YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE POOR AMONG YOU!

MARK 14: 7

'YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE POOR AMONG YOU, and you can help them whenever you want to. You will not always have me, the Lord among you!"

Why are there so many poor people all over the world? It is in our hearts to help solve the problem of poverty, yet no matter how much we do or how much we give, poverty never ends!

With all the wealth, knowledge and resources we have, there are still so many poor among us!

Some countries are filled with poor, hungry and diseased people, why? Even in America, the land of plenty, there are always a small percentage of people who live at the poverty level, why? The One Truth Today has an answer to our questions. The Word of God tells us that we YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE POOR AMONG YOU! It informs us that "you can help them whenever you want to". The more important part of the message is that the Lord will not always be walking among His people. You can never be poor in Spirit if you accept the Lord into your life, even though you may be living in poverty.

The Lord wants us to help the poor among us whenever we can and whenever we want to. As believer's in Jesus Christ and His Word, we should feel compassion and want to give to those who are less fortunate then ourselves. We need to share our blessings with those in need. We are told that the believer's will never go hungry or without the blessings of God. It is apparent that those who serve the Lord God have been blessed by their relationship. It is also apparent that those who reject the Lord and serve idols and false gods seem to have a greater degree of poverty, sickness and disease, throughout the world. Having the Lord among the people is more important than their possessions and financial status. Without the Lord their is a poverty of Spirit that manifests itself in being poor, as well as poor in Spirit.

Whenever we give even a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty, we are doing it for the Lord, who is the only one who can quench thirst. Whenever we give a loaf of bread to the poor, we are directing them to the "Bread of Life", which only the Lord can supply. Whenever we give clothing to someone who is naked, we are leading them to the Lord who can cloth them in righteousness. Whenever we carry a burden for someone who is overwhelmed, we are showing them how to lay their burdens down at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ. When we visit the sick we are leading them to the only physician that can heal them and make them whole again!

When we visit those in prison, we are leading them to the only one who can set them free, eternally. In short we all need the Lord to find life. YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE POOR AMONG YOU!

THE END OF TIME!

MARK 13: 24-25

"At THE END OF TIME, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light,

the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken!"

How will we know when it is THE END OF TIME for the earth? It seems everyone from the time of Jesus until the present day want to know when the world will end. What will the signs be that will foretell the end of time? There are many scriptures that address this important issue, and the One Truth Today is clear and unambiguous. The Word of God tells us that the following signs will occur before the end comes. The sun will be darkened. The moon will give no light. The stars will fall from the sky. The powers of the heaven will be shaken. Therefore, unless you see these specific signs, you can be assured that the end of the world is not here! The rebirth of Israel is not the final sign. Earthquakes in diverse places is not the final sign. Terrible plagues and illnesses are not the final sign. The world being like as in the days of Noah is not the final sign. Mark tells us specifically in this scripture when the end of time will come!

After the days of affliction, oppression and distress, known as the tribulation, the world will see the signs of THE END OF TIME. Just before the the end, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, will be seen by those remaining on the earth. Jesus Christ will come in the clouds with great power and the heavenly hosts. It is then that the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, and the stars will fall from the sky. The powers of heaven will be shaken. Do you think that anyone will be able to mistake or question that the end of the world is at hand and occurring?

Will you be there? Will you have accepted the free gift of eternal life from the Lord and thus not be concerned about THE END OF TIME?

Jesus Christ the Lord God has told us everything in His Word, and beforehand. You should not be able to be lead astray by anyone! If anyone tells you that they know when the end of the world will come, do not believe them, they are false prophets. No one knows the time, no one!

Many false prophets have and will arise from time to time and they are all trying to lead you astray. What they preach has lead many to pain and suffering and even death needlessly. Be on guard and do not be deceived. Many things have to happen before the Lord returns, but the last signs are unmistakable. The most important thing to remember is that as a child of God you will be saved from death and your eternal life will never end. THE END OF TIME is nothing to fear if you have the Lord as your Saviour!

THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT!

MARK 12: 29-30

'THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT is this: The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. You must love the Lord your God with all heart, all your soul,

all your mind, and all your strength."

Today we have a slogan that tells us to "keep the first things first". The question is do we all actually do that? Do you know what the most important commandment of God is in your life?

Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all of your strength? The One Truth Today is to point out THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT!

The answer is clear and unambiguous. We must first recognize that Jesus Christ is the Lord God, and the only True God. There are no other gods that are real! Make sure you worship the One and only Lord. The Sun, Moon and Stars are not god. Any idol fashioned by man is not God! No human being can be God. No animal created by the Lord can be God! Jesus Christ, the Lord God is the one and only Lord!

When we keep the first thing first, we will also be keeping THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT! It should and will follow that you will Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and body. We will dedicate our lives to Jesus Christ and our world will revolve around Him. Our minds and faculties of understanding will be dedicated to learning more about the One and Only True God. We will come to the knowledge that our lives are "all about Him" and not about us. The reason that this is the most important commandment is that if you fail the first test then the rest of the commandments are never going to follow. Are you keeping the "first thing first"?

The beginning of wisdom is the Fear, Knowledge and Love of God. Without knowing and fearing the Lord and His power over your life, you have no wisdom and in fact could be considered a fool. Without taking the first step you are incapable of moving forward. You will never achieve wisdom and you will die in your ignorance. That is why the first commandment of God is THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT! If you never come to an understanding that Jesus Christ is the Lord God and the One and Only True God then He can never give you the gift of eternal life. When you come to a knowledge of the Truth then you will Love the Lord with your whole heart, you will surrender your soul to Him. You will serve the Lord with your entire mind and all of your strength. You will be keeping "the first thing first"!

FIRST FORGIVE!

MARK 11: 25

"When you are praying, FIRST FORGIVE anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in Heaven will forgive your sins too."

Are you holding a grudge against anyone right now? Have you forgiven your enemies as well as your friends, for any sin they may have committed against you? Our One Truth Today points out that if you want your prayers to be answered you will have to let go of any grudges you are holding against anyone and forgive those who have sinned against you! Do you have a problem with your mother or father, sister or brother, or any family member? Do you hold a grudge against your school, country, ethnic group or any other person or group of persons? When you carry a grudge, it is like carrying a big bag of smelly fertilizer on your back. It stinks and every one can smell it. Some carry multiple bags on their back and it overwhelms their life. Do a smell test right now on yourself. FIRST FORGIVE anyone you are holding a grudge against!

The Lord wants us to forgive anyone who has sinned against us, no matter what the reason. He wants you to leave your grudges behind and forgive those who have trespassed against you.

The reason is so simple, you have sinned against others and you want them to forgive you and not hold a grudge against you, so how can you do anything but what you desire from them?

Have you noticed that you are not perfect? How can you hold anyone else to a standard of perfection? If you are not willing to forgive and forget, then how can you expect the Lord God to forgive and forget your sins. More importantly, if you are praying to the Lord and you expect an answer, then you need to get rid of all grudges and FIRST FORGIVE anyone who has sinned against you. That way your Father in Heaven can forgive your sins also!

We all want our prayers to be answered. If your prayers are not being answered then the One Truth Today can give you insight as to one of the possible causes. Have you forgiven those who have sinned against you first? Have you laid your grudges and burdens down at the foot of the Cross of Jesus? Have you put away the smelly bags of fertilizer, or do you still want to carry them around with you and poke them once in while to make it stink some more? Have you forgiven your father and mother, sister and brothers and all others? It is time to let it go, and give it to Jesus! FIRST FORGIVE anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in Heaven can forgive your sins too!

YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!

PSALM 139: 1

"Lord, you have examined my heart, and YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!

Think about this, the Lord knows everything about you, everything! The Lord knows all of your thoughts, words and deeds. The Lord is with you every minute of your life, no matter where you go or what you do. He has even examined your heart and He knows everything about you. What you have whispered or even thought He has heard. What you hide in the dark, He sees in His light and there is nothing hidden from Him. There is a record of your entire life that is known to Him. It seems impossible for us to understand and comprehend, but it is the One Truth Today and the Word of God. Lord, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!

David, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us incite into the Omniscience of God.

In terms that we could relate today, the Lord has a DVD recording of our entire life. It begins before inception and ends with our death. The Lord sees everything from the beginning to the end, including our entire lives. The Lord never inflicts His will on our lives and we are free to make choices and to suffer the consequences. He has the record of your acceptance or rejection of His Salvation. He knows our hearts and whether we are sincere in our belief's or just mocking Him. Lord, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!

Where could you run or hide from such a God? You can run from yourself, but there is no where to hide! That brings to mind that "the beginning of wisdom is the Fear, Knowledge and Love of God". Have you opened the door to your heart and asked the Lord to come in and dwell with you? Do you believe that Jesus Christ can and has Saved you and given you eternal life? Have you repented of your sins and confessed them to receive the Lord's forgiveness?

Do you know, believe and live the commandments and laws of God? Is your path one that is straight and directly to the Lord? There is One that knows the answer to these and all the questions that could be asked of your life. LORD, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!

THE BEST LEADER IS THE BEST SERVANT!

MARK 10: 43

"Whoever wants to be a leader among you, must be your SERVANT. Whoever

wants to be first among you must be the SLAVE of every one else."

What qualities do you look for in your leader? What is it that makes one person a great leader and another ineffective? Who have you made your leader, and how do you determine your allegiance and support? Why do you cast your vote for one person and not another? The One Truth Today tells us clearly that anyone wanting to be our leader has to be our SERVANT! If you want to be first among us you will have to be our SLAVE! Are our leaders listening to us today, and are they servants to the people? THE BEST LEADER, IS THE BEST SERVANT! Are you prepared to be a servant and a slave to the people? That is what defines a great leader!

Many rulers and leaders of the past like to Lord it over the people and they flaunt and abuse their authority. In fact the more despotic and harsh the leader is the more likely it is that they will not be a servant to the people and they definitely will not be their slave. These terrible leaders consider the people their slaves and their servants and they are not above tuning out the will of the people. We all know what happens to this type of leader. They fall, and great is the fall thereof. As Christians we need to follow a different path and lead people in a different way. That includes our family and community and every aspect of our social lives. We know the Word of God and it says that THE BEST LEADER IS THE BEST SERVANT!

The world has a different idea about leadership and may try to force its will and authority without the consensus of those they govern. They use deception and guile to achieve their goals that are most often not in concert with the will of the people. We have a right and a duty to reject that type of leader and to choose another that conforms to the principals and laws of God. They will fail and the truth will find them out in due time. If we ever have the chance to lead or govern we must always remember the Word of God. We have to be willing to be the SLAVE of the people and we must be the BEST SERVANT to those we lead.

FOLLOW ME!

MARK 8: 34

"Jesus said, if you want to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways,

take up your cross and FOLLOW ME!"

What does it mean to FOLLOW ME? Do you have to give up thinking everything is about you?

Do you have to pay a price to follow rather than lead? Bottom line, is it required that there be less of you and more of the one you follow? Well here is the "Good News" of the One Truth Today. Jesus Christ the Lord God has said that He can Save you and give you Eternal Life if you take up your cross and FOLLOW ME! Have you turned from your selfish ways and responded to the Lord? Are you following in the footsteps of Jesus or are you pretending? Have you considered the cost of taking up the cross of the Lord? Is life still all about you or have you learned to deny your flesh and become a new spiritual person that Knows, Loves and Fears the Lord God!

If you are going to believe in and follow Jesus you are going to have to deny your self and your selfish interests. You have to put your sights upon the Lord and walk in a straight path toward Him and become more like Him every day. Lose sight of yourself and look more carefully at the Lord. Focus on the Cross of the Lord and what it cost God to Save you. If you want eternal life, with perfection in Heaven, there is only one way that you can achieve it. You will have to become a follower of Jesus Christ and take up your cross. You will have to deny your flesh in your temporary life here on earth to become a child of the Lord. How are you doing?

It is human nature to be selfish and believe that everything is all about us. When you realize that everything is not all about you and that it is all about the Lord, then you have hope. Now you can focus on the most important thing in your life, your relationship with Jesus. It takes an act of faith to give our entire life over to the Lord. As this scripture relates, if you want to follow Jesus Christ then you must turn from yourself and your selfish ways, take up your cross and FOLLOW ME! The Lord is not asking you to do something He was unwilling to do. He laid His life down for us and now He expects us to lay our lives down for Him. The best part is we do not lose anything, in fact we gain eternal life, peace and happiness. We gain everything by giving up everything. The Lord is calling everyone, can you hear Him saying FOLLOW ME!