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4. Time is Running Out

"Time is Running Out Fast"
By Brian McMichan

According to many reports there is an:

Emerging Global Food Shortage

Below is my Response (I use the Amplified Bible).

Time is Running Out

In our hurting and hurtful world, time is running out fast – God, our Father, is waiting for all people to call out, "Help me!" 

I know that He is waiting to hear our call …. I learned this in late 1989:

I had been in agonising pain for about nine months with back/body pain. The doctors wanted to operate on me .. they also advised me that I may end up a cripple.

So I went home, looked up and pleaded, "Help me!" Within 15 minutes, a friend arrived with a self-help book on pain treatment.

I thought, "WOW, that was quick!" I used the guides in the book for 3 days .... all pain disappeared, and I haven't had a twinge of pain since." – over 32 years.

I then asked, "What else do you have for me?" A few weeks later, I made my life commitment to Lord Jesus.

Soon after, I was taught the power of forgiveness. I asked God to remind me of anyone that I had not forgiven (I thought I had forgiven everyone).

He gave me a long list of names starting in my early childhood (including myself a few times).

One by one, I forgave them …. I have now made forgiveness a policy of my life, and I have not had even a headache or a cold since, nor do I need to wear spectacles.

• 2 Cor 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow {and} destruction of strongholds,
• 2 Cor 10:5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments {and} theories {and} reasonings and every proud {and} lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought {and} purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
• 2 Cor 10:6 Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission {and} obedience [as a church] are fully secured {and} complete.
• 1 Cor 15:57 … thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 John 4:4 Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated {and} overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
• 1 John 4:5 They proceed from the world {and} are of the world; therefore, it is out of the world [its whole economy morally considered] that they speak, and the world listens (pays attention) to them.
• 1 John 4:6 We are [children] of God. Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognise, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us; and he who is not of God does not listen {or} pay attention to us. By this, we know (recognise) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.
• 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know {and} understand God [to perceive and recognise and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].
• 1 John 4:8 He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.
• 1 John 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten {or} unique [Son], into the world so that we might live through Him.
• 1 John 4:10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.
• 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another.
• 1 John 4:12 No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!
• 1 John 4:13 By this we come to know (perceive, recognise, and understand) that we abide (live and remain) in Him and He in us: because He has given (imparted) to us of His [Holy] Spirit.
• 1 John 4:14 And [besides] we ourselves have seen (have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated) and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [as the] Saviour of the world.
• 1 John 4:15 Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.
• 1 John 4:16 And we know (understand, recognise, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells {and} continues in love dwells {and} continues in God, and God dwells {and} continues in him.
• 1 John 4:17 In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion {and} attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world.
• 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors {and} expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection].
• 1 John 4:19 We love {Him,} because He first loved us.
  
  

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of this world will go strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace"

In your time of trouble, He will deliver you; the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Father, You expressed Your love to me
by giving me this poem. It is a
poem to everyone on earth!

"Thank You, Father, for loving me and accepting me unconditionally.

You cared enough to give Your Son, and You give this love to me.

You do not ask that I strive and toil or seek a victory, 
 
You simply accept me as I am, and You give Your love to me.

All You ask is that I love You, and trust with all my heart,           

because You sent Your Spirit, to shield me and direct my path.

Thank You Father for always being there, to hear my praise or plea,

to listen to my every word. Thank You for loving me.

Thank You Father for loving me, I know on You I can rely, 

so I let your love envelop me, knowing You value me so high. 

And with Your love inside of me, to others I can pass on, 

that they too can know Your love, because You sent Your Son.

Thank You Father for loving me, and accepting me unconditionally.

You cared enough to give Your Son, and You give this love to me."

Received from my Father, a poem/prayer from Him and back to Him.                  Brian McMichan 1996

I highly recommend frequent, prayerful reading of 1 John...

John (the only Apostle to live to an old age), wrote his epistles shortly before Lord Jesus gave him Revelation, so he was truly and specially used by Lord Jesus and Father.

He has freed the captives! All can turn to Him and receive their freed spirit.

The world needs to know that God loved everyone so much that He gave His only begotten Son to free mankind from the burdens, influences, deceptions, and controls of this world's Prince.

Satan (the devil, Lucifer who encourages, tempts man to rely on self, others and possessions .. this is sin .. or separation from God Who loves us.)

Jesus' life on earth was sinless – He totally relied on God and was One with Him. His death was the sacrifice and full payment for all human sin … believe in Him and His payment, and you are freed!

• John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and deeply prized the world, that He even gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him (clings to, abides in) shall not perish, but have eternal life.

(This was not only for those living at the time of Christ Jesus' crucifixion but for whoever lives on earth up to the time of His return .... which, due to the horrible state of our world, relying on self, etc., may not be too far away). 

Christ Jesus' closing words at His crucifixion were, "It is finished!"  (John 19:30) … He had achieved what He advised was His purpose of being sent to earth … to spiritually free mankind and give spiritual sight! 

• (Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the (spiritual) captives and recovery of sight to the (spiritually) blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], To proclaim the accepted {and} acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favours of God profusely abound].).

As Paul said in (Gal 2:20)

• "I (my spirit) have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Jesus Who lives in me"

You, or anyone, can say that … all it takes is "whosoever believes" and takes the step of faith to be (spiritually) born again *** ... the benefits being...

• Rom 8:1 Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, {who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.}
• Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.
• Rom 8:3 For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice].

As God so greatly loved and deeply prized the world that He even gave His only begotten Son, His desire is that all people realise that spiritual freedom is available.

Father is aware of all people's circumstances and will "seek their attention" when a person comes to that "point" in life and the time is right. (It will likely be "When things are tough!"

Rather than keep seeking the world's solution, simply look up and plead, "Help me! You may even hear Him say, "Ah! I finally have your attention!"

In John 6:44 Christ Jesus said: "

• No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts {and} draws him {and} gives him the desire to come to Me,"

God, being a loving God, gives people a choice about turning to the Light! ... and often it is after many years of suffering before they look up and call out "Help me!"

All that is required is for anyone to turn from the darkness of the world to Jesus Christ, the Light, so they can realise that their spirits have been set free. God is waiting to hear your call – Simply call out, "Help me!"

Today, over 7 billion people are on earth, and most are still looking into the darkness.

So, as soon as any person understands that and believes and takes that step of faith, they become new spiritual creations and become a child of God and are cared for by Him.

*** This step of faith is available for anyone when they believe ....baptism .. be it in a river, a pond, a lake ... or even under a shower.

God knows their faith and sees them taking the step of faith! (The Greek word for baptism is "baptidzo", which literally means to "dip" or to "immerse".)

Brian McMichan   -  Queensland, Australia. 

Email: mcmichanco@aussiebroadband.com.au

Brian McMichan

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