My NEW podcast channel - CLICK HERE

Since 2014, I have written about my faith, shared what the Lord was speaking to and through me. Over time, this blog has helped me study my bible because I wanted to always glorify God and preach the truth. For those who have read my blog posts, my sincere hope is that you were blessed by what they read. I thank God that He crossed your path with my blog.

So now I am going to end my blog posts. For some time now I've praying and asking the Lord what the next step is. The next step is here. I announce on my blog that I will be recording my teachings via podcast. The podcast name is "The Rumble Reverend Podcast". I have already recorded several episodes and I would be very blessed if you subscribed to my podcast.
Here is the link to my podcast. << Click on the word "podcast" or click on the logo below. 

May the grace of the Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

Signing off, Brother Nicco

I wont die blue because I've known you, Jesus

Good morning! Its Pentecost! I took a walk this morning. I went to pray. I was listening to a song and the lyrics meant something totally different but in a God honoring way. I wrote it down. 

If I should die tonight,  though it be far before my time, I wont die blue because I have known You, Jesus. Oh how many eyes have seen their dreams? How many arms have felt their dream? How many hearts have felt their world stand still? Millions never, never never, and millions never will. 

But my eyes have seen the Lord and I have dreamt of this day. My arms have touched my dream whenever I've felt the presence of fhe Lord or embraced a fellow Christian. The Lord literally put the world at a stand still. 

I could die a happy man because I have known the One True Living God and His Son Jesus Christ and indwelled by His Holy Spirit. Conscience clear before Him. I have sought and found the answer to the question "What is the purpose of life on Earth?" The answer is: To find and know Jesus Christ and to be known by Him and be found in Jesus.

If youre not okay with suffering, Jesus isnt for you

If suffering for Christ is "not your bag" or "it doesnt spark your joy" then real Biblical Christianity is not for you. We are told over and over to be Christlike, right?

In other words, do as Jesus did. Are you greater than your Master? If He was aquainted with suffering, why would you be spared? David said that in his affliction  God's word comforted him. 

Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus to Calvary to die to your sins! If you have died with Christ, you will be resurrected with Him and you will also recieve your glorified body when Christ returns. 

The great and terrible day of the Lord, we who believe in the begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, we will not be ashamed and hide. We will stand and rejoice because our redemption has finally arrived. We have arrived to our promised end. 

Stamp eternity on your eyes because we are all headed to an eternal existence. One will be in the presence of God in paradise for ever and ever. On the other hand, those who rejected Jesus as Lord amd Savior, will get what they wanted. Life without God. 

For the Christians, this life on Earth will be the worst it will get for you. You died when you gave your life to Jesus, so the second death will not harm you. Your last breath on Earth, will be your first breath in eternity and forever in the presence of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. 

But for the non believer, this vain existence will be as good as it gets. Anything that is good, pleasant, beautiful and pure is from God. Take God out of your life and that is called Hell. That is where Satan, his fallen angels, death, and the children of Satan will go. A sinner will die in their sin in the first death, and the second death will utterly consume them with fire forever. 

I know this isn't a pleasant message. But with God, you take the good and harsh teachings. God corrects those whom He loves and takes in as a child. Suffering is not God's rejection,  its His acceptance and sonship. Thy rod and thy staff comfort me.

Leadership that serves and sacrifices is Biblical leadership

So I just read an article (www.itsgoodtobeaman.com - Servant leadership transforms leadership into subservice) where they say that "servant leadership" is bad and how we are not supposed to be slaves. But I disagree. I do agree a man is ordained to lead his wife and family and the man is responsible for his wife and family. 

A man serves by leading and not only that, but leading by example. A man is supposed to lead by sacrificing time, energy, sweat, tears, and in only pursing God. A husband, in particular, must lead his wife spiritually. "Follow me as I follow Christ". 

It's Sacrificial PLUS Servant Leader. They go hand in hand  and to say that servant leadership is form of feminism and a method the culture is trying to emasculate Christian men, is incorrect. If we are to be Christ-like, then Jesus was the most masculine man ever and He was a sacrificial servant leader. 

Jesus said in Matthew 20:28 that He did NOT come to be served, but to SERVE and give His life for the random of many. Are we not supposed to follow the example of Jesus? Isn't the master greater than the servant? 

So yes to servant leadership, but you have to include sacrificial leadership also because Jesus sacrificed Himself and He served others. Jesus said that anybody who desires to follow Him, must deny themselves and follow Him. 

When Jesus carried His cross, He carried the cross to go die sacrificially and servantly. Jesus humbled Himself to the will of the Father so that His sacrifice would atone for our sins. By serving, He demonstrated that He is in fact, God in the flesh. 

We are to follow the lead of our Lord Jesus. This article I read was way off. Jesus said that the greatest among you shall be your SERVANT. Paul wrote that husband's should love their wife's as Jesus loves the church. Jesus serves the church and sacrificed Himself for the church as He leads the church.

Jesus and Paul referenced and used the term "bondservant" as a way to illustrate the way a follower should be like; a person who is bound in service for no wages. Husbands, we are called to sacrificial, bondservant like Christ. 

But somehow we are above that and we shouldn't be a servant leader because someone thinks it's demeaning? I would argue that it's a place of honor. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in servitude and leadership. We should do the same! 

Sacrificial love hurts a lot because sacrificial love, loves BIG. It goes all in. It's the ultimate proof of love. Jesus said that the greatest love is one who gives his life for his friends. I am a friend of God. Are you? 

A Jesus who refuses to serve and doesn't call you to serve others like He did, is a false Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't call you to lead sacrificially as He did, is a false Jesus. A Jesus who refuses to sacrificially and servantly lead and doesn't call you to do both , is no Jesus anyone should follow. 

Divorce

God prefers reconciliation, mercy, love, forgiveness and healing. I encourage spouses to pray and ask the Lord if there is any way for reconciliation and healing in the marriage. The Lord's charge for marriages can be found in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 and it is written:

"But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife."

I believe the main problem with marriages that are on the brink of divorce is that the couple's priorities are wrong. In a Christian marriage, love for Christ is supposed to be paramount. In a Christian marriage on the brink of divorce, someone if not both have in some way lost their first love which should be Jesus Christ. But work, money, your spouse, your kids, etc now sits on the throne of our heart. 

To the men, what your wife desires the most from you is your undivided love and devotion. She wants to be the only woman in your life. She wants to be loved and protected by you. She wants to be able to trust you and not fear you. She wants to share her life with you. Yes, even if she doesn't show it, somewhere buried under that cold, hardened heart, is these desires. 

To the ladies, what your husband desires the most from you is your love and respect. Men feel loved when they are respected. I'm not saying to be a kiss up or worship the ground he walks on. But respect him because you love him. 

The solution is simple and will take practice. Not easy, but your marriage is so worth it. Husbands need to repent and love the Lord, then your wife. Wives repent and love the Lord, then love your husband. Love each other like the Lord has loved you. 

Husbands should be first in offering forgiveness and offering an apology. Follow the lead of the Lord. He first loved us. He initiated salvation. Even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Christ came to serve, not to be served. 

Wives if you feel to first apologize or forgivness to your husband, I encourage you to do it. Throughout the gospels, Jesus was quick to forgive anyone who would ask for it. Even on the cross, Jesus prayed for His enemies and asked God to forgive them. Be the suitable helper for your husband and allow him to lead the home. But be there to help him. 

If you read this far, you must want to really know how to be divorced and not be in sin. Pray and test the spirit and ensure that what I am instructing is from God.

So if you are at a place where there are irreconcilable differences, there are 3 ways of divorcing and not being in sin according to the Bible: 

1) Death (Genesis 2:24, Romans 7:2-3)

2) Infidelity (Matthew 5:32, 19:9)

3) Abandonment (1 Corinthians 7:10-15)

Now, in regards to abuse, I personally haven't read anything about it in the Bible. But the Bible commands the husband to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The husband is supposed to love and nurture his wife like he loves and nurtures his own body. Christ doesn't abuse His bride and the bride doesn't abuse Christ. 

Malachi 2:16 - “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her', says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'covers his garment with violence', says the Lord of hosts. 'So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

Ladies, just because a man is not supposed to hit a woman, that doesn't mean you are allowed to do it. Everyone keep their hands to themselves unless it's to give a hug in forgivness.

The command is to do everything we do to the glory of God. The command is to love others as you love yourself. Abusing your spouse is not Christ like and not loving. 

Marriage is supposed to be a type and a foreshadow of the relationship between our Lord Jesus and the bride church. That we need Jesus to help us to achieve that what His Spirit can only achieve.

Keep your priorities clear & simple...

1: Jesus

2: Your spouse

3: Your kids & family

4: Everyone else

Note: I recommend looking up the 

"5 love languages" and take the quiz to find out each other's love language. For example, I found out that my love language is "words of affirmation". My wife's love language is "acts of service". So I know now that if I want to show my wife that I love her, I can do so by doing some chores or take her out on a nice date and she will understand that as an act of love. She knows now that I need to hear her encouraging words. 

Be a good receiver of salvation

Many people believe they have put their faith in Jesus. But they also believe they have to earn salvation. God's gift of salvation is free to us because it cost the life and blood of Jesus Christ.

Here’s the good news: when Jesus was hanging on that cross, dying to save you, he did not use his dying words to say, “Earn this.” Do you know what he said instead? He said, “It is finished!” The work was completed at the cross.

Did you catch that? It is finished! That means done, complete, sealed, finished! That’s God’s gift of grace. Jesus has done all the work already. Jesus fulfilled the law that God had required mankind to live and Jesus died the death that was required of mankind.

 You couldn’t possibly earn salvation even if you tried with everything you had. Another piece of good news is that God never expected you or I to earn His gift of salvation. We just need to receive His gift.

Why you should stay a virgin until you get married

Some would say I am the last person who should try to comment on virginity and purity. But I beg to differ. Recently I was reading a post in a Christian forum on Reddit. The author asked what they should do because they were a virgin and they found out other Christians in his circle have been fornicating. 

Saving oneself for marriage, abstinence, purity and holiness is a work of love and long suffering. It is a work of the Holy Spirit. It's love towards God and towards the potential spouse. Virginity is a beautiful thing but the enemy makes it seem like it's a burden. That being a virgin is a bad thing. "Look! Everyone else is doing it!" the enemy will use your friends and use them to pressure to give away a priceless gift. 

I want to encourage those men and women who are choosing to wait to have sexual realtions until they are married to stand firm and be diligent. Sexual sin is disastrous and can hurt so many people. The wage of sexual sin is very costly. It can even cost you your life. 

Don't want to get STDs? No? 

Stay a virgin until marriage. 

Don't want to have an unplanned pregnancy? No?  

Stay a virgin until marriage. 

I know that it can be very hard to suppress urges and these feelings  because they are so new and so strong. But you must stay strong. It will be worth the wait. 

I also would encourage those who are choosing to be abstinent to not dable with pornography. There are studies that say that watching pornography habitually causes brain damage. It also changes the way you portray people. 

Porn addiction desensitizes you and hardens your heart. Sex, the act of making love, shouldn't be without sensitivity and shouldn't be done with a hardened heart. It's the most intimate you could ever be with someone else aside from your relationship with the Lord. 

Any kind of sexual contact outside of the context of marriage is a sin. In James 1:14-15, James the brother of Jesus said, "But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." 

Don't get carried away with your own lust. Protect what you see and hear. The enemy will use what you like to look at and what you like to hear in order to draw you into the temptation. Not even a little bit! Do not give the devil a foothold. 

It won't take much to make you fall. Ah, sexual sin, many are her victims she has cast down, numerous are those slain. Even mighty men. The likes of David, Samson, and Solomon just to name a few. 

Becareful about what you think. If you have a problem with having sexual thoughts and images, immediately bring it under submission to the knowledge of Christ. Pray, confess, repent and thank the Lord for pardoning you. Blessed is the man who's transgressions have been forgiven and whose sins are covered by the blood of Christ. 

With all this being said, this is why I have been qualified to speak on the subject. It's not because I was sexually pure before the Lord. On the contrary, I've been sexually immoral. I caved into peer pressure and lost my virginity when I was 17 years old. What I lost that day, I didn't understand how beautiful and special what I foolishly gave away. 

I can remember the first time I saw a pornographic image. I remember it vividly, like it happened yesterday. I was visiting my cousins and we were all playing outside. They had found a secret stash of Playboy magazines. I felt excited but also ashamed at the same time. I think I was about 7 years old. 

Sexual sin has created a weak point in my armor and the enemy attacks me through sex. I'm constantly bombarded with thoughts and images when I am awake and sometimes in my dreams when I am asleep. 

Staying abstinent and staying a virgin isn't a sign or weakness and worthless. No! It takes great strength to resist the devil and deny yourself natural urges and feelings. Your purity is extremely valuable. It's the most valuable thing you could give to your spouse, your self. 

See, people like me can't say that they stood strong. No. I am ashamed to report that I fell and I buckled under the pressure. I gave into the temptation and gave away my purity for the short thrill and short pleasure of a meaningless orgasm. 

I have paid handsomely for my sexual impurity. I'm now in my 40s and I'm still dealing with sexual temptation because I opened myself up to things that I wasn't ready for. I also didn't know how to handle sex. It needs to be entered into reverently and be extremely careful with. 

On the other hand, if you wait until you are married to have sex, you can say that you saved yourself for your spouse and that is an act of love! 

Virginity is beautiful! Most of all, it pleases the Lord if you obey Him by waiting until marriage to have sex. He is the rewarder of those who choose to live a righteous life. But I must warn you that those who live a righteous life will be persecuted. It will come at you as peer pressure, shame and ridicule. 

But you must stand firm. Know the word of God and write His word on the tablet of your heart so that you may not sin against Him. Stay a pure virgin because you love God and you want to stay pure for your spouse. 

Do the right thing, not what others are doing. Don't let sinners entice you to join them and endulge in their sin. Flee from sexual sin. Run for your life! It's dangerous and deadly. It's not worth the pain and suffering that follow it. 

Keep your "V" until the right time and with the right person. When the right time and right person arrive in your life, you can indulge yourself and not have to endure any kind of guilt or shame because you are doing what married couples are supposed to do. 

How to hear the voice of God

I was asked recently on Reddit how I can hear the voice of the Lord . It's simple and it starts via the Bible and prayer. I'm not the best to address this, but I'll give it a shot. 

There have been many times while praying and reading the Bible that God has spoken to me. A verse stands out. It will either correct, encourage or teach me. The verse will speak directly to a certain sin, a particular circumstance in my life or I'll receive understanding about the passage. 

Also, I've learned to recognize the still,small voice that is mentioned in1 Kings 19:12. That voice never goes against what God has said in the Bible. I've audibly heard a Bible verse that perfectly fits that particular situation. I've also received words of wisdom to give to people. Also, there have been times God spoke to me directly and I felt great fear and reverence. His voice is irresistible. You cannot say NO to His voice, you just say YES and you do whatever He says.

God's voice is different from my inner voice. I also can hear the enemy talking to me. These voices all have different agendas. My inner voice is all about me, what I want and what I am thinking. 

I've also learned how to recognize the voice of the enemy. The voice of the enemy by any means necessary is trying to make me do anything that isn't Jesus related.  The enemy tries to influence me and make excuses and compromises. The enemy is trying to stop me from praying, reading the Bible and living out what God has commanded. 

The voice of God always points me in the right direction, always tells me the truth and things that are not contrary to the word of God. To hear his voice I'd start by praying for discernment and to learn how to discern between the Lord's voice, your inner voice, and the enemies voice. Jesus said in John 10:27 that His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and they follow Him. In verse 28 is a wonderful promise as well. But I'll let you read it for yourself. 

3 tips to a better prayer life

I feel compelled to share something with you. May I give you 3 tips on a better prayer life? For the new believer, follow these steps so that you learn how to pray. For the seasoned believer, this should be a tune up and serve as a reminder. 

1) Set a time and place to pray. 

Always try to stay faithful to that time and place. Remember the enemy will do anything to stop you. 

2) Combine your prayer time with reading the Bible. Pray. Read. Pray. Repeat. The Bible will give you language to speak to God. Before you begin to read, ask God to speak to you through His word. As you're reading, if a verse stands out, pray about it. I'd also suggest highlighting or underlining the verse. Here is an example on how to pray a verse in the Bible. 

Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me." So I'd pray "Heavenly Father, your word says that I can do all things, not something's, but ALL things through Jesus Christ, who is my Lord and Savior. Lord, my strength comes from You. Thank you that I have your word and you cannot lie. In Jesus name, Amen."

3) Begin all your prayers with God and the pray inside-out or outside-in. This is also called praying in concentric circles. Imagine a circle with layers. At the center is the beginning of the circle. So to pray inside-out, begin by praying for yourself, then pray for your family, then your church etc. Or pray outside-in. Starting with praying for believers all over the world, praying for your country, and then your city etc. But above either of these circles, is God. Always start with Him. Pray in the this manner found in the Lords Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) 

So there you have it! 3 tips to a better prayer life . I want to remind you that after you addressed the Lord at the start of your prayer, you may begin to boldly approach the throne of grace to receive mercy on our time of help. You can supplicate, cast your cares, and give thanks. 

 

Prayer is like a love letter. It starts with addressing the one you love. When you look at the Lord's prayer, Jesus addresses His Father and the kingdom. After that, He asks for things. Once he has finished asking, Jesus ends the prayer once again giving praise, honor and glory to the God. 

Religion is only for the poor???

I began to think about how some people believe that Christianity, Jesus Christ and God are for the poor. For the poor to give them hope and something to live for. 

I can understand this point of view BUT, the Bible does speak about this. In James 2:5 the word says, "my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?"

Jesus said in Matthew 19:23 "Verily, verily I see unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of Heaven." In other translations, the word says that it is very difficult for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus also said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3 " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."

In the old testament, Zechariah 4:6 "Not by might not by power, but by My Spirit" says the Lord our God. Which leads to Acts 2:38 where Peter preached repentance and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Also Luke 5:32, Jesus said that He didn't come for those who thought they were righteous, Jesus came to save sinners and call them to repentance. 

What I gather from all of this is this conclusion. Those who are spiritually poor and also those who are actually poor, they are rich in faith. Those whom rely on their might, their power, their influence, their brain power and physical strength, they are the ones who are spiritually poor and don't even realize it. They do not acknowledge God in their ways because they think that they are capable of doing it themselves. 

We are to depend on the Lord for everything. Salvation was initiated by God in the garden and He prophesied that He would send a savior to crush the head of the devil. So if a well off person wants to scoff at the faith of a poor person and says that they do not need God because of there wealth, they are the fool and the one who is poor. The poor person although being monetarily poor, they are rich in faith. 

Am I saying that people who are well off, are evil? No. Not all of them are like how I described. I'm sure there are wealthy folks who are believers and they use their finicial blessings to bless others, as it should be. But there are people who think that they do not need anything to do with religion because only poor people believe in God. Yes, yes poor people do believe in Jesus. 

Those who realize that they are spiritually poor and they are bankrupt before the Lord and they realize they need a savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ. In my experience and in my walk with the Lord, folks who are poor, are usually the most selfless people, the most kind and giving. 

But what upsets me is how someone would dare say that Jesus and religion is only for the poor. It is for everyone! Rich and poor alike, we all need Jesus. On this side of Heaven being poor is looked down on. But the Bible says that it is a good thing. In Romans 8:28 the word says "We know that ALL things work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."

Born of the Free (Galatians 4:31)

True followers of Christ are born again and are free from sin. 

So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman. - Galatians 4:31

Like Abraham, he had two sons. One born to a slave, one born to a free woman. 

Agar was the bondservant. Sarah was Abraham's wife, she was free. 

One son was the son of the flesh and one was the sons of promise.  

Believers are the children of promise. They are born of water and the Spirit. 

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. - John 3:5 

I am letting you know ( An open letter to Lauren Daigle)

"I can't honestly answer on that, in a sense, I have too many people that I love that they are homosexual. I don't know. I actually had a conversation with someone last night about it. I can't say one way or the other. I'm not God. So when people ask questions like that...that's what my go to is.  I just say read the Bible and find out for yourself.  And when you find out let me know, because I'm learning too." - Lauren Daigle

Christian music artist, Lauren Daigle, was all the talk in 2018 and the secular media embraced her. Many Christians joined in and applauded her after these comments. 

But there was a few who didn't fall for the bait. Then Lauren's quote came out and pretty much let us all know where she really stood. I've watched, observed, read and pondered on how I would respond for the past year or so. 

I do not know how long Lauren has been a Christian. But do you mean to tell me NOT ONCE in her life as a Christian she never heard that homosexuality is a sin? God says it is an abomination to Him according to the Bible. When we water down the word of God and we turn our face away from sin to be a "seeker" friendly church, you end up watered down, false converts. 

So I want to address where Ms. Daigle said that her go to is to pass it off to God because she isn't God. True, she is not God and she is not the ultimate judge of sin. But God has spoken through the Bible and through His arsenal of prophets, teachers preachers and evangelists. Somebody failed Ms. Daigle by not teaching her the commands of God. I believe that discipleship is very important so that mature Christians can raise new Christians in the teachings and commands of the Lord. 

What I don't understand is when Lauren says she reads the Bible and still doesn't know one way or the other. How can this be? The Bible is very clear about it. What also stands out to me is when Lauren said that she has a lot of people that she loves who are homosexual. Many Christians have homosexual family members. I have family members and friends who are homosexual too. We still have to stand on our belief of what the Bible says concerning homosexuality being a sin.

Lauren, if you ever read this, I want to say this. My prayer for you is that God would open the eyes of your understanding according to Ephesians 1:17-19. I pray that your faith would become more bold for Jesus.There is good news Lauren. We believe in a forgiving God. Peter denied Jesus three times and after the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter three times. I hope the Lord restores you. 

Please highlight these verses in your Bible and share them the next time you are interviewed or are not sure about what God has said in regards to this subject.

Genesis 2:24  

Hebrews 13:4 

Romans 1:26-28

Jude 1:7-8
1 Timothy 1:8-11 

Mark 10:6-9

1 Corinthians 7:2 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 

Leviticus 18:22 
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 

Leviticus 20:13 

Lauren Daigle, I have read my Bible and I conclude that homosexuality is a sin and it is punishable by God. Repent and believe in the Gospel.