Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;
“Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy name; after that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against Me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My Spirit upon the house of Israel,”
saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 39:25-29
Spirit of God
When You Ask…
“And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, ‘Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him; ‘If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull down, and I will plant you, and not pluck up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.’ ” Jeremiah 42:7-12 (KJB)
First of all when you ask do not already have your mind made up what you are going to do.
That is apparently what the remnant of those left in Judah to care for the land, and the cities. With hypocritical hearts and minds they feigned wanting the will of God, so they go to the prophet Jeremiah asking him to seek the LORD’S counsel on His will.
The above verses are God’s answer to Jeremiah for the people. It is a message of hope and promise if they will stay in the land. It is a promise that they need not fear Babylon their captors. What they need to do is do what the LORD says, and they will be protected and greatly blessed.
When we ask God’s counsel for something do we already have our minds made up of what we are going to do? It does not matter what God says in His word we often do what we want to do. That is a sad commentary on the life of a Christian, and it robs us of the promise, protection, and provision of the LORD our God.
When we ask, let us ask that the will of God be done. Let us ask for the courage, faith, and power of the Spirit of God in us to walk in His way; not our own. When God says “Stay”, let us stay. When God says “Go” let us go.
Our rest, our hope lies only in the Son of God who is Jesus Christ, God who became flesh, and dwelt among us. He died on the cross for ours sins, was buried, and He rose again.
“Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
The Mind of Christ
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.’ But God hath revealed unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 (KJB)
References: Galations 6:14; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Romans 16:25; Isaiah 64:4; Proverbs 20:7; 2 Peter 1:16
Promise and Expectations
Joyful Promise and Expectations
Romans 8:10-17
In the last study we looked at the truth of NO CONDEMNATION, and now we look at the glorious promise and expectation of our inheritance in Christ Jesus.
A JOYFUL EXPECTATION IN THE FATHER (vv. 10-17).
Remembering as we looked at verses 1-9 the last time and we find that there is “No condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…”, and that there is change in those who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. One of those changes being the dwelling of the Spirit of God in those whom He possesses.
In verse 10 then, we find that “If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin…”. This body has no life of its own any longer. It is the last place where sin can cause us grief. The body is also a place for life through the Holy Spirit. The life the Holy Spirit gives will make the body live holy, and not apart from God.
The Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead [bodily], and He is the same Spirit which dwelt in Him while He did His ministry on earth. It was by the Holy Spirit that Jesus was strengthened when He was tempted by the devil. It was by the Holy Spirit that He healed people. It was by the Holy Spirit that He was able to go to the cross. It was by the Spirit that He was raised from death. It was by the Spirit that He ever lives. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in all those who know Jesus. He dwells within us, and gives life to our mortal bodies, enabling us to do things that are holy, just, and right. (Read verse 11).
An important thing concerning verses 12 – 15 is we must realize that, only the sons of God can be led by the Holy Spirit. Let me explain the idea of “Sons of God”. In the Gospel of John we are told, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” John 1:12. Something we need to remember in looking as this is that sons, especially firstborn sons were given the best of the inheritance. Because of Jesus, and His work on the cross all who believe in Jesus receive the Spirit of God, and all the inheritance that goes with it. Female and male both put into the position of the elder son. Because of this we are not debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh – by it and living so would be death. We are in the Spirit and by the power of the Spirit we put the works of the flesh to death; we “Mortify the deeds of the body”. Being led by the Spirit of God is evidence that you are a ‘Son of God’
The ‘Son of God’ has freedom and immediate access into the presence of God the Father. In fact the child is never without the Father’s presence. The relationship is an intimate relationship that is as personal as a child referring to his/her physical father as “Dad”. My earthly father is my father and the father of my siblings. We all call him “Dad”. There is no disrespect in that. It is actually an endearing term of personal relationship. My wife also calls him “Dad”. No one calls him “Dad”, except those in the family; nor do they have the rights or privileges to do so. It is an intimate term for those in the family. How did we get into the family? My brother, three sisters and I were born into it. My wife married me and became a part of the family, receiving the rights and privileges of a child through me.
If we are in God’s family it is because of the New Birth. Positionally we have been “adopted” to receive the rights and privileges of Jesus Himself. Because of Jesus we are “Joint-heirs” with Him. That means when we suffer with Him we will also be glorified with Him. In verses 16-17 we see that the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit when we are ‘sons of God’. This joint ‘Heirship’ we have with Jesus is not without responsibility. We will suffer with Him and for His glory when we are His joint heirs.
We have great joy in God’s presence. We love God’s presence. We expectantly await and long for the day when we will be able to be in His bodily presence. That will be sharing in His glory. That will be glory.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Issue of Anger
Reading today from 1 Samuel 11 – 13…
“And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.” 1 Samuel 11:6 (KJB)
The person who is never angry never truly loves. I can just about hear some readers here saying, “Wait just one minute.” In a tone of anger probably.
Reading the text from Scripture above caused me to think about anger. I have heard some say that anger is bad. I certainly cannot agree with that statement because God is angry with evil everyday (Psalm 7:11); Jesus was angry at least twice at the temple – the first time early in His ministry (John 2:14) and the second time, possibly in His final week before He was crucified (Matthew 21:12).
I heard a pastor a few years ago say, “You can tell the character of a man by what makes…
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Forsaken for a Moment; Honored with Glory
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My roaring? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, O You that inhabits the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You: they trusted, and You did deliver them. They cried unto You, and were delivered: they trusted in You, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him. But You are He that took Me out of the womb: You did make Me hope when I was upon My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from the womb: You are My God from My mother’s belly.” Psalm 22:1-10 (KJV) Please read all of Psalm 22.
I can remember the first time I read this with my eyes open by the Spirit of God. It was a moment of awakening, and I remembered when Jesus spoke these words of the first verse as He was hanging and dying accursed on the cross of Calvary. See Matthew 27:46, and Mark 15:33-34.
Though these words were penned down by David, the “Sweet Psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1) they were spoken by God from the ages past when he determined from the foundation of the world to send His Son Jesus to bleed and die to pay for the redemption of mankind.
Every time I read the gospels and especially of the trial, judgment, beating, humiliation, and nailing of Jesus to that cross I find myself weeping. To know that the Almighty God; the All-Knowing, All-Powerful, All-Present and Immutable GOD could love me. For many years following my salvation, coming to Jesus as my Lord and Savior I questioned His love for me. I even doubted it at times; but in the not too distant past I came to realize His love so deep, so marvelous, so powerful, so consuming, that I no longer question, neither do I doubt God’s love for me or anyone else.
How much does God love the world? How much does God love you? So much that He gave the best He had to save, to redeem us, to call us to Himself. He gave us His Son, His only begotten Son. His holy Son. His Son Jesus was without sin–without spot or blemish; and He willingly laid down His life for our sin.
Now the question is; What will you do with Jesus?
Great Fear on the Church
“And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things.” Acts 5:11 (KJV)
When you read verses 1- 10 of chapter five you will understand why “Great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things.” It would certainly cause me to set up and notice, but then I pray today that there was such fear for the Church of God, and His people.
It all began (in this chapter) with a couple name of Ananias and Sapphira who were Christians in the new Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. There was such a move of the Spirit of God that many of the congregation had sold all that they owned and given the whole amount of the sale to the Church to support one another and the missions of that congregation.
This couple took it upon themselves to sell what they owned, keep back part for themselves; and there would have been nothing wrong with that; except they told the apostles – thus telling the Spirit of God – that they were giving all that they had received for the property; lying to them. Therefore the wrath of God fell on them, they died for their lies to the Lord, initiating the fear that we read of in verse 11.
Would to God that there was more slaying by the Spirit of those who hope to gain personally from the work of God in our churches. Is it any wonder that there is no fear of God, nor His people in the world today. That is due, at least in part, to the allowance of the world and its ways in the Church across our Nation.
May God help us and forgive us and lead us in His Spirit to be the catalyst of His great salvation once again.
Maybe if the Lord would do that again in His Church people would quit coming into worship the Lord with the attitude of “What can I get our of attending Church today?”, and start thinking with an attitude of gratitude of what the Lord has already done for us on the cross, and what He does for us daily in our lives; happy to be in the presence of the Lord… no matter what we get out of “Church”. It does need to be a matter of us dying to self, being crucified with Christ (Galations 2:20), and Christ living in us.
Turn to Jesus Christ today, and watch the power of God in you start to work.
Christmas Day One Hundred Ten and Three
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want this Lord’s Day to be one where the Lord Jesus Christ is lifted up in my heart, mind, and spirit, and in the Spirit of the Lord; that He might be glorified in me forever.
Christmas Day Two Hundred Thirty and Three
What do I want for Christmas?
Today’s “want” is going to be a bit political, but I see it as a real need among those who name the name of Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
I want for those who call themselves Christian to decide to get behind one Presidential candidate who has some principle, moral character, a desire to listen to God and His word and show this Country [U. S. of A.] through the might, Spirit and power of God who the real power of this country is – not us but Him.
I do believe that if Christians would get behind the candidate like this, this individual would win the election.
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-12 (KJV)
This is a work, a miracle only God could perform.
Day 270
What do I want for Christmas?
I want you to know the love, peace, joy, grace, and power of God in your life; I most of all just want you to know God through His Son Jesus Christ; that you might have His mind and heart.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (KJV)
Three Hundred Sixty Six Days til Christmas
On the first day of December of 2015 as I was writing in my journal I had a thought of counting down the 25 days til Christmas with the question “What do I want for Christmas?”
The first day the “want” was, “A fuller heart and life for my Lord and Savior.” In those 25 days I have thought of counting down until next Christmas with the same heart and mind; which I believe is the wants God gives me.
This may get tedious, draggy, and maybe some would say “Boring”; I do not believe in boring. I never use the word in my vocabulary, except as here, to rage against it.
This being day 366 before Christmas; What do I want for Christmas? I want the Spirit of God who has created all things to reach into the hearts and minds of all who come here, convict of sin the hearts of those who do not know Him and draw them to Himself for salvation.
GOD Knows the Secrets of Your Heart
“If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44:20-21 (KJV)
The first step to worshipping false gods is forgetting the one true God. We can forget Him by neglecting His word. Maybe we no longer read it. Maybe we feel we are independent of Him, no longer need Him. We stop taking heed to what we know to be God’s Word, refusing to listen to the Spirit of God within.
We might even think, “I am too sophisticated to worship idols or other gods.” O really? That thing, or person, or job, that is your treasure is what you worship. God knows the secrets of your heart, and my heart.
Remember this: there is nothing hidden from the All-Knowing mind of God. There are many who refuse to even admit what the prophet Jeremiah stated in Jeremiah 17,
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
The answer to that question is that “God knows”; and it is best if we agree with God that the heart of man is in fact “…Deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” Is that not clear with what has been happening in the world and the U. S. of A. One young man killing 9 people in a Church in South Carolina. The band of murderers and thugs waging chaos in the Middle East, cutting off heads of Christians and Jews, and anyone else who might get in their way.
Do you think that you are above that? Do not deceive yourself. But for the grace and love and mercy of God… That could be you or me.
God desires to give a new heart. That new heart, inner being, comes through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the holy Son of God who paid our sin debt to the Father. When we put our faith and trust in the work of the Son we receive a new heart and life.
O, believe Him today.
The Fire and Hammer 