t be far off. I say this watching Israel and Iran. Iran is preparing to unleash a hell of fire upon Israel and it will bring about a conflagration. All of the countries around Israel will be caught up in it and this is tragic. Our purpose as Christians is to try and reach them with God’s love before hand so then have a chance to be saved. We have a terrible enemy, the Islamic religion. This religion founded by the Prophet Mohammed commands his followers to destroy the Jews and infidels, that’s you and me.
What they need to understand “by God’s grace” that Jesus is God and He died for them like He did for us. His coming to earth and doing the Father’s will even to death on a cross is the ultimate righteousness. Few seem to understand the violence brought upon His body. The Passion of the Christ movie was good at revealing the hatefulness of the scourge and it’s effect upon a human body. What the Roman soldiers didn’t know was each blow that removed flesh creating oozing stripes were for the healing of man’s sickness and illnesses. Just as the Blood of Jesus was necessary for us to be washed clean of our sins the stripes are necessary for our healing. I know this is true for I have been healed by them.
I’ve shared many times the miracle I received after falling from a tree while hunting. My left knee was dislocated and by pulling my body off of it I heard the “pop” as it came back into place. The pain was unbearable and when I cried out to Jesus He sent a man to help me. As we drove along I told him about my cousin who had been hit be a car leaving her near dead. When her husband and sister ran up to her she said, “I’m OK Jesus is here with me.” When I repeated these same words all the pain left instantly, Glory to God! I didn’t need an operation or any other treatment. The stripes of Jesus were more than enough. God is faithful and I’ve experienced it.
The purpose of this message is to allow you to know Him too if you don’t already. Did you know the worse words in the Bible are those of Jesus when He said to half the virgins in Matthew 25, “I never knew you.” These were rejected just as the ones outside the ark as the water rose. If you don’t know the Lord please understand He loves you and desires that you repent of your sins so He can give you salvation. See yourself in the ark for once inside Jesus we are eternally safe.
Our hearts are hard and must be “cracked open” to receive the Gospel message, this is why preaching is necessary. Teaching appeals to the mind but preaching confronts us and deals with our hearts. For instance do you know that every evil thing you’ve done was placed upon Jesus as He died? Yes, all the things that would make you want to run and hide forever if they were made known. Well let me tell you they will be made known on Judgment Day if you aren’t born again. We who have surrendered our lives to Jesus received an enormous gift, all our sins were erased and forgotten by God. We have been set free from our past forever, Hallelujah!
Anyone who refuses the free gift of eternal life will see their past revealed to all of mankind just before being cast into hell by God’ angels. All of this is in the Bible and if you are wise you will make your peace with God right now. Tell Him from your heart exactly how you feel that Jesus was beaten, abused and nailed upon a cross for you personally. If you don’t feel anything spend more time meditating upon this fact. God gave us emotions and if the Holy Spirit is there I can guarantee you there will be something happening to you. We need an experience for Satan will come often trying to convince you that you are lost. You can laugh at him and tell him in no uncertain terms, “GO NOW” in Jesus name and he will flee from you.
You have been added to God’s eternal family as you received Jesus as your Lord and Master. Now a servant of God you can go before Him and He will anoint you for service. Go today and experience Joy as never before.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
We are approaching a time now when Judgment Day can’t be far off. I say this watching Israel and Iran. Iran is preparing to unleash a hell of fire upon Israel and it will bring about a conflagration. All of the countries around Israel will be caught up in it and this is tragic. Our purpose as Christians is to try and reach them with God’s love before hand so then have a chance to be saved. We have a terrible enemy, the Islamic religion. This religion founded by the Prophet Mohammed commands his followers to destroy the Jews and infidels, that’s you and me.
What they need to understand “by God’s grace” that Jesus is God and He died for them like He did for us. His coming to earth and doing the Father’s will even to death on a cross is the ultimate righteousness. Few seem to understand the violence brought upon His body. The Passion of the Christ movie was good at revealing the hatefulness of the scourge and it’s effect upon a human body. What the Roman soldiers didn’t know was each blow that removed flesh creating oozing stripes were for the healing of man’s sickness and illnesses. Just as the Blood of Jesus was necessary for us to be washed clean of our sins the stripes are necessary for our healing. I know this is true for I have been healed by them.
I’ve shared many times the miracle I received after falling from a tree while hunting. My left knee was dislocated and by pulling my body off of it I heard the “pop” as it came back into place. The pain was unbearable and when I cried out to Jesus He sent a man to help me. As we drove along I told him about my cousin who had been hit be a car leaving her near dead. When her husband and sister ran up to her she said, “I’m OK Jesus is here with me.” When I repeated these same words all the pain left instantly, Glory to God! I didn’t need an operation or any other treatment. The stripes of Jesus were more than enough. God is faithful and I’ve experienced it.
The purpose of this message is to allow you to know Him too if you don’t already. Did you know the worse words in the Bible are those of Jesus when He said to half the virgins in Matthew 25, “I never knew you.” These were rejected just as the ones outside the ark as the water rose. If you don’t know the Lord please understand He loves you and desires that you repent of your sins so He can give you salvation. See yourself in the ark for once inside Jesus we are eternally safe.
Our hearts are hard and must be “cracked open” to receive the Gospel message, this is why preaching is necessary. Teaching appeals to the mind but preaching confronts us and deals with our hearts. For instance do you know that every evil thing you’ve done was placed upon Jesus as He died? Yes, all the things that would make you want to run and hide forever if they were made known. Well let me tell you they will be made known on Judgment Day if you aren’t born again. We who have surrendered our lives to Jesus received an enormous gift, all our sins were erased and forgotten by God. We have been set free from our past forever, Hallelujah!
Anyone who refuses the free gift of eternal life will see their past revealed to all of mankind just before being cast into hell by God’ angels. All of this is in the Bible and if you are wise you will make your peace with God right now. Tell Him from your heart exactly how you feel that Jesus was beaten, abused and nailed upon a cross for you personally. If you don’t feel anything spend more time meditating upon this fact. God gave us emotions and if the Holy Spirit is there I can guarantee you there will be something happening to you. We need an experience for Satan will come often trying to convince you that you are lost. You can laugh at him and tell him in no uncertain terms, “GO NOW” in Jesus name and he will flee from you.
You have been added to God’s eternal family as you received Jesus as your Lord and Master. Now a servant of God you can go before Him and He will anoint you for service. Go today and experience Joy as never before.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Whole Bloody Truth
You and I have only one way to Heaven and it is through the Blood of Jesus. I don’t care what denomination you cling to or support. Unless you are washed in the Blood of Jesus you are polluted with sin. I would bet the vast majority who read this message are unaware they are headed towards hell. This horrible place was made for the devil and his unholy angels who rebelled against God. You might think of sin that way too. We have all broken God’s laws as revealed in the Bible. We are born sinners in that we have a propensity to sin. Watch a child demand their toy from another and you can see it at work. We too are born selfish and that is the absolute opposite of God.
Now please understand this above all else, we are not going to Heaven because we are “good” or have done good things. There isn’t anything we can do to remove the stench of sin except one thing, die to self. You and I can’t do this apart from the Cross where Jesus died for us. If you want to try you will be lost with all the others who refuse to believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Anything outside of Jesus is death and I’m not speaking of dying. I’m speaking of eternal death where God will condemn sinners and have angels cast them into hell fire. All of this is in the Bible but few read it and are ignorant of what the Lord has said. This message will alert you to the Truth and will encourage you to begin a daily discipline of reading from the Bible. He says, “Faith comes from reading and hearing the Words of Jesus.” “Without faith man [or woman] can not please God for we must believe He Is and that He Is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.“
If I could use my pistol to get folks saved I would do it for I know billions are going to spend eternity in hell and with me threatening them they might have a change of mind for Jesus. This won’t work and I know it, so what I do is do my best to love folks the way God loves me. If this gets their attention I tell them my testimony. I was very bad [at least in my mind] and know what it means to receive Amazing Grace. For a little while longer God is going to bestow it upon repentant sinners. Then a world wide shock will occur. God is going to take the born again Christians up to meet Jesus in the air. Please read 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 so you can see it for yourself. Those in greatest shock are those who have sat in church buildings all their life but were never born again. This means they never received the Holy Spirit inside them. He couldn’t come until they repented and surrendered their lives to Jesus. He doesn’t come inside us to argue. He comes inside to give us a brand new life that is “Christ like”. This isn’t impossible for God is within us now and He is able to do anything. Some of the most horrible people in the world repented and have been filled. If you think you are too bad for the Lord you are exactly who He is looking for.
Many who will be lost are “proud of their religion” and are willing to tell you all about it. Those who are God’s own are proud of Jesus and His victory at Calvary for them. They are “Christ focused” and willingly give themselves to the Holy Spirit to use anyway He wants. He pays them with a joy that is unavailable anywhere else. Once we taste it we want more and more for it has becomes our strength. I didn’t have this joy until I was almost 33 years old, all the while I was in church every time the doors opened and many times I was opening them.
Here is a shocking truth for you. At this time we can be added to God’s family by our total trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross in our “personal” behalf. After the rapture those who are added to the family of God will pay with their own blood too. Read the Book of Revelations and you will see this. There is a world wide religion that is growing daily, many added from within our prisons, that will willingly kill you for your Christian testimony. Muslims will only be following the Koran and will be largely incensed at the departure of the born again Christians. They will take out their fury on those who are brave enough to say they believe in Jesus. It’s up to us whether or not we want Jesus in our life now or become martyrs.
I made my decision nearly forty years ago and have labored hard in the Lord trying to bring many to Him. I’ve cast the Gospel seed widely but only the Father can bring it to growth. I can’t over stress the importance of submitting yourself to Jesus and not just for you but your family too. “Today is the day of salvation.” If you want more help from me, please ask.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
Now please understand this above all else, we are not going to Heaven because we are “good” or have done good things. There isn’t anything we can do to remove the stench of sin except one thing, die to self. You and I can’t do this apart from the Cross where Jesus died for us. If you want to try you will be lost with all the others who refuse to believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Anything outside of Jesus is death and I’m not speaking of dying. I’m speaking of eternal death where God will condemn sinners and have angels cast them into hell fire. All of this is in the Bible but few read it and are ignorant of what the Lord has said. This message will alert you to the Truth and will encourage you to begin a daily discipline of reading from the Bible. He says, “Faith comes from reading and hearing the Words of Jesus.” “Without faith man [or woman] can not please God for we must believe He Is and that He Is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.“
If I could use my pistol to get folks saved I would do it for I know billions are going to spend eternity in hell and with me threatening them they might have a change of mind for Jesus. This won’t work and I know it, so what I do is do my best to love folks the way God loves me. If this gets their attention I tell them my testimony. I was very bad [at least in my mind] and know what it means to receive Amazing Grace. For a little while longer God is going to bestow it upon repentant sinners. Then a world wide shock will occur. God is going to take the born again Christians up to meet Jesus in the air. Please read 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 so you can see it for yourself. Those in greatest shock are those who have sat in church buildings all their life but were never born again. This means they never received the Holy Spirit inside them. He couldn’t come until they repented and surrendered their lives to Jesus. He doesn’t come inside us to argue. He comes inside to give us a brand new life that is “Christ like”. This isn’t impossible for God is within us now and He is able to do anything. Some of the most horrible people in the world repented and have been filled. If you think you are too bad for the Lord you are exactly who He is looking for.
Many who will be lost are “proud of their religion” and are willing to tell you all about it. Those who are God’s own are proud of Jesus and His victory at Calvary for them. They are “Christ focused” and willingly give themselves to the Holy Spirit to use anyway He wants. He pays them with a joy that is unavailable anywhere else. Once we taste it we want more and more for it has becomes our strength. I didn’t have this joy until I was almost 33 years old, all the while I was in church every time the doors opened and many times I was opening them.
Here is a shocking truth for you. At this time we can be added to God’s family by our total trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross in our “personal” behalf. After the rapture those who are added to the family of God will pay with their own blood too. Read the Book of Revelations and you will see this. There is a world wide religion that is growing daily, many added from within our prisons, that will willingly kill you for your Christian testimony. Muslims will only be following the Koran and will be largely incensed at the departure of the born again Christians. They will take out their fury on those who are brave enough to say they believe in Jesus. It’s up to us whether or not we want Jesus in our life now or become martyrs.
I made my decision nearly forty years ago and have labored hard in the Lord trying to bring many to Him. I’ve cast the Gospel seed widely but only the Father can bring it to growth. I can’t over stress the importance of submitting yourself to Jesus and not just for you but your family too. “Today is the day of salvation.” If you want more help from me, please ask.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
Sunday, November 8, 2009
MAKING YOUR WIFE
This message can keep you from experiencing a break up of your marriage and a transfer of a lot of your assets to her and her attorney. Joan and I will reach our 52nd wedding anniversary in June if Jesus doesn’t come first. I live in that expectancy for He has promised to come for us and lift us to meet Him in the sky. Please read this for yourself in 1st Thessalonians 4: 13-18. Don’t put this off for it will help you in making your wife. Living daily for and in expectancy for Jesus is absolutely necessary. There are no short cuts for anyone. Please trust me in this!
Unless you were born stupid [no hope for you] this can be the beginning of an exciting relationship which many have never enjoyed with their spouse. I’m not saying you aren’t living in a “satisfactory” relationship but trust me again there is far more to be enjoyed. I will share a little of my life with you here so you can see what I’m speaking about.
Joan and I married as sophomores at FSU in 1958. When I first saw her I was blown away with her beauty and grace. Not only that but she had a perfect figure too. To be honest I was enraptured by her and much of my thoughts were of when I might see her again. When I was able to take her to Destin my family was also so impressed with her. Joan was everything a mother wants for her son to marry.
My main problem was religion believe it or not. I loved God but didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. This didn’t happen until 1971 even though I was perhaps the most active male in my church. What ever was allowed I would do it. I taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, held an office in the church, and best of all served at the altar as an altar boy and later as a lay reader. I was one busy guy on Sundays. My mom and dad raised me to serve God. How I wish I had known Him during these years.
On May 23rd in 1971 I surrendered my life to Jesus, lock, stock and barrel. At last I wasn’t my own, I belonged to Jesus. Many wonderful things begin to happen including a series of dreams that assured me of my life in the Lord. One placed me in a jail ministry where God performed real miracles. The greatest miracle as far as my marriage was concerned was the opening of my eyes to see Joan as the Lord saw her. I had married the finest woman on earth and I was far from being the finest man. It seemed that I wasn’t appreciating how much work she did at home before. We both worked 14-15 hour days in the Deep Sea Fishing business. During the night folks would call us from all over the southern US asking if we were going fishing tomorrow. Can you believe they did this even when they didn’t have time to get to Destin? Our business began in 1934 after the first Destin Bridge was built. My dad was so blessed as Mrs. Bacon the owner of the Bacon’s by the sea hotel sent him all of her customers. This was a huge advantage for him for few folks came to Destin back then.
You can imagine how many customers we developed over the decades and their kids and grandkids too. I’m not complaining except they woke my dear wife a lot. When we returned home in the evening we were exhausted but her more so. Since she detested doing the laundry I decided to do it for her. She allowed me for a while but one day she asked if I would only do mine. When I asked why, she said, “Ben, you are washing them all together.” I thought everybody did it that way. The main result was Joan seeing me as someone wanting to take some of the load off of her. Before long I was doing the dishes too and found it to be a true joy for my love for Joan was in a new dimension. I wanted to please her as much as I could while still working my tail off.
Captaining a deep sea fishing vessel with up to a hundred or more aboard was as stressful as it sounds. There is a huge amount of responsibility every time I backed away from the pier. Before me was a ten hour voyage which included a trip to and from the fishing grounds which were from 20-30 miles away and then the navigation to one fishing spot after another in the least amount of time. Each minute was important to me for my customers came to catch fish not just go fishing.
I began my day in the Bible where the Lord fed me making my faith or trust in Him to grow daily. Then I would stop off at our church where my singing of How Great Thou Art ran all the hitch hikers out the front door. There I would ask for God’s help not only for me but for all the Captains, crew members and their families. Arriving at the pier I was now “pumped up”. I loved my customers and they knew it. I taught them how to catch fish using the scriptures and during it God allowed me to share His Son Jesus with them. My wife was my number one cheer leader for she knew my heart and it was for her and Jesus. When your wife comes to where she is your number one cheer leader you have “Made your wife”.
In His Service, Capt. Ben Marler captben61@gmail.com
Unless you were born stupid [no hope for you] this can be the beginning of an exciting relationship which many have never enjoyed with their spouse. I’m not saying you aren’t living in a “satisfactory” relationship but trust me again there is far more to be enjoyed. I will share a little of my life with you here so you can see what I’m speaking about.
Joan and I married as sophomores at FSU in 1958. When I first saw her I was blown away with her beauty and grace. Not only that but she had a perfect figure too. To be honest I was enraptured by her and much of my thoughts were of when I might see her again. When I was able to take her to Destin my family was also so impressed with her. Joan was everything a mother wants for her son to marry.
My main problem was religion believe it or not. I loved God but didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. This didn’t happen until 1971 even though I was perhaps the most active male in my church. What ever was allowed I would do it. I taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, held an office in the church, and best of all served at the altar as an altar boy and later as a lay reader. I was one busy guy on Sundays. My mom and dad raised me to serve God. How I wish I had known Him during these years.
On May 23rd in 1971 I surrendered my life to Jesus, lock, stock and barrel. At last I wasn’t my own, I belonged to Jesus. Many wonderful things begin to happen including a series of dreams that assured me of my life in the Lord. One placed me in a jail ministry where God performed real miracles. The greatest miracle as far as my marriage was concerned was the opening of my eyes to see Joan as the Lord saw her. I had married the finest woman on earth and I was far from being the finest man. It seemed that I wasn’t appreciating how much work she did at home before. We both worked 14-15 hour days in the Deep Sea Fishing business. During the night folks would call us from all over the southern US asking if we were going fishing tomorrow. Can you believe they did this even when they didn’t have time to get to Destin? Our business began in 1934 after the first Destin Bridge was built. My dad was so blessed as Mrs. Bacon the owner of the Bacon’s by the sea hotel sent him all of her customers. This was a huge advantage for him for few folks came to Destin back then.
You can imagine how many customers we developed over the decades and their kids and grandkids too. I’m not complaining except they woke my dear wife a lot. When we returned home in the evening we were exhausted but her more so. Since she detested doing the laundry I decided to do it for her. She allowed me for a while but one day she asked if I would only do mine. When I asked why, she said, “Ben, you are washing them all together.” I thought everybody did it that way. The main result was Joan seeing me as someone wanting to take some of the load off of her. Before long I was doing the dishes too and found it to be a true joy for my love for Joan was in a new dimension. I wanted to please her as much as I could while still working my tail off.
Captaining a deep sea fishing vessel with up to a hundred or more aboard was as stressful as it sounds. There is a huge amount of responsibility every time I backed away from the pier. Before me was a ten hour voyage which included a trip to and from the fishing grounds which were from 20-30 miles away and then the navigation to one fishing spot after another in the least amount of time. Each minute was important to me for my customers came to catch fish not just go fishing.
I began my day in the Bible where the Lord fed me making my faith or trust in Him to grow daily. Then I would stop off at our church where my singing of How Great Thou Art ran all the hitch hikers out the front door. There I would ask for God’s help not only for me but for all the Captains, crew members and their families. Arriving at the pier I was now “pumped up”. I loved my customers and they knew it. I taught them how to catch fish using the scriptures and during it God allowed me to share His Son Jesus with them. My wife was my number one cheer leader for she knew my heart and it was for her and Jesus. When your wife comes to where she is your number one cheer leader you have “Made your wife”.
In His Service, Capt. Ben Marler captben61@gmail.com
Thursday, November 5, 2009
GOD ISN'T NICE
One of the reasons so few are born again Christians is they don’t understand much about God. The reason is they just can’t find the time to read the Bible. They can watch TV until their tails hurt sitting on a couch or chair but just can’t turn it off and read what God has to say. When you see how God responds to folks who aren’t obedient you will say with me, “God isn’t nice.” This doesn’t mean He isn’t Good for He is more than our understanding of the word. He is Holy and His Holiness demands that He not be nice.
Let me explain this for you. God loves us with an unconditional love but not one that allows us to live in disobedience. He sees this as rebellion and since He is preparing a family for eternity and they will be like Him not like the devil. Please read First John 3 and you should see it for yourself. Those who sin “regularly” are not God’s kids, He said that, I didn’t. If He was “nice” He would overlook a lot of what we can “little” or small sins. Let me assure you He doesn’t overlook any sin and not only that all of them are recorded for Judgment Day. If you are not born again you are walking on the thinnest ice in the world.
Folks are dying constantly. I haven’t seen where any funeral homes are going out of business. Many are making less money due to cremations taking the place of elaborate coffins and accessories. You need to awaken each day and thank God you are alive and make a commitment to do His will “all day long” as you understand it. You aren’t working your way into Heaven for Jesus bought that for us by dying on a cross in obedience to His Father. Unless you understand He was dying for you personally [paying for all the sins you have committed or might still commit] you don’t have a snowballs chance of becoming born again. When you and I arrive in Heaven that is the common denominator, we are all born again.
Some have accomplished a lot for the Lord as the Holy Spirit came upon them empowering them to do the “works” God prepared before hand for them. My favorite verse in all the Bible is Ephesians 2:10. Why don’t you look it up and see why. I would bet you will use it before long as you want to thank God for sending Jesus to the cross for you. If you don’t, please write to me ASAP for you have a big problem. Not only that, but you are depriving yourself of God’s Joy. Did you know He said, “I want my joy to be your joy.” Consider JOY as pay for obedience!
God isn’t nice and it’s for our good that He isn’t. Once we are all living in Heaven with Him then we will see His “nice side”. Right now like a great football coach who is turning boys into men they aren’t nice either. They are demanding of the players to give their best and second best in never acceptable. Are you willing to give you best to God in what ever you do everyday? If you aren’t, please tell me why.
When I operated a deep sea fishing business with my wife and mom I never gave less than my best to it. I couldn’t have lived with myself for I had dedicated myself to the Lord before I ever reached the pier. I wasn’t any where as gifted as some of the other captains who also took large groups into the gulf day after day but I was as successful catching fish for my party. I was so dependent upon Jesus He would get the fish ready for me. One day I had a large church group of over 70 aboard and they wanted to have a fish fry at their church when they returned. As I lay in my bed the night before the trip I asked the Lord to help me. He gave me the loran coordinates as to where I was to take them.
Arriving at the spot the water was full of fish and within a few hours the large fish boxes were packed. I was also able to anchor on the place making my day an easy and “great day “ in the Lord. I gave Him my best and He gave me His. The fish weren’t huge but they caught them two at a time. It was a beautiful thing to see. God is so Good, but not nice. I hope you know Him personally but if you don’t please write to me or find me somewhere and I will introduce you to Jesus. He loves you more than I could ever tell you and wants to tell you Himself. Will you allow Him today?
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler,
captben61@gmail.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Follow That Blog! http://captben61.blogspot.com/
Let me explain this for you. God loves us with an unconditional love but not one that allows us to live in disobedience. He sees this as rebellion and since He is preparing a family for eternity and they will be like Him not like the devil. Please read First John 3 and you should see it for yourself. Those who sin “regularly” are not God’s kids, He said that, I didn’t. If He was “nice” He would overlook a lot of what we can “little” or small sins. Let me assure you He doesn’t overlook any sin and not only that all of them are recorded for Judgment Day. If you are not born again you are walking on the thinnest ice in the world.
Folks are dying constantly. I haven’t seen where any funeral homes are going out of business. Many are making less money due to cremations taking the place of elaborate coffins and accessories. You need to awaken each day and thank God you are alive and make a commitment to do His will “all day long” as you understand it. You aren’t working your way into Heaven for Jesus bought that for us by dying on a cross in obedience to His Father. Unless you understand He was dying for you personally [paying for all the sins you have committed or might still commit] you don’t have a snowballs chance of becoming born again. When you and I arrive in Heaven that is the common denominator, we are all born again.
Some have accomplished a lot for the Lord as the Holy Spirit came upon them empowering them to do the “works” God prepared before hand for them. My favorite verse in all the Bible is Ephesians 2:10. Why don’t you look it up and see why. I would bet you will use it before long as you want to thank God for sending Jesus to the cross for you. If you don’t, please write to me ASAP for you have a big problem. Not only that, but you are depriving yourself of God’s Joy. Did you know He said, “I want my joy to be your joy.” Consider JOY as pay for obedience!
God isn’t nice and it’s for our good that He isn’t. Once we are all living in Heaven with Him then we will see His “nice side”. Right now like a great football coach who is turning boys into men they aren’t nice either. They are demanding of the players to give their best and second best in never acceptable. Are you willing to give you best to God in what ever you do everyday? If you aren’t, please tell me why.
When I operated a deep sea fishing business with my wife and mom I never gave less than my best to it. I couldn’t have lived with myself for I had dedicated myself to the Lord before I ever reached the pier. I wasn’t any where as gifted as some of the other captains who also took large groups into the gulf day after day but I was as successful catching fish for my party. I was so dependent upon Jesus He would get the fish ready for me. One day I had a large church group of over 70 aboard and they wanted to have a fish fry at their church when they returned. As I lay in my bed the night before the trip I asked the Lord to help me. He gave me the loran coordinates as to where I was to take them.
Arriving at the spot the water was full of fish and within a few hours the large fish boxes were packed. I was also able to anchor on the place making my day an easy and “great day “ in the Lord. I gave Him my best and He gave me His. The fish weren’t huge but they caught them two at a time. It was a beautiful thing to see. God is so Good, but not nice. I hope you know Him personally but if you don’t please write to me or find me somewhere and I will introduce you to Jesus. He loves you more than I could ever tell you and wants to tell you Himself. Will you allow Him today?
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler,
captben61@gmail.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Follow That Blog! http://captben61.blogspot.com/
Monday, November 2, 2009
WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?
Jesus was amazed when his disciples awakened Him from sleep as their small boat began to fill up with water. They were experienced fishermen and knew before long they were going to have the boat sink from under them. As a modern day boat captain even with all the modern life saving equipment aboard our vessels sinking isn’t something I would look forward to experiencing. For one they had no life jackets and maybe weren’t that strong of swimmers especially in the stormy waters they were battling. I can see them bailing water as fast as they can but not gaining at all.
Jesus seemed surprised that they were so afraid for He had been with them for some time now and they already knew He was someone very special. But why didn’t He wake up and realize the grave danger facing them? The answer might surprise you, Jesus is Almighty God in the flesh. Yes He is Emmanuel, God with us. Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that her son would be called Emmanuel or God with us. She was the only one who knew for sure when she delivered Jesus that she was still a virgin. Joseph had been told she was, and to his credit, he treated her as one, even when she turned up pregnant. We who are born again know by experience that Jesus is God for He lives in us. This is what born again means.
When Jesus spoke to the wind it stopped immediately and the sea became calm leaving his crew of disciples stunned. “Who is this that can calm the wind and waves with a word” was their open statement to each other. I can see some standing there looking like a deer in the headlights for they still didn’t know. This is true today for many Christians. They go to worship services and duly place money in the offerings not really knowing that Jesus is God. I’ve heard many call Him, “The man upstairs“ or some other name that reveals they don’t have a clue. If you know Jesus is God I hope you are not offending Him by living a life of fear.
Fear is a spirit and not one you and I should welcome but resist in the Name of Jesus and watch it go. This message is to help you gain the confidence to use the Name of Jesus as the evil spirits are about to make inroads in the church. We are already into a severe downturn in the economy and with the polices being followed by the current administration it will continue to go down. Now this doesn’t mean it will effect us in a negative way for God has made some awesome promises to His children. Please read John 1:12 to see who His kids happen to be. This is a necessity for all of us so do it!
One of the things my wife and I learned about 30 years ago is that it is more blessed to give than to receive. When we lined up with the Word of God our life was far more enjoyable. This doesn’t mean we didn’t work for we did and the 14-15 hour days took a toll on us but we were young “back then” and could do it. God didn’t tell us to give everything away but to make it available to the Holy Spirit. Looking back I have some memories that are absolutely priceless [no pun intended] when the gift was really not that much money. I just followed my heart and God did the rest.
Many are fearful now of being able to make their mortgages and to pay their other debts and it may look impossible but Jesus said, “Nothing is impossible with God.“ Our job is to believe Him. In Hebrews 11:6 we learn that, “Without faith it is impossible to please God for we must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Pay close attention to the word diligently. This means to spend time with Jesus asking the Holy Spirit to help you.
As you seek the Lord, know in your heart that He is on your side, because He is alive in you. This alone should relieve you of fear. You are not a mortal now, you are an immortal and can not die. Oh your body might stop working, as everyone’s does, but the real you is instantly alive forevermore with Jesus. “To be absent from the body is to be with the Lord.” “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints [true believers].”
I suspect most of us have more anxiety over the safety of our family than any other thing. Well if do, let’s commit them to the Lord each day and trust Him to guard them with His angels. Danger lurks everywhere but so does our Omnipresent God.
Coming to understand who you are in Christ is the real secret of living in the gift of God’s Peace or Shalom. It is ours as we accept it. Like someone offering you a gift it isn’t yours until you take it into your possession. Will you take Jesus now as your Lord? He isn’t anyone’s Savior until He is the Lord of their life, trust me in this. I know from my own experience it is true and so do millions more. If you need more please ask. I have many messages that can help you.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
http://captben61.blogspot.com/
To follow all blogs, go to http://captben61.blogspot.com/ and "Become a Follower" by clicking the orange Blog icon. You can also be a feed subscriber! Let your computer find the blogs for you and publish in a "reader. Check out the Posts by Atom at the bottom of the page to sign up today.
Tell your friends and family about this site. God bless you! ~ Webmaster.
Jesus seemed surprised that they were so afraid for He had been with them for some time now and they already knew He was someone very special. But why didn’t He wake up and realize the grave danger facing them? The answer might surprise you, Jesus is Almighty God in the flesh. Yes He is Emmanuel, God with us. Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that her son would be called Emmanuel or God with us. She was the only one who knew for sure when she delivered Jesus that she was still a virgin. Joseph had been told she was, and to his credit, he treated her as one, even when she turned up pregnant. We who are born again know by experience that Jesus is God for He lives in us. This is what born again means.
When Jesus spoke to the wind it stopped immediately and the sea became calm leaving his crew of disciples stunned. “Who is this that can calm the wind and waves with a word” was their open statement to each other. I can see some standing there looking like a deer in the headlights for they still didn’t know. This is true today for many Christians. They go to worship services and duly place money in the offerings not really knowing that Jesus is God. I’ve heard many call Him, “The man upstairs“ or some other name that reveals they don’t have a clue. If you know Jesus is God I hope you are not offending Him by living a life of fear.
Fear is a spirit and not one you and I should welcome but resist in the Name of Jesus and watch it go. This message is to help you gain the confidence to use the Name of Jesus as the evil spirits are about to make inroads in the church. We are already into a severe downturn in the economy and with the polices being followed by the current administration it will continue to go down. Now this doesn’t mean it will effect us in a negative way for God has made some awesome promises to His children. Please read John 1:12 to see who His kids happen to be. This is a necessity for all of us so do it!
One of the things my wife and I learned about 30 years ago is that it is more blessed to give than to receive. When we lined up with the Word of God our life was far more enjoyable. This doesn’t mean we didn’t work for we did and the 14-15 hour days took a toll on us but we were young “back then” and could do it. God didn’t tell us to give everything away but to make it available to the Holy Spirit. Looking back I have some memories that are absolutely priceless [no pun intended] when the gift was really not that much money. I just followed my heart and God did the rest.
Many are fearful now of being able to make their mortgages and to pay their other debts and it may look impossible but Jesus said, “Nothing is impossible with God.“ Our job is to believe Him. In Hebrews 11:6 we learn that, “Without faith it is impossible to please God for we must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Pay close attention to the word diligently. This means to spend time with Jesus asking the Holy Spirit to help you.
As you seek the Lord, know in your heart that He is on your side, because He is alive in you. This alone should relieve you of fear. You are not a mortal now, you are an immortal and can not die. Oh your body might stop working, as everyone’s does, but the real you is instantly alive forevermore with Jesus. “To be absent from the body is to be with the Lord.” “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints [true believers].”
I suspect most of us have more anxiety over the safety of our family than any other thing. Well if do, let’s commit them to the Lord each day and trust Him to guard them with His angels. Danger lurks everywhere but so does our Omnipresent God.
Coming to understand who you are in Christ is the real secret of living in the gift of God’s Peace or Shalom. It is ours as we accept it. Like someone offering you a gift it isn’t yours until you take it into your possession. Will you take Jesus now as your Lord? He isn’t anyone’s Savior until He is the Lord of their life, trust me in this. I know from my own experience it is true and so do millions more. If you need more please ask. I have many messages that can help you.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
http://captben61.blogspot.com/
To follow all blogs, go to http://captben61.blogspot.com/ and "Become a Follower" by clicking the orange Blog icon. You can also be a feed subscriber! Let your computer find the blogs for you and publish in a "reader. Check out the Posts by Atom at the bottom of the page to sign up today.
Tell your friends and family about this site. God bless you! ~ Webmaster.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)