The Tax Collector from Jericho

The Tax Collector from Jericho

By Michael Houke

There was once a man named Zacchaeus, who was a Chief Tax Collector, from a town called Jericho and he was rich. Zacchaeus for some reason wanted to see Jesus up close and he was determined to do this. 


But why, He was a sinner, who cheated people out of money. Whatever was driving Zacchaeus he had it bad, bad enough to climb up in a sycamore tree to make sure he would see Jesus (Zacchaeus was a man of short stature and otherwise would not get a good view of the Messiah).

Well there was Zacchaeus perched high in the sycamore tree, watching and waiting for his chance at a glimpse of the Messiah, but why? Zacchaeus apparently had a genuine spiritual thirst come over him. What other explanation could there be? Then Jesus tells him to come down, that He, Jesus, was going to his house that day.


I wonder if Zacchaeus broke any speed records in his decent from the tree? Then as if to ruin the moment someone complains, “Jesus has gone to be a guest of a man who is a sinner”. Zacchaeus must have heard it, for he stops and proclaims to Jesus “behold Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I cheated anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much”. This was proof that a spiritual conversion had taken place in Zacchaeus’ soul.


Conviction replaced selfishness. He realized he was a sinner and without hesitation his heart was cleansed and a complete change of priorities overcame him. Jesus confirms this by saying “Today salvation has come to this house”.

At some point that day Zacchaeus had a genuine conversion. I wonder if it was while he was in the tree, on his way down, or did it occur before hand? Not that it matters as long as he was converted, then when doesn’t really matter.

Another unshakeable truth about the Messiah was His ability to draw sinners to Him, for they knew Jesus had the solution to their problem. On this particular day it was Zacchaeus. 

God Bless All
Michael Houke


May we thirst for the Lord and repent of sin and guilt!! May the Lords Salvation Reach every house in Jesus Name! Mine and Yours on this particular day! Glory be to Jesus !! Amen!! Thanks Michael Houke!


Glory Be To Jesus! Amen!!

Become Jesus perfect bride, let Him mold you and make you.

Jacquelynn Edwards’s Words of Inspiration

Please try to remember not to cry "Your judging me" to christians who are trying to help you right your wrongs.

Instead cry "You are just as our Lord is just. Thank you for helping me to recognize my transgressions while I have the chance to repent."

So many people mistake being reproved with love for being unjust or judgemental.

We are not saved by our works but by our faith however faith without works is dead and visa versa.

Please one-another because living for Christ means more then just taking his blood upon us, Except discipline, and instruction becuase it is good in the Lords sight and you will gain from it.

Just because we have a new testiment and a gospel now does not make the rest of the bible nole and void.

No its not necessary to go to the extremes on things that were changed by God himself, such as what we can and can not eat. But we do need to follow instructions of the heart conditions talked about as God never changed those. In-fact He tightened the reigns a bit on them.

Instead of writting a divorce certificate for instance now you must stay together and work out your marriage and be totally repentent. Its very important that you listen when christians come to you and tell you you are sinning. You need to ask for forgiveness. You need to repent. Jesus loves you, He died for you.

And remember that everytime we sin we send Him to die on that cross once again.

Its a free gift, and we don't have to work for it, but we must try to show our appreciation for that gift. Why?

Because we are not selfish people who no longer need to worry about how we act. NO now we are training so to speak to become the perfect bride for christ.

And I most say that being a bride here in this time to my husband is not an easy task. But with the love of God and his reproof, I am slowing maturing into the wife my husband longs for. And this is where we need to recognize our place here. We are not here to be glorified. We are not here so that we can have the things we want.

We are here so that Jesus can be glorified.

Everything you are everything there is, its all for the Glory of our great God and King. Its right to try to do right. Not sinning is possible Jesus did it. And justifying our own sins will not work. Jesus died to justify them.

Blaming satan everytime you sin is not right you were born a man, and since adam fell you are now a sinner. Naturally born sinner. And you need to recognize that it is time to repent.

Take criticism or else say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing.

Correction is good. Not taking wise instruction especially Godly instruction make you rebellious. May God be with you and refine you. and may you be accepting of the angels He has sent to you to help you become the perfect bride for Him with their wise reproofs.

Become Jesus perfect bride, let Him mold you and make you in Jesus Name! Amen

See you in heaven. I love you all, my fellow Christians.

Glory Be to Jesus! Amen!

Image Courtesy-Lori Blethen Wildflowers

Our Eternal Home: The New Jerusalem

Our Eternal Home: The New Jerusalem

By Michael Houke


For those of us who feel that we have not much to look forward to at the present, or for those who need something to pick you up, or for those who want something to bring a smile upon their face, here is a glimpse of our future home. If this doesn’t re-charge your batteries then you are already dead.


Reason to smile #1
She will be like a most precious stone, like jasper and as clear as Chrystal.

Reason to smile # 2
She will have a wall with twelve gates and twelve angels at them and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on them.

Reason to smile #3
The City will be cubed with three gates on each side.

Reason to smile #4
The wall of the city will have twelve foundations and the names of the twelve apostles will be written on them.

Reason to smile #5
The city will be 1,500 miles square. Roughly, the area from the east coast of the United States, to the Mississippi River, and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. On top of that it will be 1,500 miles high. This will be a huge city fully capable of housing comfortably billions of saints. 

Reason to smile #6
The walls will be 200 feet thick. The walls and gates will be made of precious stones, with streets paved with gold.

Reason to smile #7
It will have no temple, for God and the Lamb will be our temple.

Reason to smile #8
It will have no sun or moon, for the glory of God will illuminate it.

Reason to smile #9
The gates shall not be shut, yet nothing evil can enter through them, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Reason to smile #10
It will have a river that runs through it, as clear as Chrystal.

Reason to smile # 11
There will be trees in the city bearing fruit on either side of the river.

Reason to smile # 12
There will be no more curse.

Reason to smile #13
We shall see God’s Face.

Reason to smile # 14
There will be no more evil or sin.

Reason to smile # 15
There will be no more death, no more pain, no more mourning and no more tears.

Reason to smile #16
The Lamb will finally lay down with the Lion.

Reason to smile#17
We will be spending eternity with our Father and His Son, our Savior, in this beautiful mansion!!

There, now your batteries should be fully charged and you should be smiling about right now and you better be happy about it, because it doesn’t get any better than this. 

God Bless
Each and every Saint past, present, and future.


Glory Be To JESUS! Amen!

To Discredit the Savior

To Discredit the Savior

By Michael Houke

Jesus was doing incredible miracles for all to observe, therefore His serventhood was undeniable. This created a huge problem for the scribes. They had to discredited these miracles and acknowledge them at the same time. So, they declared that Jesus was possessed by Beelzebul, and that he cast out demons by the ruler of demons. 

This was slander and the scribes knew it but it was they could come up with on such short notice in their desperation to discredited Jesus. They actually thought they had knocked out two stones with one punch and at the same time implying that Jesus was in a league with Satan himself. Nice try but no cigar.

You see, Jesus knew what the scribes were thinking and takes the initiative and addresses the scribes in parables. Jesus said to them, “how can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” Jesus’ logic was beyond debate, the Scribes claims were ridiculous. Then Jesus turned to them and added “and if Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast out demons?” The scribes were once again defeated if not soundly crushed by the Messiah. 

Jesus always knew what the scribes and Pharisees were thinking and he was always one step ahead of them and completely victorious over them in every encounter He had with them. What is so ironic about this is that for some time these religious leaders were plotting and planning to kill Jesus, It never occurred to them that the very man they were plotting to kill raised people from the dead. If Jesus had the power to raise people from the grave, just how did they plan to stop Him from raising Himself from the grave? Fools never learn. Crucifixions and 2,000 pound stones are no match for the Savior!

God Bless

Michael Houke

And Glory Be To Jesus! Amen! In Jesus Name! Amen!