Come Lord Jesus!

The Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the ruling empire of his time, a prophetic dream. The Lord gave Daniel the interpretation of the dream. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar the dream’s meaning.

“You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” [1]

The iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold represented the last of the last great worldly empires to rule over the world. These empires were impressive for people to behold. They seemed unbreakable, but after a little stone hit them, they were totally gone.

That little stone that becomes a great mountain and fills the earth is the Kingdom of God. His kingdom came to earth in the form of a baby born in a manger. This stone may seem harmless, even laughable to some, like a children’s story, but the little stone, Christ, shall bring down the mighty kingdoms of this world and replace them, and His kingdom shall not end. His kingdom shall never be overthrown. No more flip flopping between one political party and another. His Kingdom shall be firm like a rock, as well as great and glorious!

“Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” [2]

“Yes, come a second time Lord Jesus!”

[1]  Daniel 2:34-35
[2] Hebrews 9:28

Magnifying the Lord

“Mary said:

‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
Holy is His name.

He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.’” [1]

Mary said that she was of lowly state. She was the Lord’s maidservant. She was the servant of God not men. She waited on the Lord much like a waitress waits on customers at a meal table. She rejoices in God her Savior because He respected the lowly and the hungry more so than the mighty, proud, and rich. He chose her of all people to be the earthly mother of the Savior of the world. The Lord scattered the proud people who were full of imaginations about themselves. The proud had so much yet believed that they deserved and should have more. The Lord sent them a running. He chose the humble.

Yesterday, the Lord placed in Sherry’s heart a strong desire to take blankets, socks, and packets of tissues to the homeless street dwellers by the bay. They were so grateful for these blessings. It was 46 degrees at the time. She gave food to one woman who was so weak she tried to talk but no words came out of her mouth.

Sherry also has a homeless man named Adam that sits by her kettle stand at the Metreon. She has been sharing Jesus with him and praying for him daily. Adam told her about the homeless people living near Embarcadero.

When I consider all the time and money that is wasted on entertainment… sports, games, TV, movies, eating out, etc., all connected to the world of fantasy and imaginations… compared to watching Sherry distribute much needed supplies and love to the poor… REALITY, I choose to magnify the LORD.

“Thank You Jesus for choosing to do great things through Your handmaiden Mary. Thank You Jesus for Your servant Sherry...my precious grace gift from You! You who are mighty have done great things for me. Holy is Your Name!”

[1] Luke 1:46-49, 51-53

A Great Army

Dry bones now a great army
Stony hearts now hearts of flesh
Spirit of the Lord move!
Bring forth renewal

Lord, speak Your Word
Breathe Your breath
Sprinkle with clean water
Create new hearts

“The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down amidst the valley; and it was full of bones. And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’

So, I answered, ‘O Lord God, You know.’

Again, He said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!’

So, I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

Also, He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus, says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So, I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” [1]

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” [2]

[1] Ezekiel 37:1, 3-4, 7-10
[2] Ezekiel 36:25-27

God’s Word Produces Faith in Him

Below are three Bible passages about the power of God’s Word and four Bible passages about the power of faith in God.  

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” [1]

“How much better to get wisdom than gold!

And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

He who heeds the word wisely will find good,

And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.”

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. [2]

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [3]

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” [4]

“God gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” [5]

“So, then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” [6]

Not only does God’s Word compel us away-from foolishness and ungodliness, He produces faith in us through it so we can believe that the unseen can become seen as we trust in Him. God speaks things into existence that formerly did not exist.

“…God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” [7]

God can even produce followers of Christ out of stones.

“Yay, Lord, we need stones to become children of Abraham because the work is great and the laborers (of Your Word) are few.”

[1] Psalm 19:7-10

[2] Proverbs 16:16, 20, 24

[3] 2 Timothy 3:16-17

[4] Hebrews 11:1-3

[5] Romans 10:17

[6] Romans 4:17

[7] Matthew 3:9

Wrath Or Salvation?

“God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” [1]

“The Lord is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah.

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” [2]

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” “Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” [3]

“God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” [4]

There’s only one way to escape the wrath of God against sin. His Name is Jesus. Jesus took the wrath of God for our sin when He died for us on the cross. We can enter eternity trusting in our own righteousness and drink the cup of God’s wrath against sin, because we all have sinned. Or we can enter eternity trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and enjoy the cup of God’s forgiveness. God justifies and saves the person who believes in His Son Jesus Christ.

[1] Psalm 7:11
[2] Psalm 9:16-20
[3] Romans 1:18, 28
[4] Romans 3:26

Worthless Gold ~ Precious Blood

“They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like garbage; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they will not satisfy their souls, nor fill their stomachs, because it (money) became their stumbling block of iniquity.” [1]

The Bible is clear about God’s wrath. There are numerous stories and declarations of His wrath throughout the Bible. In God’s economy sin is unacceptable. No matter how much money a person has, no matter how many friends and no matter how the world praises one for his or her talent, if God’s forgiveness of sin is not appropriated by faith in His Son Jesus Christ, a sinner is still under His wrath.

“God our Savior... desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all...” [2]

Thankfully, God wants all people to be saved from His wrath against sin. This is why He sent His Son into the world. Jesus taught the truth. He died for the truth. He never sinned. He purchased God’s forgiveness of sin with His own blood. Jesus did not ransom us with silver or gold, but with His own precious blood. The Bible clearly states that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator (bridge) between God and humanity. Jesus Christ is the One who paid our ransom. We were slaves of sin and the devil, but Jesus paid our ransom and set us free.

Praise the Lord! Our Redeemer lives!

[1] Ezekiel 9:16
[2] 1 Timothy 2:3-6

God’s Word Runs Swiftly

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.” [1]

Yes, may God’s Word run swiftly like a river running down a mountainside to nourish the dry land of the farmers.

Yesterday, as I walked through streets of Chinatown, I saw so many busy people. Some were shopping! Others were restocking the food bins in front of their stores.

The Holy Spirit was pouring forth prayers for them into my heart. The Holy Spirit opened the way for me to pour forth God’s Word into two souls. The Holy Spirit poured forth the proclamation of Christ. “Thank You Holy Spirit for Your ministry in God's people, the Church.”

“Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.” [2]

Proclaiming the good news of how Christ died on the cross for sinners so that sin is forgiven to all who believe... this is a wonderful ministry! Good news of eternal life! A happy life when the page is turned from earthly life to heavenly life!

We do need to pray for those who share the Good News of Christ. The enemy of humankind, Satan, seeks to harm and humiliate good news messengers. Paul asked the Thessalonian Christians to pray that he and his fellow messengers would be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.

“Heavenly Father, please protect by the power of Jesus' Name, all Your servants who serving-up Your good news message to the world today. Please fill Your servants with joy unspeakable and full of glory. For Your JOY is our strength. May Your Word run very swiftly. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.”

[1] 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
[2] Psalm 144:15