And He answered and said unto them,
“What did Moses command you?”
And they said, “Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.” And Jesus answered and said unto them,
“For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter. And He saith unto them,
“Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Mark 10:3-12
Bible
The Seed Of The Sower
“Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: but when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.”
And he said unto them,
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Mark 4:3-9
And He said unto them, “Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
“The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark 4:13-20
Rejecting Jesus Christ, and His Work, and Words Has Eternal Consequences
“But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, ‘Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.’ But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.”
“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
“He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me.”
Luke 10:10-16
These are the words of Jesus Christ. Every one who is in need needs Jesus. Every one needs to receive His words, believing His words, and trusting Him for eternal salvation. We are all sinners. Jesus came into the world to deliver us from our condemnation.
These words were spoken by Jesus to the seventy He sent out to all Judea, telling them of their responsibility if they are rejected; and also the destination of any city, nation, or people that rejected the word of the gospel.
Jesus goes on to say “He that hears you, hears Me; “ and “He that despises you despises Me.” He went on and added this, “He that despises Me despises Him who sent Me.”
Will you call on Him for salvation and deliverance from your condemnation?
Be Ready, He Is Coming
Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
“I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.”
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let him that heareth say, “Come.” And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith,
“Surely I come quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Revelation 22:14-21
Far too many pastors and too many people in the pew are afraid to read The Revelation of Jesus Christ. It is a book of encouragement, hope, and comfort for those who belong to our Lord.
This text begins with the seventh and final Beatitude of the Revelation. The first “Blessed” is found in the first chapter verse three.
Note the words of Jesus. “I am the Root, and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.” These words of the Revelation were probably written 20-40 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is still speaking, and we are not to add to or take anything away from this book. The ones who add to it are trying to make themselves appear intelligent, or because they think it does not say enough. The same can be said of those who take away or diminish though they try to say that it is lessor than it really is.
Then Jesus said, “Surely I come quickly.” “Well, it’s been two thousand years since He spoke these words. Where is the promise of His coming?” Be ready, because no one can know the time of His coming. The word “Imminent” means “It could happen any time” and that is as God chooses. So be ready.
If you are not ready for the coming of the Son of God in the clouds then turn your life over the One who died on the cross, by calling on His name in faith and repentance, believing that He died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again, and you will be ready.
The heart of every Christian, the follower of Jesus Christ calls out, “Come Lord Jesus.”
The Lord Knows How To Deliver The Godly
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2 Peter 2:4-10
Apostle Peter is writing in this second chapter about false teachers leading people astray from the truth of the gospel. He tells of their fate, their end, their demise and eternal destruction. He also tells us that in the historical past that God did not spare angels that sinned against Him, He spared only eight people from the destruction of the world wide flood, and out of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha He deliverd Lot, (that righteous man dwelling among them.
The Lord knows His own. He knows the ones He has redeemed unto Himself, and He will deliver us from the sins of this darkness. It will not be without great distress, and chaos in this world.
The Lord knows how to deliver the godly, the righteous ones who have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and buried He carried our sins far away, and He rose again, and by rising from the dead He justified those who come to Him, and that is forever.
He knows how to deliver the godly.
You might want to read the Epistle of Jude along with this.
Reading, Exhortation, and Doctrine
These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
1 Timothy 4:11-16
It will be better explained as to what the apostle Paul is writing to Timothy about if you will read the whole chapter. However, verses six through ten will help.
Timothy was a young pastor which Paul had trained, and taught many good and godly things. Some of it is good reminders of how all Christians ought to live; but especially those who preach the word of God, and lead us in spiritual matters related to the cross of Jesus Christ.
Notice what Paul encourages Timothy to do: Give attention to reading, probably of the Scriptures in the Church services, but also for one’s own personal growth and benefit; then attention to exhortation, or the explaining the text, then teaching how that text applies to us; then to doctrine which is teaching or giving instruction of what to do and how to do it. The Old Testament was all they had. Some or all of the Gospel accounts may have been in scroll form by the time of Paul. Paul did write many of the epistles (letters) to the churches he started, and personal ones like the Timothy, Titus, and Philemon Epistles.
The doctrine most precious to continue teaching is that all of Adam kind (mankind) has sinned, and separated from God. That God in His loving kindness had and has the only way to have fellowship with Him. That is through the shedding of innocent blood. The blood of lambs, and bulls and goats was insufficient, requiring daily and annual sacrifice. All these were pictures/types pointing to the coming of Messiah who would be the perfect blood sacrifice for our sin. Jesus Christ fulfills all the prophecies concerning the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin. Jesus died on the cross for our sin, He was buried, and He rose again the third day proving every word He had spoken concerning Himself.
That is the hill I choose to stand on and fight for. The cross of Jesus Christ and His coming again.
The Right Hand Man
Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 1:20-23
O, what a wonderful way to end a prayer for the Church at Ephesus. Reminding God, even though He needs no reminder; but we do. It is easy for we the people of Adam’s kind, to forget how grand and glorious God in Jesus Christ really is.
That prayer that is prayed by the apostle Paul is a prayer that needs to be prayed for today’s churches – the churches that believe the word of God, and follow Jesus Christ.
Notice in the above verses what God has done in Christ Jesus, showing His mighty power when He raised Jesus from the dead. He then set Him at His own right hand, the right hand Man. I say that for this reason; the Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:5, “There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” He is the right hand Man in Heaven.
Because Jesus has risen, He has also ascended into Glory, and is seated with His Father pleading, interceding for all those who are His. In the verses above we are told that the Father has put all things under His feet. That means that Jesus has power and authority over all things. What does that mean for the Church? That since all things are under His feet we too have power over these things, or those things which often beset us. Fear, which many times comes from the realm of darkness. Relationships; loving our neighbors as we do ourselves. Obedience to His commandments; we now have the power and authority to keep His commandments, and when we fail to do so we will be grieved by it, and the Holy Spirit who abides in all who know Jesus, He will direct us back to Him.
The Body of Christ, the Church who are the redeemed, the forgiven, the cleansed, believers of Christ Jesus, are His fullness, and it all comes to us from His grace. Jesus Christ is the Right Hand Man.
The Hope We Are Waiting For
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:18-25
There are several things for us to consider in these verses of Scripture. The first thing to think about is comparing any suffering we have had for our serving the Lord Jesus to the glory, the joy, we will have when we see Jesus when He comes for us.
Another thing is that it seems quite clear, that since the fall of Adam, the creation – the earth and the heavens, and everything therein has also suffered, and will rejoice in the sons of God getting their redeemed bodies. There will be no more earthquakes, raging storms, tsunamis, and no more wars. All of creation will quit its groaning. All because the God of glory, the Creator of all that is, has by His love, mercy, and grace redeemed those who come to Him and believe.
This hope we have is not supported by wishful thinking. It is supported by the promise of God. As we continue in hope based on faith, we continue with the rest of creation to groan, yet rejoice in the waiting, by continuing to follow the Lord.
Worshiping In Prison
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Acts 16:25-34
Paul and Silas found themselves to be prisoners in a Philippian jail. While it happened that they were praying, they were also singing praises to the Lord, and it was midnight.What were they imprisoned for? It wasn’t for murder. It was not for thievery. It was not even for jay walking. It was for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for delivering a girl from demon and human bondage.
Look at what happened. God sent an earthquake which unlocked the chains they were bound with; all the prisoners were released, and the doors opened, but they stayed put right where they were. The jailer was about to take his own life because he thought the prisoners had all escaped. Paul calls out to him, saving his life.
The jailer, then asks for a light, and he goes into the cell, and asks the question, that many need to ask; “What must I do to be saved?”
The answer to the Philippian jailer, and to all who are called to ask the question is, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.” Why does it say, “…And your house?” It was because this jailer and his family believed on the Lord Jesus, because of the events of the early morning hours. The family head is saved, generally speaking when the man of the house follows Jesus Christ the rest of the family will also.
This Philippian jailers life was not only saved from killing himself, he was saved unto eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ, the crucified, buried, and risen Savior of the world.
Will you call on the name of Jesus today?
Obey The Truth
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Galatians 3:1-6
False teachers, men who were adding to the gospel, teaching that keeping of the law was a necessity for salvation. Paul is adamant with them concerning the truth of by grace through faith alone in Christ alone.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is polluted every time there is an addition to the word of the gospel. The addition of Jewish Law such as circumcision, keeping the annual Feast days such as the Passover and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the rest. If we add baptism as a necessity for salvation, then the gospel is tainted with the stench of dead flesh. The believing thief on the cross might have something to say about that.
Do not add to or diminish anything of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He came into the word to save lost sinners of whom I am the worst. Yet He loved me and saved me from my sins, from death, and from Hell. I believe Him. How about you?
Ignorance of Prophecy, Yet Fulfilled
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”
Acts 3:17-23
Going way back to Moses’s prophecy of a prophet greater than himself and He would be the Messaih who would suffer for the sins of humanity.
Who is this Messiah, also called Christ? He is the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus. The only Lord and Savior of the world.
Rolled Back From The Door
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of Him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
Matthew 28:1-4
On the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ it was a joyous occasion for all those who loved Him; but it does seem they were surprised by it. Jesus had told them, many times that He would be put to death and on the third day He would rise again.
Some how they did not understand that the Messiah would die, and be raised to life again. Now, because Jesus has arisen His disciples will believe, because they have seen Him; yet, Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20:29. That means even you and me, all who believe today.
We solely believe the written, inspired, inerrant word of God to be true in every thing it tells us about Jesus; the whole counsel of God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ secures for us assurance that we too will experience resurrection.
The Judge Of Unbelievers
Jesus cried and said,
“He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.”
John 12:44-50
Those who believe in Jesus for salvation, have believed His words, the things He has said and taught. Those words are true.
Jesus said that He did not come into the world to judge the unbelieving of this world, but He came to save the world. Which He did by laying down His own life for us.
In the judgment of the last days those who did not believe will face the judgment of the words Jesus spoke, and by the whole of the word of God.
For those who believe are trusting Him, His commandment is everlasting life. He has paid our debt for sin, by His own death on the cross, being buried, and His resurrection from the grave and death.
If you have not yet believed Him, call out to Him today for salvation, believing every word He has spoken. He will hear you and He will save.
The judge of unbelievers is the words Jesus has spoken.
…You Would Love Me
Jesus said unto them, “If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent me. Why do ye not understand My speech? Because ye cannot hear My word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not. Which of you convinceth Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
John 8:42-47
In these verses Jesus is speaking to Jewish religious leaders, who were supposed to be learned in the Scriptures. They were denying Scripture they “believed in” by rejecting their Messiah who was standing in front of them. They had called Him demon possessed, a lunatic, and a blasphemer. He is either lunatic, liar, or He is Lord. O reader where do you stand in the matter of who Jesus is?
Jesus tells them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me…” It is very important to confess both the Father, and His Son Jesus. If you deny the Son you deny the Father. If you deny the Father you deny the Son. Denying the Son as Deity is denying the Father as well. To believe in Jesus is to believe in the Father.
Who are those who deny Jesus? Those who have Satan as their father, the one who is a liar, and the father of all lies. They will not hear the word the words Jesus speaks, but seek ways to destroy Him. They will not hear His word, because they are not of God.
Dear reader where do you stand with Jesus Christ? Maybe you are an atheist and you do not believe in God, but you do believe that a man named Jesus lived a long time ago, historically, but he was not deity. May I give you a suggestion? Go and purchase a Bible (New King James, English Standard, American Standard, or even the New Living). Begin your reading in the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and let the word of God speak to you.
Maybe you are one who has never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ before; that Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again. If this fits you, then today is the day of salvation. Call on His name turning from sin to Him, confessing Him as Lord, and believing that God has raised Him from the dead. When you do this you will have eternal life, and will live eternally with Him.
It Is A Serious Matter To Offend One Of Those Who Have Faith In Jesus Christ
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
Mark 9:42-50
How do people offend those who believe in Jesus? By false testimony, accusing us of doing things we did not do, or reminding us of things that we did wrong, but we have already received forgiveness from the Lord. By torture, and by death, and many otherr ways.
Any one who offends one of these; do you see how serious Jesus takes this matter? If your offense is done with your hand, you are to cut it off. If offense is done with your foot, it too, must be cut off. If the offense is done with the eye, then, that eye is to be plucked out. These drastic measures of showing repentance are not necessary, but show to us the extremities that would keep the offender from experiencing eternal death. If you have offended one of those who believe in Jesus, there is no need to cut the offending hand, the offending foot, or the offending eye and that is for you to believe Him too.
There is only one way to avoid the destruction of sin and death; and that is by way of the cross of Jesus Christ where He died in our place, taking the whole wrath of God upon Himself paying our sin debt. A debt he did not owe. He was also buried, and He rose up from the grave very much alive. Ask Him for forgiveness and He will give it.
Paddling Your Way Through The Storms
And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, “It is I; be not afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
John 6:16-21
There is a high probability that every one reading this is in a powerful storm, maybe the worst of your life. If you are not then, you soon will be. You at the least have already been through the storm of your life.
Natural storms, the storms of nature, are many times very horrible, fearful; like the one the disciples were in when Jesus came walking on the waves of the Sea of Galilee, and the disciples were fearful of the storm, then when they saw Jesus walking on the water they were frightened by Him. When Jesus got in the boat, and He had comforted them, the boat was at land.
These storms of nature are controlled by our Creator. Also are the storms we must go through of life. A heart issue. A problem child. A very ill child. A financial dilemma of bankruptcy or being charged with fraud. All of these and more can be very frightening.
Frightening yes, but then you see Jesus and He gets in your boat (your life), and the storm quietens, the fear subsides, and you find yourself experiencing the loving kindness of the Lord, receiving His mercy, and His grace. All of this is available through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Call out to Him, and He will come to you and give you peace.
In The Words Of The Baptist
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony. He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 3:31-36
John the Baptist or Baptizer is the last of the Old Testament prophets, He was sent by God ahead of the Messiah to prepare the hearts of the people to receive their God and King. Who was John speaking of? The answer to that question is; Jesus is the anointed One or the Messiah (the Christ) of God.
John the Baptist calls Him the Son of God, “The Father loves the Son…” He is the One whom God sent.
John also tells us that, “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he that believes not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Jesus Christ is the only way to have all your sins forgiven, and forgotten by God. He stood in our place taking the wrath of His Father upon Himself, so that we might be delivered from Almighty God’s wrath. So, the only way to get the wrath of God off of yourself is to trust in God through God’s only begotten Son, by believing in faith that He died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again from the dead on the third day.
In His resurrection He proved that everything He did, every word He spoke, every act of healing He did was true. He is Truth.
The Restoration of Worship
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.
Nehemiah 9:1-4
The people who are often referred to as “The Chosen People,” had been defeated by sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, and some taken into captivity, because they had neglected the right worship of the LORD their God.
They had chosen their own way while having the pretense of worshiping God on the Sabbath days they were keeping ritual, but their hearts were far from Him. Many of them had worshiped the gods of foreign people around them; lowering their image of GOD, blaspheming their God, and shaming His name.
Now they have spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon, the king of the Medes and Persians, beginning with Cyrus released thousands of captives to return to Jerusalem to restore the city, the temple and the wall.
They are worshiping the LORD now in repentance and faith, as they should. How did this all come about? They had to be put through the fire. Gold and silver is taken to a refiner, melted by fire and purified by skimming the chaff from the surface; purifying it. Thus, the people of Judah have been prepared by fire to worship the LORD God alone.
It started by the reading of the Law of Moses by Ezra. The people stood when Ezra opened the book, they listened and heard the word of the Lord, and they were convicted that their sins were as evil as those who came before them. They confessed and repented of their sins, and then they worshiped the LORD God with joy.
Just as GOD sent His Chosen people into the fire for cleansing; He also sends those who follow Jesus Christ through the fire for our cleansing, and drawing us nearer to Himself. That fire will lead us to repentance, renewing our worship, reviving us again for right living before the LORD our God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
There must be a clear teaching and preaching of the word of God. Giving the meaning and the understanding of the text, so that the hearer might know what this does for the listener. Teaching how one is to live their life before God.
Remember the Lord Who is Great and Awesome
And our adversaries said, “They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.” And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, “From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.” Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Nehemiah 4:11-14
Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem to lead in the restoration of rebuilding the wall around the city of Jerusalem. The wall, as well as the temple was in ruins, the rock used for the wall had been weakened by the fires Nebuchadnezzar and his warriors had done fulfilling the prophecies of the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem, through the prophet Jeremiah.
Many of the people were frightened by the destruction of a thing they were told was eternal. Well, it was not. Now after the 70 years Jeremiah had come to pass some of Jewish people had been allowed to return to their destroyed city. Ezra had gone earlier to rebuild the temple, and it was not the same as the temple built by Solomon, in the stead of his father David. Forty thousand plus people had returned with instruction from the king, and from the Lord.
Nehemiah had come to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, and build the wall is exactly what he did. It was not without trouble. Some of the people around the area did not like the idea of rebuilding the wall, and had threatened to kill Nehemiah if they did not cease. Instead of ceasing he gathered some weapons for defense while they worked on the wall.
Nehemiah tells the people, “Do not be afraid. Remember our Lord who i s great and awesome.” They finished the building of the wall in fifty two (52) days, because the Lord was their Protection.
My Christian friend, brother and sister. Is there something God is leading you to do that is the right, and godly thing to do, but you are slack in doing it because of threats against you? The LORD God says, “Do not be afraid.” Remember whose you are. You are a child of the Great and Awesome One through the shed blood of God’s only begotten Son. He died on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again.
Do not be afraid. Remember the Lord who is the Great and Awesome One.
He Is Like A Refiners Fire
“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come,” saith the LORD of hosts. “But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me,” saith the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 3:1-5
The words of John the Baptist tell us of the One who was to come, and He came just as John said,
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:10-12
Living Life In The LORD
And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, ‘Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in His spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as He cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear,’ saith the LORD of hosts: ‘but I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.’ ”
Zechariah 7:8-14
Before they had gone into captivity the people of Israel/Judah had turned the backs on the LORD, and served other gods which were no gods, but demons.
When they turned their backs on GOD they had no desire to love their neighbor, not even their own family. So the prophets had warned them of their undoing.
For the follower of Jesus Christ today one way to tell that we are right with the LORD is by the way we love our neighbor; whether it be the orphan, the widow, the stranger, and/or the poor.
Jesus Christ, as Chief Ruler of your life is the best life to live; and that will have the above justness toward all people, and we will treat them rightly..
The Eastern Gate
Thus saith the Lord GOD; “The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the Sabbaths and in the New Moons.”
Ezekiel 46:1-3
Ezekiel has received a vison from the LORD of the redeemed of the house of Israel/Judah in a right relationship and fellowship with Him. That day has not come.
It will come when the Messiah Jesus Christ comes down to earth, and after destroying all the enemies of Israel/Judah’s enemies, He will also return the earth to its pre-fall condition. There is so much more to this. The time this is speaking of is called the Millennium (1000) when Jesus Christ in His resurrection body rules the world from Jerusalem for one thousand years.
Christ Jesus fulfilled all the Law. He is the essence of the Law. Believing in Him, trusting Him alone is our only means of salvation.
Honor The LORD’S Holy Name
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ” Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before Me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured My fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: and I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned My holy name, when they said to them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.’ But I had pity for Mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.’ ”
Ezekiel 36:16-23
Knowing how to honor GOD’S holy name is not hard. Do the opposite of the evil things which the people of Israel/Judah did.
For example they reached a point in their lives that they did not need God anymore. Many were living comfortable lives, wealth and ease of life. We ought always remember the LORD and honor His name.
Here is the way we honor His holy name:
- Fear God; and you will fear nothing else;
- Give Him thanks, praise, and worship all through each day beginning when you are getting out of bed in the morning;
- Read, study, hear and do the word of God, not living a hypocrites life;
- Always remember you are always a witness for the LORD’S goodness, love, mercy and grace, and that others are watching you.
To know God’s grace through the cross of Jesus Christ is the first way of honoring the name of the LORD.
Knowing The Promise Keeping GOD
And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Thus saith the Lord GOD; “When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.”
Ezekiel 28:24-28
When men and false gods make promises they often forget them, failing to keep them, because something happened to prevent it, or perhaps never intended to keep the promise in the first place. The promises of men and women fail.
The promises of the LORD God never fail. Notice the LORD’S promises of to the people in captivity (Israel in Babylon). The promise is that the Lord GOD will bring them back, and they will have the security for the LORD.
Knowing the LORD God is believing he keeps His promises. We do realize too, that includes the ones for judgment as well as the ones for good. One of the promises He has gave Israel/Judah is the promise of the Messiah who will see to it that they are dwelling in the city of Jerusalem is perfect security. That Messiah is Jesus Christ or Jesus Messiah of GOD. He is the LORD who made the heavens and the earth from nothing. He even made the materials men make into false deities.
He is the Lord GOD who sent His Son, the Messiah, to die for the sins of all Adam’s kind (humanity), so that we might believe in Him and be saved. He conquered sin and death, by his horrible death on a wooden cross, He was buried, and then rose up from the grave alive. Because He lives forever we can by the grace of God also live forever with Him. All who come to Him, He in no wise will put him out.
Do you want real security which gives you peace with God and people? Do you want peace with your financial condition? Do you want peace for your marriage and home? Then you need to know the Promise keeping GOD, and that is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Call on His name. He will hear you, and He will give you peace.
The Lord GOD Says,
Therefore say, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Therefore say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads,” saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 11:16-21
The Lord GOD says what He is going to do with His people Israel when the time of their captivity is over. He also tells us what will happen to people who walk for their own “truth” which is lie, and they will receive the recompense of the Lord GOD.
Israel will return to the land the LORD has promised to Abraham in the beginning of the nation of this people. They put away all the “detestable things” all the abominations within the land. God will also give them a new heart; He will turn their heart of stone (hard heart) to a heart of flesh (moldable) so that they might see their sins and iniquities as God does. Then He will be their God, and they will be His people.
Those who walk after those detestable things, if their heart seeks evil rather than God’s love, mercy and grace, then, they can only look for a reckoning from the LORD. It will not be pleasant, and it will be eternal.
Getting a new heart requires God’s work alone. It is certainly possible for the hard hearted to change his own heart, from a stone heart to a heart of flesh. How can a murderer, child molester, a thief, a rapist, and adulterer get a soft heart? There is only one way and that is through the One who is the way, and His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Do you desire to have a new heart, a heart for God, His word, His Spirit and be holy before the Lord GOD? Jesus died so that we might come to God, and have eternal life. He died on the cross, He was buried, and then, He rose again. In repentance confess Jesus Christ as Lord, and believe that God has raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.
The Fire and Hammer 