Living in the Last Hour

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Is the honeymoon over?

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Irm

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God made Abraham some great promises, then He asked him to sacrifice his son.

Genesis 12:1-3
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you,
And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Genesis 22:17
“Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love–Isaac–and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

Yes, Jesus loves us. He wants everyone to be saved – He wants none to perish. But ultimately, the goal is for us to be transformed into His image. And that can be a painful process. If we learn one thing during this process – it’s that God’s grace is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. God is holy. Are we to be any less?

Living the Christian life is not a honeymoon. As in a marriage the honeymoon phase, when it seems everything will always be this good, wears off.

God is rich in His faithfulness and His promises, but one day – all is going good – then wham! trials and tribulations set in. And we are hard-pressed to understand why. How could a loving God allow such tragedy, heartache, pain and suffering? We ask, “Why Lord? What have I done to offend You…?

Was it not God who built this house? Shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. The Lord is the great God… King above all gods.

A people who go astray in their hearts do not know My ways, says the Lord”. It is the Lord that searches the heart. It’s what comes out of a man that defiles him. Gird up the loins of your mind. The gospel is veiled to those that are perishing. That’s not us. It’s not the outward appearance that counts most, yet somehow we think otherwise. Let’s walk in our own home with a perfect heart. Let’s not think to highly of ourselves.

Let the mind be set on things above. Put to death the carnal thoughts and behaviors. As the elect of God – there is neither Greek, nor Jew. Let us set our minds on the things of the Spirit. The heart unleashes only evil thoughts. For each is tempted by his own desires. Where do fights and wars come from? Our own covetousness – our own selfish desires.

Make no provision for the flesh.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139: 23-24

Think on these things and the God of peace will be with you.

Scriptures:
Hebrews 3:4; Psalm 95:1; Psalm 95:3; Psalm 95:10; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Mark 7:15-16; 2 Cor. 10:7; 2 Cor. 3-4; 1 Peter 1: 13-16; Psalm 101:2; Romans 12:2-3; Col. 3:5,5,1-12; Romans 8; Mark 7:21-22; James 1:12-15: James 4:1; Romans 13:14; Phil. 4:8

“I had a professor one time… He said, ‘Class, you will forget almost everything I will teach you in here, so please remember this: that God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He has been speaking through asses ever since. So, if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And, if on meeting someone, right away you recognize what they are, listen to them anyway’.” 
― Rich Mullins
“Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very life, that it won’t also cost you yours.” 
― Rich Mullins
Thanks for reading. Be blessed.

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Hello,

I’m Irma

Welcome to my little corner of the blog world. Here, I share my thoughts on Christianity, the things of God, and the ways He has shaped and guided my path through life. My journey with the Lord has been long and transformative, marked by moments of peace and joy and periods of uncertainty. I write, first and foremost, for myself—to process what the Lord so graciously reveals to me in Scripture. Sharing some of these truths has become a mission of sorts, via blogging. His word urges us to bear witness and encourage one another.

As I reflect on my own transformation, I can say that the church itself has transformed over the years and not necessarily for the good. I speak about my own experiences with the church. One lesson the Lord impressed upon me this year is that “truth is not always truth.” What do I mean by that? There have been times when I’ve shared a biblical insight, only to realize that other faithful believers interpret the same passage differently. In that instance, I find that the Lord reveals according to our understanding. When I share the need for a Damascus experience understandings diverged sharply. Believers that have been raised in the church do not feel that such an extreme experience is necessary for spiritual maturity. Our faith is truly shaped by our backgrounds. Spiritual journeys are not for everyone. This taught me that early socialization deeply colors our grasp of faith; what’s true for me may not resonate in the same way for someone else.

Similarly, lately I considered how “ignorance of Scripture was its own blessing,” I remembered my early walk with Christ. I had a blind faith. I knew little of doctrine or debate. I trusted the pastor. In those days, my faith and trust in the church and church leaders was simple—I accepted what was taught from the pulpit without questioning. I did not have the knowledge needed to question any teaching. There was a peace in not knowing all the controversies or complexities. As I grew and studied the scriptures, and did some additional research, as the Lord gave understanding, I found myself questioning everything I had been taught. I did not question my faith, or the existence of God. That ignorance, while limiting, protected me from confusion and doubt, allowing me to rest in childlike faith.

The church itself has seen many changes over the decades. Self-proclaimed prophets have introduced new doctrines, some bordering on heresy, while believers wrestle with their flesh and what it means to follow Christ in a society with so many freedoms. I remember a time, more than thirty years ago, when I trusted every word spoken in church. Now, I understand how easy it is to accept teachings that stray from biblical truth. The Scriptures warned us this would happen in the last days.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NKJV) “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Current events—like the 2024 Election—have exposed deep flaws in American Christianity. Yet, through it all, Scripture assures me that God is sovereign. No wall built by human hands can withstand His judgment; no scheme crafted in darkness escapes His light. These lessons have become more real to me as I look back over my journals, filled with stories of God’s faithfulness during trials, tribulations and abundant grace. By sharing I hope those the Lord leads here will desire to seek God wholeheartedly, to find comfort knowing that He is always at work in our lives—often in ways we never considered.

Check out my books on Amazon for the Kindle App or in print.

Check out my latest title: Where are my Sheep? Available in Print & Kindle

The Diary of A Christian Woman

A Father Takes All: Four Generations of Growing up in Single Mother Homes – Grace Abounds

I Will Not Be Afraid: Living in the last Hour – Reflections of a Christian Woman

The Journey Endured: The Path to Meet God

Praise the God of the heavens!