Woe or Wow

The Lord says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! [1]

God’s pronouncement of “woe” means an undesirable consequence is on the way. God maintains the “good” standard recorded in His Word though mighty empires try to change it. He judges evil. In Isaiah’s day, God whistled for nations to bring judgment against the sin of his nation. [2]

Though a nation seems invincible, if it continues to propagate evil, God will bring it down. “Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down, says the Lord.” [3]

Let us pray for God to bring down evil schemes against the souls of people, and to give grace, faith, protection and wisdom to those who care about the eternal salvation of souls. God does more than we can ask or imagine with our prayers, so let us pray. Pray, pray, pray, and then, pray some more. Pray for a “Wow.” A wow because God will hear our prayers, and bring about a return to His ways so that our nation dodges a bullet once again.

[1] Isaiah 5:20
[2] Isaiah 5:26-29
[3] Obadiah 1:4

The Way to Know You Have Eternal Life

The way to know that you have eternal life is to ask God to forgive your sins, to believe on and profess Jesus Christ as the Savior sent from God to save you from your sin, and welcome His Holy Spirit to fill you and anoint you to serve God.

In other words, be converted by God... born again by His Spirit... and you will know that you have eternal life.

The Word of God verifies your new identity as a citizen of the Kingdom of God. All who believe in and profess Jesus Chirst as their Lord and Savior HAVE eternal life.

The Almighty more Precious than Gold or Silver

“When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’” [1]

The religious and political leaders with the support of a mob criminalized the perfect Son of God. They crucified Jesus the God of love between two criminals.

Recently, as I was spending time before the Lord in prayer, He said to me, “This is the only way to exist among My people. You must forgive their failures and yours.”

The Lord also showed me that though serving Him involves conflict, He is with us in those moments. When Jesus ministered in synagogues of Galilee, despite the hostility of some towards Him, He still did miracles in those settings. He urges me to focus on the captives who were set free during the ministry, and not on those who chose to remain in bondage.

Job spoke of mining. “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. Man puts an end to darkness and searches every recess for ore in the darkness and the shadow of death. He breaks open a shaft away from people; in places forgotten by feet they hang far away from men; they swing to and fro. As for the earth, from it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire; its stones are the source of sapphires, and it contains gold dust.” [2]

God has designed the earth’s soil as a location to grow food, and below the soil a location to find hidden treasures. Yet, God has in His reserve a greater treasure than delicious food, precious stones and rare metals.

“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me;’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be purchased for gold, nor can silver be weighed for its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Neither gold nor crystal can equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.” [3]

God’s wisdom and understanding are of more value than delicious food, precious stones, and rare metals.

Where is wisdom and understanding found? The answer is: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” [4]

The Lord Jesus shows us what the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord and the Spirit of understanding look like when robed in human flesh. Jesus Messiah is the One of whom the prophet Isaiah wrote: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” [5]

While seldom valued by political and religious leaders, and definitely despised by self-serving mobs, Jesus demonstrated for us that God’s wisdom and understanding are worth more than a pearl of great price. Of greater worth than a treasure hidden a field! [6]

Wisdom and understanding are treasures that God gives to His servants.

God’s wisdom and understanding help us avoid an eternity in hell and to inherit an eternal happiness with God forever in His kingdom of love. God’s wisdom and understanding help us to navigate trials and come out finer than gold.

God is so good: “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” [7]

Comparing ourselves with those who live to gratify the flesh is not helpful. Keeping our focus on God as the treasure we seek is helpful.

“To you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble, being disobedient to the Word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” [8]

“Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.” [9]

[1] Luke 23:34
[2] Job 28:1-6
[3] Job 28:12-19
[4] Job 28:28
[5] Isaiah 11:2
[6] Matthew 13:44-46
[7] Job 23:10-12
[8] 1 Peter 2:7-10
[9] Job 22:25

Share the Good News

When I was a teenager, the church I attended did an evangelism training. In the process of learning how to share the Gospel with others, I received the blessed assurance of knowing that I was saved by God's grace and not by my own works. That is why the Gospel is good news.

Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins so that we who believe in Him do not have to pay that price. The price of unforgiven sin is death and after that judgment, and being cast into the place of darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth and the fire is not quenched. The gift of God is eternal life in paradise with Christ and with all the joyful people who have believed and received Him.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Acts 16:31

I have attached pictures of God's words about sin and about salvation, as well as some illustrations that I memorized as a teenager for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with others. I am praying for opportunities and boldness to share this good news with people who have yet to hear, understand and believe it.

Jesus Christ is the Hero of the Story

I praise the Lord for including and preserving the writings of the prophet Jeremiah in the Bible.

I was an avid comic book reader during the early years of my life. My favorite genre of movies was about people who did great things to help others and prevailed against all the odds.

I like that God includes Jeremiah's inner thoughts as he serves the Lord. Just like in those comic books that I read so long ago, he has to weigh the cost of continuing in his service of others, 

I like that Jeremiah neither had a personal agenda for self-aggrandizement nor to make a business out of serving God. He served the Lord because he loved God and he loved people. 

Jeremiah ran the race that God set before him and finished well. The One he sought to please above all others is well pleased with him. He is with the Lord but his story continues to inspire thinkers, writers, speakers, and me to love God and love people for God’s glory alone.

Amidst warnings to his people of a coming invasion of their nation by the Babylonians, Jeremiah spoke of a day when they would enjoy a personal relationship with God.

 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” [1]

 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and He shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” [2] (A prophecy fulfilled by Jesus Christ.)

“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” [3]

Thanks be to God; He sent His Son into the world to atone for our sins and has given unto us in Him the gateway to enjoy an everlasting personal relationship with God. Praise the Lord!

The hero of our story and the Savior of the world is Jesus Christ. God gives a hero’s welcome into His eternal kingdom to each person who embraces Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

[1] Jeremiah 31:3

[2] Jeremiah 33:14-16

[3] Jeremiah 31:33

Love God Love People

Jesus taught: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” [1]

As I was praying about the prophetic ministry this morning, especially thinking about the prophet of Jeremiah, the Lord reminded me of the passage above. “Love God. Love People.” That’s how the Lord summed up the passage for me!

God’s love is bigger than the moment. God’s love is about eternal life. Jeremiah warned people because God loved them. He did not want them to suffer the consequences of sin. He pointed them to the Lord. May the Lord open doors for us to do the same and graciously grant us the boldness to love as He loves.

Pray “for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” [2]

[1] Matthew 22:37-40
[2] Ephesians 6:19-20

Wisdom is to Hold to God and to His Word

“Turn at My rebuke; surely I will pour out My Spirit on you; I will make My Words known to you. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out My hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all My counsel, and would have none of My rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently, but they will not find Me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of My counsel and despised My every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” [1]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” [2]

“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just. Surely, He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.” [3]

“The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” [4]

“He who despises the Word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” [5]

“A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.” [6]

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” [7]

“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” [8]

[1] Proverbs 1:23-33
[2] Proverbs 3:6-10
[3] Proverbs 3:33-34
[4] Proverbs 4:18
[5] Proverbs 13:13
[6] Proverbs 14:25-27
[7] Proverbs 14:34
[8] James 3:17-18

Praise the Lord!

Has someone ever advocated for you? They spoke up for you? They defended you? They asked those in authority to open a door of opportunity for you? Perhaps, you only discovered years later that your advocate was not the person who you imagined it was.

During an extreme trial, one man lamented, “Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor! For when a few years are finished, I shall go the way of no return.” [1] He felt his life was at its end. Could someone pray for him?

Someone was advocating for him. God was! At the end of his trial, he received a double blessing from God (See Job chapter 42).

God is our advocate. He is for us. Daily He is on our side.

Three simple and often repeated words in the Bible are: “Praise the Lord!”

Good advice! As we praise the Lord, His light brightens our day.

PRAISE THE LORD! He knit me together in my mother’s womb! [2]

PRAISE THE LORD! I am fearfully made! [3]

PRAISE THE LORD! He knows my name and the number of hairs on my head! [4]

PRAISE THE LORD! He meets my daily needs and gives me extra to share. [5]

PRAISE THE LORD! He walks and talks with me. [6]

PRAISE THE LORD! He sent His Son into the world to atone for my sins. [7]

PRAISE THE LORD! He gives His Spirit to advocate for me. [8]

PRAISE THE LORD! He has given me eternal life. [9]

I like what the Apostle James wrote: “Of His [God’s] own will He brought us forth by the Word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. Therefore… receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.” [10] Praise the Lord! He brought me into His family by revealing Himself to me via His Word – the Bible.

Personal Testimony:

Once while my family was serving the Lord in Hong Kong, our financial resources were down to 100 Hong Kong dollars (US$12.50). We were a family of six. A fellow missionary noticed that I was looking downcast and asked me what was wrong. After I told her our situation, she remarked, “Well, let’s stop and thank God for that 100 Hong Kong dollars, that’s more than enough for today.” so, we did, and it was, and here I am more than 30 years later doing just fine. Praise the Lord!

[1] Job 16:21-22
[2] Psalm 139:13
[3] Psalm 139:14
[4] Matthew 10:30
[5] Matthew 6:25-33
[6] Luke 24:13-17
[7] 1 John 2:2
[8] John 14:26
[9] John 3:16
[10] James 1:18, 21

Face towards the SON

“Heavenly Father, please give us the grace to keep our eyes on Your Son, and please help us to help others focus on Your Son Jesus as well. It is in His Name, Jesus Christ, I pray this. Amen.”

Jesus is the Answer

“They said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” John 6:28-29

The One whom God sent to save us is His Son Jesus Christ.

Feed My Sheep

The God who is love wants to be loved. Loving Him is the first commandment. Loving people who He created in His image is the second commandment.

Jesus prepared Peter for ministry by asking Peter if Peter loved Him. When Peter affirmed to Jesus that He did, Jesus asked Peter to feed His lambs and sheep. Jesus wanted Peter to feed His flock the Word of God even as Jesus had fed Peter and His fellow disciples. Feed them the Word of God so that the sheep grow in their love for God and in their love others.

Later in his life, Peter wrote to church leaders, saying, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” [1]

Peter got it. Peter passed on what Jesus had taught him to do. Toward the end of his life, Peter was still loving Jesus and still feeding the flock. Praise the Lord!

“When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’”

He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’

He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’” [2]

[1] 1 Peter 5:2-3
[2] John 21:15-17

Mourning into Dancing

As Job grieved due to his losses, his friend Eliphaz spoke of a vision he had in the night. A scary spirit had made the hair on his body stand up, and his bones to shake. It spoke to him. It was from this spirit’s word that the trajectory of Job’s three friends got off on a wrong foot. This spirit led them to believe that Job was suffering for some crime he had committed against God. Their misinterpretation of Job’s suffering added greatly to his grief, and severely tested his faith in God.

Eliphaz: “Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair on my body stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence; then I heard a voice saying: ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” “Remember now, whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?” [1]

Job was a type of the coming Messiah Jesus. His losses came not because of any crime before God on his part. The Lord had said of Job, “there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil.” Job was suffering from a satanic attack against him. “So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” The suffering of Christ was also an attack from Satan. [2]

Yes, a Righteous One has suffered unjustly. “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” [3]

The sufferings of Christ were due to His love for us sinners.

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” [4]

Job received a double blessing from the hand of God after his trial was over. He also had peace with God once again. This too is a foreshadowing of Christ, because after Christ’s death on the cross, after being momentarily forsaken by His Father for our sakes… Christ resurrected from the dead, ascended to heaven, and is enthroned in glory at the right hand of His Father. [5]

This is wonderful news for us! As we trust in Christ, we who are subject to death, shall also resurrect and enjoy eternal blessings with God forevermore. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [6]

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.” [7]

[1] Job 4:12-17; 4:7
[2] Job 2:3, 7; Luke 22:3, 53
[3] 1 Peter 3:17-18
[4] Romans 5:6-10
[5] Job 42:12-17; 1 Peter 3:22
[6] Romans 6:23
[7] Psalm 30:11

My Redeemer Lives

A lone survivor of disaster number one told Job that robbers stole his oxen and donkeys and killed his servants. While he was still speaking, another arrived with news of another disaster. One disaster was followed by another until after four waves of destruction, Job tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshipped God. He declared: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.” [1]

In Leviticus 26:18-28, God speaks of four waves of disasters coming upon those who choose to defy obedience to His laws. In Matthew 24:20-22, Jesus speaks of the tribulations of the last days being shortened lest even in His elect would give up the faith. In Revelation 6-16, God speaks of three waves of judgments being executed against sin, namely, the seven seal, seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments. This is one wave of disasters short of the four waves of judgment that defiance against God deserves.

Job is a type of Christ in the Old Testament. God said of Job, “There is none like My servant on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil.” Job was not suffering four waves of judgment because of a particular evil in his life, but because there is evil in the world, and sometimes God allows evil to test the faithfulness of His servants knowing that it will impact the lives of many people for His glory. Our Lord Jesus Christ was treated horribly in this world. He was beaten, spit on, scourged, verbally abused, and crucified between two criminals, yet He had done no wrong. His only crime per-se was to love God and people. Such love draws the ire of Satan.

Thus, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” [3]

The Apostle Peter wrote, “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.” [4]

Sherry and I work with small children at a school. Certain ones more than others struggle with not getting what they want when they want it to the point of falling on floor, curling up in a ball, and crying like a baby. Then, in our society there are adults who protest and commit acts of violence when forbidden do whatever evil they want to do against others. Where is love in all of this?

How did Job face his test? What bit of truth amidst lies and confusion helped him to keep going forward in his relationship with God? It was this truth, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” [5]

Knowing that God will make all things right when we see Him face to face, helps us to keep on loving Him and people. This world is passing away, but God’s kingdom is forever. Thanks be to Christ, our wonderful Redeemer, we also shall live with God forever.

[1] Job 1:13-21
[2] Job 1:8
[3] Matthew 16:24
[4] 1 Peter 2:19-23
[5] Job 19:25-27

It Is Better

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” [1]

Let us pray that more and more people will invest in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the preeminent and ultimate ruler over all. He does not fail those who trust in Him. He is bringing us to the glorious Promised Land where there is an abundance of love, peace, safety, joy, gladness, singing and harmony among people from every tribe, nation, and language.

“Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” [2]

[1] Psalm 118:9
[2] Luke 21:28

The Day of the Lord

Imagine a vast army of soldiers marching in battle formation. They are fierce. Ready to conquer at any cost. This is the imagery that God gave us of an army that is prepared to carry out His judgment on a nation.

“They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His Word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it? [1]

How should the recipient of this warning respond?

“’Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him—a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?”

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, ‘Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, where is their God?’” [2]

The Lord advises such a people to turn to Him with all their hearts with fasting, weeping and mourning. Sound the alarm! Pray! Ask the Lord to intervene and rescue!

“Then the Lord will be zealous for His land and pity His people. The Lord will answer and say to His people, ‘Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations. But I will remove far from you the northern army and will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, with his face toward the eastern sea and his back toward the western sea; his stench will come up, and his foul odor will rise, because he has done monstrous things.’” [3]

The Lord will bless the resources of those who seek Him and rebuke the devouring nation from their land. What’s more, He will send His Spirit on that nation and bless them with ability to speak for Him, and to dream and envision the possibilities in Him that they previously lacked.

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” [4]

“It shall come to pass that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” [5]

[1] Joel 2:8-11
[2] Joel 2:12-17
[3] Joel 2:18-20
[4] Joel 2:28-29
[5] Joel 2:32

Love God

The first commandment is to love God.

How often in the context of examining our wins and losses in life are we asking ourselves, “Have I loved God?” “Do I love God?”

Yes, I do, but I want to be more focused on this character trait than I have been in the past.

I am asking the Lord to help me be a better lover of people as well since Jesus said that this is the second commandment, and is like unto the first.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

In Messiah Preserved from Assassination Attempts

“In all things He [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” [1]

The Devil has tried to sabotage God’s wonderful plans for people from the beginning. He sought to destroy God’s Messiah when he led misinformed people to crucify Jesus, but Jesus resurrected from the dead on the third day. Jesus Christ now lives and reigns on high and intercedes for us.

When God created humanity, He made us according to His image. Yet Satan led Adam and Eve to sin. Even so, God promised Eve that her Seed [Christ] would crush the serpent’s head. [2]

Satan attempted to corrupt the human race to the point where God would destroy us, but God gave grace to Noah and saved him and his family. Thus, the human race was preserved and so was the human linage of Christ. [3]

God promised to Abraham that through his Seed all nations would be blessed.

“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.” [4] Thus, the devil tried to destroy the linage of Abraham ever since then.

When Pharaoh thought to destroy the Israelites whose backs were to the Red Sea, he didn’t realize that God would open up the sea to preserve the race through whom Messiah would come. [5]

When King Saul employed his army to destroy his son-in-law David, he did not realize that God was going to preserve David because Messiah would come through the family line of David. [6]

When Haman sought to destroy all descendants of Abraham during the days of Esther, he did not realize that God would flip his plan on his own head because they were destined to give birth to Messiah. [7]

When King Herod sought to kill Messiah by destroying the babies of Bethlehem, he didn’t realize that God had sent an angel to warn the earthly father of Messiah to get out of town before it could happen. [8]

God preserves people who embrace Messiah Jesus as Savior. Jesus said He would build His church and nothing would stop it…

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” [9]

God has used an imperfect man named Donald Trump to fight for Christians in America. At 6:11 pm on July 13, an assassin tried to kill him. Last night, a preacher at the RNC proclaimed that God divinely protected former President Trump. His church had prayed for him. He quoted Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

The kingdom of Christ is forever. It shall not end. [10] However, until we reach those eternal shores to be with our Savior and Lord, we must be on our guard against all the wiles of the devil to sabotage our witness for Christ. It is in Christ that we are preserved.

[1] Hebrews 2:17-18
[2] Genesis 3:16
[3] Genesis 6:1-6
[4] Galatians 3:16
[5] Exodus 14
[6] 1 Samuel 23:9-14
[7] Esther 3:6 – 7:10
[8] Matthew 2:13-18
[9] Matthew 16:18
[10] Revelation 11:15

Be With God

“Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” [1]

Lovers of everything except God and God’s ways! The Bible says to turn from such. Remove yourself their movement! They are building on dangerous ground. Soon, their towers will collapse into dust and they will be lost eternally. “Their folly will be manifest to all.” [2]

“Evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” [3]

What imposters and deceivers fail to realize is that the same spirit that works through them to deceive and defraud others is deceiving and defrauding them. Their gains are temporary. Their losses are eternal.

“The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [4]

Moor your ship to the Word of God so you don’t drift from God. Be with God! Love Him! Dump overboard worthless wastes of your time, treasure, and talent! Jesus is Messiah. He is loving, peaceful and full of joy! Hang with Him! Hang with His disciples! Make disciples! Let His light shine! Let your life-song be that you glorified the only sinless One who died on the cross to save your soul.

[1] 2 Timothy 3:1-5
[2] 2 Timothy 3: 9
[3] 2 Timothy 3:13
[4] 2 Timothy 3:15-17

Glory to You God!

Glory to You God!

Other high places? No.

Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit…

You provide, guide, deliver, and love me.

Are there imposters in my life?

Anything or anyone diverting my praise from You?

I worship You: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I love You!

You have the highest place!

I live to worship and serve You alone!

The Passover and The Lord’s Supper

Amidst the nineteen kings of Judah mentioned in Chronicles, God affirms Hezekiah and Josiah for keeping the Passover and for making the Passover celebration glorious. [1]

The Passover Feast celebrates God’s miraculous rescue of the people Israel from slavery in Egypt. It celebrates the angel of death passing over the homes of the people who placed lamb’s blood on their external door posts. Those who recognized their need for a blood sacrifice due to the sin that they had committed against God were spared from the loss of their firstborn son as the angel of death passed over Egypt. [2]

Jesus Messiah introduced a new covenant just before He died on the cross for our sins. The new covenant involved a new meal.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’” [3]

Luke’s Gospel also records Jesus as saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me,’ and, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” [4]

Disciples of Jesus Messiah have a new and better meal to remember and celebrate God’s great love and deliverance for us, than did the Israelites. The Israelites celebrated a deliverance event that had relevance for them in this temporary life, namely freedom from subjugation by a foreign nation on earth. We, as believers and professors of Christ, celebrate deliverance from an eternal subjugation to hell with the devil and his demons. Christ, by His sinless blood sacrifice for us on the cross, delivered us from the power of sin, death, and the devil.

“You, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” [5]

Satan has no more claims against the person whose sin has been washed away by the blood of Christ. Jesus our wonderful Redeemer has redeemed us. Our Savior has saved us. God does not condemn us. He saves us! Praise the Lord!

Thus, we should regularly and happily remember and observe the Lord’s Supper.

[1] 2 Chronicles 29-30 – Hezekiah’s Passover observance; 2 Chronicles 35 – Josiah’s Passover observance
[2] Exodus 12
[3] Matthew 26:26-28
[4] Luke 22:19-20
[5] Colossians 2:13-15

The Prophetic Voice

I’m A major portion of the Bible is prophetic in nature. Before the New Testament came into being, the people of God called the Bible the Tanakh. The word Tanakh is derived from the three major divisions of the book, namely:

T - Torah - The Law
N - Nevi’im - The Prophets
K - Ketuvim - The Writings

To ignore the prophetic writings recorded in the Bible is to do like the failed kings and leaders did in the last days of Judah before they were conquered by a foreign nation.

“And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” [1]

The Lord warns us against deception and corrects our missteps because He has compassion on us and would rather deal with the pain of confrontation with us than see us experience the pain that comes to people who incur the consequences of bad choices.

I’m asking the Lord to help me and all His people to learn from the prophets.

When Jesus walked the earth in the flesh, the consensus of those who heard Him speak was that He was a prophet.

“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’” [2]

And, indeed, Jesus did speak a lot about sin and judgment as the prophets did before Him.

His disciples knew Jesus was the Son of God, and so do all who receive Him and believe in Him. Praise the Lord!

In fact, those who reject the Gospel of Christ face a worse judgment than did the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

“And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” [3]

As the writer of Hebrews said, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.” [4]

[1] 2 Chronicles 36:15-16
[2] Matthew 16:13-14
[3] Mark 6:11
[4] Hebrews 2:1, 3

Being in a Relationship with God

Since the beginning, the devil has sought to sabotage our relationship with God.

In the Garden of Eden, the devil questioned Eve regarding God’s law about not eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When Eve told the devil the Word of the Lord, he suggested that God lied to her, but in fact, it was he who was lying to her not God. She listened to the devil and acted upon his lie. So, did her husband Adam. That faith brought about a loss that was way farther than they could ever have imagined. Their children, including you and me, have been subject to suffering and death ever since.

Don’t let anything come between you and your relationship with God.

“Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.” [2]

The people of Judah failed to see the importance of a relationship with God. Perhaps, they thought that God only cared if they kept a few of His laws, and gave Him lip service by sayings things like, “May God bless our nation.” No, God wanted a relationship with them. The first commandment is to love God. God loved them and wanted to be loved by them.

Once, after a civil war battle, the victors were warned by the prophet Oded not to mistreat their fellow countrymen. The leaders listened to him and told the people, “You shall not bring the captives here, for we already have offended the Lord. You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” They offended the Lord by not observing the second great commandment which is to love their neighbor as themselves. The point here is that God is love and our love for Him and our love for people matters to Him. [3]

A nation falls when its love for God falls. “The Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the Lord.” [4]

Those who know God testify that He gives victories in times of distress: “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul; then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” [5]

In regards to those who abandon the Lord and seek to destroy those who don’t, the Bible says, “It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe...” [6]

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by Word or our epistle.” [7]

[1] Genesis 3
[2] 2 Chronicles 28:6
[3] 2 Chronicles 28:9-16
[4] 2 Chronicles 28:19
[5] Psalm 124:2-8
[6] 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10
[7] 2 Thessalonians 2:15

Judgment and Gospel

“He [God] sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.” [1]

Hananiah posed as a prophet in the last days of Jerusalem before its fall. His name means “the Lord is gracious.” He defied the Word of the Lord through God’s servant Jeremiah by saying that God would bring back the Jerusalemites that Babylon had taken captive within two years. [2]

How does a servant of the Lord respond to a people pleaser like Hananiah? Say nothing? Express anger? Jeremiah’s first response was, “Amen! May the Lord do so. May the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord’s house, and all those who are captives, from Babylon to this place” [3]

But wait! Hananiah lied. Jeremiah’s second response was…

“Nevertheless, listen now to this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people: The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet happens, then the prophet will be known, that the Lord has truly sent him.” [4]

Jeremiah had worn a yoke to the service. The yoke symbolized submission to Babylon. Hananiah took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. Then, he prophesied falsely that the Lord would break the yoke of Babylon from off the neck of all the nations within two full years. [5]

Jeremiah did not respond to Hananiah’s theatrics. He walked away, but then, the Word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, the Lord says, you have broken the bars of wood, but you have made in their place bars of iron.” [6]

Jeremiah continued, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore, the Lord says, ‘Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth. This year you will die because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord.’” Hananiah died that same year. [7]

Hananiah did not want to wear that yoke that symbolizes the consequences of sin. There were many like Hananiah in the last days of Jerusalem. Sin was all around. Horrible things were happening! Kind of like today where babies are slain in the mother’s wombs. Empires are defending sexual perversity, and criminalizing purity.

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.” [8]

Jesus said, “When He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment… of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” The Apostle Paul wrote, “For when they are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape.” [9]

Jeremiah’s yoke symbolized God’s judgment on their apostasy. The price of their departure from God was losing control of their nation and being ruled by a foreign nation.

Sin always has consequences. We see this with our first parents. When they doubted God and believed the serpent, they lost paradise. When we doubt God and believe the devil’s lie, loss follows.

Conviction of sin is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, because they do not believe in Me.” [10]

Jesus told His disciples that rejection of the Gospel yields severe judgment: “And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” [11]

God has done everything necessary for our salvation and for our sanctification by sending His Son into the world to become a sacrifice for our sin, and by giving us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us and to help us live a new life. We have so much more light and truth available to us than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah had. We need to repent of taking such a great salvation so lightly and embrace it humbly and gratefully. What’s more, we need to present both Law and Gospel to our listeners so that they understand that they are sinners in desperate need of the Savior Jesus Christ.

[1] 2 Chronicles 24:19
[2] Jeremiah 28:2-4
[3] Jeremiah 28:6
[4] Jeremiah 28:7-9
[5] Jeremiah 28:11
[6] Jeremiah 28:13
[7] Jeremiah 28:15-17
[8] Jeremiah 6:13-14
[9] Matthew 11:29; Galatians 2:9
[10] John 16:8-9
[11] Mark 6:11

Praying for Hard Hearts to Soften

Jesus told His disciples, “And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” [1]

The men and women of Sodom had known and been physically rescued by Abraham. They had seen him worship God with Melchizedek and refuse to financially benefit from Sodom’s riches. And they also had Lot living among them, who though weak was described as a righteous man by the Apostle Peter. [2]

The people of Sodom dismissed a need for God in their community. “The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” [3]

God, the righteous judge, [4] condemned Sodom, and the other cities on the plain. Although their sins of pride, sexual immorality, inhospitality, and cruelty were committed against other people — ultimately, they were a direct offense against God. Sin is an offense to God and demonstrates rebellion against Him.

But there is hope for sinners because God has provided His Son Jeus Christ as the way of salvation and is patient with us “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” [5]

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him?” [6]

The Heavenly Father has made salvation free for us by having His Son pay the price to pardon our sin. Now, we in Him can enter a new life with God that is according to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit… that’s what makes neglect of such a great salvation such a crime. [7]

[1] Mark 6:11
[2] Genesis 14:14-24; 2 Peter 2:7-8
[3] Genesis 13:13
[4] 2 Timothy 4:8
[5] 2 Peter 3:9
[6] Hebrews 2:3
[7] John 3:16; John 1:11-12; Romans 14:17

One Day The Empire Fell

“How the hammer of the whole earth has been cut apart and broken! How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations! I have laid a snare for you; you have indeed been trapped, oh Babylon, and you were not aware; you have been found and also caught, because you have contended against the Lord.” [1]

“The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, they have remained in their strongholds; their might has failed, they became like women; they have burned her dwelling places, the bars of her gate are broken.” [2]

The once fierce world conquering Babylonians lost their will and ability to fight.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” [3]

“Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath...” [4] A nation that believes it can get along just fine without God… a nation that believes it can defy God and still prosper is deceived.

The truth is that each of us needs a personal relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

[1] Jeremiah 50:23-24
[2] Jeremiah 51:30
[3] 1 Corinthians 10:12
[4] Zephaniah 1:18
[5] 1 John 2:17-18

Enjoying God Forever

“David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.” [1]

The king and his army officers recognized their need for God-anointed musicians to compose God-inspired music for their nation. This spiritual weapon was greater than any atomic bomb because God inhabits the praises of His people, and if God be for us, no one has any hope of defeating us.

The musicians, “prophesied according to the order of the king. They “prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord.” [2]

Music that honors God and promotes His praise is prophetic in nature, because it is resourced by His Spirit moving in our hearts and it is a foretaste of the heaven that we shall one day enjoy.

“He [David] had the plans for all of the courts of the house of the Lord by the Spirit.” “All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.” [3]

David was careful to listen to the Lord’s voice and obey His leadings, even in regards to the architecture of the place where worship should take place.

“David blessed the Lord before all the assembly; and David said: ‘Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, oh Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, oh Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious Name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.” [4]

Praise and thanksgiving unto God stems from a knowing that all we have is from Him. He is our Heavenly Father! All that we have is received from Him. Our Heavenly Father gives to us because He loves us.

Worshipping God connects us with our origins because we were created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

[1] 1 Chronicles 25:1
[2] 1 Chronicles 25:2-3
[3] 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19
[4] 1 Chronicles 29:10-14

Being On Time

“The sons of Issachar had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” [1]

The Holy Spirit is prompting me to pray for our nation to discern the time that we are in and to know what to do. The first step for us to take is to be willing to receive correction and to act upon it…

“Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored.” [2]

We need to pray for deliverance from enslavement to works of the flesh, and for an appetite via the Holy Spirit to produce good fruit that glorifies God…

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” [3]

There are numerous avenues and opportunities to hear God’s Word, but are we choosing wisely or making bad choices? Are we hearers only, and not doers?

“Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the Word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” [4]

“Dear Heavenly Father, please help our nation turn from evil works that lead to destruction and overwhelming sadness, and turn to Your Son, Jesus Messiah, for forgiveness and redemption, and for the infilling by Your Holy Spirit that we might live lives that bear good fruit and remain on the narrow path to eternal life. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”

[1] 1 Chronicles 12:32
[2] Proverbs 13:18
[3] Galatians 5:19-26
[4] Mark 4:18-20

Living as a Child of God

God our Abba Father has made a way for every person to be in His divine family. He accomplished this by sending His Son into the world to redeem us from our sins, and by providing His precious Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us.

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:3

The Lord has provided all we need to live in harmony with Him and to enjoy Him in our lives.

“Thank You Abba Father for Your great love for us. Help us now please to live in such a way as to reflect Your grace and love to others. And I pray for those who are not yet in Your family that You will open their eyes to behold Your goodness and to receive the forgiveness of their sins through faith in Your Son Jesus, and to be filled with Your Holy Spirit. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I ask this. Amen.”

Hear the Word of the Lord

“And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.” [1]

Daniel had been given a vision by God of a time of great peril for people. It made him sick to think of what some people would do to others. The phrase, “No one understood it” applies in more ways than one. Without God’s Spirit providing discernment, no one can understand the meaning and application of such prophetic utterances, and without God’s Spirit, people lack the will to want know about such things, but God gave us these warnings because He loves us, and cares about us.

The Lord Jesus is saying to His churches, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” [2]

As for me, I too am unsettled, as I consider that the Lord Jesus has provided so many words to prepare for us the eternity that is coming, but so few are heeding, being caught up in the pleasures of this temporary life. “Lord, please help us to hear, understand, and act on Your Word.”

[1] Daniel 8:27
[2] Revelation 2:7

The Fear of the Lord

What did the prophets and seers of the Lord do when their nation was transgressing against the Lord? The answer…

“The Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.’” [1]

How did the people respond to the Lord’s overtures of love to draw them back to Himself?

“They would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. They rejected His statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not do like them.” [2]

“They caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.” [3]

So, what did the Lord do? Did He endure this abusive relationship? No, He rejected it. He allowed the perpetrators to experience the consequence of their bad choices.

“The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them from His sight. The Lord removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So, Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.” [4]

A foreign nation forced them to receive peoples from other nations who did not respect their faith in God…

“Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities. And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore, the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, ‘Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land.’ Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.” [5]

They tried to serve two masters…

“They feared the Lord yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.” Jesus taught, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” [6]

The Lord advised them who to fear: “The Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” [7]

What is the fear of the Lord? “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” [8]

The Holy Spirit worked in the Apostle Paul and in his fellow servant Titus such a fear that they would not take advantage of those to whom they preached and taught God’s Word…

“I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? …Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?” [9]

Paul urged his listeners: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” [10]

[1] 2 Kings 17:13
[2] 2 Kings 17:14-15
[3] 2 Kings 17:17
[4] 2 Kings 17:20, 23
[5] 2 Kings 17:24-25, 27-28
[6] 2 Kings 17:33; Matthew 6:24
[7] 2 Kings 17:36-38
[8] Proverbs 8:13
[9] 2 Corinthians 12:14, 17-18
[10] 2 Corinthians 13:5

By the Word of the Lord

“By the Word of the Lord [Jesus Christ is the Word of God – [1] the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

He [Jesus Christ] gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord [Jesus Christ], the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” [2]

When the Bible says, “The Word of the Lord came to Abram” or anyone else in Scripture that is to say that God's Son Jesus Christ came to him by His Spirit. The glory of this miracle is to God that He would be so gracious as to come to him and speak the Scripture to him. [3]

Jesus Christ still comes to us by His Spirit. He reminds us of what the Scripture says…

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. [4]

[1] Revelation 19:13
[2] Psalm 33:6-12
[3] Genesis 15:1
[4] John 14:26; John 16:12-14