Human race

Day Three Hundred Forty and Three

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

What do I want for Christmas?

I want all races of people to be one in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior;  there is truly only one race; the human race, and all of our blood flows red.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” Genesis 1:26-28 (NKJV)

Trusting the Righteous LORD

/ Tim A. / 5 Comments

“In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in Thy righteousness.” Psalm 31:1 (KJV)

For David trusting the righteous LORD was not even questioned.  In who else, or what else was one to trust?  He knew that you cannot even trust yourself without reservation, or second guessing one’s self.  He knew there was nothing righteous in himself, or anyone else.  He also knew there were times he was ashamed of things which he did; but never the works of GOD, or His acts.

In whom do you trust?  Are trusting that your place of employment is secure?  It is not.  Are you trusting your spouse without reservation?  He/She is human, and can fall and fail just as you can.  I pray you do trust your spouse as we are called to, but not for eternity, and eternal reasons.  Men, you will not get to heaven on the “Train” of your wife’s wedding gown.  Ladies, you will not get to heaven on the strength and faith of your husband.

Because our LORD is a righteous LORD we can trust Him implicitly.  Because the human race is a sinful race we cannot trust God on our own.  He has made a way through the righteousness of His only Son.  He was crucified on a cross for our sins, was buried, and bodily arose from the grave, and ever lives calling all who will hear to follow Him.  He is our only access to the righteousness of GOD.

Then, we can, with David say, “In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust…”  Trust Him.

W4CL – Power

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)

The human race is consumed by power.  People who want to have control over others; many of them are called politicians who are out to get all the power they can.  Many are preachers and pastors who desire to rule the Church they lead – sadly.

There is something the Christian must realize and that is that all power belongs to the Creator.  It is wonderful for the Christian to daily focus, fellowship with, and have faith in the One who is All-Powerful (Omnipotent).  It is a glorious thing to know that we have the One who empowered the life of Jesus as He walked on earth living within us too.  “…The power that worketh in us…”

How much power do we have?  All that is His; is ours.  Let us walk with Him, and it will be used rightly.

Day 42 – Thoughts from Psalms; Creator

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

When it comes to the Psalms we find much to sing and say about our Creator.  Some of the intellect of our day believe that all that is just came to pass by chance, or cosmic explosion alone; but where, O where did the materials come from that “caused the explosion”?

My reading today was Psalms 94 – 107 for my 14 chapters for the day.  My reading in the Psalms is not taking me as long in time as previously reading in Genesis through Esther; however, it is still quite fulfilling, and a great learning adventure.

The Bible speaks much about GOD, and His creating of all that is.  We seem most of it in the reading of the first two chapters of Genesis, but the rest of the Bible reveals things about creation as well.  We will today, look at the Creator, rather than His creation.

“O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.  Sing unto the LORD, bless His name; shew forth His salvation from day to day.  Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.  For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.”  Psalm 96:1-5 (KJV)

The psalmist sings “unto the LORD  a new song”, and calls on “all the earth” to sing unto the LORD.  Is there some reason for the psalmist to sing out and call for the earth to “Sing unto the LORD”?  Most certainly it is because the Creator is worthy of our song and singing.  The one’s who sing this “new song” unto the LORD are people who have experienced “His salvation” and we are to show it forth to all the earth every day.

There are far to many people who profess to know God, and who will give Him honor one day a week, but then, will live solely for themselves the other six days in a week.  They are ruthless, ungodly, cruel, and demeaning in the business place, and are indeed no blessing to the LORD during those days.

Those who sing the new song unto the LORD speak of His wonders among all the people.  We speak of the wonderful salvation He has provided for us through His Son Jesus Christ.  We speak of the glories of the cross, His burial, and His bodily resurrection; that He still lives, and is our intercessor daily before the throne of God.

Some might say, “Well the Bible recognizes that there are other gods”.  Oh really?  It recognizes that there are idols that people through deception have chosen to worship, but that is not a recognition of other gods.  It is a recognition of the frailty, rebellion and sin of the human.  It could also be seen as the need of the human to worship something greater than one’s self.  However, idols are man made, and are patterned after something GOD created.  As the psalmist has said elsewhere, “They that make them are like unto them” (Psalm 115:8; 135:18).  The only thing on earth that is supposed to be in the image of GOD, is the human race; and due to sin that image has been greatly marred.

That is why Jesus Christ came, bled and died on a cruel, rugged cross; was buried, and bodily rose from the grave, and eternally lives.

“Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the LORD: for He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.” 96:12-13

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Faith Beginning

/ T. A. Blankenship / Leave a comment

The Beginning Faith Experience

Genesis 12:1-9

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.” Genesis 12:1-9 (KJV).

The book of beginnings [Genesis] centers around four basic beginnings: 1) The beginning of all things; 2) The Human race; 3) The restart fo the Human race; and 4) A new Nation of people through Abraham.

God in His call to Abram said, “Get out of your country, and from your kindred… to a land I will show you” (v. 1). Then, He gives him a promise, “Unto your seed will I give this land”. The promise of the land is given with the call to depart from his country, kindred, father’s household, etc. In this call we need to understand the when, how and why of the call. Abram was called while he was still in Mesopatamia worshipping idols (Acts 7:2; Joshua 24:2). Now that should not burst anyone’s bubble concerning Abram. This in truth shows us that like us, Abram was also called by grace through faith. In Acts 7:2 we also learn how God called Abram, and that is; He appeared to him, and spoke to him. It is most likely the appearance of preincarnate Christ who spoke to him. We too have received revelation of Jesus through God’s speaking to us, and as the apostle Paul has written, “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV). We answer then the “Why?’ of God’s call; Because of God’s glory; because He loves us all; because he wanted to bless the world; for an example of faith; because of grace – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

In the call of Abram is a covenant which God made with him. It is a covenant of faith. In this covenant God gives promise of what He will do and there is no requirements on Abram – thus, it is an unconditional covenant. Abram simply believes God, and as we are told in chapter 15 verse six, “…he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness.” For those who are going to be quick to respond, “But there was something required of Abram; faith”, then you need to reconsider. The grace Scripture of Ephesians clearly tells us that faith is the gift of God, along with grace. Saving faith is solely the gift of God. God gives the promise, and the faith and Abram believes, thus is saved. Since faith is not something that comes from within us, then, faith is not feeling mustered up within when we feel good about God, and His blessings. The faith in God and His power and ability to keep the promise was what kept Abram going, though he did err from time to time. As Abram grew in faith God gives him more truth to obey, and He does the same for you and I.

Looking at Abram’s faith it seems in some instances he failed. When God first called him to leave all those things, he took his father, and Lot with him, then stopped when they arrived at Haran. He stayed in Haran until his father died. After his father died he goes on to the land of promise still proceeding with Lot. Sometimes we all will follow how God leads us to a certain extent and yet be disobedient in a portion. Someone has said, “Partial obedience is disobedience”, and I tend to agree with that. God’s mercy is everlasting and endures forever so He still extends mercy to His disobedient people, and works in us the obedience that will give Him glory.

As has been seen in the previous paragraph Abram was a man prone to compromise. The old life we once lived creates problems, and we bring with us some baggage that God must and will work out in our lives. God will perform in His children however and whatever He pleases to accomplish His will and glory. The life of faith demands separation from the evil and total devotion to the holy. Abram must get away from the former life, his father, Lot were part of that former life. God will do whatever it takes to make us like His Son. When you walk the walk of faith you will lean of God and His Son Jesus alone.

Even though Abram failed several times in various ways we see that he was faithful. He had a commitment to the Lord. When we were lost in sin and in bondage to the wiles of sin – faith brings us out (vv. 4-5; Matthew 6:24; James 1:6-8); also when we get to a spot we want to quit, stop, or cease the journey of faith – faith will bring us in (vv. 6-8; Deuteronomy 6:23; Hebrews 11:13) to the place of God’s promise, even though we may die without seeing them in this life. Abram’s faith is marked by his setting up the tent, and by his worship of the LORD in building an altar. This clearly shows Abram’s grace/faith received from the LORD fully at work in his life. You can say too, that “faith brings us on” (v. 9). The Journey of Faith never ceases in this life. Warren W. Wiersbe has said, “The life of faith must never stand still; for if your feet are going, your faith is growing”.

Some points to ponder considering Abram’s faith, and how it is like ours: 1) He departed (v. 4); 2) He went forth (v. 5); 3) He passed through (v. 6); 4) He removed (v. 8); 5) He journeyed (v. 9). Like Abram and the building of the first altar and the setting up of his tent (v. 8) he dwelt between Hai and Bethel – the place of the House of God ie., Bethel; and the place of Ruin, ie., Hai. So too, is the Christian life. We live in an imperfect world with a sinful fleshly body, and we are always between the place of God’s dwelling and the place of Ruin, but by God’s grace and mercy He brings us through.