“In the Lord I put my trust;
How can you say to my soul,
‘Flee as a bird to your mountain’?” [1]
“David lifted his eyes to the Lord to find faith in a time of testing. He knew the safest place to stand was in radical trust in God.” *
When his ‘friends’ advised him to ‘flee as a bird to your mountain,’ he didn’t go down that path. He turned to the Lord...
“The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men.” [2]
David reminded himself and his friends, ‘God hasn’t gone anywhere.’ ‘The Lord isn’t going anywhere, so I won’t either.’ * He turned to the Lord and the Lord gave him faith to stay the course.
God was greater than all David’s enemies put together. The Lord is looking for people like David who are willing to trust Him and bring Him glory on the earth.
“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.” [3]
When the Holy Spirit comes upon us… we witness for Jesus.
The disciples of Jesus were filled with the Holy Spirit and the Gospel did spread from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and then to the end of the earth:
Acts 1-7 describes the Gospel in Jerusalem.
Acts 8-12 speak of the Gospel in Judea and Samaria.
Acts 13-28 tells of the Gospel going to the end of the earth.” *
“Dear Heavenly Father, please fill us afresh with the power of Your Holy Spirit that we may witness boldly for Your Son Jesus, in whom alone is eternal salvation. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.”
[1] Psalm 11:1
[2] Psalm 11:4
[3] Acts 1:8
* Comments derived from Enduring Word Commentary
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
The Weapons of our Warfare
Some heroes have swords and arrows. Some have light sabers and spaceships. Others have helmets and shields, What are the weapons of godly warfare?
King David used prayers to God.
“Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just… My defense is of God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” [1]
He placed the wicked and the just into God’s hands. He trusted God to do what is right. God responds to this confidence in Him.
King David used songs of praise to God, and He used professions of God’s deeds to others.
“Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people.” [2]
King David employed humility before God to gain God’s attention and God’s help.
When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble.” [3]
King David employed the weight of God’s compassion for the needy and poor against the weight of evil leaders who oppressed them.
“For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” [4]
These spiritual weapons are powerful because the source of their power is God Himself. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but MIGHTY IN GOD for pulling down strongholds.” [5]
So now, let us employ these weapons! Let us go to battle against the forces of darkness that are destroying the lives of so many poor and needy people! By reliance on the power of God, and His leading, let us bring down evil and build up the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.” [6] Amen!
[1] Psalm 7:9-11
[2] Psalm 9:11
[3] Psalm 9:12
[4] Psalm 9:18
[5] 2 Corinthians 10:4
[6] Psalm 27:13
King David used prayers to God.
“Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just… My defense is of God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” [1]
He placed the wicked and the just into God’s hands. He trusted God to do what is right. God responds to this confidence in Him.
King David used songs of praise to God, and He used professions of God’s deeds to others.
“Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people.” [2]
King David employed humility before God to gain God’s attention and God’s help.
When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble.” [3]
King David employed the weight of God’s compassion for the needy and poor against the weight of evil leaders who oppressed them.
“For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” [4]
These spiritual weapons are powerful because the source of their power is God Himself. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but MIGHTY IN GOD for pulling down strongholds.” [5]
So now, let us employ these weapons! Let us go to battle against the forces of darkness that are destroying the lives of so many poor and needy people! By reliance on the power of God, and His leading, let us bring down evil and build up the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.” [6] Amen!
[1] Psalm 7:9-11
[2] Psalm 9:11
[3] Psalm 9:12
[4] Psalm 9:18
[5] 2 Corinthians 10:4
[6] Psalm 27:13
Saturday, March 27, 2021
For Messiah not Magic
“For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.” [1]
We don't need superstition or magic. We need Jesus only!
The Lord says, “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord.” [2]
This would include but not be limited to Tarot cards, palm reading, Ouija Boards, horoscopes, etc. The Lord raised up a Prophet who spoke and speaks the truth. He is the Good Shepherd. He leads us to an eternal home with God. He is the perfect and unerring guide for us.
“Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’” [3]
Jesus is the only Savior from sin. To avoid eternal destruction and receive eternal blessedness it is necessary to believe in Him.
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.’” [4]
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’” [5]
“The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” [6]
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’” [7]
Jesus is Messiah. He foretells of and gives us the best future when we trust in Him, namely eternal life.
[1] Deuteronomy 18:4
[2] Deuteronomy 18:10-12
[3] Acts 3:22-23, Deuteronomy 8:15
[4] John 4:9
[5] John 4:25-26
[6] John 4:28-30
[7] John 4:39
We don't need superstition or magic. We need Jesus only!
The Lord says, “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord.” [2]
This would include but not be limited to Tarot cards, palm reading, Ouija Boards, horoscopes, etc. The Lord raised up a Prophet who spoke and speaks the truth. He is the Good Shepherd. He leads us to an eternal home with God. He is the perfect and unerring guide for us.
“Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’” [3]
Jesus is the only Savior from sin. To avoid eternal destruction and receive eternal blessedness it is necessary to believe in Him.
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.’” [4]
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’” [5]
“The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” [6]
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’” [7]
Jesus is Messiah. He foretells of and gives us the best future when we trust in Him, namely eternal life.
[1] Deuteronomy 18:4
[2] Deuteronomy 18:10-12
[3] Acts 3:22-23, Deuteronomy 8:15
[4] John 4:9
[5] John 4:25-26
[6] John 4:28-30
[7] John 4:39
Friday, March 26, 2021
Destined to See His Glory
Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father... You have given Him [Your Son] authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” [1]
Jesus has authority from the Father to give eternal life to whomever the Father gives Him.
What is eternal life?
It is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent to be Savior of the world.
Do you know the only true God? Do you know His Messiah?
Christ is the Greek word for Anointed One. Messiah is the Hebrew word for Anointed One. Jesus is the only Anointed One by the Father to give eternal life.
“I have manifested Your Name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” [2]
How does Jesus reveal God’s Name to those the Father gives Him?
He speaks what His Father speaks!
The disciples, in turn, received the words of Jesus, and believed them.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” [3]
God sanctifies us by giving us truth and sending us forth as His truth-tellers.
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me...” [4]
What destiny does Jesus desire for us? To be where He is! To behold His glory.
The Apostle Peter wrote, “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” [5]
Jesus keeps us from stumbling and presents us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. [6]
[1] John 17:1-3
[2] John 17:6, 8
[3] John 17:17-18
[4] John 17:24
[5] 1 Peter 5:4
[6] Jude 1:24
Jesus has authority from the Father to give eternal life to whomever the Father gives Him.
What is eternal life?
It is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent to be Savior of the world.
Do you know the only true God? Do you know His Messiah?
Christ is the Greek word for Anointed One. Messiah is the Hebrew word for Anointed One. Jesus is the only Anointed One by the Father to give eternal life.
“I have manifested Your Name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” [2]
How does Jesus reveal God’s Name to those the Father gives Him?
He speaks what His Father speaks!
The disciples, in turn, received the words of Jesus, and believed them.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” [3]
God sanctifies us by giving us truth and sending us forth as His truth-tellers.
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me...” [4]
What destiny does Jesus desire for us? To be where He is! To behold His glory.
The Apostle Peter wrote, “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” [5]
Jesus keeps us from stumbling and presents us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. [6]
[1] John 17:1-3
[2] John 17:6, 8
[3] John 17:17-18
[4] John 17:24
[5] 1 Peter 5:4
[6] Jude 1:24
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Revival Birthed by the Holy Spirit
“Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake... bring my soul out of trouble.” [1]
“And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” [2]
“He will convict: Or undeceive the world.”
“Of sin, because they do not believe in Me: It is unbelief, the rejection of Jesus, which ultimately proves one to be guilty. The Holy Spirit will tell the world of the importance of trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus to avoid this sin.
“The essence of sin is unbelief... it is a total rejection of God’s messenger and message.” (Tenney)
“The basic sin is the sin which puts self at the center of things and consequently refused to believe in Him [Jesus].” (Morris)
“Of righteousness, because I go to My Father: The ascension of Jesus to heaven demonstrated that He had perfectly fulfilled the Father’s will and had proven Himself righteous – and exposed the lack of righteousness in the world that rejected Him. The Holy Spirit shows the world the righteousness of Jesus and its own unrighteousness.”
“Righteousness... has been revealed in the incarnate Son, who exemplified it perfectly in all his relationships.” (Tenney)
“The ruler of the world [that is, the devil] is judged.” “To adhere to the lies of the devil and the deceitfulness of sin rather than to Christ is to cling to a doomed cause, to a sinking ship.” (Dods) [3]
“Yes, O Holy Father, revive us for the sake of Your Son’s Name. Bring many souls out of trouble. In Jesus’ Name, pour forth Your Holy Spirit and bring many souls out of trouble. In Jesus’ Name, we ask. Amen.”
[1] Psalm 143:11
[2] John 16:8-11
[3] Selected comments from the Enduring Word Commentary
“And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” [2]
“He will convict: Or undeceive the world.”
“Of sin, because they do not believe in Me: It is unbelief, the rejection of Jesus, which ultimately proves one to be guilty. The Holy Spirit will tell the world of the importance of trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus to avoid this sin.
“The essence of sin is unbelief... it is a total rejection of God’s messenger and message.” (Tenney)
“The basic sin is the sin which puts self at the center of things and consequently refused to believe in Him [Jesus].” (Morris)
“Of righteousness, because I go to My Father: The ascension of Jesus to heaven demonstrated that He had perfectly fulfilled the Father’s will and had proven Himself righteous – and exposed the lack of righteousness in the world that rejected Him. The Holy Spirit shows the world the righteousness of Jesus and its own unrighteousness.”
“Righteousness... has been revealed in the incarnate Son, who exemplified it perfectly in all his relationships.” (Tenney)
“The ruler of the world [that is, the devil] is judged.” “To adhere to the lies of the devil and the deceitfulness of sin rather than to Christ is to cling to a doomed cause, to a sinking ship.” (Dods) [3]
“Yes, O Holy Father, revive us for the sake of Your Son’s Name. Bring many souls out of trouble. In Jesus’ Name, pour forth Your Holy Spirit and bring many souls out of trouble. In Jesus’ Name, we ask. Amen.”
[1] Psalm 143:11
[2] John 16:8-11
[3] Selected comments from the Enduring Word Commentary
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Neighborly Love not Sneetches
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” [1]
The Lord’s commandments are based on divine love. A love that provides an environment of mutual respect and mutual goodwill towards one another! When carried out, His commandments do bring fullness of joy. To “love one another” is to experience the immense value God places on each one of us. A love so deep that it may move a person to give up his or her life for the well-being of another.
In the Declaration of Independence, we have the following words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
There was to be no elite class of people that ruled by force, but the rather, all people were to be considered equal because God created each one. The government gained its power and authority from “we the people” or by consent of the governed. A government by consent rather than by force! It is amazing that God Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, respects the free will of people. He could obviously force people to bow to Him but does not. His Son, Jesus Christ, came to us as one who serves. One who laid down His life for us!
As a child, I learned a good lesson from Dr. Suess’s book the “The Sneetches.” The book begins with Star-bellied Sneetches proclaiming themselves superior to Plain-bellied Sneetches. A shrewd entrepreneur named Sylvester McMonkey McBean sees a way to make money from their strife with one another. One day, he convinces everyone that it is better to be a Plain-bellied Sneetch and he has a machine to remove the stars from bellies. So, the Stars pay to have their stars removed. Then, he convinces them it is better to have stars. They pay to have the stars reinstalled. At the end of the story, McBean rides out of town with a wagon full of money. After he fled with their money, and their economy was destroyed, they realized that he used their competitive natures to rob them. They had no money, but at least they started having a good relationship with each other.
“Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to uphold Your commandments and love one another. We need Your fullness of joy. We need to become good neighbors once again. Please help us. In the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”
[1] John 15:10-13
The Lord’s commandments are based on divine love. A love that provides an environment of mutual respect and mutual goodwill towards one another! When carried out, His commandments do bring fullness of joy. To “love one another” is to experience the immense value God places on each one of us. A love so deep that it may move a person to give up his or her life for the well-being of another.
In the Declaration of Independence, we have the following words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
There was to be no elite class of people that ruled by force, but the rather, all people were to be considered equal because God created each one. The government gained its power and authority from “we the people” or by consent of the governed. A government by consent rather than by force! It is amazing that God Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, respects the free will of people. He could obviously force people to bow to Him but does not. His Son, Jesus Christ, came to us as one who serves. One who laid down His life for us!
As a child, I learned a good lesson from Dr. Suess’s book the “The Sneetches.” The book begins with Star-bellied Sneetches proclaiming themselves superior to Plain-bellied Sneetches. A shrewd entrepreneur named Sylvester McMonkey McBean sees a way to make money from their strife with one another. One day, he convinces everyone that it is better to be a Plain-bellied Sneetch and he has a machine to remove the stars from bellies. So, the Stars pay to have their stars removed. Then, he convinces them it is better to have stars. They pay to have the stars reinstalled. At the end of the story, McBean rides out of town with a wagon full of money. After he fled with their money, and their economy was destroyed, they realized that he used their competitive natures to rob them. They had no money, but at least they started having a good relationship with each other.
“Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to uphold Your commandments and love one another. We need Your fullness of joy. We need to become good neighbors once again. Please help us. In the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”
[1] John 15:10-13
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
In His Presence – Love and Peace
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” [1]
We have a good reason not to be troubled because the outrageous craziness of this temporary life shall give way to eternal and secure dwellings places with the Lord. Jesus is preparing dwelling places for us His followers. He paid the price in full for our beautiful destination.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” [2]
The way to this beautiful eternity is Jesus. He is the truthteller that guides us there. He gives us the life of God so we win where otherwise on our own we would fail.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” [3]
Commandment keeping... law abiding is our Lord’s love language. As we set out to obey His commands, He gives us His Holy Spirit to help us. The Holy Spirit is also a truthteller. He helps us to know the truth despite all the rampant lies swirling around us. Jesus does not leave alone. He comes to us via His abiding Holy Spirit.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” [4]
Jesus reveals Himself – His thoughts – His goodness – His love – His mighty power – to us who have His commandments and keep them. As we obey Him, we experience His love and presence.
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
Now that I am older, I enjoy just sitting next to Sherry. Just being near her. In a similar fashion, I enjoy the Lord’s presence. His presence brings a wonderful sense of love and peace.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” [6]
“Thank You Lord for peace in a troubled world. Thank You for hope. Thank You for Your ever-presence with us.”
[1] John 14:1-3
[2] John 14:6
[3] John 14:15-18
[4] John 14:21
[5] John 14:23
[6] John 14:27
We have a good reason not to be troubled because the outrageous craziness of this temporary life shall give way to eternal and secure dwellings places with the Lord. Jesus is preparing dwelling places for us His followers. He paid the price in full for our beautiful destination.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” [2]
The way to this beautiful eternity is Jesus. He is the truthteller that guides us there. He gives us the life of God so we win where otherwise on our own we would fail.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” [3]
Commandment keeping... law abiding is our Lord’s love language. As we set out to obey His commands, He gives us His Holy Spirit to help us. The Holy Spirit is also a truthteller. He helps us to know the truth despite all the rampant lies swirling around us. Jesus does not leave alone. He comes to us via His abiding Holy Spirit.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” [4]
Jesus reveals Himself – His thoughts – His goodness – His love – His mighty power – to us who have His commandments and keep them. As we obey Him, we experience His love and presence.
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
Now that I am older, I enjoy just sitting next to Sherry. Just being near her. In a similar fashion, I enjoy the Lord’s presence. His presence brings a wonderful sense of love and peace.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” [6]
“Thank You Lord for peace in a troubled world. Thank You for hope. Thank You for Your ever-presence with us.”
[1] John 14:1-3
[2] John 14:6
[3] John 14:15-18
[4] John 14:21
[5] John 14:23
[6] John 14:27
Monday, March 22, 2021
Amazing Love
Jesus did the job of the lowest household servant when He washed His disciples’ feet. His goal – to teach them to seek to serve rather than to be served. Luke 22:23 says that the disciples entered the room debating who was greatest. He was their Rabbi, yet He served them.
Lucifer once said, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” [1] Lucifer wanted to humiliate God. Take His place. Cancel God. Wherever there is strife – class warfare – race warfare – pride warfare – gender warfare - humanism instead of godliness - Lucifer is at work.
Jesus quotes from Psalms to His disciples, “He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” [2] Always using the Word of God to expose Satan’s subversive plots!
He says to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” [3] In other words, My humble ways may not impress you, but when you receive Me, you receive My Father who sent Me.
Jesus became troubled in spirit, and said, “One of you will betray Me.” [4]
After Jesus served bread to Judas Iscariot (a kind deed), Satan entered him. Remember the quote from Psalms, “He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” Satan inspired Judas to put Jesus under foot. Jesus washed the feet of Judas. Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Jesus knew that Judas wanted the thirty pieces of silver more than he wanted Him. Recently, I heard that when evil is afoot, follow the money trail and you will find who is behind the crime. In any case, the other disciples did not know why Judas left the room. [5]
“So, when he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man (Messiah) is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.’” [6]
Wow! You would think just the opposite. He just washed a disciple’s feet, and the man sold Him out for money. Judas forsook the Son of God and Israel’s Messiah in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. How is Jesus and the Father glorified in this? Well, it is not in the betrayal of goodness for evil that Jesus is glorified, but in His love for people.
Jesus said to His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” [7]
Do you want to know who is the greatest? The one who serves and the one who loves amidst a culture of cruel competitors! As His betrayer is recruiting torturers and executioners, Jesus speaks of love.
Keep on serving! Keep on loving! God will take care of the rest.
“Dear Lord Jesus, we need You to transform our thought-and-deed-life. Please by the power of Your transforming Holy Spirit, help us to demonstrate Your amazing love to those around us.”
[1] Isaiah 14:13
[2] Psalm 41:9
[3] John 13:20
[4] John 13:21
[5] John 13:26-29
[6] John 13:31
[7] John 13:34-35
Lucifer once said, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” [1] Lucifer wanted to humiliate God. Take His place. Cancel God. Wherever there is strife – class warfare – race warfare – pride warfare – gender warfare - humanism instead of godliness - Lucifer is at work.
Jesus quotes from Psalms to His disciples, “He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” [2] Always using the Word of God to expose Satan’s subversive plots!
He says to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” [3] In other words, My humble ways may not impress you, but when you receive Me, you receive My Father who sent Me.
Jesus became troubled in spirit, and said, “One of you will betray Me.” [4]
After Jesus served bread to Judas Iscariot (a kind deed), Satan entered him. Remember the quote from Psalms, “He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” Satan inspired Judas to put Jesus under foot. Jesus washed the feet of Judas. Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Jesus knew that Judas wanted the thirty pieces of silver more than he wanted Him. Recently, I heard that when evil is afoot, follow the money trail and you will find who is behind the crime. In any case, the other disciples did not know why Judas left the room. [5]
“So, when he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man (Messiah) is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.’” [6]
Wow! You would think just the opposite. He just washed a disciple’s feet, and the man sold Him out for money. Judas forsook the Son of God and Israel’s Messiah in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. How is Jesus and the Father glorified in this? Well, it is not in the betrayal of goodness for evil that Jesus is glorified, but in His love for people.
Jesus said to His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” [7]
Do you want to know who is the greatest? The one who serves and the one who loves amidst a culture of cruel competitors! As His betrayer is recruiting torturers and executioners, Jesus speaks of love.
Keep on serving! Keep on loving! God will take care of the rest.
“Dear Lord Jesus, we need You to transform our thought-and-deed-life. Please by the power of Your transforming Holy Spirit, help us to demonstrate Your amazing love to those around us.”
[1] Isaiah 14:13
[2] Psalm 41:9
[3] John 13:20
[4] John 13:21
[5] John 13:26-29
[6] John 13:31
[7] John 13:34-35
Sunday, March 21, 2021
Resurrection Victory
Six days before the Passover (Saturday), Jesus is in Bethany with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. [1]
Many Jews came to see Jesus and Lazarus. Lazarus had been dead in a tomb for four days when Jesus called him back to life. If we had honest polling charts from this day, we would see that Jesus and Lazarus were hugely popular. The Jewish elite, the chief priests, were plotting to destroy both Jesus and Lazarus. Why Lazarus? Because on account of him many Jews believed in Jesus.” [2]
The next day (Sunday), a massive rally formed because they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. In fact, as Jesus entered the city, the people “took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out...
‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!’ [3]
The opposition party, the Pharisees, “said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!’” [4]
Even Greek people in the crowd were saying. “We want to see JESUS.” [5]
Jesus said to Andrew and Philip, “The hour has come that the Son of Man (Messiah) should be glorified.” [6]
How? He will die. He will lose His life.
His soul is troubled, but He prays, “Father, glorify Your name.” A voice from heaven, responds, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” [7]
Jesus said to the crowd, “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” [8]
His death and His resurrection is His greatest sign to the world that He is MESSIAH.
“Even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” [9]
Jesus declared to them, “I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life...” [10]
It was for our sakes that JESUS underwent death and resurrection. JESUS gives to us who believe in His Name a better world than the one that now exists. He has made His resurrection victory our resurrection victory. Hallelujah!
[1] John 12:1
[2] John 12:9-11
[3] John 12:12-13
[4] John 12:19
[5] John 12:21
[6] John 12:23
[7] John 12:24-28
[8] John 12:32
[9] John 12:42-43
[10] John 12:49-50
Many Jews came to see Jesus and Lazarus. Lazarus had been dead in a tomb for four days when Jesus called him back to life. If we had honest polling charts from this day, we would see that Jesus and Lazarus were hugely popular. The Jewish elite, the chief priests, were plotting to destroy both Jesus and Lazarus. Why Lazarus? Because on account of him many Jews believed in Jesus.” [2]
The next day (Sunday), a massive rally formed because they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. In fact, as Jesus entered the city, the people “took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out...
‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!’ [3]
The opposition party, the Pharisees, “said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!’” [4]
Even Greek people in the crowd were saying. “We want to see JESUS.” [5]
Jesus said to Andrew and Philip, “The hour has come that the Son of Man (Messiah) should be glorified.” [6]
How? He will die. He will lose His life.
His soul is troubled, but He prays, “Father, glorify Your name.” A voice from heaven, responds, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” [7]
Jesus said to the crowd, “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” [8]
His death and His resurrection is His greatest sign to the world that He is MESSIAH.
“Even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” [9]
Jesus declared to them, “I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life...” [10]
It was for our sakes that JESUS underwent death and resurrection. JESUS gives to us who believe in His Name a better world than the one that now exists. He has made His resurrection victory our resurrection victory. Hallelujah!
[1] John 12:1
[2] John 12:9-11
[3] John 12:12-13
[4] John 12:19
[5] John 12:21
[6] John 12:23
[7] John 12:24-28
[8] John 12:32
[9] John 12:42-43
[10] John 12:49-50
Saturday, March 20, 2021
Blessings from Psalm 128
“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” [1]
We give our Lord the proper honor and respect due Him when we walk in His ways.
Such a life yields many blessings.
“When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.” [2]
The fruitful vine (yielding clusters of grapes) and the olive plants (yielding oil) are “biblical symbols of the abundant life. They are not food staples like wheat or corn. They symbolize rich blessing.”
“Olive trees take a long time to mature and become profitable. Patiently cultivated, they become quite valuable and continue to produce a profitable crop for centuries, longer perhaps than any other fruit-producing tree or plant.” [3]
Olive shoots are the vigorous offsets from an aged olive tree. “Beautiful; producing abundance; sending up young plants to take the place of the old when they decay and die.” [4]
“Olive shoots” may be applied to the spiritual seed and offspring of Christ. In Psalm 52:8, Zechariah 4:11, and Revelation 11:4 they are anointed ones. True believers in Christ have the anointing of the Holy Spirit in them. They are ever green in Jeremiah 11:16. In Song of Solomon 1:12, our Lord takes delight and pleasure in them. [5]
“Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.” [6]
There is assurance of blessing for all who honor and respect God the way that they should.
“The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” [7]
Psalm 128 is a Song of Ascent. It was sung as singers walked up to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord. It was natural for singers of this psalm to think about the connection of blessing with Jerusalem. Good has come out of Zion (another name for Jerusalem).
Jesus brought forth the New Testament teaching and ministry in Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins in Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven from Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
The Gospel was first preached out of Jerusalem and the Church was birthed there. His blessing to us! [8]
“Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” [9]
“The blessing to the one who fears the Lord goes beyond the holy city and impacts the holy family. The psalmist sees the blessing as enjoying grandchildren.
Since the pilgrim journeys to Israel were often made as families, it made sense for there to be much attention given to family relationships in the Songs of Ascents.
The psalmist understood that if the people of Israel did fear the Lord, this blessing of peace (shalom) would impact many. [10]
[1] Psalm 128:1
[2] Psalm 128:2-3
[3] Boise – quoted in the Enduring Word Commentary
[4] Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
[5] Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
[6] Psalm 128:4
[7] Psalm 128:5
[8] Derived from the Enduring Word Commentary
[9] Psalm 128:6
[10] Enduring Word Commentary
We give our Lord the proper honor and respect due Him when we walk in His ways.
Such a life yields many blessings.
“When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.” [2]
The fruitful vine (yielding clusters of grapes) and the olive plants (yielding oil) are “biblical symbols of the abundant life. They are not food staples like wheat or corn. They symbolize rich blessing.”
“Olive trees take a long time to mature and become profitable. Patiently cultivated, they become quite valuable and continue to produce a profitable crop for centuries, longer perhaps than any other fruit-producing tree or plant.” [3]
Olive shoots are the vigorous offsets from an aged olive tree. “Beautiful; producing abundance; sending up young plants to take the place of the old when they decay and die.” [4]
“Olive shoots” may be applied to the spiritual seed and offspring of Christ. In Psalm 52:8, Zechariah 4:11, and Revelation 11:4 they are anointed ones. True believers in Christ have the anointing of the Holy Spirit in them. They are ever green in Jeremiah 11:16. In Song of Solomon 1:12, our Lord takes delight and pleasure in them. [5]
“Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.” [6]
There is assurance of blessing for all who honor and respect God the way that they should.
“The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” [7]
Psalm 128 is a Song of Ascent. It was sung as singers walked up to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord. It was natural for singers of this psalm to think about the connection of blessing with Jerusalem. Good has come out of Zion (another name for Jerusalem).
Jesus brought forth the New Testament teaching and ministry in Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins in Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven from Jerusalem. His blessing to us!
The Gospel was first preached out of Jerusalem and the Church was birthed there. His blessing to us! [8]
“Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” [9]
“The blessing to the one who fears the Lord goes beyond the holy city and impacts the holy family. The psalmist sees the blessing as enjoying grandchildren.
Since the pilgrim journeys to Israel were often made as families, it made sense for there to be much attention given to family relationships in the Songs of Ascents.
The psalmist understood that if the people of Israel did fear the Lord, this blessing of peace (shalom) would impact many. [10]
[1] Psalm 128:1
[2] Psalm 128:2-3
[3] Boise – quoted in the Enduring Word Commentary
[4] Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
[5] Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
[6] Psalm 128:4
[7] Psalm 128:5
[8] Derived from the Enduring Word Commentary
[9] Psalm 128:6
[10] Enduring Word Commentary
Friday, March 19, 2021
People Need the Lord
“And many believed in Him there.” [1]
This is my prayer, my plea... dear Heavenly Father, Son of God, Holy Spirit, please bring people to faith in the Messiah through my life and through the lives of Your people.
Our Messiah, Jesus Christ, prayed to the Father, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” [2]
People need to know who Jesus is...
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” [3]
May the Gospel of Peace and Glad Tidings of good things be exuberantly preached so people can hear, believe, and call upon Jesus Christ to save them.
Revival is to restore to original condition. “Dear Almighty Father, Prince of Peace and Wonderful Counselor please restore Your Church to its original Gospel-preaching, disciple-making condition.” If ever there was a time when people need the Gospel of Peace and Glad Tidings of good things it is now.
People need the Lord!
[1] John 10:42
[2] John 17:3
[3] Romans 10:14-15
This is my prayer, my plea... dear Heavenly Father, Son of God, Holy Spirit, please bring people to faith in the Messiah through my life and through the lives of Your people.
Our Messiah, Jesus Christ, prayed to the Father, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” [2]
People need to know who Jesus is...
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” [3]
May the Gospel of Peace and Glad Tidings of good things be exuberantly preached so people can hear, believe, and call upon Jesus Christ to save them.
Revival is to restore to original condition. “Dear Almighty Father, Prince of Peace and Wonderful Counselor please restore Your Church to its original Gospel-preaching, disciple-making condition.” If ever there was a time when people need the Gospel of Peace and Glad Tidings of good things it is now.
People need the Lord!
[1] John 10:42
[2] John 17:3
[3] Romans 10:14-15
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Being Received by Grace
Have you ever found yourself assuming that you deserve no favor unless you can do something outstanding or conform to a certain “ideal” image?
Have you ever found yourself expecting people to receive you based on your credentials, image and/or achievements?
How does God receive us? He receives us according to His grace in Christ Jesus.
So, instead of being offended when unfavored, pray for God’s unmerited favor to be upon you. Just as you and I need God to graciously receive us, so it is with people. We need them to receive us by grace. And this goes both ways. We need to receive people by grace as well.
We also need grace to receive God as He describes Himself and His actions in the Bible. After Jesus forgave a woman caught in the very act of adultery and told her to sin no more (John 8:1-11), the religious leaders were upset with Him. They had a very tight understanding of who God is and how God should act. Yet, God was standing before them in human flesh, and they rejected Him. He had said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” None of them fit that description.
Jesus told them, “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47) Jesus would have received them as graciously as He forgave the woman caught in adultery, but they rejected Him.
GRACE is what Christianity has that no other religion has. We need God’s grace to be saved. We also need to learn from Him how to be gracious. Below are a wide array of Bible sentences and phrases about being received by grace.
Have you ever found yourself expecting people to receive you based on your credentials, image and/or achievements?
How does God receive us? He receives us according to His grace in Christ Jesus.
So, instead of being offended when unfavored, pray for God’s unmerited favor to be upon you. Just as you and I need God to graciously receive us, so it is with people. We need them to receive us by grace. And this goes both ways. We need to receive people by grace as well.
We also need grace to receive God as He describes Himself and His actions in the Bible. After Jesus forgave a woman caught in the very act of adultery and told her to sin no more (John 8:1-11), the religious leaders were upset with Him. They had a very tight understanding of who God is and how God should act. Yet, God was standing before them in human flesh, and they rejected Him. He had said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” None of them fit that description.
Jesus told them, “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47) Jesus would have received them as graciously as He forgave the woman caught in adultery, but they rejected Him.
GRACE is what Christianity has that no other religion has. We need God’s grace to be saved. We also need to learn from Him how to be gracious. Below are a wide array of Bible sentences and phrases about being received by grace.
“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8)
“I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.” (Exodus 33:12)
“The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)
“Great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33)
“We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.” (Acts 15:11)
“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5)
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.” (Romans 12:6)
“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 1:4)
“According to the grace of God which was given to me.” (1 Corinthians 3:10)
“[They] long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.” (2 Corinthians 9:14)
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
“God separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace.” (Galatians 1:15)
“When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship.” (Galatians 2:9)
“I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me.” (Ephesians 3:7)
“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)
“To each one of us grace was given.” (Ephesians 4:7)
“You all are partakers with me of grace.” (Philippians 1:7)
“Our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
“God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (2 Timothy 1:9)
“Justified by His grace.” (Titus 3:7)
“Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” (Hebrews 12:28)
“For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.” (Hebrews 13:9)
“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.” (1 Peter 1:10)
“Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)
“Husbands and wives are heirs together of the grace of life.” (1 Peter 3:7)
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10)
“This is the true grace of God in which you stand.” (1 Peter 5:12)
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:21 – last verse of the Bible)
Searching for that Missing Person
The people of Jerusalem wanted “normalcy,” but their normal was unacceptable to God. Their normalcy was destroying their country. Does that sound familiar?
They were not serving the Lord with gladness. They were not coming before Him singing. [1] They were hearers, not doers of God’s Word, which God categorizes as self-deception. [2]
God told Jeremiah that if he found one righteous person, He would forgive the people. [3] So, he searched for that missing person. His hunger and thirst for righteousness drove him to make a comprehensive quest, but, alas, there was none righteous, no not one.
The Lord declared, ‘From their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.’ [4] Their pursuit of popular perks upset any hope of spiritual improvement.
The people of Jerusalem wanted to have God on their own terms. They burned imported sweet cane to Him. They incorrectly assumed that He liked sugar. Insubordination, however, is not sweet to God. The Lord was searching for people who loved Him and loved His ways.
God was testing them. One more plea! One more warning! Will they turn back to Me? God wanted a return to ‘normalcy’ in His relationship with them, but they stayed away from Him. Now, it was their turn to have “normalcy” allude them.
‘Men will call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.’ [5] When the Lord tested what kind of metal that they were made of, He found only dross. When a refiner is to able to see his reflection in gold, he knows the gold is pure. God found no reflection of Himself in them.
The Jerusalemites were missing in action. They placed a relationship with God in the inactive file. God offered them a way out… ‘Return to Me!’ But they refused to return.
‘Dear Heavenly Father, please remove the sin in our lives that keeps us distant from You and from walking in Your ways. We are unable to remove it. We want to be missing in action. We want to serve You, and bring You glory. We want to be pure gold for You. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!’”
[1] Psalm 100:2
[2] James 1:22
[3] Jeremiah 5:1
[4] Jeremiah 6:13-14
[5] Jeremiah 6:30
They were not serving the Lord with gladness. They were not coming before Him singing. [1] They were hearers, not doers of God’s Word, which God categorizes as self-deception. [2]
God told Jeremiah that if he found one righteous person, He would forgive the people. [3] So, he searched for that missing person. His hunger and thirst for righteousness drove him to make a comprehensive quest, but, alas, there was none righteous, no not one.
The Lord declared, ‘From their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.’ [4] Their pursuit of popular perks upset any hope of spiritual improvement.
The people of Jerusalem wanted to have God on their own terms. They burned imported sweet cane to Him. They incorrectly assumed that He liked sugar. Insubordination, however, is not sweet to God. The Lord was searching for people who loved Him and loved His ways.
God was testing them. One more plea! One more warning! Will they turn back to Me? God wanted a return to ‘normalcy’ in His relationship with them, but they stayed away from Him. Now, it was their turn to have “normalcy” allude them.
‘Men will call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.’ [5] When the Lord tested what kind of metal that they were made of, He found only dross. When a refiner is to able to see his reflection in gold, he knows the gold is pure. God found no reflection of Himself in them.
The Jerusalemites were missing in action. They placed a relationship with God in the inactive file. God offered them a way out… ‘Return to Me!’ But they refused to return.
‘Dear Heavenly Father, please remove the sin in our lives that keeps us distant from You and from walking in Your ways. We are unable to remove it. We want to be missing in action. We want to serve You, and bring You glory. We want to be pure gold for You. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!’”
[1] Psalm 100:2
[2] James 1:22
[3] Jeremiah 5:1
[4] Jeremiah 6:13-14
[5] Jeremiah 6:30
Monday, March 15, 2021
Believing Believers
After Jesus transformed a lad’s five barley loaves and two small fish into enough food to feed 5,000 men, the people remarked, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
They asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” [1]
Jesus simply directed them to believe in Him. He was the One who just provided a miraculous provision of food for them. But while they were willing to embrace Him as a prophet, they were not willing to believe that He was the Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew).
Jesus said to them, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” [2]
How hard is it to believe that God’s Messiah can give those who believe in Him eternal life? Especially after He transformed five loaves and two small fishes into enough food to feed 5,000 men! Men tend to eat a lot. In fact, there were twelve large baskets of bread leftover after everyone had eaten their fill.
Peter and the other disciples who walked with Jesus did believe in Him. Peter spoke on behalf of them all when he said to Jesus, “We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.” [3]
On January 12th, 1995, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke gave a message to the believers that I was discipling in Guangzhou City, China. He is with the Lord now. But previously to preaching the Gospel to the disciples in Guangzhou, he had held large crusades in thirty-three countries. His meetings often exceeded 100,000 people in attendance. He preached in every major city of Rwanda just before the massacre took place there. He reported that 10,000 people converted to Christ in every city where he preached in Rwanda. We had just over sixty people present at our service in Guangzhou. He preached on Mark 16:14-16 about believing believers.
God does amazing things in and through believing believers in His Son, the Messiah.
My resolve in life is to be a believing believer in Jesus and to help others to believe in Him as well. Please pray for me to lead many people to faith in Jesus. This is my prayer for you as well.
[1] John 6:14, 28-29
[2] John 6:40, 47
[3] John 6:69
They asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” [1]
Jesus simply directed them to believe in Him. He was the One who just provided a miraculous provision of food for them. But while they were willing to embrace Him as a prophet, they were not willing to believe that He was the Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew).
Jesus said to them, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” [2]
How hard is it to believe that God’s Messiah can give those who believe in Him eternal life? Especially after He transformed five loaves and two small fishes into enough food to feed 5,000 men! Men tend to eat a lot. In fact, there were twelve large baskets of bread leftover after everyone had eaten their fill.
Peter and the other disciples who walked with Jesus did believe in Him. Peter spoke on behalf of them all when he said to Jesus, “We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.” [3]
On January 12th, 1995, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke gave a message to the believers that I was discipling in Guangzhou City, China. He is with the Lord now. But previously to preaching the Gospel to the disciples in Guangzhou, he had held large crusades in thirty-three countries. His meetings often exceeded 100,000 people in attendance. He preached in every major city of Rwanda just before the massacre took place there. He reported that 10,000 people converted to Christ in every city where he preached in Rwanda. We had just over sixty people present at our service in Guangzhou. He preached on Mark 16:14-16 about believing believers.
God does amazing things in and through believing believers in His Son, the Messiah.
My resolve in life is to be a believing believer in Jesus and to help others to believe in Him as well. Please pray for me to lead many people to faith in Jesus. This is my prayer for you as well.
[1] John 6:14, 28-29
[2] John 6:40, 47
[3] John 6:69
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Favored by Grace
“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” [1]
The key to Noah’s survival in the day of judgment was God’s grace. God’s grace is the key to everyone’s survival. None of us are perfect. We all fail God, ourselves, and others in one way or another. We need God’s grace.
After a group of Gentiles believed in Christ, the Messianic Jewish leaders summoned a council in Jerusalem. They wanted to set a policy as to what should be required of Gentiles to be fully accepted members of the Messianic faith. During that council, the Apostle Peter declared to his Jewish brothers...
“God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them (the Gentile believers in Christ) by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and [God] made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear [namely circumcision]? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” [2]
God gave Cornelius and his cohorts, a group of Italians, the Holy Spirit when they believed in Jesus. They received the Spirit of the Lord as a gift from God when they believed in Jesus. Peter baptized them on that very day (See Acts 10:34-48).
The conclusion of the Jerusalem Council was that the Gentiles’ faith in Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives was proof enough that God had accepted them into the Messianic [Christian] faith. They too, found favor in the eyes of the Lord... favored by grace.
The implication here is that if anyone genuinely believes in Christ for the forgiveness of his or her sins and for the salvation of his or her soul, he or she too can be given the Holy Spirit of God and be saved. What a marvelous gift! A salvation fully paid for with the shed blood of Christ on the cross and guaranteed by His resurrection.
[1] Genesis 6:8
[2] Acts 15:8-11
The key to Noah’s survival in the day of judgment was God’s grace. God’s grace is the key to everyone’s survival. None of us are perfect. We all fail God, ourselves, and others in one way or another. We need God’s grace.
After a group of Gentiles believed in Christ, the Messianic Jewish leaders summoned a council in Jerusalem. They wanted to set a policy as to what should be required of Gentiles to be fully accepted members of the Messianic faith. During that council, the Apostle Peter declared to his Jewish brothers...
“God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them (the Gentile believers in Christ) by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and [God] made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear [namely circumcision]? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” [2]
God gave Cornelius and his cohorts, a group of Italians, the Holy Spirit when they believed in Jesus. They received the Spirit of the Lord as a gift from God when they believed in Jesus. Peter baptized them on that very day (See Acts 10:34-48).
The conclusion of the Jerusalem Council was that the Gentiles’ faith in Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives was proof enough that God had accepted them into the Messianic [Christian] faith. They too, found favor in the eyes of the Lord... favored by grace.
The implication here is that if anyone genuinely believes in Christ for the forgiveness of his or her sins and for the salvation of his or her soul, he or she too can be given the Holy Spirit of God and be saved. What a marvelous gift! A salvation fully paid for with the shed blood of Christ on the cross and guaranteed by His resurrection.
[1] Genesis 6:8
[2] Acts 15:8-11
Friday, March 12, 2021
THEN THEY BELIEVED
“THEN THEY BELIEVED His words; they SANG His praise.” [1]
This “THEN THEY BELIEVED” happened after the Lord rescued the Israelites from the Egyptian army. They SANG God’s praises. God’s intervention helped their faith and their singing of His praises.
“THEN they said to the woman, ‘NOW we BELIEVE, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and WE KNOW that this is indeed the CHRIST, the SAVIOR of the world.’” [2]
This “THEN” “NOW” we BELIEVE happened after the Samaritans heard Jesus speak.
“The nobleman said to Him [Jesus], ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ SO, the man BELIEVED the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, ‘Your son lives!’ Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ SO, the father KNEW that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives.’ And HE himself BELIEVED, and his whole household.” [3]
This “SO–BELIEVED” combination happened after Jesus healed a nobleman’s dying son. The nobleman and his whole household believed in JESUS.
What “THEN–NOW–SO” combination has JESUS done in your life? He has done much in my life to help me BELIEVE in Him. Enough to inspire me to SING HIS PRAISES! I hope and pray this is true for you.
[1] Psalm 106:12
[2] John 4:42
[3] John 4:49-53
This “THEN THEY BELIEVED” happened after the Lord rescued the Israelites from the Egyptian army. They SANG God’s praises. God’s intervention helped their faith and their singing of His praises.
“THEN they said to the woman, ‘NOW we BELIEVE, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and WE KNOW that this is indeed the CHRIST, the SAVIOR of the world.’” [2]
This “THEN” “NOW” we BELIEVE happened after the Samaritans heard Jesus speak.
“The nobleman said to Him [Jesus], ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ SO, the man BELIEVED the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, ‘Your son lives!’ Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ SO, the father KNEW that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives.’ And HE himself BELIEVED, and his whole household.” [3]
This “SO–BELIEVED” combination happened after Jesus healed a nobleman’s dying son. The nobleman and his whole household believed in JESUS.
What “THEN–NOW–SO” combination has JESUS done in your life? He has done much in my life to help me BELIEVE in Him. Enough to inspire me to SING HIS PRAISES! I hope and pray this is true for you.
[1] Psalm 106:12
[2] John 4:42
[3] John 4:49-53
Born Again
Jesus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” [1]
You must be born of the Spirit of God to enter the kingdom of God. To be born of the Spirit is to experience a salvation that is from God. It is to be convicted by the Spirit that you need to believe in Jesus to be saved. Salvation is to call upon His Name and to ask Him to forgive your sin and save you from sin.
Jesus: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” [2]
The worst sin of all is not to believe in Christ because He is the Savior from sin. Without faith in Christ a person cannot be saved from their sin.
John the Baptist: “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” [3]
Our salvation and our revelation of God must come from God.
John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” [4]
We need an increase of Jesus in our lives to decrease the ego (the “I”) in our lives. Jesus speaks from heaven. We need to hear from heaven if we want to know God.
John the Baptist: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [5]
God the Father’s love for His Son compels Him NOT to create a backdoor to heaven. All must come to God through belief in His Son. Otherwise, a person’s sin remains, and God hates sin. God does not give everlasting life to a person with unforgiven sin. Sin is why Jesus, an innocent Messiah, gave His life on the cross. Sin is why He sent from heaven the blessed Holy Spirit.
We (you) need a salvation from heaven, and we (you) need the Holy Spirit to keep us (you) in the faith of Christ all our (your) days. If you have not believed in Christ, I urge you to do so now.
[1] John 3:3-6
[2] John 3:18
[3] John 3:27
[4] John 3:30-31
[5] John 3:35-36
Nicodemus: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” [1]
You must be born of the Spirit of God to enter the kingdom of God. To be born of the Spirit is to experience a salvation that is from God. It is to be convicted by the Spirit that you need to believe in Jesus to be saved. Salvation is to call upon His Name and to ask Him to forgive your sin and save you from sin.
Jesus: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” [2]
The worst sin of all is not to believe in Christ because He is the Savior from sin. Without faith in Christ a person cannot be saved from their sin.
John the Baptist: “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” [3]
Our salvation and our revelation of God must come from God.
John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” [4]
We need an increase of Jesus in our lives to decrease the ego (the “I”) in our lives. Jesus speaks from heaven. We need to hear from heaven if we want to know God.
John the Baptist: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [5]
God the Father’s love for His Son compels Him NOT to create a backdoor to heaven. All must come to God through belief in His Son. Otherwise, a person’s sin remains, and God hates sin. God does not give everlasting life to a person with unforgiven sin. Sin is why Jesus, an innocent Messiah, gave His life on the cross. Sin is why He sent from heaven the blessed Holy Spirit.
We (you) need a salvation from heaven, and we (you) need the Holy Spirit to keep us (you) in the faith of Christ all our (your) days. If you have not believed in Christ, I urge you to do so now.
[1] John 3:3-6
[2] John 3:18
[3] John 3:27
[4] John 3:30-31
[5] John 3:35-36
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Veils Removed by God's Presence
"Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. " [1]
Spiritual “veils” or blinders separate people from seeing Jesus and His work for us clearly.
How do we get an unveiled face? We turn to the Lord.
Jesus is more than able to take veils away.
This points to the essential need of Bible reading, prayer, and Christian fellowship.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." [2]
The Spirit of God liberates us from the veils that would keep us from clearly beholding and receiving God's glory. He transforms us from the inside out.
Everyone wants to know, “How can I change?” The best and most enduring change comes into our life when we are transformed by time spent with the Lord.
The work of transformation is a continual progression from glory to glory.
Transformation really is God’s work in us by His Spirit. We simply put ourselves in a place where the Spirit of the Lord can transform us. [3]
[1] 2 Corinthians 3:16
[2] 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
[3] All other comments based and/or quoted from Enduring Word Commentary
Spiritual “veils” or blinders separate people from seeing Jesus and His work for us clearly.
How do we get an unveiled face? We turn to the Lord.
Jesus is more than able to take veils away.
This points to the essential need of Bible reading, prayer, and Christian fellowship.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." [2]
The Spirit of God liberates us from the veils that would keep us from clearly beholding and receiving God's glory. He transforms us from the inside out.
Everyone wants to know, “How can I change?” The best and most enduring change comes into our life when we are transformed by time spent with the Lord.
The work of transformation is a continual progression from glory to glory.
Transformation really is God’s work in us by His Spirit. We simply put ourselves in a place where the Spirit of the Lord can transform us. [3]
[1] 2 Corinthians 3:16
[2] 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
[3] All other comments based and/or quoted from Enduring Word Commentary
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
The Son of Man
“And He [Jesus] said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’” [1]
When Jesus told Nathanael that he would see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, He was declaring Himself to be the One who opens heaven for Nathanael. Jesus is the ladder between heaven and earth.
Christ connects us to God. He opens our understanding of God. Once, we recognize, believe, and confess that Jesus is Messiah, we witness “greater things” than we ever witnessed before. “You will see greater things than these.” [2]
When Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man” to Nathanael, He referenced Daniel 7:13-14. In this Bible passage, the Messiah is called the Son of Man. The “Son of Man” was a Messianic title free from political and nationalistic sentiment. When a Jewish person of that time heard “King” or “Christ” they often thought of a political or military savior. Jesus emphasized His humanity... that He came to tabernacle or dwell among us.
John chapter one reveals four ways of coming to Jesus:
Andrew came to Jesus because of the preaching of John. [3]
Peter came to Jesus because of the witness of his brother. [4]
Phillip came to Jesus because of the direct call of Jesus. [5]
Nathaniel heard from two witnesses (both from Phillip and Jesus), and after hearing their testimonies, declared, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” [6]
The message of John chapter one is clearly, “Believe in Jesus Christ.”
John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Lamb of God and the Son of God. [7]
Andrew testified that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. [8]
Phillip testified that Jesus is the One prophesied in the Old Testament. [9]
Nathaniel testified that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel. [10]
[1] John 1:51
[2] John 1:50
[3] John 1:35-40
[4] John 1:41-42
[5] John 1:43
[6] John 1:45-49
[7] John 1:29, 34, 36
[8] John 1:41
[9] John 1:45
[10] John 1:49
When Jesus told Nathanael that he would see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, He was declaring Himself to be the One who opens heaven for Nathanael. Jesus is the ladder between heaven and earth.
Christ connects us to God. He opens our understanding of God. Once, we recognize, believe, and confess that Jesus is Messiah, we witness “greater things” than we ever witnessed before. “You will see greater things than these.” [2]
When Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man” to Nathanael, He referenced Daniel 7:13-14. In this Bible passage, the Messiah is called the Son of Man. The “Son of Man” was a Messianic title free from political and nationalistic sentiment. When a Jewish person of that time heard “King” or “Christ” they often thought of a political or military savior. Jesus emphasized His humanity... that He came to tabernacle or dwell among us.
John chapter one reveals four ways of coming to Jesus:
Andrew came to Jesus because of the preaching of John. [3]
Peter came to Jesus because of the witness of his brother. [4]
Phillip came to Jesus because of the direct call of Jesus. [5]
Nathaniel heard from two witnesses (both from Phillip and Jesus), and after hearing their testimonies, declared, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” [6]
The message of John chapter one is clearly, “Believe in Jesus Christ.”
John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Lamb of God and the Son of God. [7]
Andrew testified that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. [8]
Phillip testified that Jesus is the One prophesied in the Old Testament. [9]
Nathaniel testified that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel. [10]
[1] John 1:51
[2] John 1:50
[3] John 1:35-40
[4] John 1:41-42
[5] John 1:43
[6] John 1:45-49
[7] John 1:29, 34, 36
[8] John 1:41
[9] John 1:45
[10] John 1:49
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Blessing God!
“Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He [Jesus] expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” [1]
“He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” [2]
Do you want to understand the Scriptures better? Look to Jesus!
“His name is called The Word of God.” [3]
He is the source of every word in the Bible. He is the life within the words.
“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’ [4]
Jesus is food and drink for our hungry and thirsty soul.
Do you want joy?
Do you want your mouth to yield more praise than protest?
Read the Bible and ask Jesus to reveal the meaning of it to you. I get so blessed by doing so.
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.” [5]
“Thank You Lord Jesus for lifting Your hands and blessing Your people. We worship You with great joy. Thanks to You and to what You have done for us, we are continually praising and blessing God!”
[1] Luke 24:27
[2] Luke 24:45
[3] Revelation 19:13
[4] John 6:35
[5] Luke 24:50-52
“He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” [2]
Do you want to understand the Scriptures better? Look to Jesus!
“His name is called The Word of God.” [3]
He is the source of every word in the Bible. He is the life within the words.
“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’ [4]
Jesus is food and drink for our hungry and thirsty soul.
Do you want joy?
Do you want your mouth to yield more praise than protest?
Read the Bible and ask Jesus to reveal the meaning of it to you. I get so blessed by doing so.
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.” [5]
“Thank You Lord Jesus for lifting Your hands and blessing Your people. We worship You with great joy. Thanks to You and to what You have done for us, we are continually praising and blessing God!”
[1] Luke 24:27
[2] Luke 24:45
[3] Revelation 19:13
[4] John 6:35
[5] Luke 24:50-52
Monday, March 8, 2021
Thanksgivings and Praises to the Lord
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night, on an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound. For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.” [1]
What is good? Good is giving thanks to the Lord. Good is singing praises to His Name. Good is declaring His loving kindness every morning. Good is declaring His faithfulness every night. Good is employing string and wind instruments harmoniously in worship to the Lord!
What yields gladness? Gladness flows from focus on the Lord. Gladness flows from God.
“O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand this. When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.” [2]
The Lord’s works and thoughts are deep. The senseless and foolish do not realize this. When wicked workers of iniquity rise, the Lord brings them down, yet He remains exalted.
“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” [3]
Palm and Cedar trees grow tall and strong. So, do those who plant themselves in God’s house.
Fresh and flourishing, bearing fruit even when they are old! Realizing the Lord is upright! In this revelation, songs of praise to the Lord burst forth from our lips.
[1] Psalm 92:1-4
[2] Psalm 92:5-8
[3] Psalm 92:12-15
What is good? Good is giving thanks to the Lord. Good is singing praises to His Name. Good is declaring His loving kindness every morning. Good is declaring His faithfulness every night. Good is employing string and wind instruments harmoniously in worship to the Lord!
What yields gladness? Gladness flows from focus on the Lord. Gladness flows from God.
“O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand this. When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.” [2]
The Lord’s works and thoughts are deep. The senseless and foolish do not realize this. When wicked workers of iniquity rise, the Lord brings them down, yet He remains exalted.
“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” [3]
Palm and Cedar trees grow tall and strong. So, do those who plant themselves in God’s house.
Fresh and flourishing, bearing fruit even when they are old! Realizing the Lord is upright! In this revelation, songs of praise to the Lord burst forth from our lips.
[1] Psalm 92:1-4
[2] Psalm 92:5-8
[3] Psalm 92:12-15
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Keep on Believing
Twelve spies spied on the Promised Land.
They saw an abundance of food.
He who did mighty miracles in Egypt...
Promised this land to their people.
Caleb said, “Let us go up at once!
Let us take possession!
We are well able to overcome it.”
Ten spies doubted, saying...
“We are not able to overcome the people.
They are stronger than we.”
“They are giants.
We are grasshoppers.” [1]
The people of Israel wept that night.
They complained.
They wanted to...
Return to Egypt.
Moses and Aaron...
Fell on their faces.
Joshua and Caleb...
Tore their clothes.
Joshua and Caleb testified...
“The land is exceedingly good.
The Lord is with us.”
The glory of the appeared. [2]
Moses prayed to the Lord...
“Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray,
According to the greatness of Your mercy,
Just as You have forgiven this people,
From Egypt even until now.” [3]
In Psalm 90, a prayer of Moses appears...
“Have compassion on Your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.” [4]
The Lord eventually brought the Israelites into the Promised Land. After they were displaced, He brought them in again. Though we (Israelites and Gentiles believers) have often failed to believe, the Lord has been faithful. He keeps His promises. He has an even greater kingdom planned for us than ones of this earth.
Jesus said to His disciples...
“You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me.” [5]
“Dear Heavenly Father, please keep us believing. You are faithful! What You promise, You do. We shall inherit a glorious kingdom thanks to Your grace and goodness. Please feed our faith today. In our lives, Lord, be glorified. We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
[1] Numbers 13:27-33
[2] Numbers 14:1-10
[3] Numbers 14:13-19
[4] Psalm 90:13-14, 16-17
[5] Luke 22:28-29
They saw an abundance of food.
He who did mighty miracles in Egypt...
Promised this land to their people.
Caleb said, “Let us go up at once!
Let us take possession!
We are well able to overcome it.”
Ten spies doubted, saying...
“We are not able to overcome the people.
They are stronger than we.”
“They are giants.
We are grasshoppers.” [1]
The people of Israel wept that night.
They complained.
They wanted to...
Return to Egypt.
Moses and Aaron...
Fell on their faces.
Joshua and Caleb...
Tore their clothes.
Joshua and Caleb testified...
“The land is exceedingly good.
The Lord is with us.”
The glory of the appeared. [2]
Moses prayed to the Lord...
“Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray,
According to the greatness of Your mercy,
Just as You have forgiven this people,
From Egypt even until now.” [3]
In Psalm 90, a prayer of Moses appears...
“Have compassion on Your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.” [4]
The Lord eventually brought the Israelites into the Promised Land. After they were displaced, He brought them in again. Though we (Israelites and Gentiles believers) have often failed to believe, the Lord has been faithful. He keeps His promises. He has an even greater kingdom planned for us than ones of this earth.
Jesus said to His disciples...
“You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me.” [5]
“Dear Heavenly Father, please keep us believing. You are faithful! What You promise, You do. We shall inherit a glorious kingdom thanks to Your grace and goodness. Please feed our faith today. In our lives, Lord, be glorified. We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
[1] Numbers 13:27-33
[2] Numbers 14:1-10
[3] Numbers 14:13-19
[4] Psalm 90:13-14, 16-17
[5] Luke 22:28-29
Saturday, March 6, 2021
Depending on the Power of God
“Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. So, they said, ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?’ And the Lord heard it.” [1]
Moses had not asked to be chosen for his position. Quite the opposite! When the Lord called him, he protested, saying, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He also told God that he was a man of poor speaking ability. [2]
Miriam and Aaron’s dissatisfaction with Moses began with the woman he married, and then, progressed to suggest that he was behaving arrogantly. The Lord addressed their false accusation of his arrogance in the very next verse.
“The man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” [3]
The Lord called the three siblings to the tabernacle of meeting. The Lord appeared as a pillar of cloud to them. He called Aaron and Miriam forward and said to them...
“Hear now My words: if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” [4]
Moses was faithful to meet with God, and as a result, God was able to use him mightily.
The Apostle Paul also gave glory to God when he wrote, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” [5]
“Dear Heavenly Father, please move in and through us by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that Your Name is glorified, and many souls are saved. This, we pray in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”
[1] Numbers 12:1-2
[2] Exodus 3:11, 4:10
[3] Numbers 12:3
[4] Numbers 12:4-8
[5] 2 Corinthians 4:7
Moses had not asked to be chosen for his position. Quite the opposite! When the Lord called him, he protested, saying, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He also told God that he was a man of poor speaking ability. [2]
Miriam and Aaron’s dissatisfaction with Moses began with the woman he married, and then, progressed to suggest that he was behaving arrogantly. The Lord addressed their false accusation of his arrogance in the very next verse.
“The man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” [3]
The Lord called the three siblings to the tabernacle of meeting. The Lord appeared as a pillar of cloud to them. He called Aaron and Miriam forward and said to them...
“Hear now My words: if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” [4]
Moses was faithful to meet with God, and as a result, God was able to use him mightily.
The Apostle Paul also gave glory to God when he wrote, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” [5]
“Dear Heavenly Father, please move in and through us by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that Your Name is glorified, and many souls are saved. This, we pray in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”
[1] Numbers 12:1-2
[2] Exodus 3:11, 4:10
[3] Numbers 12:3
[4] Numbers 12:4-8
[5] 2 Corinthians 4:7
Friday, March 5, 2021
When the Trumpet Sounds
Silver trumpets were used in the days of Moses to call the people of God together: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps. When they blow both, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.’” [1]
Trumpets were used to remind the Lord that His people needed saved from their enemies:
“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.” [2]
The apostles who wrote the Gospels, Epistles and recorded the Revelation were all Jewish. They were schooled in the teachings of Moses. It seems feasible that when Jesus taught about a trumpet being sounded at His return, they would have made the connection that...
1) When the trumpet sounds God’s people gather to meet with Him, and,
2) When the trumpet sounds God will save them from their enemies.
Below are five Bible verses from Matthew’s Gospel, Paul’s Epistle and John’s Revelation:
“He [the Lord] will send His angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” [3]
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” [4]
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a TRUMPET.” [5]
“And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven TRUMPETS.” [6]
“Then the seventh angel sounded [the seventh TRUMPET]: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” [7]
When the TRUMPET of the Lord sounds, will you be ready to meet Him?
I pray that we will all be ready.
[1] Numbers 10:1-3
[2] Numbers 10:9
[3] Matthew 24:31
[4] 1 Thessalonians 4:16
[5] Revelation 1:10
[6] Revelation 8:2
[7] Revelation 11:15
Trumpets were used to remind the Lord that His people needed saved from their enemies:
“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.” [2]
The apostles who wrote the Gospels, Epistles and recorded the Revelation were all Jewish. They were schooled in the teachings of Moses. It seems feasible that when Jesus taught about a trumpet being sounded at His return, they would have made the connection that...
1) When the trumpet sounds God’s people gather to meet with Him, and,
2) When the trumpet sounds God will save them from their enemies.
Below are five Bible verses from Matthew’s Gospel, Paul’s Epistle and John’s Revelation:
“He [the Lord] will send His angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” [3]
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” [4]
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a TRUMPET.” [5]
“And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven TRUMPETS.” [6]
“Then the seventh angel sounded [the seventh TRUMPET]: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” [7]
When the TRUMPET of the Lord sounds, will you be ready to meet Him?
I pray that we will all be ready.
[1] Numbers 10:1-3
[2] Numbers 10:9
[3] Matthew 24:31
[4] 1 Thessalonians 4:16
[5] Revelation 1:10
[6] Revelation 8:2
[7] Revelation 11:15
Thursday, March 4, 2021
The Church and Israel
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” [1]
This passage is the first time the word “Church” appears in the Bible. The word “Church” derives from the Greek word “ekklesia.” Ekklesia (ek “out from” and kaleo, “to call”) is people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – called out from the world and into His eternal kingdom. [2]
Christ is the one doing the calling. The “called out” enter the kingdom of God...
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...” [3]
The Church are those called by Christ to come out of the world and into the kingdom of God.
There is a parallel between Israel and the Church.
Israel began with Jacob and His twelve sons, and they were called to be distinct from all other people for the purpose of being God’s representatives on earth, and a royal priesthood. [4]
The Church began with Jesus his twelve disciples, and they were called to be distinct from all other people for the purpose of being God’s representatives on earth, and a royal priesthood. [5]
The word “Church” was first applied to those Jews who confessed Christ as the promised Messiah. Only later, in Acts, did the Church begin to include people from other nations.
Jesus and his twelve apostles were Jews, so was Paul, and the early church. None of these Jews saw following Christ as a conversion from Judaism, but as a recognition that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah.
The early church question was not about whether a Jew had to convert to Christianity — the question was about whether a Gentile had to convert to Judaism to be a Christian! The conclusion to this question was no. (See Acts 15:1-29).
The foundation of the Church is described in Ephesians 2:20: “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.”
Christ established the Church with Himself as the cornerstone, and the rest of the foundation consists of the Jewish apostles and prophets who wrote the Bible.
What excites me as I study the Bible is God’s faithfulness! He is faithful to Gentiles and to Jews. The Church began with a move of God’s Messiah and Spirit among the Jews, spread to all the Gentiles nations, and will return to a major move among the Jews in Israel. God is faithful.
[1] Matthew 16:18
[2] HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible New Testament, Gary Hill
[3] Matthew 16:19
[4] Exodus 19:6
[5] 1 Peter 2:9
This passage is the first time the word “Church” appears in the Bible. The word “Church” derives from the Greek word “ekklesia.” Ekklesia (ek “out from” and kaleo, “to call”) is people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – called out from the world and into His eternal kingdom. [2]
Christ is the one doing the calling. The “called out” enter the kingdom of God...
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...” [3]
The Church are those called by Christ to come out of the world and into the kingdom of God.
There is a parallel between Israel and the Church.
Israel began with Jacob and His twelve sons, and they were called to be distinct from all other people for the purpose of being God’s representatives on earth, and a royal priesthood. [4]
The Church began with Jesus his twelve disciples, and they were called to be distinct from all other people for the purpose of being God’s representatives on earth, and a royal priesthood. [5]
The word “Church” was first applied to those Jews who confessed Christ as the promised Messiah. Only later, in Acts, did the Church begin to include people from other nations.
Jesus and his twelve apostles were Jews, so was Paul, and the early church. None of these Jews saw following Christ as a conversion from Judaism, but as a recognition that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah.
The early church question was not about whether a Jew had to convert to Christianity — the question was about whether a Gentile had to convert to Judaism to be a Christian! The conclusion to this question was no. (See Acts 15:1-29).
The foundation of the Church is described in Ephesians 2:20: “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.”
Christ established the Church with Himself as the cornerstone, and the rest of the foundation consists of the Jewish apostles and prophets who wrote the Bible.
What excites me as I study the Bible is God’s faithfulness! He is faithful to Gentiles and to Jews. The Church began with a move of God’s Messiah and Spirit among the Jews, spread to all the Gentiles nations, and will return to a major move among the Jews in Israel. God is faithful.
[1] Matthew 16:18
[2] HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible New Testament, Gary Hill
[3] Matthew 16:19
[4] Exodus 19:6
[5] 1 Peter 2:9
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
The Final Restoration of Israel
Our understanding of Revelation is incomplete if we don’t understand how Israel is involved.
In Revelation 1:7, Jesus told His Jewish Apostle, John, to write, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”
A Jew who knew the Scripture well, would see this as a fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10:
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”
How exciting for John! John now knows that Jesus will reveal Himself to His people Israel on a large-scale. They will repent and embrace Jesus on a massive scale in due season.
Zechariah 12:10 equates “Me” (God who is speaking) with the One “whom they have pierced“, which is Christ, in reference to His crucifixion. Many in Israel will recognize that Jesus is their Messiah and turn to Him.
In Revelation, we observe the following things about Israel in the end times:
God will call 144,000 Jews to be sealed as His servants. [1]
Israel will come under severe attack by the nations for 42 months. [2]
A remnant of Israel will be protected by God during the 42 months. Israel is symbolized by the “woman” in Revelation 12:6, 13-17.
Two Jewish witnesses will speak mightily in Jerusalem during those 42 months. The 42 months conclude with the two witnesses being killed by Antichrist, but they will be resurrected after 3 1/2 days. [3]
Nations will amass at Armageddon with intent to attack and destroy the remnant of Israel. [4]
Christ will visibly return to defend His people. [5]
Christ will reign as Israel’s king in Zion during the millennial kingdom, and finally there will be a new Jerusalem. [6]
In Romans 11:11, Paul, a Jew, addresses the Gentile Christians in Rome, as follows: “I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!”
Paul states in Romans 11:25, “that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” I believe that the fullness of the Gentiles refers to the time when the Church (made up of Gentile Christians) is raptured. After that, the Lord will restore, Israel to its prominent place as His witness to all nations. Paul states in Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” God gifted and called Israel, and He has not revoked their special status with Him. In His loving grace and faithfulness, Jesus, their Messiah, will cause Israel to once again be His light to the nations.
[1] Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5
[2] Revelation 11:2; 12:13
[3] Revelation 11:3, 7, 11-12
[4] Revelation 16:13-16
[5] Revelation 19:11-16
[6] Revelation 20:6, 21:10
In Revelation 1:7, Jesus told His Jewish Apostle, John, to write, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”
A Jew who knew the Scripture well, would see this as a fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10:
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”
How exciting for John! John now knows that Jesus will reveal Himself to His people Israel on a large-scale. They will repent and embrace Jesus on a massive scale in due season.
Zechariah 12:10 equates “Me” (God who is speaking) with the One “whom they have pierced“, which is Christ, in reference to His crucifixion. Many in Israel will recognize that Jesus is their Messiah and turn to Him.
In Revelation, we observe the following things about Israel in the end times:
God will call 144,000 Jews to be sealed as His servants. [1]
Israel will come under severe attack by the nations for 42 months. [2]
A remnant of Israel will be protected by God during the 42 months. Israel is symbolized by the “woman” in Revelation 12:6, 13-17.
Two Jewish witnesses will speak mightily in Jerusalem during those 42 months. The 42 months conclude with the two witnesses being killed by Antichrist, but they will be resurrected after 3 1/2 days. [3]
Nations will amass at Armageddon with intent to attack and destroy the remnant of Israel. [4]
Christ will visibly return to defend His people. [5]
Christ will reign as Israel’s king in Zion during the millennial kingdom, and finally there will be a new Jerusalem. [6]
In Romans 11:11, Paul, a Jew, addresses the Gentile Christians in Rome, as follows: “I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!”
Paul states in Romans 11:25, “that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” I believe that the fullness of the Gentiles refers to the time when the Church (made up of Gentile Christians) is raptured. After that, the Lord will restore, Israel to its prominent place as His witness to all nations. Paul states in Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” God gifted and called Israel, and He has not revoked their special status with Him. In His loving grace and faithfulness, Jesus, their Messiah, will cause Israel to once again be His light to the nations.
[1] Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5
[2] Revelation 11:2; 12:13
[3] Revelation 11:3, 7, 11-12
[4] Revelation 16:13-16
[5] Revelation 19:11-16
[6] Revelation 20:6, 21:10
Monday, March 1, 2021
Great is Their Reward
The last seventeen books of the Old Testament are the prophetic books of the Bible.
The prophets of the Old Testament were truth-tellers. They were watchmen. They were poets. Sometimes they even acted out the scenes of what God revealed to them for their audiences. They were filled by God’s Spirit with their Savior’s love for people.
God revealed to them His intentions for His people...
“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless he reveals it. His secret counsel to His servant the prophets.” [1]
Jesus spoke of these servants of His Word in His Sermon on the Mount. Surprisingly, He brought out that they were a reviled, persecuted, and maligned group of people in the world, but at the same time, lovingly affirmed that they were blessed because their reward in heaven is great...
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [2]
The evil one and his minions have always wanted to cancel the culture of law and prophets, but Jesus promised that they will not succeed...
“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” [3]
What is more Jesus said that whoever does and teaches His commandments, “Shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” [4]
“Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for affirming and rewarding the ministry of forth-tellers of Your Word, the Holy Scriptures. Please help us to never forget... “Great is their reward!”
[1] Amos 3:7
[2] Matthew 5:11-12
[3] Matthew 5:18
[4] Matthew 5:19
The prophets of the Old Testament were truth-tellers. They were watchmen. They were poets. Sometimes they even acted out the scenes of what God revealed to them for their audiences. They were filled by God’s Spirit with their Savior’s love for people.
God revealed to them His intentions for His people...
“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless he reveals it. His secret counsel to His servant the prophets.” [1]
Jesus spoke of these servants of His Word in His Sermon on the Mount. Surprisingly, He brought out that they were a reviled, persecuted, and maligned group of people in the world, but at the same time, lovingly affirmed that they were blessed because their reward in heaven is great...
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [2]
The evil one and his minions have always wanted to cancel the culture of law and prophets, but Jesus promised that they will not succeed...
“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” [3]
What is more Jesus said that whoever does and teaches His commandments, “Shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” [4]
“Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for affirming and rewarding the ministry of forth-tellers of Your Word, the Holy Scriptures. Please help us to never forget... “Great is their reward!”
[1] Amos 3:7
[2] Matthew 5:11-12
[3] Matthew 5:18
[4] Matthew 5:19
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)