But Jesus answered them,
“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 5:17-24
Life
Paddling Your Way Through The Storms
And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, “It is I; be not afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
John 6:16-21
There is a high probability that every one reading this is in a powerful storm, maybe the worst of your life. If you are not then, you soon will be. You at the least have already been through the storm of your life.
Natural storms, the storms of nature, are many times very horrible, fearful; like the one the disciples were in when Jesus came walking on the waves of the Sea of Galilee, and the disciples were fearful of the storm, then when they saw Jesus walking on the water they were frightened by Him. When Jesus got in the boat, and He had comforted them, the boat was at land.
These storms of nature are controlled by our Creator. Also are the storms we must go through of life. A heart issue. A problem child. A very ill child. A financial dilemma of bankruptcy or being charged with fraud. All of these and more can be very frightening.
Frightening yes, but then you see Jesus and He gets in your boat (your life), and the storm quietens, the fear subsides, and you find yourself experiencing the loving kindness of the Lord, receiving His mercy, and His grace. All of this is available through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Call out to Him, and He will come to you and give you peace.
She Prayed for a Child, and the LORD Heard Her Prayer
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.
Able To Save Him From Death
So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; but He that said unto Him, “Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee.” As He saith also in another place, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Hebrews 5:5-11
I have heard people say, “God did not hear the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane.” O really. Have you read these verses. God heard, God answered. God delivered His Son from death.
Now, because of His complete faithfulness to His Father is our High Priest not according to the first covenant, which is the law, but by the second covenant, in the death of Christ Jesus on the cross, His burial, and resurrection – His deliverance from death, and now the power of an endless life, “after the order of Melchisedec,” who seems to be a man without a mother or father, beginning or end.
God, the Father was listening to the Son, and was quite able to raise His Son up from the dead, delivering Him from death, by resurrecting Him from the grave, Now, because He is raised, we too (those who have confessed Him as Lord, and believe our hearts that God raised Him from the dead), have everlasting, that is eternal life.
Believe Him. He is able to save you from death. Not from dying in the flesh, but from an eternity without God.
A Storm In Life
We all face storms in our lives. Actual storms in weather patterns and in day to day life and living. God’s people, followers of Jesus Christ, are not immune to any of these storms either.
One of the storms of my life has been, since September 22, 2023 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and it is not a pleasant thing to deal with. God is so good. He has given me a family: my wife, our sons and daughters and their spouses have been so helpful in helping in so many ways. This is the storm I am dealing with, as it seems sometimes to be getting worse. I still mow our yard. I can still drive, but I do not know how much longer I should. I am not scaring my wife yet. Well that is enough about that.
When Paul was on a ship headed to Rome, he had warned them of danger if they left Crete at that time scheduled. When they had been in the storm for fourteen days, here are the apostle’s words,
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, ‘Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.’ Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Acts 27:21-26
The Lord had sent an angel to Paul, and told him to “Fear not”, there would be no loss of life, they would be grounded, the ship being destroyed, and that the Lord had given him all those who were on the ship with him, including the ship master, the soldiers guarding him and the other prisoners.
Storms are sometimes very frightening. It is always comforting and encouraging to know that God has these things in His Almighty hands. Even when that storm is your feet feeling like they are slipping, and they are not. Even when you balance is gone awry. When you are falling down more than you ever did. Even when it feels as though you are losing your strength, and you have no energy to go on. Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be afraid. “Fear not,” said the angel of the Lord to Paul; and to you and me.
Christ Jesus died so that we might be forgiven all our sins. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. He rose up out of that tomb, and came out alive forever more. Through Him we too are alive forever more. Believe Him, and be saved.
First Witnesses of the Resurrection
And the angel answered and said unto the women, “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you.” And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.
Matthew 28:5-8
It would have been a wonderful thing to have walked with Jesus while He walked here on this planet He loved so strongly, that He was willing to give His life for all who would believe in Him.
O, what a sad, and grievous day. It was the day He was crucified, and died after going through such treacherous torture, and abuse at the hands of men who hated Him, despised and rejected Him. The One who had did no sin, having become sin for us died a brutal and cruel death, and the rejection of His Father to the extent that He cries out in the darkness, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me” (Matthew 27:45-46). He could have called ten thousand to His aid, but He did not. He was faithful to the Father through the abuse and the lies told about Him, and through the rejection of the Father; because He cannot “Look upon sin” (Habakkuk 1:13).
Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb given to Him by a wealthy man, thus fulfilling the Scriptures of Isaiah 53:9. In the life of Jesus, and in His death He fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the coming of the Messiah; even in His death.
Something happened three days following His death. It was a glorious event, a marvelous thing that happened. I personally would call it the greatest event in human history. Jesus came out of that tomb alive. He had gotten up off of that stone bed, and still wrapped in His burial wraps, took them off, and laid them aside with head wrap, folded and by itself laid aside.
Then women came to the tomb to see it, and to see about rolling the stone away from the door, so they could enter. This took place on the first day of the week [Sunday]. When they arrived at the sepulcher and the stone rolled away by an angel, and they begin to be afraid. This being, this angel tells them, “Fear not. You look for Jesus. He is not here, for He has risen just as He said.” O, the shock, and the awe of that moment when they see this man/angel, then hear him speak saying that Jesus is not here. He has risen just as He said.
Then, the women follow the instructions given them my this heavenly messenger. They go and tell the disciples. As they were going to tell the disciples what the visitor had said, they met Jesus alive, fall down and worship Him, holding onto His feet, and He gives the women the same message the angel had given them, “Go into Galilee, and they shall see Me” (Matthew 28:8-9).
You may have trouble understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ, however it is the only means by which we can be saved unto Christ, and eternal life. You are not as good as you think you are. You are more evil than you believe yourself to be. You will become a hateful, negative, despiteful human being, full of sin, and hardened heart toward all that is holy and righteous, if you continue to reject Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
Will you call on His name today?
Dying and Living
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
When You Find Yourself In The Middle Of A Battle
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.
Turning, Turning, Turning, and Turning Again
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
Judges 8:33-35
Reading the history of Israel in the book of judges ought to remind us how fickle we people of Adam’s race really is. At this point we read of judges, men, and a woman whom God used to deliver Israel from their tormentors, again and again.
They are loyal and faithful to the LORD while they are following the leadership of the faithful judge, but as soon as he/she is dead they go back into bondage.
Notice where bondage begins. It begins when the people of God turn their backs on God, and live their own way, in their own truth, and worship a god, a demon of their own making. Turning away from their glory in the LORD. They are again in the bondage and iniquity of sin.
When things are going smoothly, with no conflict, and things are comfortable; look out for turning away from God. When we are blessed, and everything seems right, if we are not aware, we need to beware of our position with the LORD, at all times. We also need to continue remembering the LORD our God through all times.
Jesus Christ is the way to God. He is the only way to God. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The sacrifice of His life on the cross dying for our sins, His burial, and resurrection is the way to life, and eternal life. The only way to being forgiven all of your sins, being made clean, and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. He is also the only way that we can remain faithful and loyal to Him through every situation and circumstance we encounter in life. We will not be sinless in this life, but because of our faith in Christ when God sees us He sees us as forgiven, clean, and righteous because He sees the blood of His Son Jesus.
Yes, we can still be fickle in and about things, even our faith. When we sin Jesus is our Advocate with the Father. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
When we find ourselves turning away from the LORD, let us immediately turn back to Him.
Life and Death
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
These final words of Deuteronomy 30 are written for the people of Israel when they are getting ready to enter the land of Canaan – the Promise Land. God has given to them His law, statutes, commandments, and He calls for their obedience to every one of them. They will have life if they obey Him. They will choose death if they disobey Him.
Which do you choose today? Will you choose life, or will you choose death? That is right this is the message for today. The Apostle Paul has written what the Lord says, “For He saith, “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:” behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Now is the day for your salvation.
When Jesus Christ came into the world, He came to fulfill the demands of the law, and He did. All the sacrifices, all the blood shed from bullocks, rams, lambs, goats were telling us about an ultimate sacrifice; that sacrifice of a perfect Lamb of God, His own Son who would be that Ultimate sacrifice for the sins of Adam kind – for me and for you.
Now, today you have a choice. You are already in the way of death if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You do not have to, you do not need to stay in death. When you call on the Lord Jesus for salvation, forgiveness and cleansing of all your sins, He will hear you, and through Him You will have eternal life.
I have chosen life over death. I want you to join me, so I can meet you in our eternal home with Jesus.
To Have Everlasting Life
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony. He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 3:31-36
What Ever God Does, It Is Forever
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-15
Gimme’ That Ole Time Religion
The following is a post I shared in September of 2007, and we need to realize; even more so today; that there is only one way to God, and that is through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
What I am writing here today is something which has been on my heart. There are hoards and hoards of religious people and religion. I have been told that I am religious. I take offense to that, unless someone is using it to correct me in my attitude and/or heart.
A hundred years ago, and not so long ago, we heard the term, “Give me that ole time religion”, and we know what is meant by that; at least, most Christians of 40 and above do. That “Ole time religion” was speaking of faith in Jesus Christ, and nothing more. That meant a life that had been changed by the power of the death, burial, and resurrection, with future promise of Jesus returning. Faith in Jesus is what was meant by that “Ole time religion”.
Now religion means anything. Anything you want to believe is okay to hear many tell it. We even have some professing Christians telling us that it does not matter what you believe as long as you believe something. Can religion in the meaning of our day really mean anything?
Religion, in the vernacular of the day can be believing in trees, saving the earth from global warming, politics, finances, and thus we have conflict. Here is what religion does for us. Look back to the era of the “Crusades” when English kings were trying to take Jerusalem from the Muslims. They were doing it in the supposed name of “Christ”. It wasn’t in the name of Christ. It was in the name of king Richard or whatever king happened to be leading the charge. It was in the name of power grabbing. That was religion at work; not the name of Christ.
Now, there is another war going on, and it too is a war on religion. Terrorism in the name of Mohammad would cease if all became Muslim. We know that will not happen. No true follower of Christ is going to give up Jesus for Islam or any other religion. A Christian would die for Christ, but refuse to take a life in His name or for His name.
Religion has been the cause of many a war. Christ came to give us peace. The only way to peace is through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not through the “Jesus” of the crusades. It is through the Jesus of the cross of Calvary. The Jesus Christ who gave His life that all who would believe might be saved. The life of the Christian is life giving, not life taking. Life taking is the work of dead religion.
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” James 1:27 (ESV).
The Consequences of Playing With Sin
And she said unto him, “How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.” And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; that he told her all his heart, and said unto her, “There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.” And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself.” And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
Judges 16:15-20
For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments: and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Psalm 78:5-8
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
The Way Of Righteousness
And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
Genesis 35:5
But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Psalm 59:16
In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.
Proverbs 12:28
The Path of Life and Light
And they said, “Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”
Genesis 11:4
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16:11
For Thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
Psalm 18:28
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23
That I Might Preach Jesus
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Galatians 1:13-17
By the Righteousness of The One
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:18-21
The Redeemed
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me. Selah. Psalm 49:15
Every man, woman, boy and girl is condemned to an eternal, excruciating death. Unless there would be a Mediator step in and pay the price of our sin. We are all born into this world condemned by sin, spiritually dead, and seemingly without hope.
Many people try to redeem themselves by good works. Many of those same people think they have lived a good life therefore God owes them an eternity with Him. They just work themselves into Hell and eternal damnation, because they do not believe God’s word.
The Psalmist says that it is God who will redeem my soul. When Isaiah the prophet saw the LORD, high and lifted up, he fell on his face crying “Woe is me. I am undone. I am a man of unclean lip and I dwell in the midst of people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). It is God who convicts and convinces us of sin, and it is He who draws us to Himself in humility and faith.
God receives us only through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, His burial and resurrection. In His death He has paid the sin debt of all who will believe Him.
O will you hear Him today? You are not good enough to please God. All our goodness, and righteousnesses are as filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). Only the righteousness of Jesus Christ can redeem us (2 Corinthians 5:21). He has paid the price. Will you receive Him?
…The Days of the Upright…
The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Psalm 37:18-19
This is one of the most comforting and encouraging of the one hundred fifty Psalms.
While we know that the LORD is all knowing (Omniscient), it is great to know that He cares for those who are His even in, and especially in times of darkness of evil.
I will share today from Spurgeon’s TREASURY OF DAVID…
“The Lord knoweth the days of the upright.” His foreknowledge made him laugh at the proud, but in the case of the upright he sees a brighter future, and treats them as heirs of salvation. Ever is this our comfort, that all events are known to our God, and that nothing in our future can take him at unawares. No arrow can pierce us by accident, no dagger smite us by stealth; neither in time nor in eternity can any unforeseen ill occur to us. Futurity shall be but a continual development of the good things which the Lord has laid up in store for us. “And their inheritance shall be for ever.” Their inheritance fades not away. It is entailed, so that none can deprive them of it, and preserved, so that none shall destroy it. Eternity is the peculiar attribute of the believer’s portion: what they have on earth is safe enough, but what they shall have in heaven is theirs without end.
“They shall not be ashamed in the evil time.” Calamities will come, but deliverances will come also. As the righteous never reckoned upon immunity from trouble, they will not be disappointed when they are called to take their share of it, but the rather they will cast themselves anew upon their God, and prove again his faithfulness and love. God is not a friend in the sunshine only, he is a friend indeed and a friend in need. “And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” Their barrel of meal and cruse of oil shall last out the day of distress, and if ravens do not bring them bread and meat, the supply of their needs shall come in some other way, for their bread shall be given them. Our Lord stayed himself upon this when he hungered in the wilderness, and by faith he repelled the tempter; we too may be enabled not to fret ourselves in any wise to do evil by the same consideration. If God’s providence is our inheritance, we need not worry about the price of wheat. Mildew, and smut, and bent, are all in the Lord’s hands. Unbelief cannot save a single ear from being blasted, but faith, if it do not preserve the crop, can do what is better, namely, preserve our joy in the Lord.
I pray you know the All Knowing, All Present, All Powerful One through His Holy, Righteous Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and He rose again, proving the word of God to be true including every word He has spoken. Jesus is the Son of God, God the Son.
The Eye Of The LORD
Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Psalm 33:18-19
It is very comforting, encouraging, and motivating to hear the above words of David. One of my favorite verses of the Old Testament is found in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” and I know in its text it is telling king Asa what he is missing out on due to his rebellious heart.
For those who have a perfect heart toward God; those who fear Him and hope in His mercy, He will deliver from horrible eternal death in eternal torment, and give them food to eat when things are hard.
Now, whose heart is perfect toward God? Those who look to God through His Son Jesus, who took our place on Calvary’s cross, dying for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again. When we realize our lost, and hopeless estate, and call on His name believing in His finished work we are delivered from death, and can know that His eye is ever upon us perfecting, protecting, and providing our every need.
The work God starts in us, He will finish (Philippians 1:6).
The Righteous LORD
For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright. Psalm 11:7
It is plain for all to hear and see and understand from the above verse that the LORD (Jehovah/YaHWeH) is righteous. All of Scripture shows us that is true. I will let John Gill speak of this verse today.
For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness,…. The Lord is righteous in himself, and in all his ways and works; and therefore righteousness, as it lies both in punishing the wicked, and in maintaining the righteous cause of his people, must be loved by him, it being agreeable to his nature: he loves to exercise righteousness in the earth, to administer it to and among men; this he delights in. He is well pleased with the righteousness of his Son, it being satisfactory to his justice, and that by which his law is magnified and made honourable; and he is well pleased with his people, as they are clothed with it: and he approves of their righteous actions, as they are done in obedience to his righteous law, in faith, from a principle of love, and with a view to his glory; these are acceptable to him in Christ;
his countenance doth behold the upright; whom wicked men privily shoot at, Psa_11:2; God looks with pleasure upon them, and takes delight in them, and takes care of them, protects and defends them, and at last saves them; and which, with all that goes before, was an encouragement to David to trust in the Lord; see Psa_7:10; and moreover, the Lord lifts up the light of his countenance on such, and indulges them with his gracious presence, than which nothing is more comfortable and desirable. Some choose to render the word, “their countenance” (y), meaning the trinity of Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, who all have a gracious regard to such: others render the clause thus, “the upright shall see his face”, the face of God; so the Chaldee paraphrase and the Arabic version; see Psa_17:15.From John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible.
I pray that if you do not know Jesus Christ that you will in faith call on His name today.
Letter from a Prophet
And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself: Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: and thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. 2 Chronicles 21:12-15
Asa was a king of Judah who did right in the eyes of the LORD, but his life ended as being a selfish tyrant. His son Jehoshaphat also had done right in the eyes of the LORD though he aligned himself with Ahab, the evil king of the northern kingdom of Israel. Then along comes Jehoram, and he does wickedness in the eyes of the LORD.
The letter is from Elijah who is the prophet who warned Ahab of his wicked ways, challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and ended their lives with their heads being removed.
Why would Elijah send a letter to the king of Judah? Probably because he had a word from the LORD for Jehoram to know his plight and the tragedy coming on his family and himself. Jehoram was going to die a horrible death because of his sin and the evil of his heart.
Death is the result of sin. Sin came into the world by the first man, Adam. Because Adam sinned, every one who has been born into this world is a sinner there is no escaping sin. There is, however, One who was born of woman who never sinned. His name is Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God.
Jesus, being sinless, without any guilt, shame or remorse died on the cross becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), being buried, and rising again from the grave alive forever more. Sin, death, Hell and the grave are defeated, and hold no power over those who come to God through Jesus Christ. In Jesus we have everlasting, that is eternal life.
Help Us, O LORD Our God
And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee.”
So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 2 Chronicles 14:11-12
Asa was one of the godly kings of Judah. Judah, the southern kingdom was being attacked by Ethiopians whose army counted over one million. They were greatly out numbered, yet Asa led his troops to the battle.
Many would have sought opportunity for surrender, but not king Asa. Instead, he surrendered to the King of kings, and prayed to Him for help, and the enemy was defeated – “So the LORD smote the Ethiopians…”
What can the child of God face when we are walking with the LORD God through His Son Jesus Christ? Who can defeat us when we are serving Him faithfully? The answer to the first question is Anything the enemy puts in our path. The answer to the second is No one can defeat us because we are children of the King of kings.
Fear comes with failure to obey and do the commands of the LORD. Fear is the result of a lack of trusting faith. Faith will face fear head on.
Is the enemy in your heart and your mind? Is he causing you to be afraid, even crippling you to the point of unbelief, causing you to fall and fail? The enemy is strong. The King of all kings is mightier; as a matter of fact He is the Almighty.
Call on the name of the One who died on the cross for your sins, and He was buried, and He rose again. He forever lives, and makes intercession for us daily, even moment by moment (Romans 8:26-27, 34; Hebrews 4:16; 7:25). He is coming again. Are you ready?
What Is Missing?
And she said, “The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.” And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself.” And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. Judges 16:20
What is missing Samson? He did not realize that he no longer had the LORD with him.
There are a lot of things Samson did that was a sin against God. Eating things that his Nazarite vow forbade him to eat, such as the honey from the dead carcass of the lion he had killed with his bare hands. He loved a Philistine woman which was not even the right thing to do for any Israelite, and he took up with all sorts of womanizing. Yet, God was with him… at least until his hair was cut by a deceitful, lying, schemer named Delilah.
Now, I am not approving of Samson’s actions, but of the presence and power of God on him, until God was not there, as he sadly assumed.
Samson is like many of us. He is a popular Biblical character, even today. Maybe that is because we can identify with him too much.
There are many cases in the Bible where people assumed that God was with them, and they found out in a very frightful way, that He was not. For example Numbers 14:40-45 where after rebelling against the LORD to enter the land of Canaan, they rebel again by trying to enter after they have been forbidden to do so.
We never do things like that do we? Ha Ha! When the LORD leaves us it is not so much that the LORD leaves, it is that we have left Him.
As Samson’s hair began to grow and he was growing nearer to the LORD in his blindness, the LORD gives him victory over the enemy of Israel (Judges 16:23-31) when he called on the name of the LORD (Judges 16:28), and the LORD heard him.
No matter what we may do in life that causes us to separate from God He is working to bring us back to Himself.
If you do not know God through His Son Jesus Christ you have no idea what I am writing about. You can by calling on the name of Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and He rose again. He will then be with you everyday from now through eternity.
The Fire and Hammer 