Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” [1]
What are people saying about Jesus? Do they compare Him to the Baptist, to Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets? Those men spoke out against idolatry, exploitation and proclaimed that only the true God saves people from sin.
Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [2]
Yes! Jesus is Messiah! Far superior to all others! Only in Him is there salvation!
Jesus told Peter that he was blessed because flesh and blood had not revealed this truth to him. The Father in heaven had! He told Peter that “on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [3]
The glory of Jesus as Messiah is supreme. The profession of Jesus as Messiah is the rock foundation of the Church. The gates of Hades cannot prevail against it! The profession of Jesus alone as the Christ, the Son of God, is the key of the kingdom of heaven. In Christ Jesus, the devil’s evil is bound and the goodness of God is released.
“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” [4]
In one moment, Peter made the greatest profession that any person can profess, namely that Jesus is Messiah, but in the next moment, he spoke for Satan when he rebuked Jesus for saying that He would be killed and resurrected.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.’” [5]
Turning people from the power of Satan to the power of God demands sacrifice. [6] It cost Jesus His life. He had to become a sacrifice for sin. He died a cruel and humiliating death to demonstrate God’s love for us. He resurrected from the dead and showed Himself to be alive to witnesses.
Jesus calls us who want to join in His mission, who want to be His disciples, to deny ourselves, pick up the cross and follow Him. He will reward each of us according to our works.
So, what kind of works are we producing? Who are we professing Jesus to be? Are we colluding the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead with fairy tales about an easter bunny or a legend about Saint Nicolas with flying reindeers? Are we denying ourselves collusion with popular folklore to stand with the only truth that saves people’s souls from hell? Picking up the cross and following Jesus is to proclaim Him and Him alone as the only Lord and Savior of souls. After all He did for us, He is worthy of all glory, blessing and praise!
[1] Matthew 16:13-15
[2] Matthew 16:15-16
[3] Matthew 16:17-19
[4] Matthew 16:21-23
[5] Matthew 16:24-27
[6] Acts 26:18
Bearing witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus!
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Resting in God’s Grace
“I would have fainted, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” [1]
The Bible often uses the concept of the Promised Land as a metaphor for heaven, with the key idea being that both represent a place of rest, inheritance, and freedom from hardship.
“They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.” [2]
Though our earthly mission to spread the Gospel requires humility and self-denial, our assets include an eternity with Christ in a land that is full love, joy and peace.
“Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” [3]
“As it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” [4]
“We who have believed do enter into rest.” [5]
Knowing that Christ has purchased our salvation with His blood… that faith in HIS merits opens the heavenly Promise Land to us… that the heavenly Promise Land is a much better place than this current world, helps us to be at rest and not to faint.
“For you know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” [6]
G – God’s
R – Riches
A – At
C – Christ’s
E – Expense
We have an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for us. We are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [7]
[1] Psalm 27:13
[2] Hebrews 11:16
[3] 2 Corinthians 4:17
[4] 1 Corinthians 2:9
[5] Hebrews 4:3
[6] 2 Corinthians 8:9
[7] 1 Peter 1:4-5
The Bible often uses the concept of the Promised Land as a metaphor for heaven, with the key idea being that both represent a place of rest, inheritance, and freedom from hardship.
“They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.” [2]
Though our earthly mission to spread the Gospel requires humility and self-denial, our assets include an eternity with Christ in a land that is full love, joy and peace.
“Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” [3]
“As it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” [4]
“We who have believed do enter into rest.” [5]
Knowing that Christ has purchased our salvation with His blood… that faith in HIS merits opens the heavenly Promise Land to us… that the heavenly Promise Land is a much better place than this current world, helps us to be at rest and not to faint.
“For you know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” [6]
G – God’s
R – Riches
A – At
C – Christ’s
E – Expense
We have an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for us. We are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [7]
[1] Psalm 27:13
[2] Hebrews 11:16
[3] 2 Corinthians 4:17
[4] 1 Corinthians 2:9
[5] Hebrews 4:3
[6] 2 Corinthians 8:9
[7] 1 Peter 1:4-5
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Our Lord Jesus Christ does Amazing Things
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” [1]
To not “go with the flow” of ungodly culture but to live for God requires commitment, trust and patience. The Lord will give the yield. There will be a harvest.
“Those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” “The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” [2]
The Lord keeps His promise. Our part is to trust Him. He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” [3]
“The Lord upholds the righteous.” “I have not seen the righteous forsaken.” “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.” [4]
The Lord is the source of righteousness. He gives, protects and nurtures righteousness in us.
“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.” [5]
Left to ourselves, we could not stay on course, but the Lord saves and helps us. He gives us strength to not faint when trouble comes our way. Strength to know that each trial will pass in due season! Strength to know that many blessings shall come to us when He returns.
“The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.” “A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.” [6]
To backslide from the Lord is to turn from the Lord toward stuff, others and self. It is better to do God’s will and have Him satisfy you. God is no man’s debtor. Whatever we give to Him, He blesses.
Self-confidence? Who am I in comparison to the Lord? My life in the hands of God is a recipe for His glory to be revealed. Our Lord Jesus Christ does amazing things. He does all things well. [7]
[1] Psalm 37:5-6
[2] Psalm 37:9, 11
[3] Ephesians 3:20
[4] Psalm 37:17, 25, 29
[5] Psalm 37:39
[6] Proverbs 14:14, 16
[7] Mark 7:37
To not “go with the flow” of ungodly culture but to live for God requires commitment, trust and patience. The Lord will give the yield. There will be a harvest.
“Those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” “The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” [2]
The Lord keeps His promise. Our part is to trust Him. He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” [3]
“The Lord upholds the righteous.” “I have not seen the righteous forsaken.” “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.” [4]
The Lord is the source of righteousness. He gives, protects and nurtures righteousness in us.
“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.” [5]
Left to ourselves, we could not stay on course, but the Lord saves and helps us. He gives us strength to not faint when trouble comes our way. Strength to know that each trial will pass in due season! Strength to know that many blessings shall come to us when He returns.
“The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.” “A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.” [6]
To backslide from the Lord is to turn from the Lord toward stuff, others and self. It is better to do God’s will and have Him satisfy you. God is no man’s debtor. Whatever we give to Him, He blesses.
Self-confidence? Who am I in comparison to the Lord? My life in the hands of God is a recipe for His glory to be revealed. Our Lord Jesus Christ does amazing things. He does all things well. [7]
[1] Psalm 37:5-6
[2] Psalm 37:9, 11
[3] Ephesians 3:20
[4] Psalm 37:17, 25, 29
[5] Psalm 37:39
[6] Proverbs 14:14, 16
[7] Mark 7:37
Monday, January 13, 2025
Rescued by Jesus Christ from the Flames
“The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” [1]
The tares among the wheat are those that offend God and practice lawlessness. Jesus speaks of them being cast into a furnace, but not dying. They wail and gnash their teeth. The righteous are with their heavenly Father and are shining like the sun.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went, and sold all that he had and bought it.” [2]
We should never undervalue the Kingdom of Heaven. Too many are placing all their investments in the temporary treasures of this world. Jesus Christ, who has been in heaven and is in heaven now, compares His kingdom to a treasure and to a pearl. Something worth investing all that we have to obtain!
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” [3]
A judgment day is coming. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” [4]
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” [5]
The Lord knows those who are doing right and those who are doing evil. His eyes of favor are on the righteous, but His face is against those who do evil.
“My tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” [6]
Those who have asked Christ to forgive their sins, and to clothe them in His righteousness can rejoice because these are works He does easily. Impossible for us, but easy for Him.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [7]
Jesus Christ is the key to righteousness. We humble ourselves before Him. We profess that He is right, namely that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and that He alone can save us from our sins, and our Lord Jesus forgives our sins and cleanses us from unrighteousness.
“This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the Name of the Son of God.” [8]
Do you want to be safe from the eternal flames where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth? Believe in the Name of the Son of God! Believe in Jesus Christ! Profess Him as your Savior and Lord! He loves you and wants you to be with Him forever in His kingdom of love.
[1] Matthew 13:39-43
[2] Matthew 13:44-46
[3] Matthew 13:47-50
[4] Hebrews 9:27
[5] Psalm 34:15-16
[6] Psalm 35:28
[7] 1 John 1:8-9
[8] 1 John 5:11-13
The tares among the wheat are those that offend God and practice lawlessness. Jesus speaks of them being cast into a furnace, but not dying. They wail and gnash their teeth. The righteous are with their heavenly Father and are shining like the sun.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went, and sold all that he had and bought it.” [2]
We should never undervalue the Kingdom of Heaven. Too many are placing all their investments in the temporary treasures of this world. Jesus Christ, who has been in heaven and is in heaven now, compares His kingdom to a treasure and to a pearl. Something worth investing all that we have to obtain!
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” [3]
A judgment day is coming. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” [4]
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” [5]
The Lord knows those who are doing right and those who are doing evil. His eyes of favor are on the righteous, but His face is against those who do evil.
“My tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” [6]
Those who have asked Christ to forgive their sins, and to clothe them in His righteousness can rejoice because these are works He does easily. Impossible for us, but easy for Him.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [7]
Jesus Christ is the key to righteousness. We humble ourselves before Him. We profess that He is right, namely that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and that He alone can save us from our sins, and our Lord Jesus forgives our sins and cleanses us from unrighteousness.
“This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the Name of the Son of God.” [8]
Do you want to be safe from the eternal flames where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth? Believe in the Name of the Son of God! Believe in Jesus Christ! Profess Him as your Savior and Lord! He loves you and wants you to be with Him forever in His kingdom of love.
[1] Matthew 13:39-43
[2] Matthew 13:44-46
[3] Matthew 13:47-50
[4] Hebrews 9:27
[5] Psalm 34:15-16
[6] Psalm 35:28
[7] 1 John 1:8-9
[8] 1 John 5:11-13
Sunday, January 12, 2025
A Great Place to Be
“Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” [1]
Having confidence in God’s love for you is a great place to be!
“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah! I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” [2]
Hidden in God! Preserved from trouble! Songs of deliverance in one’s ears! The Lord instructing, teaching and guiding your life! This is a great place to be!
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” [3]
I can see where having a great army with lots of horsepower under the hood can be a handicap to a nation. Why? Because they may trust in themselves. They may trust in created things to deliver them rather than trust in their Creator.
Having confidence in God’s love for you is a great place to be!
“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah! I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” [2]
Hidden in God! Preserved from trouble! Songs of deliverance in one’s ears! The Lord instructing, teaching and guiding your life! This is a great place to be!
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” [3]
I can see where having a great army with lots of horsepower under the hood can be a handicap to a nation. Why? Because they may trust in themselves. They may trust in created things to deliver them rather than trust in their Creator.
The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him! The ones who know they need Him! They know they need His favor! They know they need to be in continual relationship with GOD to be safe and to be provided for. I pity the nation whose leaders think they are god, and the people believe their lies.
Being fully persuaded that God loves you and will always take care of you is a great place to be!
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” [4]
[1] Psalm 31:5
[2] Psalm 32:7-8
[3] Psalm 33:12, 16-19
[4] Romans 5:6-10
Being fully persuaded that God loves you and will always take care of you is a great place to be!
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” [4]
[1] Psalm 31:5
[2] Psalm 32:7-8
[3] Psalm 33:12, 16-19
[4] Romans 5:6-10
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Heirs According to the Promise
The Lord preserved Sarah, Abraham’s wife, from being defiled by Abimelech King of Gerar. Abimelech had taken Sarah from Abraham. God said to Abimelech, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” Abimelech had not come near to her. The Lord said to Abimelech, “I withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore, I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” [1]
Sarah gave birth to her firstborn son Isaac when she was 90 years old. She said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” “She also said, ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.’” Jesus Christ descended from Issac’s family tree. [2]
Abraham and Sarah were the happy parents of a boy for whom they waited many years.
Then, one day, God said to Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [3]
Though Abraham had waited so long to have a son, and though he loved his son dearly, he obeyed the Lord. God had told Abraham that he would have many descendants. He believed the Lord would keep His promise even if he slew his son. Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” When Isaac asked about a lamb for the burnt offering, Abraham told Isaac, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” [4]
A ram appeared at that moment, and Abraham sacrificed it to the Lord, but God also provided His own dear Son to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. [5]
The writer of Hebrews wrote of Abraham’s faith, saying, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” [6]
Abraham believed in the resurrection of the dead, but the Lord stopped him from killing his son. The Lord said to Abraham, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” [7]
“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’” [8]
“Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.’” [9]
The Seed in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed is Jesus Christ. In Christ, sins are forgiven. In Christ, we are clothed with righteousness. In Christ, we receive the blessed Holy Spirit who helps us to live by faith in God, and thus, we see and experience the glory of God.
“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of One, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” [10]
[1] Genesis 20:1-7
[2] Genesis 17:17; 21:1, 6-7; Matthew 1:2
[3] Genesis 22:1-2
[4] Genesis 22:5, 8
[5] John 1:29
[6] Hebrews 11:17-19
[7] Genesis 22:11-12
[8] Genesis 22:13-14
[9] Genesis 22:15-18
[10] Galatians 3:16, 29
Sarah gave birth to her firstborn son Isaac when she was 90 years old. She said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” “She also said, ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.’” Jesus Christ descended from Issac’s family tree. [2]
Abraham and Sarah were the happy parents of a boy for whom they waited many years.
Then, one day, God said to Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [3]
Though Abraham had waited so long to have a son, and though he loved his son dearly, he obeyed the Lord. God had told Abraham that he would have many descendants. He believed the Lord would keep His promise even if he slew his son. Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” When Isaac asked about a lamb for the burnt offering, Abraham told Isaac, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” [4]
A ram appeared at that moment, and Abraham sacrificed it to the Lord, but God also provided His own dear Son to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. [5]
The writer of Hebrews wrote of Abraham’s faith, saying, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” [6]
Abraham believed in the resurrection of the dead, but the Lord stopped him from killing his son. The Lord said to Abraham, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” [7]
“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’” [8]
“Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.’” [9]
The Seed in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed is Jesus Christ. In Christ, sins are forgiven. In Christ, we are clothed with righteousness. In Christ, we receive the blessed Holy Spirit who helps us to live by faith in God, and thus, we see and experience the glory of God.
“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of One, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” [10]
[1] Genesis 20:1-7
[2] Genesis 17:17; 21:1, 6-7; Matthew 1:2
[3] Genesis 22:1-2
[4] Genesis 22:5, 8
[5] John 1:29
[6] Hebrews 11:17-19
[7] Genesis 22:11-12
[8] Genesis 22:13-14
[9] Genesis 22:15-18
[10] Galatians 3:16, 29
Friday, January 10, 2025
The Time is Near
“Now before they [the two angels] lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.’ So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, ‘Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!’” [1]
Imagine Lot trying to protect angels from mere mortals! He did not realize at this point that they were angels. The Bible says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” [2]
“’Stand back! This one [Lot] came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.’ So, they pressed hard against the man Lot and came near to break down the door. But the men [the angels] reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.” [3]
God has struck enemies of His Word with blindness on more than one occasion.
“When the Syrians attacked, Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, strike these men blind!’ The Lord answered his prayer and struck them blind.” “Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.” “’And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.’ Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.” [4]
The angels urged Lot to get his family out of the city. Lot’s sons-in-law did not heed his warning but his daughters and wife did.
Two angels was all it took to destroy this wicked city. [5]
“Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” [6]
Abraham had prayed to the Lord on behalf of his nephew Lot. God heard and answered his prayer. Thank God for relatives who pray for us.
The Lord had revealed to Abraham his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He has revealed to us His plan to judge the world in righteousness in the Book of Revelation. He will replace the kingdoms of this world with His kingdom. [7]
The Book of Revelation is for all God’s servants. “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.” [8]
During the lasts days before the Lord returns, He will authorize His angels to strike the world with wars, ecological disasters, plagues and pestilences. [9]
The good news is that multitudes of people from every nation will be saved before the Lord returns. “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [10]
Knowing these things in advance of their occurrence, let us pray as Abraham prayed for his nephew Lot, and let us warn those who are about to perish as Lot did.
Jesus said, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” [11]
[1] Genesis 19:4-7
[2] Hebrews 13:2
[3] Genesis 19:9-11
[4] 2 Kings 6:18; Acts 9:8; Acts 13:11
[5] Genesis 19:12-25
[6] Genesis 19:27-29
[7] Revelation 11:15
[8] Revelation 1:1
[9] Revelation 8-9; 15-16
[10] Revelation 7:14-17
[11] Revelation 1:3
Imagine Lot trying to protect angels from mere mortals! He did not realize at this point that they were angels. The Bible says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” [2]
“’Stand back! This one [Lot] came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.’ So, they pressed hard against the man Lot and came near to break down the door. But the men [the angels] reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.” [3]
God has struck enemies of His Word with blindness on more than one occasion.
“When the Syrians attacked, Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, strike these men blind!’ The Lord answered his prayer and struck them blind.” “Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.” “’And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.’ Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.” [4]
The angels urged Lot to get his family out of the city. Lot’s sons-in-law did not heed his warning but his daughters and wife did.
Two angels was all it took to destroy this wicked city. [5]
“Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” [6]
Abraham had prayed to the Lord on behalf of his nephew Lot. God heard and answered his prayer. Thank God for relatives who pray for us.
The Lord had revealed to Abraham his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He has revealed to us His plan to judge the world in righteousness in the Book of Revelation. He will replace the kingdoms of this world with His kingdom. [7]
The Book of Revelation is for all God’s servants. “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.” [8]
During the lasts days before the Lord returns, He will authorize His angels to strike the world with wars, ecological disasters, plagues and pestilences. [9]
The good news is that multitudes of people from every nation will be saved before the Lord returns. “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [10]
Knowing these things in advance of their occurrence, let us pray as Abraham prayed for his nephew Lot, and let us warn those who are about to perish as Lot did.
Jesus said, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” [11]
[1] Genesis 19:4-7
[2] Hebrews 13:2
[3] Genesis 19:9-11
[4] 2 Kings 6:18; Acts 9:8; Acts 13:11
[5] Genesis 19:12-25
[6] Genesis 19:27-29
[7] Revelation 11:15
[8] Revelation 1:1
[9] Revelation 8-9; 15-16
[10] Revelation 7:14-17
[11] Revelation 1:3
Thursday, January 9, 2025
Ruling and Reigning with Christ
In a covenant relationship with God that lasts forever!
“When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you and will multiply you exceedingly.’” [1]
Notice that God initiated the covenant with Abram. And what did Abram have to offer God at age 99? The Lord wanted a man who would aim to walk blamelessly before Him. He wanted a man through whom He could bring forth children who would not defile others. God wanted a nation of people who would honor His Word. They would help people to be holy as God is holy rather than defile people.
“I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” [2]
“For I [the Lord] have known him [Abraham], in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” [3]
Abraham is God’s example for us to follow. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah are God’s example for us not to follow. They were defiled by sin, and they delighted in defiling others.
“The Lord said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great… Their sin is very grave.’” [4]
The Lord is patient, He doesn’t want anyone to perish but that all should reach repentance. In fact, when Pharisees saw Jesus sitting at a meal table with tax collectors and sinners, they questioned His disciples about this unbecoming behavior for a holy man. Jesus told them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” [5]
The Lord Jesus gave Himself as a living sacrifice for our sins on the cross. He really wants everyone to experience paradise with Him forever. To be able to say with King David, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” [6]
In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, the Lord speaks of giving to His followers authority to rule the nations. “ The one who conquers and who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I Myself have received authority from My Father.” [7]
Can you imagine a world where Christ-like people enforce the rules of God on the earth?
“You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” [8]
Yes, those who have sacrificed themselves for the sake of being witnesses for Jesus and the Word of God shall reign with Christ for 1,000 years.
“I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a 1,000 years.” “They shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a 1,000 years.” [9]
God gave His prophet Isaiah promises about this future millennium…
“It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” [10]
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” [11]
“No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.” “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord.” [12]
The Lord spoke of Messiah through His Prophet Zechariah, saying, “On that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.” [13] Jesus shall once again stand on the Mount of Olives. This time as a victorious King!
The disciples of Jesus wanted Him to bring about this day immediately. “They asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’” Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [14]
So, our commission from the Lord is to believe that the day of His return shall come, and unimaginable blessings will flow when He does, but until then, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to help us be His witnesses. To keep covenant with our God! To help people to become holy by leading them to Christ. In Christ, sins are forgiven and the Holy Spirit is imparted.
[1] Genesis 17:1-2
[2] Genesis 17:7-8
[3] Genesis 18:19
[4] Genesis 19:20
[5] 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 9:10-13
[6] Psalm 23:6
[7] Revelation 2:26-27
[8] Revelation 5:10
[9] Revelation 20:4, 6
[10] Isaiah 2:2-4
[11] Isaiah 11:6, 9
[12] Isaiah 65:20, 25
[13] Zechariah 14:4
[14] Acts 1:6-8
“When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you and will multiply you exceedingly.’” [1]
Notice that God initiated the covenant with Abram. And what did Abram have to offer God at age 99? The Lord wanted a man who would aim to walk blamelessly before Him. He wanted a man through whom He could bring forth children who would not defile others. God wanted a nation of people who would honor His Word. They would help people to be holy as God is holy rather than defile people.
“I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” [2]
“For I [the Lord] have known him [Abraham], in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” [3]
Abraham is God’s example for us to follow. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah are God’s example for us not to follow. They were defiled by sin, and they delighted in defiling others.
“The Lord said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great… Their sin is very grave.’” [4]
The Lord is patient, He doesn’t want anyone to perish but that all should reach repentance. In fact, when Pharisees saw Jesus sitting at a meal table with tax collectors and sinners, they questioned His disciples about this unbecoming behavior for a holy man. Jesus told them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” [5]
The Lord Jesus gave Himself as a living sacrifice for our sins on the cross. He really wants everyone to experience paradise with Him forever. To be able to say with King David, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” [6]
In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, the Lord speaks of giving to His followers authority to rule the nations. “ The one who conquers and who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I Myself have received authority from My Father.” [7]
Can you imagine a world where Christ-like people enforce the rules of God on the earth?
“You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” [8]
Yes, those who have sacrificed themselves for the sake of being witnesses for Jesus and the Word of God shall reign with Christ for 1,000 years.
“I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a 1,000 years.” “They shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a 1,000 years.” [9]
God gave His prophet Isaiah promises about this future millennium…
“It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” [10]
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” [11]
“No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.” “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord.” [12]
The Lord spoke of Messiah through His Prophet Zechariah, saying, “On that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.” [13] Jesus shall once again stand on the Mount of Olives. This time as a victorious King!
The disciples of Jesus wanted Him to bring about this day immediately. “They asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’” Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [14]
So, our commission from the Lord is to believe that the day of His return shall come, and unimaginable blessings will flow when He does, but until then, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to help us be His witnesses. To keep covenant with our God! To help people to become holy by leading them to Christ. In Christ, sins are forgiven and the Holy Spirit is imparted.
[1] Genesis 17:1-2
[2] Genesis 17:7-8
[3] Genesis 18:19
[4] Genesis 19:20
[5] 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 9:10-13
[6] Psalm 23:6
[7] Revelation 2:26-27
[8] Revelation 5:10
[9] Revelation 20:4, 6
[10] Isaiah 2:2-4
[11] Isaiah 11:6, 9
[12] Isaiah 65:20, 25
[13] Zechariah 14:4
[14] Acts 1:6-8
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Ask
The Lord urges us not to be afraid but to believe that He will come through for us as we seek to bring Him glory.
“After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’” [1]
Abram’s calling was to produce a biological descendant, but his wife was barren and could not conceive.
“Then He [the Lord] brought him [Abram] outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he [Abram] believed in the Lord, and He [the Lord] accounted it to him [Abram] for righteousness.” [2]
A Roman centurion believed that Jesus could heal his paralyzed servant by just speaking a word.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’” [3]
Our Lord Jesus responds to faith. Faith in Him is what God wants from us.
“When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” [4]
Why should anyone doubt God? He created and sustains the world by His Word. His Word does not return void. His Word yields results. [5]
Our part is to believe in God and believe in His Word.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” [6]
We may feel unworthy like the Centurion did to have God act upon our need, but we should still honor the Lord by trusting Him to act on our behalf and on behalf of those we are praying for.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” [7]
God gave His only begotten beloved Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This was an extremely emphatic expression of His love for us. He says that He wants to give to us. He is ready to act upon our requests.
Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” [8]
[1] Genesis 15:1
[2] Genesis 15:5-6
[3] Matthew 8:7-9
[4] Matthew 8:10-13
[5] Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 1:3; Isaiah 55:11
[6] Hebrews 11:6
[7] Romans 8:31-32
[8] Matthew 7:7-11
“After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’” [1]
Abram’s calling was to produce a biological descendant, but his wife was barren and could not conceive.
“Then He [the Lord] brought him [Abram] outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he [Abram] believed in the Lord, and He [the Lord] accounted it to him [Abram] for righteousness.” [2]
A Roman centurion believed that Jesus could heal his paralyzed servant by just speaking a word.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’” [3]
Our Lord Jesus responds to faith. Faith in Him is what God wants from us.
“When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” [4]
Why should anyone doubt God? He created and sustains the world by His Word. His Word does not return void. His Word yields results. [5]
Our part is to believe in God and believe in His Word.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” [6]
We may feel unworthy like the Centurion did to have God act upon our need, but we should still honor the Lord by trusting Him to act on our behalf and on behalf of those we are praying for.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” [7]
God gave His only begotten beloved Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This was an extremely emphatic expression of His love for us. He says that He wants to give to us. He is ready to act upon our requests.
Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” [8]
[1] Genesis 15:1
[2] Genesis 15:5-6
[3] Matthew 8:7-9
[4] Matthew 8:10-13
[5] Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 1:3; Isaiah 55:11
[6] Hebrews 11:6
[7] Romans 8:31-32
[8] Matthew 7:7-11
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Blessed are the Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” [1]
Why are the righteous persecuted? Shouldn’t rulers and peoples of the nations be grateful to God for such bright shining stars in the darkness?
The good news is that Jesus Christ blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He promises them (us who believe in Him), the kingdom of heaven.
The kingdom of heaven is better than kingdoms people are fighting for here on earth.
The Bible speaks, “Of whom the world was not worthy.” These people believed in God and drew from God the ability to live righteously amidst people who hated righteousness. [2]
Sin is a poison. Sin began for humanity with the serpent in the garden. His venom entered humanity’s bloodstream when our first parents bit on his lure, which was to disobey God.
Jesus called the religious leaders who wanted to kill Him serpents and vipers. The same devil who detested sinless Adam and Eve, and wanted to defile them, defiled these religious leaders. Therefore, Jesus asked them, “How can you escape the condemnation of hell?”
They needed the antidote to the sin-poison. The antidote was speaking to them, but they would not believe in Him. Jesus said to them, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” [3]
Why are the righteous persecuted? Because of envy! The first murder stemmed from envy.
“We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” [4]
Jesus was handed over to Pilate by the chief priests due to envy. “For he [Pilate] knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him [Jesus] up.” [5]
David is the Hebrew word for Beloved. He is an Old Testament type of the New Testament Beloved, who is Christ. God referred to Jesus as “My Beloved Son.” Paul speaks of God blessing us in the Beloved. Beloved being a reference to Christ! [6] Old Testament David was persecuted because his works were righteous. His king was jealous of him.
The Lord had given David victory over the giant Goliath, and over the armies of the Philistines. As David returned from battle, he was met by a chorus of women singing joyfully, dancing and playing musical instruments. One of the lines of their songs went like this, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
The Bible says of King Saul, “Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?’” [7]
King Saul sent the nation’s army after David to kill him. Saul would have succeeded in killing David if it had not been for God rescuing David over and over again. Finally, the day came after so many years of persecution, Saul died, and David was installed as the new king. The story of Saul and David is a metaphor for the story of the world’s ungodly and envious leaders being replaced by Christ when He returns.
“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.’” [8]
Psalm 18 is David’s victory song to the Lord. It begins with this introduction: “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: ‘I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so, shall I be saved from my enemies.’” [9]
Our Messiah, the Beloved, Jesus Christ is the Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, Strength and Salvation of all who trust in Him. He is worthy of our praise.
Sherry (my wife) has memorized Psalm 18. She exemplifies for me one who lives for God and trusts in God to preserve her life. I praise God for raising up in my midst such a servant of His Word.
David ends his Psalm of victory over persecution with these words, “Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore.” [10]
We who believe in Jesus Christ have been grafted into the family of God. We share in the King’s great deliverance. We share in His mercy. We, who believe in Christ, have become descendants of David the Beloved via the blood: the blood of Christ! Therefore, we are heirs of God and coheirs with Christ. We have treasures in heaven that the world cannot take from us.
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” [11]
Yes, we may incur afflictions and trouble from those whose only treasures are the temporary pleasures of this world, but our eternal rewards from Christ shall far surpass all our expectations. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” [12]
[1] Matthew 5:10
[2] Hebrews 11:38
[3] Matthew 23:33-35
[4] 1 John 3:12
[5] Matthew 27:18
[6] Matthew 3:17; Ephesians 1:6
[7] 1 Samuel 18:6-8
[8] Revelation 11:15
[9] Psalm 18:1-3
[10] Psalm 18:50
[11] Romans 8:16-17
[12] 2 Corinthians 4:17
Why are the righteous persecuted? Shouldn’t rulers and peoples of the nations be grateful to God for such bright shining stars in the darkness?
The good news is that Jesus Christ blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He promises them (us who believe in Him), the kingdom of heaven.
The kingdom of heaven is better than kingdoms people are fighting for here on earth.
The Bible speaks, “Of whom the world was not worthy.” These people believed in God and drew from God the ability to live righteously amidst people who hated righteousness. [2]
Sin is a poison. Sin began for humanity with the serpent in the garden. His venom entered humanity’s bloodstream when our first parents bit on his lure, which was to disobey God.
Jesus called the religious leaders who wanted to kill Him serpents and vipers. The same devil who detested sinless Adam and Eve, and wanted to defile them, defiled these religious leaders. Therefore, Jesus asked them, “How can you escape the condemnation of hell?”
They needed the antidote to the sin-poison. The antidote was speaking to them, but they would not believe in Him. Jesus said to them, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” [3]
Why are the righteous persecuted? Because of envy! The first murder stemmed from envy.
“We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” [4]
Jesus was handed over to Pilate by the chief priests due to envy. “For he [Pilate] knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him [Jesus] up.” [5]
David is the Hebrew word for Beloved. He is an Old Testament type of the New Testament Beloved, who is Christ. God referred to Jesus as “My Beloved Son.” Paul speaks of God blessing us in the Beloved. Beloved being a reference to Christ! [6] Old Testament David was persecuted because his works were righteous. His king was jealous of him.
The Lord had given David victory over the giant Goliath, and over the armies of the Philistines. As David returned from battle, he was met by a chorus of women singing joyfully, dancing and playing musical instruments. One of the lines of their songs went like this, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
The Bible says of King Saul, “Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?’” [7]
King Saul sent the nation’s army after David to kill him. Saul would have succeeded in killing David if it had not been for God rescuing David over and over again. Finally, the day came after so many years of persecution, Saul died, and David was installed as the new king. The story of Saul and David is a metaphor for the story of the world’s ungodly and envious leaders being replaced by Christ when He returns.
“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.’” [8]
Psalm 18 is David’s victory song to the Lord. It begins with this introduction: “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: ‘I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so, shall I be saved from my enemies.’” [9]
Our Messiah, the Beloved, Jesus Christ is the Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, Strength and Salvation of all who trust in Him. He is worthy of our praise.
Sherry (my wife) has memorized Psalm 18. She exemplifies for me one who lives for God and trusts in God to preserve her life. I praise God for raising up in my midst such a servant of His Word.
David ends his Psalm of victory over persecution with these words, “Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore.” [10]
We who believe in Jesus Christ have been grafted into the family of God. We share in the King’s great deliverance. We share in His mercy. We, who believe in Christ, have become descendants of David the Beloved via the blood: the blood of Christ! Therefore, we are heirs of God and coheirs with Christ. We have treasures in heaven that the world cannot take from us.
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” [11]
Yes, we may incur afflictions and trouble from those whose only treasures are the temporary pleasures of this world, but our eternal rewards from Christ shall far surpass all our expectations. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” [12]
[1] Matthew 5:10
[2] Hebrews 11:38
[3] Matthew 23:33-35
[4] 1 John 3:12
[5] Matthew 27:18
[6] Matthew 3:17; Ephesians 1:6
[7] 1 Samuel 18:6-8
[8] Revelation 11:15
[9] Psalm 18:1-3
[10] Psalm 18:50
[11] Romans 8:16-17
[12] 2 Corinthians 4:17
Monday, January 6, 2025
Brightened by Christ the Light of the World
“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’” [1]
“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” [2]
“We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” [3]
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” [4]
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” [5]
[1] John 8:12
[2] Psalm 34:5
[3] 2 Corinthians 3:18
[4] Hebrews 12:2
[5] Matthew 6:22-23
The attached link to gotquestions.org explains more completely as to what Jesus meant when He said, “The eye is the lamp of the body.”
youtube.com/watch?v=Y0MF8DE-iww
“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” [2]
“We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” [3]
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” [4]
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” [5]
[1] John 8:12
[2] Psalm 34:5
[3] 2 Corinthians 3:18
[4] Hebrews 12:2
[5] Matthew 6:22-23
The attached link to gotquestions.org explains more completely as to what Jesus meant when He said, “The eye is the lamp of the body.”
youtube.com/watch?v=Y0MF8DE-iww
Sunday, January 5, 2025
Walking in Harmony with the Lord
“Those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things...” Acts 2:18-21
I have attached pictures to illustrate the Lord’s perspective of what is wicked and what is good. A heart that cares for the downtrodden and the fatherless is from the Lord. We cannot change ourselves from being sinners to being saints, but the Lord can as we repent of our sin and ask the Lord Jesus to change us... to convert us... so that we walk in harmony with His will.
The Lord’s return is imminent. He could return at any time. May He give us grace to conform to His ways before He returns.
I have attached pictures to illustrate the Lord’s perspective of what is wicked and what is good. A heart that cares for the downtrodden and the fatherless is from the Lord. We cannot change ourselves from being sinners to being saints, but the Lord can as we repent of our sin and ask the Lord Jesus to change us... to convert us... so that we walk in harmony with His will.
The Lord’s return is imminent. He could return at any time. May He give us grace to conform to His ways before He returns.
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Better Food
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” [1]
Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for over a month.
Jesus Christ is the Prophet that Moses foretold. The One who would be like him. Moses fasted forty days while receiving the Word of God.
The ministry of God’s Word is a serious matter. Not to be taken lightly! The Word is also great sustenance.
The devil wanted Jesus to compromise His fast to feed His physical hunger. Jesus stuck with God’s Word. Unlike the first Adam, He did not exchange what is eternal for that which is temporary. He knew His ministry of the Word was about to bring salvation and healing to many people.
Jesus was content with being godly.
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” [2]
Godliness or God-likeness is being filled with God’s love that pours out self for the sake of glorifying God and blessing people with God’s love for them.
Such love is a lifestyle and a spiritual discipline. It is a constant dependence on God’s Spirit and His Word for the sake of being a witness for Christ.
“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” [3]
How do we know what love is?
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” [4]
While talking about stewardship before His disciples and before the Pharisees, Jesus told the tale of two men.
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.” [5]
The story ends with the rich man in torment and the beggar with Father Abraham. The rich man had not regarded God or His Word, but the beggar obviously had a relationship with God that continued on into eternity. Though people despised him, God did not.
“Look carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” [6]
Esau was a self-willed and a self-serving man. He was Isaac’s firstborn son. His birth position meant that he would inherit the bulk of his father’s wealth. But one day, due to a momentary hunger pain, he vowed away his firstborn inheritance to his younger brother Jacob in exchange for a bowl of red stew. [7]
Food is good and needful. We are to receive it with thanksgiving to God. [8] But we should ask God to satisfy our soul’s hunger. Believing in Christ and sharing His testimony with others satisfies that hunger.
It has been said that anything done for 30 days repetitively will become a habit. Why not replace sumptuous food items, those foods loaded with transfats and sugar (the ones that are not good for you) with reading about Jesus Christ in the Bible.
God’s Word transforms those who receive and act on it.
The Protestant Reformation started in 1517 with a man named Martin Luther who placed adherence to God’s Word above all else. The Lord blessed his sowing. Many lost souls heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, received Christ and were transformed by Christ to become proclaimers of the Gospel.
Here’s what Jesus once said to people whose lives revolved around eating food, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” [9]
[1] Matthew 4:1-4
[2] 1 Timothy 6:6
[3] Proverbs 15:17
[4] 1 John 3:16-17
[5] Luke 16:19-21
[6] Hebrews 12:15-17
[7] Genesis 25:29-34
[8] 1 Timothy 4:3-4
[9] John 6:27
Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for over a month.
Jesus Christ is the Prophet that Moses foretold. The One who would be like him. Moses fasted forty days while receiving the Word of God.
The ministry of God’s Word is a serious matter. Not to be taken lightly! The Word is also great sustenance.
The devil wanted Jesus to compromise His fast to feed His physical hunger. Jesus stuck with God’s Word. Unlike the first Adam, He did not exchange what is eternal for that which is temporary. He knew His ministry of the Word was about to bring salvation and healing to many people.
Jesus was content with being godly.
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” [2]
Godliness or God-likeness is being filled with God’s love that pours out self for the sake of glorifying God and blessing people with God’s love for them.
Such love is a lifestyle and a spiritual discipline. It is a constant dependence on God’s Spirit and His Word for the sake of being a witness for Christ.
“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” [3]
How do we know what love is?
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” [4]
While talking about stewardship before His disciples and before the Pharisees, Jesus told the tale of two men.
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.” [5]
The story ends with the rich man in torment and the beggar with Father Abraham. The rich man had not regarded God or His Word, but the beggar obviously had a relationship with God that continued on into eternity. Though people despised him, God did not.
“Look carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” [6]
Esau was a self-willed and a self-serving man. He was Isaac’s firstborn son. His birth position meant that he would inherit the bulk of his father’s wealth. But one day, due to a momentary hunger pain, he vowed away his firstborn inheritance to his younger brother Jacob in exchange for a bowl of red stew. [7]
Food is good and needful. We are to receive it with thanksgiving to God. [8] But we should ask God to satisfy our soul’s hunger. Believing in Christ and sharing His testimony with others satisfies that hunger.
It has been said that anything done for 30 days repetitively will become a habit. Why not replace sumptuous food items, those foods loaded with transfats and sugar (the ones that are not good for you) with reading about Jesus Christ in the Bible.
God’s Word transforms those who receive and act on it.
The Protestant Reformation started in 1517 with a man named Martin Luther who placed adherence to God’s Word above all else. The Lord blessed his sowing. Many lost souls heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, received Christ and were transformed by Christ to become proclaimers of the Gospel.
Here’s what Jesus once said to people whose lives revolved around eating food, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” [9]
[1] Matthew 4:1-4
[2] 1 Timothy 6:6
[3] Proverbs 15:17
[4] 1 John 3:16-17
[5] Luke 16:19-21
[6] Hebrews 12:15-17
[7] Genesis 25:29-34
[8] 1 Timothy 4:3-4
[9] John 6:27
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Keep Us from Temptation and Deliver Us from Evil
My prayer on the second day of the New Year is for Lord to keep us from temptation and deliver us from the evil one. [1]
The devil is busy duping so many people out of their eternal inheritance. I am relying on the Lord to help both me and those He leads me to pray for and serve with His Word.
The devil said to the first mother of humanity, Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” [2] The simple answer was, “Yes.” And the best of response would have been to flee from the serpent at that moment. Don’t let him keep you on the line!
Jesus said, “Let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes,’ or ‘No, no;’ anything beyond these is of the evil one.” [3]
One’s of the devil’s sales tactics is to make the one who says “No!” to him to seem as a fool.
“The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die!’” [4]
“The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise so she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” [5]
Eve did not want to be a fool so she ignored what God said and listened to the devil. The result was disastrous! She and her husband were now afraid to face God. They felt shame.
God made for the first couple garments out of animal skins to hide their nakedness. Here, the human need for God to atone (cover) our sin with a blood sacrifice of an “innocent” other is introduced. “Then the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.” [6]
This truth is reiterated when God accepts the animal sacrifice of Abel but rejects the garden sacrifices of Cain. Sin is a serious matter. “…Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” [7]
God sent Cain into exile for murdering his brother Abel. Sin creates distance between people and God. Christ came to atone for our sin so that whosoever believes in Him could have his or her sins forgiven and enjoy a restored relationship with God. [8]
Eve lost two sons in one day. One to death, and the other to exile, but the Lord provided her a third son. God had told her previously that her seed would crush the serpent’s head.
“Then Adam knew his wife again; and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, ‘God has set for me another seed in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.’ And to Seth, to him also, a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the Name of the Lord.” [9] The Lord kept the bloodline of Messiah alive via Seth.
These stories were preserved by God to help us understand our need to listen to His voice lest we be enticed away.
King David wrote, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” [10]
Those who scoff at submitting to faith in the God of the Bible will perish. [11]
King Solomon wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.” [12]
The fear of God is deterrent from compromise with sin.
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.” [13]
“They lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives. So are the paths of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.” [14]
How do we escape the devil’s poison-filled enticements? The answer is to… “Turn at My (God’s) reproof, behold, I will pour out My Spirit on you; I will make My Words known to you.” [15] We need the Spirit of God to fill us and make us a new creation. The Holy Spirit replaces one’s appetite for sin with an appetite to know, serve, and love the Lord. We avoid falling in with bad apples, by walking with the Lord.
“Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.” [16]
[1] Matthew 6:13
[2] Genesis 3:1
[3] Matthew 5:37
[4] Genesis 3:4
[5] Genesis 3:6
[6] Genesis 3:21
[7] Genesis 4:1-8; Hebrews 9:22
[8] Genesis 4:10-14; Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 2:12-19
[9] Genesis 4:25-26
[10] Psalm 1:1-3
[11] Psalm 1:4-6
[12] Proverbs 1:7
[13] Proverbs 1:12
[14] Proverbs 1:18-19
[15] Proverbs 1:23
[16] Psalm 3:8
The devil is busy duping so many people out of their eternal inheritance. I am relying on the Lord to help both me and those He leads me to pray for and serve with His Word.
The devil said to the first mother of humanity, Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” [2] The simple answer was, “Yes.” And the best of response would have been to flee from the serpent at that moment. Don’t let him keep you on the line!
Jesus said, “Let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes,’ or ‘No, no;’ anything beyond these is of the evil one.” [3]
One’s of the devil’s sales tactics is to make the one who says “No!” to him to seem as a fool.
“The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die!’” [4]
“The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise so she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” [5]
Eve did not want to be a fool so she ignored what God said and listened to the devil. The result was disastrous! She and her husband were now afraid to face God. They felt shame.
God made for the first couple garments out of animal skins to hide their nakedness. Here, the human need for God to atone (cover) our sin with a blood sacrifice of an “innocent” other is introduced. “Then the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.” [6]
This truth is reiterated when God accepts the animal sacrifice of Abel but rejects the garden sacrifices of Cain. Sin is a serious matter. “…Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” [7]
God sent Cain into exile for murdering his brother Abel. Sin creates distance between people and God. Christ came to atone for our sin so that whosoever believes in Him could have his or her sins forgiven and enjoy a restored relationship with God. [8]
Eve lost two sons in one day. One to death, and the other to exile, but the Lord provided her a third son. God had told her previously that her seed would crush the serpent’s head.
“Then Adam knew his wife again; and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, ‘God has set for me another seed in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.’ And to Seth, to him also, a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the Name of the Lord.” [9] The Lord kept the bloodline of Messiah alive via Seth.
These stories were preserved by God to help us understand our need to listen to His voice lest we be enticed away.
King David wrote, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” [10]
Those who scoff at submitting to faith in the God of the Bible will perish. [11]
King Solomon wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.” [12]
The fear of God is deterrent from compromise with sin.
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.” [13]
“They lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives. So are the paths of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.” [14]
How do we escape the devil’s poison-filled enticements? The answer is to… “Turn at My (God’s) reproof, behold, I will pour out My Spirit on you; I will make My Words known to you.” [15] We need the Spirit of God to fill us and make us a new creation. The Holy Spirit replaces one’s appetite for sin with an appetite to know, serve, and love the Lord. We avoid falling in with bad apples, by walking with the Lord.
“Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.” [16]
[1] Matthew 6:13
[2] Genesis 3:1
[3] Matthew 5:37
[4] Genesis 3:4
[5] Genesis 3:6
[6] Genesis 3:21
[7] Genesis 4:1-8; Hebrews 9:22
[8] Genesis 4:10-14; Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 2:12-19
[9] Genesis 4:25-26
[10] Psalm 1:1-3
[11] Psalm 1:4-6
[12] Proverbs 1:7
[13] Proverbs 1:12
[14] Proverbs 1:18-19
[15] Proverbs 1:23
[16] Psalm 3:8
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
It’s a Wonderful Life
“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.” [1]
May God grant us the wisdom to choose living for His glory and for the uplifting of others rather than living for the palatable pleasure of drinking wines and strong drinks.
“Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.” [2]
The above verses note that strong drink and wine are used as a coping mechanism for those who are perishing so they can forget their poverty and misery. Why would anyone who is happy and abounding in blessings like a king or a rich ruler want to take a numbing agent to forget?
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” [3]
Rather than waste one’s wealth on a drink designed for forgetting and numbing, why not use one’s position of influence to help people who have no clue how to live well? Rather than drinking as they do, use your unimpaired heart and mind to direct the poor and needy to resources and means to overcome their crisis.
Or as the Lord says in another place, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [4]
Be filled with the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit fills out mouth with songs and melodies of worship to God. God created and sustains all things. When we praise, thank and worship Him, He reveals to us how much He has and how much He wants to bless the lives of others through us. Rather than leaving us inward and feeling bad about ourselves, He points us outward to consider those whose situation is worse than our own, and He leads us with action steps to make our community a better place to live.
If you are familiar with the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it emphasizes how one person’s resolve not to let others suffer can be the difference between a community overcome by degradation and crime or a community where love and care for one another is flourishing and enjoyed.
[1] Proverbs 31:4-5
[2] Proverbs 31:6-7
[3] Proverbs 31:8-9
[4] Ephesians 5:17-20
May God grant us the wisdom to choose living for His glory and for the uplifting of others rather than living for the palatable pleasure of drinking wines and strong drinks.
“Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.” [2]
The above verses note that strong drink and wine are used as a coping mechanism for those who are perishing so they can forget their poverty and misery. Why would anyone who is happy and abounding in blessings like a king or a rich ruler want to take a numbing agent to forget?
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” [3]
Rather than waste one’s wealth on a drink designed for forgetting and numbing, why not use one’s position of influence to help people who have no clue how to live well? Rather than drinking as they do, use your unimpaired heart and mind to direct the poor and needy to resources and means to overcome their crisis.
Or as the Lord says in another place, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [4]
Be filled with the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit fills out mouth with songs and melodies of worship to God. God created and sustains all things. When we praise, thank and worship Him, He reveals to us how much He has and how much He wants to bless the lives of others through us. Rather than leaving us inward and feeling bad about ourselves, He points us outward to consider those whose situation is worse than our own, and He leads us with action steps to make our community a better place to live.
If you are familiar with the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it emphasizes how one person’s resolve not to let others suffer can be the difference between a community overcome by degradation and crime or a community where love and care for one another is flourishing and enjoyed.
[1] Proverbs 31:4-5
[2] Proverbs 31:6-7
[3] Proverbs 31:8-9
[4] Ephesians 5:17-20
Monday, December 30, 2024
Do Not Harm Yourself
“When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.But Paul cried with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’” [1]
He had a family. He had a job. His wife, his children, his parents, his siblings, his coworkers and his friends would have experienced pain and bewilderment if he had ended his life. Yet, he was ready in a moment to do so because of a crisis.
Thank God for God’s servant Paul who was there and said to him with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself!”
May God help us to be “there” for people who have reached a point of what they consider to be a point of no return.
Jesus Christ was there for me in August 1979. I was about to end my life and He spoke to my conscious saying, “Don’t do that! Give your life to Me and I will use it to touch many people.” I replied, “I have only messed it up, but if You can do anything with it is Yours. I won’t try to take it back again.”
Jesus Christ received that prayer, and birthed me anew unto Him by the power of His Holy Spirit.
Fast forward 45 years later, and I am standing in a church that two of my sons-in-law pastor. One just preached a Scripture-loaded Christ-exalting message from Jeremiah 6:16-21. The other led us in beautifully composed and played songs of worship. The church was full of people including people from Africa, Ukraine, Russia and Asia. Members tell me after the service how both of my daughters have meant so much to their spiritual development in Christ.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Glory to God!
God has been so gracious, long suffering and generous towards me. And I am just one of a multitude of individuals who have had a similar experience with Jesus Christ.
“The jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” [2]
The magistrates expected the jailer to keep prisoners from escaping. He probably had never once disappointed them or himself in this regard. Now, due to an earthquake, the prison doors are open. He assumed that he had failed his main mission in life. There was nothing more worth living for, but Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” Those words stopped him from plunging his sword into his body. And he wanted something more after that. He wanted what he saw that Paul and Silas had.
Our Lord Jesus Christ had revealed His glory in that prison via His servants Paul and Silas.
Let’s go back to where this edition of the jailer’s salvation story started…
“The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” [3]
When the jailer received these two prisoners, their clothes had been torn off. They had been beaten many times over with rods. The jailer had been given strict orders to keep them safely so he locked them in an inner cell and shackled their feet.
But the kingdom of God entered that prison that night when God’s servants entered there.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.” [4]
In God’s Kingdom there is intercession for others and there is worship of the One who hears and answers prayers. The jailer got a glimpse of this kingdom via the lives of Paul and Silas, and then, the earth began to shake, bonds fell off and prison doors opened.
Barlow Girl produced a music video for their song, “Never Alone.” In the video, a man is bound with ropes from which he cannot escape, but he continues to pray and trust the Lord against the odds and at the end of the song, he is free. The lyrics of the song are meant to encourage the person who is in a hard place to keep trusting God, keep praying, deliverance will come.
“I waited for You today
But You didn't show, no, no, no
I needed You today
So, where did You go?
You told me to call, said You'd be there
And though I haven't seen You
Are You still there?
I cried out with no reply and
I can't feel You by my side so
I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here
And I'm never alone
I know I cannot see You
And I can't explain why (why)
Such a deep, deep reassurance
You've placed in my life
Whoa, we cannot separate 'cause You're part of me
And though You're invisible, I'll trust the unseen.
I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here
And I'm never alone.”
The jailer experienced salvation that night. He and his family!
“And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” [5]
Rather than grief there was rejoicing thanks to Jesus Christ!
What about the jailer’s job? Did the Lord take care of those misguided magistrates who mistreated Paul and Silas? Those evil authorities who execute those who fail them?
“When it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, ‘Let those men go.’ And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ‘The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.’ But Paul said to them, ‘They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.’ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.” [6]
Thanks to Jesus and His servants Paul and Silas, the jailer and his family were saved. When Jesus showed up, miracles happened and his life improved. He was born anew. He enjoyed a relationship with God and so did his family members.
Rather than being executed by his bosses, the jailer saw his bosses apologize to his prisoners.
God takes what was meant for evil and turns it around for the good. [7] We just need to believe in Him and ask Him to help us. Not be our own savior! No one can save themselves from sin and its consequences. That’s the Savior’s role! Jesus Christ alone is Savior. With Him there is forgiveness of sin, and there is power to live a new life.
“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” [8]
Don’t harm yourself! Love God! Surrender your life to His purpose for you. Be patient! It is better to give your life to Jesus Christ than to destroy it. You will never be able to measure how much He has done and will do through your life.
[1] Acts 16:27-28
[2] Acts 16:29-31
[3] Acts 16:22-24
[4] Acts 16:25-26
[5] Acts 16:32-34
[6] Acts 16:35-40
[7] Genesis 50:20
[8] Romans 8:28
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