YHWH

You LORD, Have Helped Me

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I will extol thee, O LORD; for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me.
O LORD, Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.  For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.  And in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”
LORD, by Thy favour Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled.  I cried to Thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? Shall it declare Thy truth?
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be Thou my helper.  Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever.

Psalm 30:1-12

This is a Psalm of David which  was sung at the dedication of the house of David.

David was a man greatly blessed by God, who was the first and only king of Israel whom the LORD referred to him, “As a man after my own heart.”

This is a song of praise.

Christians are followers of Jesus Christ alone.  We are to worship Him and praise Him with our mouth and with our lives; loving Him, and living for His glory.

Because He Is Great, The LORD Is Holy

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The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
The LORD is great in Zion; and He is high above all the people.  Let them praise Thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.  The king’s strength also loveth judgment; Thou dost establish equity, Thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool; for He is holy.  Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name; they called upon the LORD, and He answered them.  He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept His testimonies, and the ordinance that He gave them.  Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

Psalm 99:1-9

It could also be said, “Because our LORD is holy, He is great.”

The LORD God who is holy is worthy of our praise and worship.  Why because He is holy.  There is no god; but the LORD He is the only God.  That is why He is holy, and because there is no wickedness, evil, neither uncleanness in Him.

The LORD God even tells His people, “Be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:16).

How can we be holy?  First of all we must realize that we are unholy, and separated from holy God.  The only way we can be  holy is through Jesus Christ, God’s holy and only begotten Son, and believing in Him, confessing Him as Lord, and believing that God raised Him up from the grave alive forever more.

“You be holy, for I am Holy,” saith the LORD.

Treacherous Friends, and The Caring LORD

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He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.  But Thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in Thee.

Psalm 55:20-23

Sometimes you cannot count on trusting your friends; but God cares for you and me.  The apostle  Peter by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has said, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7).

Friends cannot always be counted upon; but God loves you and me so much that He sent His only begotten Son to pay our debt of sin by becoming sin for us, and dying for us.  All He ask of us to to call on His name by faith, turning from our sin to Him, believing Him forever.

Do Not Forget His Benefits

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Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 Psalm 103:1-5

This Psalm, not just the above portion, is called a Psalm of David.

This Psalm is a song about God, and His benefits,  First of all we must realize that the LORD God is holy, separate from all others.

What are some of those benefits?

  1.   First we see that he forgives all our iniquities, and in this day and in all the  times He forgives our iniquities because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
  2.   Then, He is the One, the only one who can heal all our diseases.  When Jesus came to earth to walk among Adam’s race He went about the land of Israel healing  all kinds of sicknesses, and He  is the Great Physician who heals all our diseases.  If a doctor is given credit for a healing of one of  his patients, then he needs to give God the glory for that.
  3.   He redeems us, and keeps us from eternal damnation, and gives us eternal; keeping us  from the pit of hell, through the blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed on Calvary’s cross.
  4.   He crowns us with His loving kindness, and tender mercies which are new every morning, and all day long; and all through the night. All because of the sacrifice  of a perfect, spotless Lamb, who is Jesus Christ.
  5.  He gives us good things to eat, to satisfy our desires in the foods we eat; and we can also say that He gives us a cleaner mouth that we might speak to others like He would with His perfect mouth, and with words that point people to God through faith in Christ Jesus.
  6.  Finally, through these things, these benefits we get a renewing to our youth as we age; a renewing like that of the eagle which has been said is renewed by its losing of its feathers, and new ones growing to replace; and also have some  believe – When an eagle gets older its beak over grows, and causes the eagle to be unable to eat if it does not continually rub that beak against the rocky to rid the beak of its problem.

It is for sure that one day we shall receive new bodies which will be given those who have faith in Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.  Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18;  1 Corinthians 15; and Revelation 20.

Will you believe Him today?

Giving Thanks To The LORD

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Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.  Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works.  Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.
Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth;  O ye seed of Israel His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones. He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.  Be ye mindful always of His covenant; the word which He commanded to a thousand generations;  even of the covenant which He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac; and hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, “Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;” when ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;  He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, ” Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.”
Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day His salvation.  Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations.  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.  Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.
Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Fear before Him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, “The LORD reigneth.”  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because He cometh to judge the earth.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.  And say ye, “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to Thy holy name, and glory in Thy praise.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD.

1 Chronicles 16: 8-36

Some of the things I see in this song which was written by David, and sang by the choir on the day they brought the ark of God into the city of David.

This song tells us several acts that are involved in thanksgiving to the LORD, who alone is the One worthy of thanksgiving:

  1.  Give the LORD thanks, and call on His name, and tell of His great deeds He has done;
  2.  Seek the LORD, and His power;
  3.  Sing unto Him along with the rest of the world;
  4.  Give to the LORD glory and strength, give unto Him the glory that is due Him;
  5.  Creation rejoices in the LORD, when God’s people are rejoicing in the LORD, and living for Him;
  6.  Give thanks unto the LORD, because He is good, and His mercy endures forever;
  7.  Let us be continuing in thanksgiving, surrender our lives to Him.

He will come and judge the earth.

The LORD can be found in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, was tried by wicked men for crimes He did not commit, was found guilty, and sentenced to die on a wooden cross.  He became sin for us was away from the Father, because He had become our sin, taking the full wrath of God.  Jesus was buried, and He rose again came out of the grave very much alive.

When one believes and confesses that Jesus is Lord, and believes in their heart that He rose from the dead, they will be saved unto eternal life. Romans 10:9-10.

Excellent Loving Kindness

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The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.  The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.  He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; Thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, Thou preservest man and beast.
How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures.  For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.
O continue Thy lovingkindness unto them that know Thee; and Thy righteousness to the upright in heart.  Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

Psalm 36:1-12

The loving kindness of the LORD is greater than our iniquities, and transgressions; far greater than our sin.  His proof of that is in sending His Son Jesus to die for us, paying the debt that was ours.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died, was buried, and He rose again giving us everlasting/eternal life.

It is limited to only those who will believe and call on His name.

Grant Us Your Salvation

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LORD, thou hast been favourable unto Thy land: Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
Thou hast taken away all Thy wrath: Thou hast turned Thyself from the fierceness of Thine anger.
Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause Thine anger toward us to cease.  Wilt Thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations?  Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?
Shew us Thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us Thy salvation.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints: but let them not turn again to folly.   Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.  Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us in the way of His steps.

Psalm 85:1-13

Psalm 85 was written for the sons and daughters of Korah. Korah was one of the organizers of a rebellious act against Moses and Aaron to seize power.  The other two were Dathan, and Abiram.  Read Numbers 16.

There were some of Korah’s children who did not participate with dear ole dad.  Read Numbers 26:11.

Be wary of people who are always speaking against those whom God has placed in positions of leadership.  There is not a President, neither Pastor who had not been placed where they are by the hand of God.  I am speaking of personal, physical, and verbal attacks.  It is a good thing to challenge their policies.

Peace For Israel

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They that trust in the LORD shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.  As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even for ever.
For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.  Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

Psalm 125:1-5

The place called Mount Zion is Jerusalem, which cannot be removed.  Why because God has said so.  The LORD God is the protector of Israel, and those who try to destroy Israel will themselves be destroyed.

Who better to bring peace to Israel, than the Prince of Peace, who is Christ Jesus.

The LORD still loves and protects Israel.  Believe God’s word.  It shall come to pass.

Partial Obedience – Disobedience

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In the lessen of King Saul we learn that obedience is what God requires.  Saul did not obey the LORD.

Samuel also said unto Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.  Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”
And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.  And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.  And Saul said unto the Kenites, “Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.  And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.  And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.  But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, “It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
1 Samuel 15:1-11

The LORD, through Samuel had given king Saul a command to go and destroy the Amalekites, because they had not treated Israel right when they were in the wilderness.

Now,  I know what people of today in the year 2025 are thinking as we read this event; “That is genocide,” or “That is very cruel,” yet that is God’s way of dealing with evil.  Who are we to question our Creator?  If God gives a command to do something, then we need to do it when, and where He says; and with haste.

As followers of Jesus Christ – Christians, we are to love our neighbors, and our neighbor maybe an enemy.   We must first deal with the evil within ourselves.  At a time a few years back, I was in prayer, and concerned about the evil I saw in the world, and I asked the Lord, “Why do you allow evil in the world? You could with the snap of Your finger destroy evil.”  Then this thought came to my heart and mind, “If God were to destroy evil, He would need to destroy me.”  That has been my answer for that question ever since then.

God will be compassionate to whom He will be compassionate.  He is merciful to whom He will be merciful.  The LORD God is wiser, and smarter than billions of the wisest people working together.

Something to think about concerning the complete destruction of a group of evil people is that the Amalakites is that there was evidently one that was shown mercy who grew up, and one of the descendants of Agag, was born as Haman in the  book of Esther.  Haman tried to kill all the Jews in Persia, but He failed.

When we fail to obey the commands of God we sin.  Even if we succeed in obeying in part of the command, and fail in the hard part, we have been disobedient children.  King Saul lost the kingdom – a dynasty that could have been his, but He failed to obey the LORD.

We are not redeemed, we are not saved, we are not justified by keeping commandments, but Jesus tells us, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).  Since we are justified by grace through faith, then we will desire to keep His commandments, because we love Him.  If You do not have a desire to always be on the right side of God, and do His will, then you are not justified by grace through faith.

Jesus Christ died for our sins; we were  a rebellious, disobedient, and evil people; yet God so loved us He sent His only begotten Son – Jesus Christ – to  go to the cross, become the curse of sin, taking the judgment that we  deserved, dying for us.  He was buried, and He rose again.  Because He rose again we can come to Him, confessing Him as Lord, and believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, and He saves us unto eternal life.

Will you trust Him today?  It is His will that you do so.

She Prayed for a Child, and the LORD Heard Her Prayer

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In chapter one of First Samuel we find a woman who is the a wife of a man named Elkanah.  One wife has children; and Hannah has so far been without a child, but so yearns for a son from God. She has prayed, and vowed to the LORD, that when the child is weaned she will give him to the LORD.

Now she has conceived, and has a son she named Samuel.  When Samuel is weaned she takes him to Eli, and to God, with sacrifices according to the word of God, and leaves Samuel, at that time a small boy, with Eli who has some wicked sons who are priests; whom Eli knows are wicked, yet does nothing about it.

After Hannah leaves her son she prays another prayer,

And Hannah prayed, and said,

“My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in Thy salvation.  There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside Thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
“Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.  The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
“The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and He hath set the world upon them.  He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
“The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.”

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Hannah shows a great heart of praise and worship to the LORD for the blessings which God has given her.  She recognizes Him as being supreme in power.  He is the One who brings death, and the  One who gives life.

He breaks His adversaries, and He judges the end of the earth.  He also exalts the one His anointed king.

O, may we as followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, be always faithful to pray for more of God’s children to come to Him.  Then when they come to Him may we continue to pray and served the Lord.  Amen.

Rebellious, Unfaithful Children

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not Him.  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.  Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.”

Judges 10:6-10

The book of Judges does not encourage us so much as other books of the Bible do.  Judges shows us a people of God who are not always faithful to Him, and are, in fact very rebellious.

When things are going good they turn away from God, but when they find themselves having trouble with a neighbor or an enemy  they cry out to God,  Every time God hears them, and sometimes He tells them, “Go and pray to the ones you have been worshiping (Judges 10:14).  God even tells them “Not this time.”  Yet the people recognize their rebellion, their sin of departing from God, and are seeking Him, and God sends them a deliverer.

As a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ I am so thankful for these true stories of the struggles of faith God’s people seem to continually.  Day after day, week after week,  month after month, and year after year; they struggle, fall, fail – then they cry out to the LORD, and He hears them and delivers them.

I have no right to criticize God’s people of the Bible days.  I see myself in too many of them.  Gideon was a man who was not real brave, but God’s angel called him “Valiant.”  Gideon accomplished what God called him to do.  He sinned in his later years, yet is a hero of the faith.  I will never be seen as a hero of the faith.  I can also see myself in Samson, a lusty, act without thought, angry man.

I am also thankful that God has delivered me from those things through Jesus Christ.  He died for me (the world) going willingly to die on the cross, was buried, and He rose again; and when I came to Him He gave me a new heart for Him, His word, and sealed me to Himself by giving me His Spirit; the Holy Spirit; who is Christ in you (Colossians 1:27.  He, by grace, keeps me.  He gave me a heart and mind that is growing more and more into hating what He hates.  He has not delivered me from the penalty of sin, so that I can sin more; He has saved me to live a righteous life for His glory.

Will you call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life today?

Your Sin Will Be Found Out

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It has been said, “What I do personally does not hurt anyone else.”  Usually being someone who is being confronted about their sin.  In the writings of Moses it is said, “Be sure your sins will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).  In the story we read today a soldier of Israel, and all Israel found I that that kind of thinking was stinking, and wrong.

In the book of Joshua we read of the children of Israel’s victory over  Jericho, because of the LORD’S doing it.  Then they are so confident to go against a smaller city named Ai, and the Israelites find themselves soundly defeated.  Why?  Because of one man’s sin.  Joshua gathers the tribes together; by the LORD’S instruction; for the purpose of finding the guilty party,  and it comes down to one man…

So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: and he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:  and he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, “My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.”  And Achan answered Joshua, and said, ”
“Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: when I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.”
JSo Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.  And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.   And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.  And Joshua said, “Why hast thou troubled us? The LORD shall trouble thee this day.” And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.  And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
Joshua 7:16-26

Because of Achan’s hidden sin (it was hidden from Joshua and the others, not from God) caused the whole army of Israel to lose a battle and had at least thirty six men lose their lives.  Make a note in your heart and mind what his sin did to his family too; because they were stoned to death as well.  Why was the family of Achan struck down too?  Most likely because of their complicity to the sin.  They had harbored the dark secret as well.

There is plenty of evidence in Scripture; like David’s sin with Bathsheba and what that did to his family, and the nation of Israel.  There are things that happen in the lives of people today show us also that your sin does not hurt just you, but others as well.  The phrase, “What happens in Vegas; stays in Vegas” is just not true.

Since God knows our every thought, and deeds we have done, we need to be sure that we repent of our sin; make a turn around; turn to faith of Jesus Christ the One who became sin for us and paid our sin debt by being put to death on a cruel, rugged cross in our place.  He was buried, and He rose again.  Yield to Him today and let Him into your life, and you will receive eternal life.

When Blessings Become A Curse

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But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.  They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they Him to anger.  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
Deuteronomy 32:15-18

Jeshurun named above is a pet name for Israel, and it means, “Uprightness,”  and in this Song of Moses, we see God’s verdict against Israel.  In their wilderness journeys they continued to see the mighty hand of God.

They were not thankful for the provision, for His presence, neither for His power.   When Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from the LORD, they were making a golden calf to worship rather than God.

In their departure from the LORD God they worshiped by offering sacrifice to demons.  I wonder how they could do such a thing?  When you turn your back on God that is what will become of you,  You will worship at the altar of comfort, or the altar of pleasure, or the altar of wealth; maybe the altar of power, or the altar of privilege.

God had greatly blessed the people called Jeshurun with the law of God, and is salvation, and deliverance from Egypt; seeing the great power of the Almighty God against the demon gods of Egypt.  Yet they forsook their Rock (the Rock is Christ Jesus 1 Corinthians 10:4), and worshiped demons.  When they departed from the LORD, their blessings became curses against them.  Thus this song is partly a warning of what was to come if they were not faithful in their worshiping the LORD alone, having no other gods in their lives.

As Christians in today’s world; O how we need to beware of the drawing powers of darkness, causing our blessings to become curses.  Let us not trust in our blessings but only in the LORD through the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life on a cross to pay our sin debt that we owed to Him.  He died on the cross, was buried, and He rose again from the grave and walked out of that grave alive forever more.  Worship the Blessor not the blessing.

Christian Soldiers, Fear Not

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When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.  And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, and shall say unto them, “Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
Deuteronomy 20:1-4

As a Christian we are soldiers of the Lord, and there is not a time when we are not at war.  We however fight a different kind of warfare.  It is not in or of the flesh, but a spiritual battle (2 Corinthians 10:4-6); and we are to fight first of all to be personally holy and pure before God.

There are times when we may get fearful of something, or someone, and get all stressed out about it. There are  times I do anyway, and I have found that when I am that way, that I have allowed something to get between the Lord and myself.  When I realize it, that is when I pray, and turn it over to Him.

There are in this world many things that cause us fear, and mostly it is of things we can do nothing about, and it sometimes something that is future, whether there is going to be an economical collapse  or whether our nation will go to war or not.

Christian, let’s face it.  We are in a battle against the enemies of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the leader of those against Him is known as Satan, or the devil.  The devil is a real being, a fallen, and defeated angel of darkness, who as a roaring lion goes about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).  Know this; that roaring lion lost his teeth on the day Jesus died on the cross, and the resurrection seals the security of the saints in Christ Jesus.

Trust in the Lord, and fear not, Christian Soldier.

The Compassionate GOD

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When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.  And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.  And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.  But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice;  (for the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.
Deuteronomy 4:25-31

Deuteronomy is the writings of Moses before the wilderness sojourners are crossing into the Promised Land.  They are near to the very place they will be crossing.  Moses is reminding them of their covenant with the LORD God.  That covenant includes  their keeping His statutes and obeying His commandments.

Now Moses is telling them that after many years, they will start falling away, turning their backs on the LORD, and making their own gods.

Then. Moses warns them that they will be scattered among the nations, losing their land of milk and honey; and doing so they will be serving the gods of stone, wood which neither hear, see, smell, or hear – meaning of course that they are without life giving power.

That word from God is fulfilled many times in the beginning of there years before they had a king, and afterwards as well.

God tells them, “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”  When they come to the place they realize that they need the LORD, then they seek for Him with all their heart and soul – that is their whole being –  then He will hear them, and deliver them.

According to our text today. “The LORD your God is a merciful God,” that we all can see He is by the many times He has redeemed Israel, and taken her back to Himself.

This is indicative of the loving, merciful, and gracious character of God seen in His sending His Son Jesus Christ into a dark world of sin, and death; to die on a cross for the sins of the world.

Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God is the essence of love, mercy, and grace.  He had to be perfect, without spot or blemish.   He was, He is, and forever shall be the Lord and Savior of all who will come to Him, believing Him.

A Troubling Prophet

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And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.  And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.  And he took up his parable, and said,

“Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:   ‘He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:  How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
“As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.  He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.  He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.”

Numbers 24:1-9

The words spoken  by the false prophet Balaam were spoken after he had tried to curse the people of God who were over one million in numbers of all the people.  They frightened Balak who was king of the Moabites a the time, and Balak heard of the man named Balaam, who, when he said  something, it came about as he said.

Balaam was a man for hire.  He could curse a group of people, and would for a price.  However, the poem of song he writes above sounds as though he believes God will not allow him to curse Israel.  When the matter is all said and done there are 24,000 people are slain due to the mingling of Moabites with Israel.

Phineas, a grandson of Aaron, has the Spirit of the LORD upon him, and with the zeal of God, runs with a spear into the tent of an Israelite man, who has entered with a Medianite woman, and ran them through together.  This stopped the plague which came upon the due to their lustful actions (Numbers 25)

It would seem that Balaam is the cause of the mingling, because he told Balak where their weakness was, and Balak took note; and thus Balaam got his reward from Balak.  He would not, and will not ever be blessed by receiving reward from the LORD.  Even for the words which he spoke above; neither will he be remembered or blessed for the words spoken in verses 15 through 24 of this same chapter.

They are actually a curse to him.  He knew who God was and is, yet he refused to love Him.  Yet his bed has been made, and in that bed he remains; guilty as a false prophet.

Where do you stand with the LORD God?  Do you know and believe that God is?  If you do; have you called on the name of His Son Jesus Christ for salvation from sin, and death?

Jesus Christ came to earth as the Incarnation of God to die for our  sins, by becoming sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  Jesus died on a cross, was buried, and He rose again the third day.  I you call on Him, He will hear you and deliver you.

Refiners Fire

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“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

“My messenger” mentioned in our text today was spoken of four hundred years before he came. His name is John, known as John the baptizer of the Baptist. The One that shall suddenly come to His temple is Jesus the Christ who sets up a New Covenant for His kingdom. That makes that same Jesus the Messenger of the covenant.

Malachi says that the messenger who is John is the one who is to get the people ready for the coming of Messiah,  and that the Lord is coming suddenly to His temple. “He shall come,”  saith the LORD of hosts.

John the Baptist is born to Zechariah and Elisabeth though they were of a great age, really a miraculous birth (Luke 1). It is marvelous and amazing and spectacular that God shows up in a place that the people have prayed for, yet many miss out on the events.  Six months after Elisabeth conceives John, a young family member of Elisabeth’s, by the name of Mary who is betrothed to Joseph, is confronted by Gabriel an angel of the Lord, and is told that she will have a Son, and that He is the Son of God, Most High. Mary is a virgin, she has never been with a man, and tells the angel so. The Holy Spirit of God comes on her, and she conceives, and about six months after John’s birth, Jesus is born.

John and Jesus may have played together as children. John was a sinner. Jesus was without sin. John preached along the Jordan River, and many people heard His words of warning and great promise of One who was coming that was greater than he. Jesus came walking to see John, and as he saw Jesus coming he says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 36).

The religious leaders, most of them, hated Jesus and all that He taught the people. Much of their hatred for Him was envy, because He could draw a crowd, with signs and wonders, miracles of healing, and healing lepers, casting out demons, ever raising the dead to life. He did no evil. He is the Son of God and He  is God the Son. One with the Father (John 14:9-11).

Herod killed the Baptist by beheading him, and Jesus Christ died on a cross, becoming sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He was buried, and He rose from the grave proving that all that He taught, all that He said was truth. Without the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, without the burial, and without the resurrection of Jesus Christ there is no hope for Adam’s race (mankind).

Will you make a one hundred eighty degree turn from your broken, sin filled life to Jesus. He will comfort, encourage and strength you, your life will change for the good, and you will have eternal life. Will you call on His name today?

Dwelling In The Midst Of His People

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Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.  And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be My people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent Me unto thee.  And the LORD shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.  Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for He is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Zechariah 2:10-13

In these verses the LORD, speaking to the prophet Zechariah is speaking of a day that has yet to occur. It will be a day of rejoicing in the LORD. Judah will have returned to the LORD, through the recognition of Jesus their Messiah, when He comes again to fight against the one’s who have harmed God’s people.

We have the words written that “Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall be My people; and I will dwell in your midst…” The only way God will dwell in the midst of His people is that each on has come to Him through Christ Jesus, and His finished work of the cross of Calvary dying, buried, and risen from the dead.

Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and you will have eternal life.

The King of Israel; Considerations

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Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.   In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, “Fear thou not:” and to Zion, “Let not thine hands be slack.”   The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.
Zephaniah 3:14-17

“And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:  since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to Me,” saith the LORD.
“Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it.  Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”
Haggai 2:15-19

Asking The LORD God Questions

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A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
“O LORD, I have heard Thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise.  And His brightness was as the light; He had horns coming out of His hand: and there was the hiding of His power. Before Him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at His feet.
Habakkuk 3:1-5

Most of the prophecy of Habakkuk is the prophet asking questions about why He is using an evil people like Babylon to judge or chastise His own people! “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil; and You cannot look on iniquity” 1:13

We all have questions we ask God about, and if we are not careful we can begin to question God. It is one thing to ask Him a honest question, as Habakkuk has done, but when you begin questioning Him that comes from doubt and leads to unbelief.

In the prophet’s prayer, which all of chapter 3 of Habakkuk is; the prophet has heard God, and believed Him. He came to the end of his prayer, and gives a praise to the LORD, and a strong word  of faith. It is similar to Job’s expression of faith when he said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15). In the beginning of the prophet’s prayer he says, “In wrath remember mercy,” and God does show mercy through His longsuffering  – His patience. He showed no mercy when He smote His own Son cursed by hanging on that tree; so that He could be merciful and gracious to us.

That kind of faith comes from a heart devoted to God, and trusting His word. We can have that kind of faith only through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God,  the Lord Jesus Christ.

Call on Him today. You may not have tomorrow.

Into the depths of the sea

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The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.  They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of Thee.
Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.  He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Micah 7:16-20

Micah began his prophecy warning Jacob [Israel] of their transgression; and also warning the nations coming against them.

He ends the prophecy by giving us the prophecy of the confounded nations fearing the LORD, because of His mighty works He has done.

He proceeds to tell Israel that the LORD will not retain anger; hold on to anger, forever, because He delights in mercy. He has compassion on us, and subdues our iniquities, by casting them (our sins) into the depths of the sea. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us because He took our sin and the wrath of God for sin dying for us, He was buried for three days, having carried our sins away never to be seen again. (Read about the scapegoat in Leviticus). When the three days had passed Jesus rose from the grave victorious over sin, over death, and over Hell.

The LORD God will perform every promise He has promised to Jacob, and to Abraham.

God’s answer for the salvation of our race is only found in Jesus Christ. He has subdued our iniquities – our sins – and cast them into the depths of the sea. That is good news for all to hear. Will you believe and receive that good news, that Christ Jesus has died for  our sins, was buried, and He rose again three days later; and that same Jesus is returning someday.

The Flight of Jonah

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There seems to be a few people, maybe many more than a few who do not believe the account of the book of Jonah. They say no one could be swallowed by a great fish and survive. I say since God can do whatever He desires, and if it says that God prepared  great fish to swallow Jonah, then that was a special fish made for Jonah.

Jesus said that Jonah was swallowed by  a great fish, “But He answered and said unto them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” Matthew 12:39-41

Jonah is mentioned as a prophet in Second Kings 14:25. If you cannot believe the simplest account of Scripture then, you are going to have a problem accepting any of Scriptures.

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,  “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Jonah 1:1-3

Now about “The Flight of Jonah” it crashed 🙂 . God called the prophet to go to a distant city, a Gentile city, because of the evil within that place. When Jonah heard the word of the LORD, he apparently says nothing, just packs a travel bag and goes out from the presence of the LORD. Every step he took was downward from that time until he prayed for deliverance.

He went down to Joppa. He went down into the ship going to Tarshish. When the LORD loved that generation of Gentiles in Nineveh so much that He was not finished with Jonah He sent a storm. Where was Jonah? Down in the lowest part of the ship. He was eventually thrown overboard, and went down into the belly of the fish.

Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of that prepared by God fish, which seems to have been specially prepared for Jonah.

God loves Jonah. He prays from the belly of the fish and despite his rebellion, and his hatred for these Gentiles whom God loves, God  delivers Jonah, by having the great fish vomit him out on the shore (2:10). Then the LORD calls Jonah again (3:1), and evidently with much angst he obeys the LORD reluctantly. When he arrives in Nineveh he warns them of approaching judgment from God, and the whole city repents, and the city is delivered for a few more years. About one generation was delivered from the judgment of the LORD, by His mercy and grace.

The flight of Jonah may have been his national hatred for the enemy nation. Jonah needed to learn love and compassion for others. I pray that he did, and that I do as well.

The love, mercy, and grace of God is clearly seen through the cross of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. There He took, willingly, our sins upon Himself to die for our sins; He was buried and He rose from the grave. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so was the Son of Man three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Do not take flight away from God, but flee from sin, to Jesus Christ, and live.

Planted and Assured

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When a tree has been planted it grows where it is planted. As long as all goes well, the plant has water, the right kind of soil, and nourishment it will grow right where  it is, and become a tree planted for sure.

“Behold, the days come,” saith the LORD, “that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.  And I will bring again the captivity of My people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them,” saith the LORD thy God.
Amos 9:13-15

There are several sections of verses in the prophecy of Amos that are words of promise and hope for the people of God, the remnant He will save. Words of promise and hope are needed by Christians today, and rejoicing toward Israel, praying for them, loving them, and believing that God still loves and cares tremendously for them.

The above prophecy has yet to see its fulfillment in full.  The LORD says, “Behold the day is coming…” and we can rest assured that since it is the word of the LORD, that it shall come.  After the Babylonian captivity and their return to  their Promised Land they did not remain planted there because many years later they were scattered over the globe, and returned to the Land in 1948, and were recognized by the United Nations as a Nation, on May 14, 1948.

It appears that this promise of being planted in their Land is now, and yet there is more to come. Lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near.

It will happen when they see their Messiah, who is Jesus Christ, who was the fulfillment of the GOD’S promise of One who was to come. He is their Savior as well as for all Gentiles who call on the name of the LORD God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus became sin for us, that we ( that is all who will believe), that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. The full weight, and judgment for our sin was on Jesus as He died on the cross, He was buried carrying our sin, shame, and condemnation, away, then He rose up alive from that grave, giving all who will believe eternal life.

When you trust in Him, then you will be Planted and Assured.

The Holy One in the midst…

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“How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, My repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.  They shall walk after the LORD: He shall roar like a lion: when He shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.  They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses,” saith the LORD.
Hosea 11:8-11

I try to be a promoter of God’s amazing love, mercy, and grace. The above verses tell us just how loving, merciful and gracious He is.

While the LORD has spoken through Hosea of His anger, because of the iniquities of Ephraim; which is also called Samaria, and Israel – the Northern kingdom; God now reveals that He cannot, and will not destroy her. He will instead will be fully merciful, and gracious. He will not pour out all His wrath on Ephraim, but will continue to discipline her, and draw her to Himself. “They shall walk aft the LORD” is the evidence of that. God knows that one day all those taken captive will return to their “Glorious Land,” (Daniel 11:16, 41), and they will walk after Him.

The LORD God says through the prophet Ezekiel, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” (18:23), and in verse 32 of that chapter, God says, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” The more I learn about God my conviction of His great love grows stronger, and it is the testimony of my life too. He has never forsaken me, and I know He never will.

God is offended by our sins and iniquities. The cross where the Son of God died for our sins was the answer for Adam kind, and our redemption. Jesus Christ took our place, becoming our sin, and taking the wrath of Holy God on Himself, so that we might be with Him eternally. In the death of Christ, His burial, and resurrection He redeemed all of Israel as well; and when they look upon the One whom they pierced, believing Him they too shall live with Him eternally.

Have you called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, believing Him? Will you do so now?

…There shall be a time of trouble… (2)

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And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”  And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when He shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Daniel 12:1-7

This is a prophecy of the last days. We are living in the last days, and there is trouble in this world. We as a people on earth and of the earth are troubled by many things. There is coming a time of greater trouble than any other time in the history of humanity.

This trouble will specifically be directed toward the Hebrew people, to prepare them to meet their Messiah, who is known to Christians as Jesus the Christ. All those who are without Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior will go through this great trouble, but you do not need to. Believe on Jesus and you will be delivered from the wrath to come.