God's Roadmap

Now may the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, who loved us and in his wonderful grace gave us eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail, encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in his eyes (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 TPT).


Saturday, August 29, 2020

How to Stay Thankful in an Ungrateful Society

 by Barbara Latta

One of the signs of the end times is unthankfulness (2 Timothy 3:2). All one has to do is see a news
report for a few minutes to know ingratitude and rudeness are prevalent in our society. The spirit that permeates the air reeks of self-promotion and greed. Intelligence and technology have become a god and the “gimme” attitude has its hand out for more at the expense of others.

The Bible says in Romans 1:21, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

This verse is part of Paul’s letter to the Romans explaining how people really know there is a God even when they don’t admit it. But because they continue to refuse Him their hearts become hard and they can no longer hear any conviction. Eventually, they become totally reprobate and without hope.

After all, when a person totally ignores the unction of the Holy Spirit and make themselves or their intelligence a god, why should they thank anyone else? There is no one to be accountable to so in their minds any behavior is acceptable. It is hard to understand how some people cannot discern the evil practices of leaders, politicians and celebrities but it is because they are blind to the truth. 

Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them (2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV).

With blasphemy, violence and hateful words surrounding our world, how can we stay thankful in this ungrateful society?

  • Meditate continually in the Word of God
  • Confess His Word over ourselves and our situations.
  • Acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in our lives
  • Glorify Him during all events of life because He is always the solution


If we find ways to give thanks daily for things we sometimes forget are blessings, we will have a heart filled with gratitude.

What about the color of the rainbow, fall leaves, or spring flowers? God could have made everything black, white, and gray and we wouldn’t have known the difference. But He chose to give us enjoyment with the variety of colors for our eyes to feast upon.

Have you ever been thankful for a child’s giggle or grubby little hands bringing you flowers, the blue sky, bright sunshine, or the smell of bread baking in the kitchen?

Can you breathe, walk, talk, hear, see, or move about? Even if you can’t do some of those things, God loves you and that is the main thing to be thankful for. Thank Him for giving His Son Jesus to redeem you from sin and giving His Word to help you overcome the difficulties you may have.

God wants us to have a thankful heart because in doing so we are submitting to Him. A soft heart can hear His voice and we in turn can spread that voice to the world.

What are you thankful for today? Share your thoughts.

How to stay thankful in an ungrateful society (click to tweet)

 

Saturday, August 15, 2020

What are the Keys to the Kingdom of God?

 by Barbara Latta

People are searching for comfort. In our chaotic world, peace eludes as fear escalates. We can find solace in God and God alone. His Word tells us how to enter and benefit from the promises that overcome all obstacles.

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples who they say He is.

Keys to the kingdom of God

Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16 NKJV).

Jesus then tells Peter “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (V.17-19).

Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven to those who would believe.

But have you ever wondered what they are?

Before a person can enjoy the benefits of living in a kingdom, they must be a resident or member of the kingdom. To enter the kingdom of God one must receive the sacrifice of Christ as payment for sin. Then that person is translated into the family of God.

Jesus didn’t list the keys of the kingdom for His followers, but we can gather what He meant by other teaching He did.

Salvation

This is the main key that opens the door to God’s kingdom.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

Humility

Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4-5).

We can’t put our trust in Christ for salvation without humbling ourselves before Him to make the confession that He is Lord.

Authority

In Matthew 16: 17-19 stated above, Jesus gives them authority over Hades. Whatever we bind or loose on earth is bound and loosed by the power of heaven. Satan cannot prevail over the Church when we use the authority Jesus gave us.

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15).

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

Healing

Jesus sent His disciples out to other cities and gave them authority to heal the sick and cast out demons.

And heal the sick there, and say to them; “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (Luke 10:9).

Knowledge

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered” (Luke 11:52).

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes the deep things of God (2 Corinthians 2:10).

We cannot operate in the kingdom without knowledge of His Word.

His Physical Kingdom

When Christ sets up His kingdom on the earth, He will have a physical kingdom. But until that time comes, His kingdom operates in believers.

“For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).

 (When talking to Pilate) Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:37).

I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth (Zechariah 8:3)

If you are worried and fearful because of stressful events in our world, the God of peace wishes to give you hope. If you do not know Him, you can enter His kingdom simply by receiving the keys He extends. 

If you are already a believer, can you list more keys to God's kingdom that Christ gave us? Feel free to share your thoughts.

What are the keys to the kingdom of God Jesus gave to Hisfollowers? (click to tweet)

 

 

 

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Wisdom from the Word of God

 by Barbara Latta

This week I am sharing some memes that I hope will inspire you to seek God and hear His voice. In our chaotic world, we need to focus on God's Word more than opinions, news feeds, social media rants or politics. 

Feel free to download and share, but please leave my watermark intact. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts or any scriptures that are helping you today.