Christian Living

The Covenant

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The following verses from Psalm 89 gives us the reminder of God’s covenant with David. Will his kingdom be eternal?

If his children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; If they break My statutes, and keep not My commandments;  Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips.
Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

Psalm 89:30-37

God says in the Psalm “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips.” So God is always faithful to fulfill His word. David will always have an heir on the throne of Israel.

That Heir on the eternal throne is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He came the first time to die for the sins of His people in all nations of the world. He died on an old rugged cross, He was buried, and three days later came out of that grave alive.

That same Jesus is returning some day, and will set up His kingdom over the whole world. That’s right. He will rule the whole world in holiness, righteousness, truth and justice. There will be peace on earth for a thousand years.

I call Him, Lord. I call Him, Savior. I also call Him, King, because He is the King of kings; and He is also Lord of lords, and He will put away sin and evil forever and forever.

His will is for you to call on His name today, and be saved to eternal life.

The LORD’S Presence – His Glory

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Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.  And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen.

Psalm 72:18-19

This Psalm is a Psalm written for Solomon by David while he was the king of Israel. The Psalm is one which is called a Messianic Psalm, which means that is prophetic of the coming Messiah of Israel.

I want to spend a few moments thinking on what verses 18 and 19 are speaking of; the LORD God, the God of Israel. “Blessed be His glorious name,” and “Let the whole earth be filled with His glory.

What is the “Glory of the LORD?” In short it is His presence. This is seen by the events of First Samuel 4 when the ark of the covenant is taken from the Israelites by the Philistines. The warriors of Israel thought that if the ark was with them God was with them, and they found out something else. Phineas’s wife had a son, and as she was dying she named her son Ichabod which means, “the glory is departed.” The ark was gone from Israel, but the Philistines decided after the glory of the LORD was with them awhile that they did not want it any longer.

The glory of the LORD, is His presence. How do we know the presence of God? He is always present with His people, but sometimes not believed to be by that same people. Why would that be? Because sometimes His people have unconfessed, unrepented of sin.

There are many who are turning their backs on God, because they do not see Him, His presence is not real to them. Sin, hanging on to sin, will cause blindness to His presence.

You can see the presence, God’s glory in that storm that came through the night when I was just a boy. You can see the LORD’S glory in that bolt of lightening that may have struck a tree, and killed a family member. You can experience the glory of God by looking down into the vast and beautiful  Grand Canyon; or looking up at the height and majesty of the Rocky Mountains. You can see His glory by standing on a beach in Florida or a beach on the west coast in California, and know that it was He who keeps the oceans of the world from proceeding any further than those beaches.

If you have not experienced the presence of the LORD it is because you do not know Him. There is only one way to know Him, and have His presence with you daily; and that is through the cross of Jesus Christ, His burial, and resurrection. Turn from your life of sin and rebellion against God and to the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Song of Praise and Worship

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Today I leave you with the following song. For surly and truly, our GOD the Most High is worthy of worship and praise.

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us; Selah. That Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations.
Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for Thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Psalm 67:1-7

Our Present Help In Trouble

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Do you find yourself in trouble? Maybe you are not in trouble but you are troubled? It could be a health issue, a financial, relationship. Maybe you do not realize where you fit into society.

There is good news. There is help for the one in trouble, and for the one who is troubled by one thing or many things.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Psalm 46:1-7

For those of you who know the LORD God through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ; He is our refuge and our strength. You already know that. If you did not know, then you do now, and need to apply those words to your life, and quit walking in fear.

We will not fear though crazy weather patterns, vicious storms raging, the sun scorching, the earth shaking, or personal problems may rage around us. We keep our eyes on the Son who makes all things new for those who have come to Him.

There is also an expectation of a marvelous and wonderful place where we have been promised that the Lord will one day take us with a brand new body. There is a river in glory, also called Heaven (Revelation 22:1-2).

The nations of the world rage against everything that is godly, righteous, and just trying to overthrow the plan of the Holy One, the Most High God (Psalm 2:1-3). The LORD, however just speaks a word and they become dust.

The wicked and the vile cannot stand before the holiness of God or His people; so know this, “The LORD of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge,” and that stands through all eternity. Reflect, think on, and contemplate; and yield to God and His word.

If you are not at peace with God I want you to know and hear the Good News. The good news is that God loves you, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for your sins. He was buried, and He rose again. He took the sins of all humanity upon Himself and died in our place, experiencing the wrath of His Father in our stead. Will you call out to Him today?

Abiding With GOD

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LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.  He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.  He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent.
He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15:1-5

David, the sweet psalmist of Israel in writing this Psalm asked two questions; “LORD, who shall abide in Your tabernacle?” and  “Who shall dwell in Your holy hill?”, and is basically asking the same question. The presence of God was the ark in the tabernacle, and the “holy hill’ is Zion.

Both the tabernacle with the ark of the covenant, and the holy hill being the place of rule for the King of kings someday represent the presence of the LORD. Who shall dwell in the presence of the LORD?

The way to abide with the LORD is through the Son of God, Jesus Christ for He said, “I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5). In order to dwell in the presence of GOD it must be through the Lord Jesus Christ, and then we will produce those fruits David is speaking of.

Jesus even went on to say, “If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:6).

For one who does not have faith in Jesus Christ, and His finished work on the cross of Calvary, there is no hope of bearing this fruit of good works mentioned in the Psalm by David. After telling us that we are saved by grace through faith, the Bible says in Ephesians two ten, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Who will be in the presence of God for all eternity, dwelling with Him? Those who have been given the righteousness of Christ Jesus.

Plots of Men and The Plan of GOD

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Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying,  “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.  Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me, “Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Psalm 2:1-12

There are four thoughts I want us to see in this Psalm.

First of all, it is clear from the first three verses that the nations of earth plot against the GOD of gods, who is the Creator of all things. The nations may not be doing it knowing they are doing it; but it is the enemy of God behind the scenes working through them.

Secondly, the next three verses tells us that, “The One who sits in the heavens will laugh…” In other words the LORD laughs at the puny efforts of His enemy, the devil, and the men that allow themselves to be used by him. They will experience the wrath of holy God. The LORD has His own King  who will reign in Zion, and His King shall reign forever.

Third, we find that that King is the LORD’S own Son. His only begotten Son (John 3:16). All the Son needs to do is ask and He is given the kingdoms of the world. He will then judge those nations who have stood against Him; and He will bless the ones who have blessed Him and His people. Yes, this Son is Jesus. That day of His reign in Zion has yet to come; and it is coming.

The final three verses, are words of warning for refusing to accept this King of kings, and follow Him. Those who serve Him do so with awe, and great respect; they worship Him, because He is worthy. If they do not “Kiss the Son,” His anger and wrath will be against them. The last sentence is, “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Those who are blessed will be those who have trusted in the King’s death on the cross, His burial and resurrection for the redemption of all who will come to Him.

One day, and maybe not too far away, Jesus is returning to earth to rule and to reign on earth for a thousand years, and then forever and forever. Will you be there?

Job’s Regeneration

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Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that Thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.  ‘Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: ‘I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.’
“I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job 42:1-6

From chapter 38 through most of chapter 41 the Almighty God has been speaking to Job. Job was wanting to have a discussion with Him, but as you will notice in the reading when God shows up, Job has but a few words, and they are words of repentance.

Job presented many challenges to God. He had many questions to ask the LORD, but when he sees Him for himself he is filled with wonder, and has no questions to ask, or to challenge Him with.

I have noticed that myself. In a time when God has been silent, and I was dealing with anger toward God, and I go to Him in prayer with my question or challenge, He comes, I see Him, hear Him, and my questions or challenge goes awry. and I am comforted and encouraged, and strengthened in my faith.

If you have a problem, a question for God. Do not fear to go to Him. When He reveals Himself to you the answer or challenge or whatever may not matter any longer. You will know that the LORD is God Almighty. All things are in His hands.

God has come into the world in the Person of His Son Jesus to make it possible for us to know God. That is only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Admit that you are a condemned and dying sinner. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, confessing Jesus as Lord, and you will be saved and have access to the very throne of God.

What Is Wisdom?

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But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?  Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, “It is not in me:” and the sea saith, “It is not with me.” It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
vv. 12-15
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
v. 20
And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:12-15, 20, 28

Wisdom is a forgotten Item in the world, and world’s cultures; but is very much needed from the individual,  tp the family, to the Church, to the state, to the nation, and to the world. Leaders need wisdom.

What is wisdom? Where does wisdom come from? How does one get wisdom?

Wisdom cannot be bought  or sold. There is not enough gold, silver, or money in the world to buy it. It is a gift from God who is All Wise.

The words of the Proverbs, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” Proverbs 9:10, and Psalm 111:10 also. So it begins with a heart for knowing God, having great reverence for Him, His word, and knowledge of Him. It is the ability to make good decisions with what knowledge you have.

The is a wisdom that comes from God; and there is wisdom that comes from the world (James 3:13-18). We are also told by the word of God, “that if any lack wisdom, let him ask of God… and it shall be given him ” (James 1:5). That answers the question of “Where does wisdom [godly wisdom] come from?” God gives wisdom (Proverbs 2:6).

The wisdom God gives also gives understanding, and leads us to hating what is evil. Evil is anything that is against the will, the way, and the word of God.

Every child of God needs wisdom to follow through with what knowledge they have of God, His word, and His Son Jesus Christ. Wisdom will be in the one who decides to hear the word of God and do it.

So, what is wisdom? It is a gift from God for those who ask Him, for the purpose of living for God, and living a godly life, making right and good decisions.

Where does wisdom come from? Godly wisdom; which is what we are looking at: comes from the LORD, and is much needed in the world and leadership in the world.

How does one get wisdom? It begins by trusting in the LORD for your salvation, your deliverance from sin and death through the cross of Jesus Christ and that will be the beginning of wisdom in you. Will you come to Him today. You may not have another day to live. Just ask God to give you a new heart for Him.

We Have A Living Redeemer

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Job was a man of many sorrows, and he felt as though God was forsaking him; yet, through the reading of Job’s many speeches, we discover a man of faith. It is so as we look at the following verses.

Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job 19:23-27

First, Job desires that his words were written down, and rolled into a scroll, and sought to be vindicated later. Even written on a rock that would last as long as that rock stood.

Jesus Christ is the Rock that led the children through the wilderness, out of Egypt (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Secondly, Job makes a statement of faith. He is expecting a man or some kinsman to come and redeem him. However, these words in this statement is far more than just a  kinsman of sinful men; Job must be seeing the Almighty’s Redeemer that was coming at sometime much later. He confessed that he knew his Redeemer lives, and that on the earth He would stand. Job must also have believed that in order to be redeemed that the Redeemer would give His life to redeem him.

Third, Job confessed that he knew when he died, his body would decay and return back to the dust from which it came there would be resurrection, because he said, “Yet in my flesh I shall see God.” Even going on to say, “Whom I will see for myself, and my own eyes shall see, and not another.” His heart (reins) are consumed, probably with excitement in knowing that one day he would see God, and have a new body too.

Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of all who will come to Him, believing that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, and confessing Jesus as Lord.

Our Redeemer lives. He has redeemed us. He Himself paid our sin debt by taking our place on the cross, and taking the wrath of God for sin that was not His, but was mine and yours. This was God’s gift, and is received only by God’s grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Will you call on His name today for salvation?

Dying and Living

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If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.  Thou shalt call, and I will answer Thee: Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
Job 14:14-15

People all over this planet earth have believed that there is life after we die. Is  this true? If it is true how can we know for certain that we will live again.

Job was a godly man. He is declared as a just man, by God Himself. Yet God has given Satan permission to do harm to Job, to bring glory to the LORD Almighty. Now Job is wanting to have never been born, and to die rather than to continue suffering as he has been.

Job asked the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” The best answer to this question is, “Not in this world as it is now.” In the Old and New Testaments we have a few examples of a few who died and were given life again, but then they died again. “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27. Death is a certainty. It is even more certain than taxes. There is a one hundred percent chance that you and I will die. But what then?

Death came to us because of sin. Sin came to us because of the first man, Adam who did not obey the Creator concerning the trees in the middle of the Garden of Eden. So, because of one man, the first man, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No one is born into this world without sin – with one exception.

“Not in this world, as it it is now” was the answer. However, the Creator made Adam and Eve with eternal souls, so we all have eternal souls. The Creator who is God is eternal, and He made us in His image, and after His likeness, so that includes being made for eternal living. So the answer to the question, “Is there life after death?” is Yes!

Eternal life is meant to be spent with God, always in His presence and glory, yet, because of our sin we would not be able to go spend eternity with Him except He make a way for us; and He did, and He does have a way, One way, and that is through the One who was the One who made all things (John 1:1-5), and all things were made by Him, and for Him. His name is Jesus. We can know that there is life after death, because Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He came out of the grave alive, and He lives forever more. He was seen by over five hundred witnesses who saw Him in His resurrection body.

Job said, “All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” and that should answer the question of whether there is life after death. That change comes when we are raised when Jesus comes again. It does not answer the question of where you will spend it though.

There are two places that are eternal, Heaven or Hell. Heaven is the place of our Lord Jesus Christ who tell us that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except  through Him (John 14:6). Jesus will come again for those who are His – that is those who have given themselves to Him confessing that He is Lord, and believing that God has raised Him from the dead (John 14:1-4; Romans 10:9-10).

Hell is the appointed place for Satan and his legions. It is a place of eternal fire and torment, and there will be no relief. It is also the eternal home of those who deny and reject the free gift of grace God gives us in His Son Jesus Christ. You have a choice – Heaven or Hell

Job: A Faithful Man

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So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
Then said his wife unto him, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said unto her, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job 2:7-10

Who is a faithful man? It is a man who, like Job, when he is tried through trouble, not of his own making, is faithful to God and His word, no matter what is thrown at him. This would be so of a woman as well.

Notice Job was a very wealthy man with seven sons and three daughters. He also had many animals for working his fields, crops, and hauling wares or food. Job lost it all in a single day. His children, all ten, were killed by a strong wind. Yet through all of this Job says,

Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:21

Then, he is stricken with boils cover the entirety of his body, and is suffering great pain, yet Job is faithful.

In the New Testament Job is named only one time as the picture of patience (James 5:11). Being patient is a great part of faith.  Faith is believing in the unseen, due to the evidence provided us by God. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen”  (Hebrews 11:1). There is something that some ignorant of what faith is said, “A leap of faith,” and by the authority of the previous verse we can say that “Faith is a step into the Light.” That would be the Light of Jesus Christ.

Even though Job’s wife even seems to lack in faith, he maintains his. He hangs on to faith. Why would a man or woman do that? It could only be because they believe what God says. The world will tell, and culture will tell you that believing in this someone you cannot see, or touch is crazy. They will tell you things such as “Believe in yourself,” but they need to realize that believing in one’s self is what leads to destruction, not to life.

Let all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ hang on to your faith, and the faith will hang on to you.

This faith is only available through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was sent to earth to die for our sins. Come to Jesus, by calling on His name.

The Enemy Is Exposed

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So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.  And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.” Then Esther the queen answered and said, “If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.”  Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?”  And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.” Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
Esther 7:1-6

We all have an enemy. He hates everyone of us, and seeks to drag us into his same destiny. Who is this enemy? I will reveal that in a few moments.

Right now let us look at the book of Esther. It is a book that never uses a single name of God. You know what? Though His name is never used His presence, His power, and work is clearly visible among God’s captive people. The enemy of the Jews is exposed by a Jewish girl who has become queen of the kingdom of Persia.

Haman, who has gotten in the kings good graces, has been elevated to the level just under the king, and sees opportunity to get rid of a people he hates. This hatred has been brewing for a few generations of the Agagites whom King Saul was supposed to destroy but completely fails to obey the LORD God. Now generations later this man Haman is set to destroy every Jew in the kingdom of Persia. His evil plot for the destruction of the Jewish people of Persia, was at first approved of by King Ahasuerus, because he is unaware of many things – that that would include his queen, as well as the man who once saved his life from an assassination attempt (Esther 2:21-23).

When the evil plan has been revealed God works through a dream reminding the king of his life being saved by Mordecai a Jew,  and it is told him, that he had never did anything for this man to show his gratitude. At just the right time Haman shows us before the king; after he has built a gallows for hanging Mordecai on. He is asked by the king, “What shall I do for the man I want to honor?” The pride of Haman gets him to thinking, “He is thinking of me,” so he tells the king such glorious ways of that time and culture. “Go and do that for Mordecai,” says the king. So he does and feels humiliated, and goes home weeping.

The above verses from Esther tells us of how the enemy was exposed. At a banquet made by the queen, the king and Haman being the only participants are there with her. The king asked her what she desired, and she says, “My life, and the life of my people.” The king does not understand and asked who was doing this, and she says, “That wicked Haman.” She also reveals the truth of who she is; a Jew, and niece of Mordecai.

Haman is dealt with severely. He is hanged on his own gallows built for the hanging of Mordecai. Later his ten sons are hanged on that same gallows. The enemy has been exposed.

Now, to answer the question who our enemy is. He is the enemy of every human being who has ever lived. He goes about seeking to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) every human life throughout the ages. He is God’s enemy. He especially hates all who are God’s people, and he will do all within his power to destroy you.

If you are God’s child through faith in His Son Jesus Christ then you cannot be touched by him. This evil one’s name is many, but he is known mostly as Satan or the devil. To this day he knows that he is already defeated, and that his destiny is the Lake of fire. He desires to take as many people to his final destination with him as possible. There is only one way to avoid going with him, and that is the cross of Jesus Christ. He paid our sin debt on the cross, He was buried carrying our sins away, leaving those sins as far away as east is from west in His resurrection coming out of that grave alive forever more. Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. Will you do that today?

The enemy is exposed.

A Time For Rejoicing

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And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, “This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.  Then he said unto them, “Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Nehemiah 8:9-12

There is a time for rejoicing, and Nehemiah, Ezra, and all the others were rejoicing because of the finished wall, the reading of the law of Moses, and the explanation of it, and the peoples mourning for their sins. After their repentance it is a time for rejoicing.

Rejoicing in the wonderful word of  God. Rejoicing in the LORD’S grace, mercy and love. Rejoicing in the forgiveness of their sins.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ; you believe that Jesus died for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again, and you turned form your sin to Jesus, and confess that He is Lord, then you are a follower of Christ. If we do sin and confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9).

If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are without hope, you are lost, you are a condemned sinner, you do not know God. You will never come to God in your own way or your own works. Turn to Jesus Christ today, before it is too late. Then there will be rejoicing in your heart and life, and there will be great rejoicing in heaven.

 

 

An Act Of A Pagan King

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Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Ezra 7:27-28

There had been many people of Judah who were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.  A decree from Cyrus had been given, and authority for the leaders who chose to go, to go with the kings authority and a letter of evidence of such order. See chapter one of Ezra, and verses one through four.

When the people from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin arrived at Jerusalem, and they were in the process of restoring the temple some of the people who had been living near by came by and asked if they could help. They were denied the opportunity to harm the work that way, and they then sent a letter to Artaxerxeus, asking him to search the records of these people. They accused them of being trouble, and that they did not deserve to be building the temple. Artaxerxeus granted to complainers who were working against the work of rebuilding. They received a decree from the king to cause all work on the temple to “cease” immediately.

The prophets Haggai, and Zechariah motivated the people to continue building the temple, and they did (Ezra 5:1-5), and they were asked by the governor of the area who had authorized the continuing of the work. When they could not cause them to cease from the building of the temple they, that is, the governor Tatnai sent a letter to Darius king at that time. King Darius had the records checked, because of Cyrus’s decree, and after reading his decree, made a decree of his own giving authority to the people who worshiped the “God of heaven” the right to build the temple.

Darius gives permission for Ezra to take those who want to return to Jerusalem, and to go with gold, silver, and many other things. The words of the above text are words of Ezra. Words of thanksgiving and of blessing the LORD God.

This act of two of the kings was an act which GOD had put in the heart of these men. He did this in His sovereignty over the hearts, minds, and will of men. God the Almighty reigns in the hearts of men. He works in all of us to fulfill the word and will of God.

God did not only work in His sovereignty in the Bible. He continues to work in His sovereignty in today’s world accomplishing His purposes. We see things sometimes, maybe everyday, that we cannot understand why God could allow something like that to happen. Whether we understand or not is not the issue. The issue is our faith in God and faithfulness to Him. Our mission is not to understand, but to trust Him.

Our trust in God begins by trusting in His work through His Son Jesus Christ. In His death on the cross He was smitten by the Father because He became sin for us, thus He was smitten by God (Isaiah 53:3-4) because God cannot look upon iniquity, Jesus died for us. He was buried, and He rose from the grave where they had laid Him.

Have you trusted God by believing  the work of His Son is finished? There is no more you or I can do, and one thing that we can do, and that is receive the free gift He offers us. Do so, and trust Him today. We are not guaranteed another.

A Prepared Heart

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For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “The good LORD pardon every one  that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.”  And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
2 Chronicles 30:18-20

King Hezekiah had called for a late Passover celebration. He had sent runners, and letters not only throughout all of Judah, but also to the northern kingdom called Israel. As a result of those letters many of the northern kingdom laughed and mocked the message, and the messengers. There were also many who made the decision to go to Jerusalem and join in the remembering the Passover that began in Egypt hundreds of years before.

Hezekiah was a king who “did right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done” (2 Chronicles 29:2). He had given his whole heart to the LORD, and would be faithful to the LORD. The Passover had not been practiced for many years, and it was the commandment of the LORD, that they practice it every year during the first month of each year. This Passover took place in the second month, and was to include all the people of God, including Israel; and some from the north came.

Now if you will remember that the Passover’s first took place during the last night Israel was captive in Egypt. It required the slaughter of a lamb for each household, with the blood on that lamb on the doorposts, and the lintel. This was God’s protection for the firstborn of each family from death that was to come on all the land of Egypt. All the firstborn of Egypt died. The firstborn of Israel lived.  You can read all about it in Exodus 12.

The king was not a perfect man, but he was a godly man and king. He led the people back to the worship of the LORD, and because of that God heard his prayers (2 Chronicles 32:20-23).

From our beginning text above, we see that some of the people had had little time to prepare , ie, prepare themselves for the Passover, by sanctifying themselves. Because of this some of them had gotten ill, thus the need for the kings prayer here. God heard and God healed the people who had become ill in the Passover meal.

We are nearing the time of the Hebrew Passover. At sunset on April 12th the Passover begins, and Easter the day I call Resurrection Sunday is April 20, and on this day we remember the resurrection the Passover is a type, a shadow of. The blood of a lamb was shed for each household. The blood was put on each doorpost, and every lintel forming the shape of the cross of Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God who came to take away our sins (John 1:29, 36).

It is Christ Jesus alone that fulfills all the words of the LORD. It is He alone who delivers us from the sin of our heart’s bondage to sin. There is salvation in no other name but Jesus the Christ of God (Acts 4:12).

All of us have sinned, and have come short of what God requires of us (Romans 3:23). Not a one of us deserve God’s grace, yet He loved us so much He gave us His Son to die for us that we might have eternal life with Him.

Prepare to meet your God (Amos 4:12), and the only preparation is to come to the Lord Jesus Christ by grace through faith.

Why Good Kings Fall

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In this study today I want to remember the words of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1:6; “…and has made us kings and priest unto God, and His Father…”  Only those who are in Christ Jesus have been made kings and priests through the cross of Jesus – His death, burial, and resurrection.

Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. vv. 3-5
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.  But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 26:3-5, 15-16

Why do good kings fall? That is a question that is answered in looking at the lives of the good kings of Judah (There were no good kings in the northern kingdom of Israel), all the kings of Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD.

We look at King Uzziah today. He “did that which was right in the sight of the LORD.” Verse five says, “…As long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.” In verses fifteen and sixteen we read, “…He was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction…”

We can look at this one king, and begin to see how we should live, as the kings and priests of the Lord Jesus. We also see how we should not live. In the first place we need to be continually seeking the LORD, to know Him better, to love Him more, and to be a better servants to God, and our neighbor.

In the second place we need to always remember that when God has prospered us, where that prosperity comes from. God prosper us.  Let us always thank Him for His blessings. When we are truly thankful to Him, then we will less likely to fall. Uzziah became full of arrogance and pride. He took on himself an act of service that he was fit for, and he ended up with the curse of leprosy on his body until the day of his death.

As a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, I must guard my heart and mind through the reading and study of the word of God with the guidance of the Spirit of God to do so. I must also remember that I am still subject to the Lord, and I answer to Him for any sin in my life. I am not beyond His judgment, or consequences of my sin in this life. That is why I am thankful that we are told, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Do you know God? Do you know His Son Jesus Christ? If you do not, you need to know that you are a sinner. You have sinned against God your Creator, and that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you and me while we were yet sinners. He became sin for us, and gives us His righteousness when we come to Him. Jesus Christ died on a cross for us, He was buried, and He arose and came out of that grave alive forever more.

You can trust Him. Call on the name that is above every name – that name is Jesus. He will hear you and will deliver you from your sin.

When The Kings Of God Face Trouble

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Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; and he said, “Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, ‘Thus saith the LORD unto you, ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.  To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.  Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.’ ” (20:14-17)
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.”
2 Chronicles 20:14-17, 20

Jehoshaphat was king who did right in the eyes of the LORD (2 Chronicles 17:1-4), by  following the ways of David. He called on the people of Judah to seek the LORD God with all their hearts. Please read all of chapter 20.

This king of Judah was warned of an approaching army, an enemy, yet descendants of Lot (Genesis 11:27 and 12:4). The Moabites and the Ammonites; who are descendants of Lot’s sons Moab, and Ammon (Genesis 19:30-38). When he hears of a great encroaching enemy he is fearful, and does what  any godly king should do when their people, their lives, and nation is at stake; and that is he prayed to the Creator of heaven and earth – the One true God.

When he had prayed the Spirit of God came upon a Levite by the name Jahaziel and told  the king, and his army, “You do not need to fight this battle. The battle is not yours but God’s”

The people of Israel went out to the battle singing and praising the LORD. The enemy attacked the people of Seir and defeated them, then turned against each other, leaving a mass of corpses  on the ground.

When an enemy comes against us as followers of Jesus Christ we too must do what King Jehoshapht did. We must humbly approach the LORD God, seeking Him with our whole heart. We also need to remember that His enemy is our enemy, and that He hears the prayers of those who are faithful to do His will.

All of those who know Him will be kings and priests unto the Lord our God (Revelation 1:6; 5:10). We are in training, through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit at work in us as we live here, before we are glorified with Christ Jesus.

If you do not know Him you are yet His enemy. Christ died for us while we were yet His enemies (Romans 5:10), and if He loved us enough to become sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God, then the power of His resurrection is even greater.  Through the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ an evil man or woman can be changed through His power. The changed one becomes a person that loves and respects others, and becomes a servant to them.

He will not fail to complete what He has began in us (Philippians 1:6). The Lord’s personal invitation to you today is “Come to Me.”

What Would I Have Asked For?

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In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him,
“Ask what I shall give thee.”
And Solomon said unto God, “Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now, O LORD God, let Thy promise unto David my father be established: for Thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this Thy people, that is so great?” And God said to Solomon,
“Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge My people, over whom I have made thee king: wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.”
2 Chronicles 1:7-12

Solomon is now the king of all Israel. God came to Solomon, and said, basically, “Ask Me for anything,” I believe it was a test of his character, his heart.

What would I have asked for? Solomon was probably a very young man. We are not told anywhere I can find where we are told his age, at the time he became the king. As a young man of 18 through 30 or so, I am not so sure that I would not have asked for God to make me wealthy. I know in my heart, and I knew then, that wisdom and knowledge were two of the greatest things you could ask God for. Now, I no longer want to be wealthy. That would be a trap for the ruin of my family,  and my life.

Solomon was wise before God even gave him this offer. He had a large task ahead of him as the king of Israel, judging the people, and leading them in the way of the LORD God, and building the temple, which his father David had planned and designed.

Over the years, I am now 70 years of age, I have asked God many times for wisdom and knowledge,  and God has met our needs, and I look back at my twenty or so years, and I can see I am much wiser than I was back then, and I pray more knowledgeable at least in the ways of the Lord,  and His word.

God answered Solomon’s request, and gave him more than what he asked for. God gave Solomon wisdom and knowledge. He also gave him great wealth, and honor before kings. Solomon, even as wise as he was, was not a perfect, nor a sinless man. He is believed to have been the human author of Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and many of the Proverbs in that book of wisdom.

There is a great need in today’s world for godly wisdom. There is much earthly wisdom that is foolish in God’s eyes. Earthly wisdom is like, “Grab all you can, while you can,” “Do unto others before they do unto you,” “My golden rule is that he who has the gold makes the rules,  and such frivolity as that. While the wisdom of the God who has made all things, says, “Love God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” He also says, “Love your neighbor as you do yourself,” and to “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all His righteousness.”

The wisdom of the world says, “I have no sin that needs forgiveness.”  The word of God and wisdom says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

I have chosen to believe and live for God and His word and wisdom, and shun the world and its so called wisdom. I have done that by turning from my sin to Christ Jesus; who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and He rose again; and have confessed that He is Lord and thoroughly believe that He rose from the dead. Now I have assurance that I will be with Him forever.

Will you join me? Call on His name and be saved from sin, death, and hell.

Dealing With Sin

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And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. And David said unto God, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech Thee, do away the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.” (vv. 7-8)

King David had sinned against the LORD in ordering a census, a counting of the numbers of people in his kingdom. It must have been a bit of pride, wondering just how many people he was shepherding. Anyway he had sinned against the LORD in  doing what he did.

Gad the prophet to David came with a message from God, and told him “God is displeased with this thing, and struck Israel with a plague. He goes to God in prayer, “I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing, I beseech You, do away with the iniquity of Your servant: for I have done foolishly.”

The king admits, confesses his sins. That is what every individual must do when we sin against God. No confession, no repentance, no deliverance.

And David said unto Gad, “I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are His mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.” (v. 13)

Now, take a look at verse 13 above. David has been given a choice of three things by which he will pay the price for his sins. His answer was, “Let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for great are His mercies.” He would rather depend of the mercy of God than on the wrath of man for three months, or the affects of a plague. The mercy of the LORD is great. In the book of Lamentations, by Jeremiah the prophet, we are told that “His mercies are new every morning.” King David knew that.

God’s mercy means that God is not pouring out His wrath on those who deserve wrath; and my friend, that is all of us on planet earth. We have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We all deserve His wrath, but He in His great love and mercy has provided for us through a perfect sacrifice to pay sin’s debt, and that is Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And David said unto God, “Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued.”
1 Chronicles 21:7-8, 13, 16-17

The angel of the LORD was ready to destroy Jerusalem, and God in His mercy stopped the angel of the LORD from doing that. David is very repentant, and the elders have witnessed the wrath that God was pouring out. He cries out to God, “I am the one who has done this sin, but these sheep, what have they done?” In calling his people sheep was humbling himself before the LORD God as a lowly shepherd.

The  king is told by the LORD to build an altar, and offer a sacrifice to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan. David goes to Ornan, and ask to purchase the land from him. Ornan sells the threshing floor to David, a he makes a sacrifice. It was many years before when Abraham had seen this mountain “afar off” as he was going with his son Isaac, the promised son; and was prepared to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, and God provided a Ram caught in a bush by his horns, in the stead of his son.

This threshing floor would become the place where the temple of Solomon would stand.

That Ram provided by God to Abraham is a picture of the promised Messiah, that would come, and give His life in our stead.

Do you desire to deal with your sin that has so long kept you enslaved to it? Would you like to be at peace with God? Would you like to know that your sins are forgiven? You can have those things by turning away from your sins, and turning to the Lord Jesus Christ; God’s perfect sacrifice for sin. He is the Son of God who became sin for us, on the cross, taking the wrath of God on Himself, dying; and He was buried, and then He arose from that tomb. Through Him and Him alone can we become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). That is God’s grace. God is giving us something which we do not deserve; that is deliverance from sin.

 

The Presence Of GOD

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And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. Then David said, “None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto Him for ever.”
1 Chronicles 15:1-2
“…For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought Him not after the due order.”
verse 13

Does the LORD God show Himself to people in today’s world? If so how can we be in the presence of God?

I believe God is present with me every moment of every day. I know He is present when I get out of bed each morning, He gives me every beat of my heart, and every breath I breathe. I look out our patio door, and see wildlife, and say and think, “Look what God has wrought.” So yes, God’s presence is shown to people in today’s world.

Since I believe God is with me (us), then, can we be in the presence of God? Yes! How? I will get to the answer in a moment.

In the above Scripture King David had previously attempted to move the ark of the covenant in the wrong way. They had attempted the move by placing the ark on a cart (1 Chronicles 13:7-10), and a man died as a result of that wrong attempt.

The ark of the covenant represented the very presence of God. In the fourth chapter of First Samuel they had gotten to the point of thinking something like this, “We can live how we please, and God will still be with us, because He is in the ark.” They soon found out that GOD was not contained in that box, when they lost a battle against the Philistines, the sons of Eli died in the battle, the ark was taken, Eli fell off of a tree and died, the wife of Phineas died in child birth, and before she died named the child Ichabod which means, “The glory is departed.” Please do not name your child Ichabod.

Now to answer the question, “How can we be in the presence of God?” First of all, you must come to God His way, not your own way. If you have the idea that  you believe in God, so that is good enough, and you practice sin without guilt, remorse, or shame, then you do not really believe in God. God is holy, righteous, and just and cannot look upon iniquity. In the New Testament the Epistle of James tells us, “You say you believe in God, you do well; the demons also believe and tremble.” If demons fear God and tremble you certainly need to fear Him.

How can we be in His presence? There is only one way, and that is through the cross of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. When you come to Him by grace, through faith, turning from sin to Christ Jesus, confessing Him as Lord, and believing in your heart that He is risen from the dead, then you will be saved, and will forever be in the presence of the LORD.

When you come to God His way, He will always be with you, because He gives His Holy Spirit to all who come to Him through Christ. The Person and presence of God is in you, guiding you, correcting, comforting you, loving you, moving you to be more Christ like every day.

Call on Him today.

Like A Mighty Army

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And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host. For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
1 Chronicles 12:21-22

At this point in David’s life he was staying away from king Saul who was very jealous of David’s  power and authority over the enemies of Israel. David, as a youth, had slain the giant Goliath with a stone in a sling, and cut off his head with the man’s own sword.

As David is staying out of Saul’s way he begins gathering a massive army of many men of valor. They were courageous and determined in the battles they fought against raiders of the kingdom. These men were coming, even from the family of Saul. An amazing gathering army. It is even like the army of God.

When I read these verses this morning, I thought of the song we followers of Jesus Christ often sing, “Onward Christian Soldiers” written well over one hundred years ago. It is very inspirational, and tells us how we ought to be toward the evil which we see in the world today.

Here are the words of the song:

Onward Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before! Christ the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle, See His banner go!

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On, then Christian soldiers, On, then Christian soldiers, On to victory! Hell’s foundation quivers At the shout of praise; Brothers, lift voices, Loud your anthems raise!

Like a mighty army Moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading Where the saints have trod; We are not divided; All one body we, One in hope and doctrine, One in charity.

Onward, then, ye people, Join our happy throng. Blend with ours your voices In the triumph song; Glory, laud and honor, Unto Christ the King; This through countless ages Men and angels sing.

Chorus:  Onward, Christian soldiers,  Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before.

This mighty army is made up of those who have been redeemed by the sacrifice Jesus made by giving Himself for our sins. He gave His life, His shed blood – every drop – that we might be made right with God. He died, He was buried, and He rose from the grave. We are a mighty army when we are right with Him.

If you have never called on the name of the Lord in faith turning from your sins to Him, then you urgently need to do that today, even right now.

When You Find Yourself In The Middle Of A Battle

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The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.  And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and He was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.  And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.  For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.
1 Chronicles 5:18-22

The Chronicles are not easy reading, especially the first ten chapters of Book one. There are however, a few gems for thought, and the above verses are one of those jewels.

There were three of the tribes of Israel who had, with the help of the other tribes and Moses had chosen to have their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River.  Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh were those tribes. These three were required to send their fighting men over the Jordan, and aid their brethren in conquering Canaan, and they did. Read Numbers 34:13-16.

These men found themselves in the midst of a battle with the Hagarites, and were about to lose. Then they remembered the LORD, and  cried out to Him for help and God helped them. It was because they trusted in Him. One thing is for sure. They should have trusted the LORD God before entering the battle not wait until they were in the middle of it. I guess it is better late than never.

It is like sometimes we use God like a spare tire that is in the trunk of our cars. We can get to a place we forget about that spare tire, until we need it. Sometimes we can do God that way.

What we ought to do is always be mindful of God, and do like the psalmist wrote “Meditate on His word, day and night” (Psalm 1:2; 77:12; 119:148; 143:5). If we recognize the Lord everyday by getting into His word, and prayer, even praying His word, then He will not be a spare tire, but the Lord who is continually with us.

Jesus Christ is “God with us” and He never fails us. If you do not know Him you cannot know God. Jesus is the only way to God, because Jesus died for our sins on the cross becoming sin for us that we might become His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). When you find yourself in the midst of a battle of sickness, disease, marriage troubles, money problems, drug problems, work issues, or whatever is a battle for you. We all deal with these battles one time or another. I know I need God in my heart and mind every day, and I know that He is with me. I know that because I have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God who is Christ Jesus.

Come to Jesus today.

In A Tough Time

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And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;  and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; and changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.  And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.
2 Kings 25:27-30

Also read 2 Kings 24:8-12.

To the best of my remembering the prophet Jeremiah is not even named in the book of the Kings. I do remember reading the prophet though that he had warned the king, that if he would go out to the king of Babylon in surrender he and his might be taken, but would live (Jeremiah 21:8-10). It seems that that is what Jehoiachin had done. A few years later God remembers His promise, and blesses the former king of Judah. By the king of Babylon freeing Jehoiachin from prison, and feeding, and caring for him we see that the prophecies of the prophet are true.

In tough times, we sometimes have to make quick decisions, and in  making tough decisions, based on God’s direction from His word, His will will be done.

How does a Christian make decisions based on God’s direction? By being in the word of God systematically, daily reading and studying the word of God, putting it into our minds and our hearts. In the tough and rough times we will be prepared, and the Holy Spirit will bring it to mind and we will act on it.

If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ you need to know Him. You will never make the right decision about your life until you come to Christ Jesus. You will never know true love until you know the love of God; for God is love (1 John:4:8). You cannot know God who is love until you call on the One who died on the cross for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again; confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believing that He rose from the dead. Then you will have eternal life.

When you know Jesus you will have His help in tough times. One word of warning though. When you come to Jesus believing Him, things might get tougher and rougher; do not fear He is with you through it all, and He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

According To the Word of the LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which He spake by His servant Elijah. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
2 Kings 10:10-11

Jehu is a character of contradiction. I say that because he is chosen to be the next king of Israel, and he is ordained by God’s word to rid the population of Israel of their king Joram, a son of Ahab, an family that was doomed by the word of he LORD. Jehu does everything just as the LORD has told him, of the destroying of Ahab’s wife Jezebel, and his heirs. Just as the LORD had said.

I say Jehu is a character of contradiction due to the fact that he was also a man who never turned away from the path of Jereboam, who had set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan (2 Kings 10:31).

Nevertheless, he did do the will and word of the LORD in his actions, but no heart for God. How is this possible? That is the part I cannot grasp.

The point I want to make with this post is that there  is not a word which the LORD God has spoken, that will fail to be fulfilled. Not one. There are many, and many may be reading this and thinking that the Bible is not the word of God, and there is no way you can prove that it is. How about the issue of these prophecies?

The LORD had spoken through Elijah in First Kings 21:17-26, all that He would do to Ahab and Jezebel, and now we read that it happened just as Elijah had said. Do you realize that there are prophecies that have been spoken by God, that have not yet been fulfilled? There are probably hundreds that are yet to come to pass. They will in the LORD’S own time.

Many of those are of the second coming of Jesus Christ; His return to Jerusalem (Zechariah 14). Jesus said, “I will come again” (John 14:3). He said this before they crucified Him. His death did not stop Him from returning, it gives greater meaning to His coming again. Why? Because He did not stay dead. He rose from the grave with a new body that can never die. That is also what happens to everyone who has repented of their sins, by turning away from sin, toward Christ Jesus. When this body of flesh dies we too shall receive a new body that shall never perish.

Since the promises of the Old Testament were fulfilled, yet many of them have not been; then we must believe that they are being fulfilled, or they will be fulfilled just as GOD has spoken. The prophet Isaiah wrote,

“So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11

If we trust the LORD God, then we will trust His word, and His Son Jesus Christ.

Gracious LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
1 Kings 20:13 & 28

The LORD God who made the heavens and the earth is gracious, loving, and kind. There is a phrase used in Old Testament in almost every book that tells that God wants us; the people of all the  earth to know. God wants us to know that He is the LORD God. That is that He receives glory from all who believe Him, trust Him, and love Him.

Ahab was a wicked king of Israel who had “sold himself to do evil” (1 Kings 21:20), yet GOD gave him every opportunity to trust Him. Once in verse 13, and once again in verse 28 God tells Ahab that in this battle against Syria He would give him victory over them. So “that you may know that I am the LORD.”

What does Ahab do with that opportunity? He squanders it and shows his hatred for the LORD God, by his disobedience. He refuses to hear the prophets who give him the word of the LORD.

There are many who see the God of the Bible as harsh and cruel, but these people do not know Him because they are their own gods who knows more than the One who created them. We as human beings, or as I like to call us, of Adam’s king, are fallen, sinful, dead, and condemned people apart from a mighty work of God. The prophet Isaiah says that our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Jeremiah another prophet of God, tells us that the heart of man is deceit, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Paul the 13th Apostle tells us that there is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10), and in verse 23 of that same chapter of Romans he says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

God hates sin, but He loves the world, the people in it so much He gave the greatest gift ever given. He gave His only begotten Son to die as the only sinless sacrifice for our sins. He died that we might live, and that is possible because He was buried, and rose again.

If you will believe in Him, you will have eternal life. Your eternal destination depends on it. He is the Gracious LORD.