Micah
{7:19} 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. {7:20} Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Long after Jacob, long after Abraham, the minor prophet Micah between 735-710 BC according to historians, made his prophecies. When did Abraham live? 2000 BC to 1825 BC according to historians. That's a long, long time between Micah's time and Abraham's. When Micah says- 'Thou wild perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham' what is is declaring?
We know God's mercy and truth go hand in hand, that the truth endures forever. Let's read just some of the many verses proving this truth beyond a doubt--
1 Chronicles
{16:34} O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
**
Mercy forever!
Psalms {106:1} Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalms {111:3} His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever
**
His righteousness forever!
Psalms {111:10} The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
**
His praise forever!
Psalms {117:1} O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
{117:2} For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
**
Truth forever!
Psalms {119:160} Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, LORD, throughout all generations.
memorial (me-môr´ê-el, -mor´-) noun
Abbr. mem.
1. Something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or an event.
2. A written statement of facts or a petition presented to a legislative body or an executive.
When we have a memorial celebration what does it have to entail?
Who are we giving the memorial for.
What did they do that makes us memorialize them?
Where did they do this?
Right?
Those of us living in the United States have a memorial day in honor of those who have fought and died for our country, for freedom. There are memorials in our nation's capital- Lincoln, Washington, Vietnam, a National Cemetery located along a path called Memorial Drive.
We're familiar with memorials we give them for our own loved ones to honor them.
One thing I've always found very fascinating.
God's memorial.
Can you find it on earth? Is there a physical location for His memorial? Some might say the temple in Jerusalem, but surely God wouldn't have His memorial destroyed. His memorial would have to stand the test of time and endure forever, this is God we're talking about. Our gracious, most wonderful God took His memorial out of the physical realm in the sense it isn't an object at all. It's not a stone plaque, it's not a statue, what stone, what statue, what building could hold something so marvelous? What earthly thing could ever be worthy of being a memorial to God?
Exodus {3:15} And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
God's name.
And here... read this...
{20:8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
{20:9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work
{20:10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates
{20:11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Remember- that's what a memorial is for right? Remembering.
The sabbath of the Lord thy God. This is who we're remembering, right? God, our Lord.
What did He do that needs remembering? The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them.
He's our Creator.
A perpetual memorial has been given to us and given to us all on a weekly basis as well it should be for One so great as God. God deserves a memorial that is more often than once a year, once every few months, or even once a month, this is GOD we are talking about. Our Creator! And for those of you rebelling at the thought that a creature should worship his creator, why? Why rebel? Our very existence is owed to God.
Our world has twisted things so much that honoring and respecting those we should has become something weak and loathsome, something odd and strange because it takes away from SELF worship. A lot of children today don't know how to respect their elders, why? Because they don't feel they should have to. They are self absorbed and their own desires matter more than anything else. Self has taken them over completely. It's a sad, sad state of affairs.
I really love this verse- Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
God's name is His memorial and God has set aside time for us to honor Him, a time memorialized to Him and He is worthy!
Continuing on with God's mercy and truth enduring forever, just read this whole chapter Psalms 136 and note the reoccuring theme-
**
Psalm 136
{136:1} O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:2} O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:3} O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:4} To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:5} To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:6} To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:7} To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:8} The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:9} The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:10} To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:11} And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:12} With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:13} To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:14} And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:15} But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:16} To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:17} To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:18} And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:19} Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:20} And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:21} And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:22} Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:23} Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:24} And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:25} Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:26} O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
**
An entire chapter!
Our Creator, our Redeemer! His mercy endures forever!
1 Peter {1:25} But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
**
The word of God endures forever, and Jesus is that Word.
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} 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:
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
{1:15} John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. {1:16} And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
{1:17} For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
{1:18} No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Micah
{7:19} 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. {7:20} Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
God will forgive us through the grace and mercy of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and this...
is...
the...
TRUTH.
Amen.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Truth No Matter the Cost
Hosea {4:1} 'Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.'
The Lord has a controversy with people.
Controversy.
I feel a dictionary definition coming on...
controversy (kòn´tre-vûr´sê) noun
plural controversies
1. A dispute, especially a public one, between sides holding opposing views. See synonyms at argument.
*
A dispute between sides holding opposing views.
The Lord has a dispute with His chosen children, those inhabiting the land He gave to them.
So that means the Lord has one view point and His chosen another.
The verse goes on to say why He has a controversy--
'because there is no TRUTH, nor MERCY, nor KNOWLEDGE of GOD in the land.'
So here once again God's chosen people have turned from Him. If there is no truth then they are believing lies. If there is no mercy then they are being heartless. If there is no knowledge of God they are wallowing in their ignorance and are content to be so.
Good and evil, the greatest controversy of all, the root of all life's problems exist between good and evil.
Truth or lies.
Mercy or no mercy.
Knowledge or no knowledge.
We need the truth. More and more all the studying on truth emphasizing just how important it is to have the truth, to know it, to follow it when we know what is is.
The devil would have a believe that the truth doesn't matter, that we live in a world that accepts half truths, quarter truths, miniscule bits of truth and call that acceptable.
What's the oath people take when they're sworn in on the witness stand and such- 'I swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God.' Something like that, and you know what, that's exactly how our lives should be led not just up there on the witness stand being sworn to do so. Yet we need that swearing in because people don't tell the truth the whole truth. We can't trust that anyone that isn't sworn in will tell the truth, and even then people don't always tell the truth, not even when they've sworn to do so.
And it's not just on the Bible people swear, God is being taken out of most thing civil so church and state are separate and so nowadays people can do this-
'What is "being sworn in"?
Before you give your evidence you will be asked to swear that you will tell the truth. This is being sworn in. You may be sworn in by taking a sacred oath that binds your conscience, for example by swearing on the Bible, or you may affirm or promise to tell the truth without religious belief. If you lie in court, you could be charged with a serious crime called perjury. The penalty for perjury can be as high as 14 years in jail.'
http://www.plea.org/freepubs/bwc/witness.htm
*
Taking a sacred oath that binds your conscience- swearing on the Bible.
Or
Affirm/promise you will tell the truth.
*
With or without the religious swearing, promising to tell the truth is something we use in our court system, something we use to try and compel the truth from people who might not want to give the truth, or simply wanting to make a strong statement from those who are more than willing to give the truth of a matter. We use this *truth* promise every day thousands of times a day in courts all over the nation, it's safe to say all over the world in various court systems the truth is something each court is supposed to be adamant about receiving before they can convict anyone of a crime.
The truth.
God wants the truth to be known by everyone. His truth. Jesus made disciples that would carry His truth on long after He was gone. Disciples, teachers, prophets, all of truth.
Hosea {4:1} 'Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.'
The Lord does have a controversy with those who won't accept His truth, with those who show no mercy, with those who refuse knowledge of Him.
The controversy is all wrapped up in the dispute between good and evil.
Regardless of what people have done to twist God into something evil over the years, regardless of the many deceptions that abound- simple deceptions that ease the conscience leaving us without the truth and blind to it because we don't really want the truth, regardless of all that, the truth lives on and will forever live on in Jesus Christ.
He is the truth.
Let us all strive to HEAR the word of the Lord and understand that we have to have truth, mercy, and knowledge of God if we don't want to have a controversy with the Lord. I know I don't want to be controversial with the Lord. I want to know His truth, to have mercy through Him, to know Him. It might not be something I like, something that will put a smile on my face every moment of every day, it might make it so I face the Lord's chastizing to guide me and correct my ways, but I need the truth in my life.
This is so much more than we fully understand, and sometimes seeking to understand takes us right out of our comfort zones and thrusts us into confusion and yet we need to try and understand- trusting that God will see us through no matter the price we pay in any way, so that we can follow Him and the truth in Him.
The battle is being waged and has been for a long time.
Whose side are you on?
Really think about that, take a few moments and really think about the answer remembering that Satan has a counterfeit side that looks very, very real. Let us pray for the whole truth, and for no deception, that our eyes may be opened, our hearts open to God and His truth no matter what it costs us.
In Jesus, by His mercy and His grace, His love.
Amen.
The Lord has a controversy with people.
Controversy.
I feel a dictionary definition coming on...
controversy (kòn´tre-vûr´sê) noun
plural controversies
1. A dispute, especially a public one, between sides holding opposing views. See synonyms at argument.
*
A dispute between sides holding opposing views.
The Lord has a dispute with His chosen children, those inhabiting the land He gave to them.
So that means the Lord has one view point and His chosen another.
The verse goes on to say why He has a controversy--
'because there is no TRUTH, nor MERCY, nor KNOWLEDGE of GOD in the land.'
So here once again God's chosen people have turned from Him. If there is no truth then they are believing lies. If there is no mercy then they are being heartless. If there is no knowledge of God they are wallowing in their ignorance and are content to be so.
Good and evil, the greatest controversy of all, the root of all life's problems exist between good and evil.
Truth or lies.
Mercy or no mercy.
Knowledge or no knowledge.
We need the truth. More and more all the studying on truth emphasizing just how important it is to have the truth, to know it, to follow it when we know what is is.
The devil would have a believe that the truth doesn't matter, that we live in a world that accepts half truths, quarter truths, miniscule bits of truth and call that acceptable.
What's the oath people take when they're sworn in on the witness stand and such- 'I swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God.' Something like that, and you know what, that's exactly how our lives should be led not just up there on the witness stand being sworn to do so. Yet we need that swearing in because people don't tell the truth the whole truth. We can't trust that anyone that isn't sworn in will tell the truth, and even then people don't always tell the truth, not even when they've sworn to do so.
And it's not just on the Bible people swear, God is being taken out of most thing civil so church and state are separate and so nowadays people can do this-
'What is "being sworn in"?
Before you give your evidence you will be asked to swear that you will tell the truth. This is being sworn in. You may be sworn in by taking a sacred oath that binds your conscience, for example by swearing on the Bible, or you may affirm or promise to tell the truth without religious belief. If you lie in court, you could be charged with a serious crime called perjury. The penalty for perjury can be as high as 14 years in jail.'
http://www.plea.org/freepubs/bwc/witness.htm
*
Taking a sacred oath that binds your conscience- swearing on the Bible.
Or
Affirm/promise you will tell the truth.
*
With or without the religious swearing, promising to tell the truth is something we use in our court system, something we use to try and compel the truth from people who might not want to give the truth, or simply wanting to make a strong statement from those who are more than willing to give the truth of a matter. We use this *truth* promise every day thousands of times a day in courts all over the nation, it's safe to say all over the world in various court systems the truth is something each court is supposed to be adamant about receiving before they can convict anyone of a crime.
The truth.
God wants the truth to be known by everyone. His truth. Jesus made disciples that would carry His truth on long after He was gone. Disciples, teachers, prophets, all of truth.
Hosea {4:1} 'Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.'
The Lord does have a controversy with those who won't accept His truth, with those who show no mercy, with those who refuse knowledge of Him.
The controversy is all wrapped up in the dispute between good and evil.
Regardless of what people have done to twist God into something evil over the years, regardless of the many deceptions that abound- simple deceptions that ease the conscience leaving us without the truth and blind to it because we don't really want the truth, regardless of all that, the truth lives on and will forever live on in Jesus Christ.
He is the truth.
Let us all strive to HEAR the word of the Lord and understand that we have to have truth, mercy, and knowledge of God if we don't want to have a controversy with the Lord. I know I don't want to be controversial with the Lord. I want to know His truth, to have mercy through Him, to know Him. It might not be something I like, something that will put a smile on my face every moment of every day, it might make it so I face the Lord's chastizing to guide me and correct my ways, but I need the truth in my life.
This is so much more than we fully understand, and sometimes seeking to understand takes us right out of our comfort zones and thrusts us into confusion and yet we need to try and understand- trusting that God will see us through no matter the price we pay in any way, so that we can follow Him and the truth in Him.
The battle is being waged and has been for a long time.
Whose side are you on?
Really think about that, take a few moments and really think about the answer remembering that Satan has a counterfeit side that looks very, very real. Let us pray for the whole truth, and for no deception, that our eyes may be opened, our hearts open to God and His truth no matter what it costs us.
In Jesus, by His mercy and His grace, His love.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Perished because they received NOT the love of the truth
Daniel
{2:46} Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. {2:47} The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldst reveal this secret.
**
Of a truth it is-
God is a God of gods
Lord of kings
Revealer of secrets
Man can have all the gods they want in the world, they can worship anything, a statue of a round bald guy, a five pointed star, a woman blessed, an elephant, truly man can worship anything there are no limitations on what sort of lies man will believe, none. The truth is that there is only one living God, only one. The God of gods. Anything man chooses to worship is part of the creation of the one true God. They can worship nature and call nature itself God, but it's not true. One creator, one God. They can worship satan and they are worshipping a being created by God, an angel fallen from grace. People have throughout the ages worshipped various things, the sun, the moon. People have sacrificed other people to worship these other things created by the one true God. Staunch believers as king Nebuchadnezzer was, can believe in gods, calling in soothsayers and seers looking for answers from those gods, will find no truth. King Nebuchadnezzer was as real as King George was real. King Nebuchadnezzer was as real as our president, as real as Queen Elizabeth, as real as the dictator of Cuba. Real people not fairy tale characters. This king wanted answers to a dream he couldn't remember, and an interpretation of that dream he couldn't remember- none of those in his kingdom could reveal anything to him, none, not one, save Daniel a prophet of the one, true God.
God of gods.
People can get caught up in worshipping creation but they're caught up in the wrong thing. It's the Creator who deserves the worship, not creation no matter how majestic the creation is it couldn't have come into being on it's own without the Creator.
God of gods.
*
Daniel
{4:37} Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
**
Once more Nebuchadnezzar is speaking of God, while living at a time when to worship many gods and none in particular was popular he was shown over and over that there is only one God whose works are truth...
Works are truth.
In life there is truth and there is falsehood.
The truth revealed is God, all else is falsehood.
Our sensibilities tell us that *not all these people could be wrong*, the worshippers of other gods, the worshippers of messengers, the worshippers of the created not the creator. There are millions and millions, and millions probably even billions of people that worship other things than the one true God and believe they worship true. We don't want to think a majority could be wrong- it truth we don't want to think that in anything. We tend to think that because a majority believes something it makes it true, why? Because it's easier to believe that the more people that think a thing it has to be right than to believe a majority could be duped, could be wrong, could be caught up in something and deceived so fully.
I've heard these words before-
'All these people can't be wrong.'
You know what? They can be.
History shows us time and again where majorities have been wrong.
There is one truth and that is God, no other gods, no other thing.
It's scary because we live in a time once more where God is being regulated to unimportant, and yet we know that because Satan deals in counterfeit and deception, that the majority will once more seemingly turn to God and be deceived. Remember- counterfeiting is so deceptive because it appears like the real thing, what good is a counterfeit without the real thing? No good. The counterfeit can't deceive unless there is a true standard.
The Bible tells us this and we all need to pay heed to it-
2nd Thessalonians
{2:1} Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him,
{2:2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {2:3} Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come,] except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
{2:4} Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
{2:5} Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
{2:6} And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
{2:7} For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let,] until he be taken out of the way.
{2:8} And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming:
{2:9} [Even him,] whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
{2:10} And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {2:11} And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
{2:12} That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
{2:13} But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
{2:14} Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
{2:15} Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
{2:16} Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
{2:17} Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
**
Perished because they received NOT the love of the truth
Might be damned who believed NOT the truth
Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth
The truth!
It will be out there, it is out there, but with the truth there is a counterfeit and many will believe in the counterfeit thinking it the truth.
Matthew
{24:22} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
{24:23} Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not.
{24:24} For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
{24:25} Behold, I have told you before.
{24:26} Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, [he is] in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.
{24:27} For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
False Christs, false prophet so close to the real thing that the counterfeit will deceive all but the very elect. The majority we like to believe *can't* be wrong simply because they are the majority, will be deceived if they aren't already. We have to hold fast to the truth in God, hold fast like never before.
Let's be like Daniel praying for God's people--
Daniel
{9:13} As [it is] written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
{9:14} Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God [is] righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
{9:15} And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
{9:16} O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us.
{9:17} Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
{9:18} O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
{9:19} O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
We would be God's in truth and mercy through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Son of God who came to reveal the Father to us, to reveal love, to give life everlasting.
Please Lord help us all to understand thy truth, this is our prayer, this is my prayer, by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
“Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”- 2 Samuel 7:22
{2:46} Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. {2:47} The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldst reveal this secret.
**
Of a truth it is-
God is a God of gods
Lord of kings
Revealer of secrets
Man can have all the gods they want in the world, they can worship anything, a statue of a round bald guy, a five pointed star, a woman blessed, an elephant, truly man can worship anything there are no limitations on what sort of lies man will believe, none. The truth is that there is only one living God, only one. The God of gods. Anything man chooses to worship is part of the creation of the one true God. They can worship nature and call nature itself God, but it's not true. One creator, one God. They can worship satan and they are worshipping a being created by God, an angel fallen from grace. People have throughout the ages worshipped various things, the sun, the moon. People have sacrificed other people to worship these other things created by the one true God. Staunch believers as king Nebuchadnezzer was, can believe in gods, calling in soothsayers and seers looking for answers from those gods, will find no truth. King Nebuchadnezzer was as real as King George was real. King Nebuchadnezzer was as real as our president, as real as Queen Elizabeth, as real as the dictator of Cuba. Real people not fairy tale characters. This king wanted answers to a dream he couldn't remember, and an interpretation of that dream he couldn't remember- none of those in his kingdom could reveal anything to him, none, not one, save Daniel a prophet of the one, true God.
God of gods.
People can get caught up in worshipping creation but they're caught up in the wrong thing. It's the Creator who deserves the worship, not creation no matter how majestic the creation is it couldn't have come into being on it's own without the Creator.
God of gods.
*
Daniel
{4:37} Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
**
Once more Nebuchadnezzar is speaking of God, while living at a time when to worship many gods and none in particular was popular he was shown over and over that there is only one God whose works are truth...
Works are truth.
In life there is truth and there is falsehood.
The truth revealed is God, all else is falsehood.
Our sensibilities tell us that *not all these people could be wrong*, the worshippers of other gods, the worshippers of messengers, the worshippers of the created not the creator. There are millions and millions, and millions probably even billions of people that worship other things than the one true God and believe they worship true. We don't want to think a majority could be wrong- it truth we don't want to think that in anything. We tend to think that because a majority believes something it makes it true, why? Because it's easier to believe that the more people that think a thing it has to be right than to believe a majority could be duped, could be wrong, could be caught up in something and deceived so fully.
I've heard these words before-
'All these people can't be wrong.'
You know what? They can be.
History shows us time and again where majorities have been wrong.
There is one truth and that is God, no other gods, no other thing.
It's scary because we live in a time once more where God is being regulated to unimportant, and yet we know that because Satan deals in counterfeit and deception, that the majority will once more seemingly turn to God and be deceived. Remember- counterfeiting is so deceptive because it appears like the real thing, what good is a counterfeit without the real thing? No good. The counterfeit can't deceive unless there is a true standard.
The Bible tells us this and we all need to pay heed to it-
2nd Thessalonians
{2:1} Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him,
{2:2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {2:3} Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come,] except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
{2:4} Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
{2:5} Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
{2:6} And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
{2:7} For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let,] until he be taken out of the way.
{2:8} And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming:
{2:9} [Even him,] whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
{2:10} And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {2:11} And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
{2:12} That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
{2:13} But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
{2:14} Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
{2:15} Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
{2:16} Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
{2:17} Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
**
Perished because they received NOT the love of the truth
Might be damned who believed NOT the truth
Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth
The truth!
It will be out there, it is out there, but with the truth there is a counterfeit and many will believe in the counterfeit thinking it the truth.
Matthew
{24:22} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
{24:23} Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not.
{24:24} For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
{24:25} Behold, I have told you before.
{24:26} Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, [he is] in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.
{24:27} For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
False Christs, false prophet so close to the real thing that the counterfeit will deceive all but the very elect. The majority we like to believe *can't* be wrong simply because they are the majority, will be deceived if they aren't already. We have to hold fast to the truth in God, hold fast like never before.
Let's be like Daniel praying for God's people--
Daniel
{9:13} As [it is] written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
{9:14} Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God [is] righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
{9:15} And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
{9:16} O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us.
{9:17} Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
{9:18} O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
{9:19} O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
We would be God's in truth and mercy through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Son of God who came to reveal the Father to us, to reveal love, to give life everlasting.
Please Lord help us all to understand thy truth, this is our prayer, this is my prayer, by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
“Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”- 2 Samuel 7:22
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Valiant for the Truth!
Jeremiah {9:3} 'And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.'
Not valiant for the truth.
valiant (vàl´yent) adjective
1. Possessing valor; brave.
2. Marked by or done with valor.
valor (vàl´er) noun
Courage and boldness, as in battle; bravery.
'They are NOT valiant for the truth'
They are not brave for the truth. They don't stand up for the truth. They don't have courage for the truth.
The go from evil to evil and don't know the Lord.
If they knew the Lord they'd know truth, but they don't.
They'd rather believe lies.
How can we be valiant for the truth? Perhaps in every circumstance of our lives we are not ashamed to be witnesses for Christ? Knowing the Lord is knowing love, knowing love is being loving, being loving is revealing the great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Wanting the truth more than we want lies is a very important thing. Lies are soothing to our ears.
Isaiah {30:9} 'That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
{30:10} Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits'
People saying prophesy NOT unto us right things, speak unto us SMOOTH things.
2 Timothy {4:3} 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
{4:4} And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.'
Not endure sound doctrine. Turning away their ears from truth. Listening to fables. Why do we like to listen to fables and stories rather than sound doctrine? The later bores you? Or is it more because to hear sound doctrine means being convicted of right over wrong and we don't want to be told right from wrong when we are caught up in wrong and want to continue in the wrong. We'd rather hear stories any day over sound doctrine when one convicts the conscience and the other leaves our conscience alone allowing us to feel good about our lives.
They'll heap to themselves teaches having itching ears- this after they will not endure sound doctrine. People want to listen to those who will tell them things they want to ear, not things they don't want to hear and if sound doctrine is too bothersome they'll find someone who is willing to teach lies so they can be soothed in their world of deceit.
Wouldn't we all much rather have compliments than criticism? We bask under the glow of accolades whether it's in a simple well cooked meal, a knitted shawl, a house well kept, a heart that gives. That last doesn't seem like it should be there does it? But it's true. If any one actions stem from wanting praise heaped upon them what's that saying? The glory is going towards them and not God. We can't allow our actions to stem from selfish expectations. If we fill joyful and pleased only when we receive praise we're not going to be open to the chastising of God. We're not going to want to hear the plain truth. We'll want to listen only to those willing to pat us on the back and tell us what a good job we're doing. Hearing the truth in all things isn't easy. The truth will cause convictions, it won't smooth over our wrongdoings just so we 'like' what we're hearing. The truth doesn't change. People try and change the truth and when they do, they turn it into a lie yet they believe they still have the truth.
'Will not endure sound doctrine...turn from the truth...turned unto fables'
1 Timothy {4:1} Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
{4:2} Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
{4:3} Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
{4:4} For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
{4:5} For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
{4:6} If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
{4:7} But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.
{4:8} For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.
{4:9} This [is] a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
{4:10} For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
Departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
Remember from above- 'Will not endure sound doctrine'.
There are those who heap laws and restrictions upon walking in the way of Christ that God never intended. They worry over food, drink, whether or not a people should marry, making sure that they are worldly right rather than Godly right.
God has His laws, His commandments and Jesus didn't do away with them. Jesus showed how the Pharisees took God's laws dealing with rituals and behavior and perverted them. The Pharisees believed they were the authority of God on earth to men, and men listened to them and followed all their rules and regulations, all their strictures and confining requirements. They were taught that the more pious and such they were the closer to God they were. They were taught that by their actions they could be saved, not through the love of God, but by their own works. Jesus told them where they'd gone wrong with things, they took the love of God out of things and placed righteousness in their own hands.
Jesus taught that those who follow Him, trust in Him, accept Him, those who go and live a life in Him are those that are saved. A life of love, and loving, of fearing God rather than man, loving and thinking of others more than focusing on self, this is what Jesus taught, this is the truth.
People get so caught up in rituals and such they forget the truth.
'Some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies and hypocrisy...'
'But refuse profane and old wives fables...'
'For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.'
Does this mean we shouldn't exercise our bodies? No. It means we should focus on God first. When we focus on ourselves first there is nothing to gain. Godliness is trusting in God and our Savior, having faith and believing in Jesus, being willing to live life as He did putting God first in all things.
Jeremiah {9:3} 'And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.'
We want to be valiant for the truth don't we?
We don't want to get all caught up in lies, in seducing spirits, in fables, in smooth words easy on the ears, easy on the conscience. We want the truth!
We need the TRUTH!
How many can just hear Jack Nicoholson shouting from the witness stand in that courtroom from the scene in the movie, 'A Few Good Men.'?
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
We CAN! We have to! We have to seek the truth, we have to be valiant for the truth in God, if we're not we are lost, totally and utterly lost, giving over to the evil we want to hear rather than the truth that saves to the uttermost.
Hebrews {7:25} 'Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.'
Let us come to God through Jesus Christ, let us walk in the truth, walk in Jesus. Let us seek out the truth rather than things that will ease our conscience and kill us all the while we cling to the feeling of self-right-ness. Self-right-ness, feeling happy and content, at ease with everything around us, excusing the sin, pacifying ourselves in our sins. We don't need, and should shun that feeling, rather seek out the truth and not be afraid of the chastising of the Lord, not be afraid to root out the sin that separates us from God and plead for forgiveness clinging to the only source of salvation, Jesus Christ and determining to hold fast to the truth in Him to save and to guide us from day to day into the fullness of that salvation.
All praise and glory to God!
Give us the truth! We can handle the truth! We need the truth in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”- Romans 12:2
Not valiant for the truth.
valiant (vàl´yent) adjective
1. Possessing valor; brave.
2. Marked by or done with valor.
valor (vàl´er) noun
Courage and boldness, as in battle; bravery.
'They are NOT valiant for the truth'
They are not brave for the truth. They don't stand up for the truth. They don't have courage for the truth.
The go from evil to evil and don't know the Lord.
If they knew the Lord they'd know truth, but they don't.
They'd rather believe lies.
How can we be valiant for the truth? Perhaps in every circumstance of our lives we are not ashamed to be witnesses for Christ? Knowing the Lord is knowing love, knowing love is being loving, being loving is revealing the great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Wanting the truth more than we want lies is a very important thing. Lies are soothing to our ears.
Isaiah {30:9} 'That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
{30:10} Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits'
People saying prophesy NOT unto us right things, speak unto us SMOOTH things.
2 Timothy {4:3} 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
{4:4} And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.'
Not endure sound doctrine. Turning away their ears from truth. Listening to fables. Why do we like to listen to fables and stories rather than sound doctrine? The later bores you? Or is it more because to hear sound doctrine means being convicted of right over wrong and we don't want to be told right from wrong when we are caught up in wrong and want to continue in the wrong. We'd rather hear stories any day over sound doctrine when one convicts the conscience and the other leaves our conscience alone allowing us to feel good about our lives.
They'll heap to themselves teaches having itching ears- this after they will not endure sound doctrine. People want to listen to those who will tell them things they want to ear, not things they don't want to hear and if sound doctrine is too bothersome they'll find someone who is willing to teach lies so they can be soothed in their world of deceit.
Wouldn't we all much rather have compliments than criticism? We bask under the glow of accolades whether it's in a simple well cooked meal, a knitted shawl, a house well kept, a heart that gives. That last doesn't seem like it should be there does it? But it's true. If any one actions stem from wanting praise heaped upon them what's that saying? The glory is going towards them and not God. We can't allow our actions to stem from selfish expectations. If we fill joyful and pleased only when we receive praise we're not going to be open to the chastising of God. We're not going to want to hear the plain truth. We'll want to listen only to those willing to pat us on the back and tell us what a good job we're doing. Hearing the truth in all things isn't easy. The truth will cause convictions, it won't smooth over our wrongdoings just so we 'like' what we're hearing. The truth doesn't change. People try and change the truth and when they do, they turn it into a lie yet they believe they still have the truth.
'Will not endure sound doctrine...turn from the truth...turned unto fables'
1 Timothy {4:1} Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
{4:2} Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
{4:3} Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
{4:4} For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
{4:5} For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
{4:6} If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
{4:7} But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.
{4:8} For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.
{4:9} This [is] a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
{4:10} For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
Departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
Remember from above- 'Will not endure sound doctrine'.
There are those who heap laws and restrictions upon walking in the way of Christ that God never intended. They worry over food, drink, whether or not a people should marry, making sure that they are worldly right rather than Godly right.
God has His laws, His commandments and Jesus didn't do away with them. Jesus showed how the Pharisees took God's laws dealing with rituals and behavior and perverted them. The Pharisees believed they were the authority of God on earth to men, and men listened to them and followed all their rules and regulations, all their strictures and confining requirements. They were taught that the more pious and such they were the closer to God they were. They were taught that by their actions they could be saved, not through the love of God, but by their own works. Jesus told them where they'd gone wrong with things, they took the love of God out of things and placed righteousness in their own hands.
Jesus taught that those who follow Him, trust in Him, accept Him, those who go and live a life in Him are those that are saved. A life of love, and loving, of fearing God rather than man, loving and thinking of others more than focusing on self, this is what Jesus taught, this is the truth.
People get so caught up in rituals and such they forget the truth.
'Some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies and hypocrisy...'
'But refuse profane and old wives fables...'
'For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.'
Does this mean we shouldn't exercise our bodies? No. It means we should focus on God first. When we focus on ourselves first there is nothing to gain. Godliness is trusting in God and our Savior, having faith and believing in Jesus, being willing to live life as He did putting God first in all things.
Jeremiah {9:3} 'And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.'
We want to be valiant for the truth don't we?
We don't want to get all caught up in lies, in seducing spirits, in fables, in smooth words easy on the ears, easy on the conscience. We want the truth!
We need the TRUTH!
How many can just hear Jack Nicoholson shouting from the witness stand in that courtroom from the scene in the movie, 'A Few Good Men.'?
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
We CAN! We have to! We have to seek the truth, we have to be valiant for the truth in God, if we're not we are lost, totally and utterly lost, giving over to the evil we want to hear rather than the truth that saves to the uttermost.
Hebrews {7:25} 'Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.'
Let us come to God through Jesus Christ, let us walk in the truth, walk in Jesus. Let us seek out the truth rather than things that will ease our conscience and kill us all the while we cling to the feeling of self-right-ness. Self-right-ness, feeling happy and content, at ease with everything around us, excusing the sin, pacifying ourselves in our sins. We don't need, and should shun that feeling, rather seek out the truth and not be afraid of the chastising of the Lord, not be afraid to root out the sin that separates us from God and plead for forgiveness clinging to the only source of salvation, Jesus Christ and determining to hold fast to the truth in Him to save and to guide us from day to day into the fullness of that salvation.
All praise and glory to God!
Give us the truth! We can handle the truth! We need the truth in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”- Romans 12:2
Monday, October 13, 2008
Truth Seekers
Prophets
It is the job of the prophet to do what? Prophesize of course. In prophesizing they are foretelling a future, giving warnings, for what other reason is there for prophecy except to forewarn? They forewarn of something to come, something that will happen and sometimes they do so with the intent on hoping to change a course of action. By revealing the outcome if a certain course is kept they are also saying if another course is taken then the outcome may be different.
Prophets are messengers of God and some prophets foretold the future events many thousands of years ago and what they've spoken of had yet to come to pass while others have spoken and all they've said has come to pass.
Jesus even said this-
Luke {24:27} And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke {24:44} And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
John {6:43} Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
{6:44} No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
{6:45} It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
His disciples said this-
John {1:45} Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
**
Do you see? Jesus was prophesized about and He even talked to His disciples about it, showing them in the scriptures all about the prophecy of Himself being realized.
Prophecy is important make no mistake about that, were even warned against false prophets.
Matthew {7:15} Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
1 John {4:1} Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Peter {2:1} But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Where there is false there is true.
The reason I'm mentioning all this about prophets is because Jeremiah was a prophet of God and in talking about the truth here's a few verses on what he had to say- it's all prophetic and so true. God's chosen people the Israelites were given so many chances to become truly right with God and over and over they went their own way. As people today, God's spiritual Israelites we too are in danger of going our own way. We can only truly be God's people, God's chosen if we love Him and do as He says to do, it's out of that love we live and living in that love by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is so important.
Jeremiah {5:1} Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
{5:2} And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
{5:3} O LORD, [are] not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, [but] they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
Truth seekers.
God's eyes are upon the truth.
Are you a truth seeker?
We need to be truth seekers all of us. For God's eyes are upon the truth. God gives us the truth and we have to choose to walk in that truth. If we choose not to walk in that truth we are accountable for our actions. Is it easy to walk in the truth? No. Narrow is the way. It's a way that only a few will find in the grand scheme of thing and why is it so narrow and why will only a few find this path if Jesus' love is so amazing and so wonderful? If He is all forgiving and all loving then how will it be possible that only a few find the path to Him? It's because that path is a way of life not just an hour in the morning, not just an afternoon on a church bench, not just a couple hours in Bible study. The truth is a way of life. Jesus is that way. Does this mean that we all need to be monks in a matter of speaking? I say yes, but spiritual monks. Our day to day life no matter what we are doing has to be done in Christ, with Christ. We have to walk with him every moment of the day not set Him aside while we get on with life and pick Him up again at our convenience.
The truth.
Jesus is the truth. Living a life for Him, with Him is the truth.
We can't fool ourselves like God's chosen people of old did over and over and over, thinking that we can walk our own paths without God and expect to be His. We can't refuse to receive correction... we can't, not and expect to live with Him one day.
We have to seek the truth and when we find it, walk in it by the grace and mercy of Jesus.
The Third Epistle of John
3 John
{1:1} The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
{1:2} Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
{1:3} For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
{1:4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Amen
It is the job of the prophet to do what? Prophesize of course. In prophesizing they are foretelling a future, giving warnings, for what other reason is there for prophecy except to forewarn? They forewarn of something to come, something that will happen and sometimes they do so with the intent on hoping to change a course of action. By revealing the outcome if a certain course is kept they are also saying if another course is taken then the outcome may be different.
Prophets are messengers of God and some prophets foretold the future events many thousands of years ago and what they've spoken of had yet to come to pass while others have spoken and all they've said has come to pass.
Jesus even said this-
Luke {24:27} And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke {24:44} And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
John {6:43} Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
{6:44} No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
{6:45} It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
His disciples said this-
John {1:45} Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
**
Do you see? Jesus was prophesized about and He even talked to His disciples about it, showing them in the scriptures all about the prophecy of Himself being realized.
Prophecy is important make no mistake about that, were even warned against false prophets.
Matthew {7:15} Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
1 John {4:1} Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Peter {2:1} But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Where there is false there is true.
The reason I'm mentioning all this about prophets is because Jeremiah was a prophet of God and in talking about the truth here's a few verses on what he had to say- it's all prophetic and so true. God's chosen people the Israelites were given so many chances to become truly right with God and over and over they went their own way. As people today, God's spiritual Israelites we too are in danger of going our own way. We can only truly be God's people, God's chosen if we love Him and do as He says to do, it's out of that love we live and living in that love by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is so important.
Jeremiah {5:1} Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
{5:2} And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
{5:3} O LORD, [are] not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, [but] they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
Truth seekers.
God's eyes are upon the truth.
Are you a truth seeker?
We need to be truth seekers all of us. For God's eyes are upon the truth. God gives us the truth and we have to choose to walk in that truth. If we choose not to walk in that truth we are accountable for our actions. Is it easy to walk in the truth? No. Narrow is the way. It's a way that only a few will find in the grand scheme of thing and why is it so narrow and why will only a few find this path if Jesus' love is so amazing and so wonderful? If He is all forgiving and all loving then how will it be possible that only a few find the path to Him? It's because that path is a way of life not just an hour in the morning, not just an afternoon on a church bench, not just a couple hours in Bible study. The truth is a way of life. Jesus is that way. Does this mean that we all need to be monks in a matter of speaking? I say yes, but spiritual monks. Our day to day life no matter what we are doing has to be done in Christ, with Christ. We have to walk with him every moment of the day not set Him aside while we get on with life and pick Him up again at our convenience.
The truth.
Jesus is the truth. Living a life for Him, with Him is the truth.
We can't fool ourselves like God's chosen people of old did over and over and over, thinking that we can walk our own paths without God and expect to be His. We can't refuse to receive correction... we can't, not and expect to live with Him one day.
We have to seek the truth and when we find it, walk in it by the grace and mercy of Jesus.
The Third Epistle of John
3 John
{1:1} The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
{1:2} Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
{1:3} For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
{1:4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Amen
Sunday, October 12, 2008
May we all choose truth
Jeremiah {4:2} And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
The Lord lives in...
Truth
Judgment
Righteousness
How beauitful that is. There is no guile, no laspe in judgment, no unrighteousness in God. As human beings we like when we find an honest person. That person who finds a wallet and returns it money intact. The person who sees you've over paid and gives you the extra back. The person who goes the extra mile to do a good, honest job. We all love finding that person especially if it's a car mechanic, a small appliance store worker, a cashier, it restores our faith in mankind when we witness or are part of an act of honesty.
God is forever honest, forever truthful.
Acts around us can be as sinful as they come, but God is truth.
We wouldn't want to follow a lying God, would we?
Many choose to follow a lying angel gone bad without any hesitation. They let Him lead their lives in all they do and don't think twice about it.
God is truth now and always and if you want truth in your life you need God, all else is lies.
If you don't have God you have lies no matter how pretty they are, no matter how relaxed and sweet your life is, no matter how together you think you have it, you don't it's all lies.
If your life isn't all sweet and nice, but drudgery putting in time at work, trying to get a little time in to relax, one day after the other all of them almost the same, it still matters.
God needs to be in our lives no matter the walk we are on, no matter the circumstances. Rich, poor, happy, sad, in pain, pain-free, confused, unconfused, none of that matters beyond the truth. God. In all walks of life we need the truth in God in our lives. It's not easy, not when we have so much temptation to sin and embrace the sins because they do bring us pleasure, they do ease some of what we think of as life's pain.
Life isn't easy, not living in a world of sin. Some think that because they were thrown into this mess, that they didn't ask to be born, that they didn't make things the way they are it gives them the right to embrace all the temptations, satisfy their base needs wherever they can, it's their right because they exist.
Just being alive gives each person the right to choose. Circumstances don't matter, they have the right to choose and it's our choices that determine whether we follow truth or lies, whether we follow the God of truth or the father of lies. Make no mistake- it's a choice we all make, even if we veil it thickly trying to disguise the fact we have to make it so we can lie to ourselves and try to believe we never had a choice so that makes us innocent.
Jeremiah {4:2} And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
The Lord liveth in truth, judgment, and righteousness.
May we all choose truth, by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
“Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”- Proverbs 19:20-21
The Lord lives in...
Truth
Judgment
Righteousness
How beauitful that is. There is no guile, no laspe in judgment, no unrighteousness in God. As human beings we like when we find an honest person. That person who finds a wallet and returns it money intact. The person who sees you've over paid and gives you the extra back. The person who goes the extra mile to do a good, honest job. We all love finding that person especially if it's a car mechanic, a small appliance store worker, a cashier, it restores our faith in mankind when we witness or are part of an act of honesty.
God is forever honest, forever truthful.
Acts around us can be as sinful as they come, but God is truth.
We wouldn't want to follow a lying God, would we?
Many choose to follow a lying angel gone bad without any hesitation. They let Him lead their lives in all they do and don't think twice about it.
God is truth now and always and if you want truth in your life you need God, all else is lies.
If you don't have God you have lies no matter how pretty they are, no matter how relaxed and sweet your life is, no matter how together you think you have it, you don't it's all lies.
If your life isn't all sweet and nice, but drudgery putting in time at work, trying to get a little time in to relax, one day after the other all of them almost the same, it still matters.
God needs to be in our lives no matter the walk we are on, no matter the circumstances. Rich, poor, happy, sad, in pain, pain-free, confused, unconfused, none of that matters beyond the truth. God. In all walks of life we need the truth in God in our lives. It's not easy, not when we have so much temptation to sin and embrace the sins because they do bring us pleasure, they do ease some of what we think of as life's pain.
Life isn't easy, not living in a world of sin. Some think that because they were thrown into this mess, that they didn't ask to be born, that they didn't make things the way they are it gives them the right to embrace all the temptations, satisfy their base needs wherever they can, it's their right because they exist.
Just being alive gives each person the right to choose. Circumstances don't matter, they have the right to choose and it's our choices that determine whether we follow truth or lies, whether we follow the God of truth or the father of lies. Make no mistake- it's a choice we all make, even if we veil it thickly trying to disguise the fact we have to make it so we can lie to ourselves and try to believe we never had a choice so that makes us innocent.
Jeremiah {4:2} And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
The Lord liveth in truth, judgment, and righteousness.
May we all choose truth, by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
“Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”- Proverbs 19:20-21
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Directed In Truth
Isaiah{59:18} According to [their] deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. {59:19} So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.{59:20} And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.{59:21} As for me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that [is] upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
How mighty is the Lord, how amazingly mighty. He would have us know that this isn't some silly game, that life isn't something without consequence. There is a battlefield and we all play upon it every single one of us. The Lord shows forth His majesty, His power, His love, because in truth, we know even in our day that good and evil exist and while evil often seems to have the upper hand it will be good that wins out in the end. Sounds like a silly fairy tale, or one of those sappy love stories? Let it, there is a reason why those stories exist, why people created them and why they were and are so popular. People have hope and often when they don't find it in their own lives they're willing to try and find it even in stories because it does exist.
The enemies will be vanquished ultimately. All will fear and reverence the name of the Lord. While the enemy is seemingly overwhelming, the Lord alone is mighty enough to destroy them.
In our individual lives we fight the same battle on a daily basis and we have a Redeemer if we turn from sin.
Yes, I said it.
Yes, I meant it.
Jesus is our Redeemer, without Him there is no hope at all, none. Yet sin separates us from God. As He forgives us our sins and we are redeemed it's out of sin we are redeemed, not in it. The breech that separates us is gone. Jesus forgives us and we repent and turn from our sins. We go to Jesus all caught up in our sins and He forgives us as we ask for forgiveness. In asking for forgiveness we recognize our sins, we recognize our unworthiness and cling to Jesus' grace and mercy to forgive- knowing that we have much to be forgiven for. To know we've done wrong is to recognize the wrong. To know you're a sinner is to recognize the sin you commit. Once awareness exists and we plead for forgiveness we are telling God that we know this sin we've committed has separated us from Him and we don't want to be separated from Him we want to be with Him. Jesus forgives us. He understands. A true repentant heart is something He is very familiar with. The repentant heart knows that the sin is wrong and is something to be turned from. Will turning from sin save us? Never. Only Jesus can save us. Out of love we don't want to sin, we don't want to keep doing the things that will separate us from God. Yes, sin offers all the pleasures you can imagine. Sin is addictive. Sin is insidious not wanting to ever let us go. If even a single sin is cherished it's enough to separate us from God. We have to lay our hearts open to God and accept the forgiveness He offers and choose to let the Holy Spirit work within us, listening to the Holy Spirit as our conscience reveals the sins in our lives and offers us a choice.
None of this is easy, none of it, but God will prevail easy or not, in the end ALL sin will be done away with. Every sinner that has not gone to Christ and embraced His gift of salvation with a true repentant heart, will be destroyed. There isn't going to be any last second reprieves, no surprise ending where everything turns our happily ever after for those choosing to sin. 'According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay...' We have hope in Jesus, He is our only hope. Clinging to Him through faith is the hope we have. The deed of seeking forgiveness will be repaid accordingly, as well as the deed of embracing sin and having no hope, no faith.
Thousands and thousands of years ago those words were written- 'and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.' And guess what? It's true. Today the words are still being spoken.
Isaiah{60:1} Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. {60:2} For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. {60:3} And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. {60:4} Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.{60:5} Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. {60:6} The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. {60:7} All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. {60:8} Who [are] these [that] fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?{60:9} Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. {60:10} And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. {60:11} Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that [men] may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and [that] their kings [may be] brought.{60:12} For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, [those] nations shall be utterly wasted. {60:13} The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. {60:14} The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles ofthy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.{60:15} Whereas thou hastbeen forsaken and hated, so that no man went through [thee,] I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. {60:16} Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,the mighty One of Jacob. {60:17} For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, andthine exactors righteousness. {60:18} Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. {60:19} The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. {60:20} Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thymourning shall be ended. {60:21} Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may beglorified. {60:22} A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.{61:1} The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;
Remember-
Luke {4:18} The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, {4:19} To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. {4:20} And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. {4:21} And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
The prophet Isaiah foretold of so much and he did so in words that could be understood. The glorious coming of a Redeemer, a life where God is worshipped as He should be by a people that love Him. The glory of it alone is so overwhelmingly amazing. It sounds to good to be true and we try and try to imagine it and we can when we realize that it's not promised as long as sin reigns. For as long as sin reigns mourning will exist and these are days when all mourning has ended and that won't be until Christ comes again and then after that the earth is made new and there is no more sin, the enemies are gone once and for all.
Isaiah{61:2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; {61:3} To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.{61:4} And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. {61:5} And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.{61:6} But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: [men] shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.{61:7} For your shame [ye shall have] double; and [for] confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. {61:8} For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.{61:9} And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they [are] the seed [which] the LORD hath blessed. {61:10} I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath coveredme with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels. {61:11} For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.{62:1} For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth. {62:2} And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shallname. {62:3} Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. {62:4} Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.{62:5} For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin, [so] shall thy sons marry thee: and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, [so] shall thy God rejoice over thee. {62:6} I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, {62:7} And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.{62:8} The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn [to be] meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: {62:9} But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.{62:10} Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highways; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.{62:11} Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward [is] with him, and his work before him.{62:12} And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Right now those who are God's are His favored. Those who are not with God are those not favored. When Jesus comes He will come for those that are His and all those that aren't will see and understand. Those that choose not to be God's will know the error of their ways, they will understand the choices they made we're wrong, they will see the opportunities they had and how they squandered them. They will also know and see those who are Christ's and will have no choice but to realize that God's way truly was the way of the righteous.
Here and now we have so much pain and heartache, fleeting joys surrounded by lingering agonies and yet we try to cling to the hope it'll work out but don't seek the only source of hope.
We need Jesus. We need His mercy. We need the Holy Spirit of truth in our lives.
'For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH,'
The Lord loves judgment why? Because it is righteousness, it is the ultimate truth without deception, it is the perfect standard without any guile. Unlike our court system today where judges often get things wrong, there will be no wrong judgments from God, not one, they will all be perfect and just. Sacrifices are --
Psalms {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
False sacrifices, actions stemming not from a contrite heart, aren't acceptable to God.
Truth is the mercy and love of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
The prophets of old knew this and all this would be passed down from generation to generation.
Jesus spoke of the prophets, used the scriptures and never said they were of no value and to be discarded.
You'll get people today who will try and set up *new* ways and call it God's way, Jesus' way, but in truth, the way was set from the beginning and we can see throughout the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, that the love and truth of God is there, all of it.
We want our work directed in truth, God's truth. May God do that- may He direct our work in truth through the mercy and grace of His Son, may our work be in Him now and forever, in truth.
Amen.
How mighty is the Lord, how amazingly mighty. He would have us know that this isn't some silly game, that life isn't something without consequence. There is a battlefield and we all play upon it every single one of us. The Lord shows forth His majesty, His power, His love, because in truth, we know even in our day that good and evil exist and while evil often seems to have the upper hand it will be good that wins out in the end. Sounds like a silly fairy tale, or one of those sappy love stories? Let it, there is a reason why those stories exist, why people created them and why they were and are so popular. People have hope and often when they don't find it in their own lives they're willing to try and find it even in stories because it does exist.
The enemies will be vanquished ultimately. All will fear and reverence the name of the Lord. While the enemy is seemingly overwhelming, the Lord alone is mighty enough to destroy them.
In our individual lives we fight the same battle on a daily basis and we have a Redeemer if we turn from sin.
Yes, I said it.
Yes, I meant it.
Jesus is our Redeemer, without Him there is no hope at all, none. Yet sin separates us from God. As He forgives us our sins and we are redeemed it's out of sin we are redeemed, not in it. The breech that separates us is gone. Jesus forgives us and we repent and turn from our sins. We go to Jesus all caught up in our sins and He forgives us as we ask for forgiveness. In asking for forgiveness we recognize our sins, we recognize our unworthiness and cling to Jesus' grace and mercy to forgive- knowing that we have much to be forgiven for. To know we've done wrong is to recognize the wrong. To know you're a sinner is to recognize the sin you commit. Once awareness exists and we plead for forgiveness we are telling God that we know this sin we've committed has separated us from Him and we don't want to be separated from Him we want to be with Him. Jesus forgives us. He understands. A true repentant heart is something He is very familiar with. The repentant heart knows that the sin is wrong and is something to be turned from. Will turning from sin save us? Never. Only Jesus can save us. Out of love we don't want to sin, we don't want to keep doing the things that will separate us from God. Yes, sin offers all the pleasures you can imagine. Sin is addictive. Sin is insidious not wanting to ever let us go. If even a single sin is cherished it's enough to separate us from God. We have to lay our hearts open to God and accept the forgiveness He offers and choose to let the Holy Spirit work within us, listening to the Holy Spirit as our conscience reveals the sins in our lives and offers us a choice.
None of this is easy, none of it, but God will prevail easy or not, in the end ALL sin will be done away with. Every sinner that has not gone to Christ and embraced His gift of salvation with a true repentant heart, will be destroyed. There isn't going to be any last second reprieves, no surprise ending where everything turns our happily ever after for those choosing to sin. 'According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay...' We have hope in Jesus, He is our only hope. Clinging to Him through faith is the hope we have. The deed of seeking forgiveness will be repaid accordingly, as well as the deed of embracing sin and having no hope, no faith.
Thousands and thousands of years ago those words were written- 'and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.' And guess what? It's true. Today the words are still being spoken.
Isaiah{60:1} Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. {60:2} For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. {60:3} And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. {60:4} Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.{60:5} Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. {60:6} The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. {60:7} All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. {60:8} Who [are] these [that] fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?{60:9} Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. {60:10} And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. {60:11} Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that [men] may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and [that] their kings [may be] brought.{60:12} For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, [those] nations shall be utterly wasted. {60:13} The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. {60:14} The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles ofthy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.{60:15} Whereas thou hastbeen forsaken and hated, so that no man went through [thee,] I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. {60:16} Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,the mighty One of Jacob. {60:17} For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, andthine exactors righteousness. {60:18} Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. {60:19} The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. {60:20} Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thymourning shall be ended. {60:21} Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may beglorified. {60:22} A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.{61:1} The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;
Remember-
Luke {4:18} The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, {4:19} To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. {4:20} And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. {4:21} And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
The prophet Isaiah foretold of so much and he did so in words that could be understood. The glorious coming of a Redeemer, a life where God is worshipped as He should be by a people that love Him. The glory of it alone is so overwhelmingly amazing. It sounds to good to be true and we try and try to imagine it and we can when we realize that it's not promised as long as sin reigns. For as long as sin reigns mourning will exist and these are days when all mourning has ended and that won't be until Christ comes again and then after that the earth is made new and there is no more sin, the enemies are gone once and for all.
Isaiah{61:2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; {61:3} To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.{61:4} And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. {61:5} And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.{61:6} But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: [men] shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.{61:7} For your shame [ye shall have] double; and [for] confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. {61:8} For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.{61:9} And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they [are] the seed [which] the LORD hath blessed. {61:10} I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath coveredme with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels. {61:11} For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.{62:1} For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth. {62:2} And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shallname. {62:3} Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. {62:4} Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.{62:5} For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin, [so] shall thy sons marry thee: and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, [so] shall thy God rejoice over thee. {62:6} I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, {62:7} And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.{62:8} The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn [to be] meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: {62:9} But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.{62:10} Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highways; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.{62:11} Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward [is] with him, and his work before him.{62:12} And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Right now those who are God's are His favored. Those who are not with God are those not favored. When Jesus comes He will come for those that are His and all those that aren't will see and understand. Those that choose not to be God's will know the error of their ways, they will understand the choices they made we're wrong, they will see the opportunities they had and how they squandered them. They will also know and see those who are Christ's and will have no choice but to realize that God's way truly was the way of the righteous.
Here and now we have so much pain and heartache, fleeting joys surrounded by lingering agonies and yet we try to cling to the hope it'll work out but don't seek the only source of hope.
We need Jesus. We need His mercy. We need the Holy Spirit of truth in our lives.
'For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH,'
The Lord loves judgment why? Because it is righteousness, it is the ultimate truth without deception, it is the perfect standard without any guile. Unlike our court system today where judges often get things wrong, there will be no wrong judgments from God, not one, they will all be perfect and just. Sacrifices are --
Psalms {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
False sacrifices, actions stemming not from a contrite heart, aren't acceptable to God.
Truth is the mercy and love of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
The prophets of old knew this and all this would be passed down from generation to generation.
Jesus spoke of the prophets, used the scriptures and never said they were of no value and to be discarded.
You'll get people today who will try and set up *new* ways and call it God's way, Jesus' way, but in truth, the way was set from the beginning and we can see throughout the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, that the love and truth of God is there, all of it.
We want our work directed in truth, God's truth. May God do that- may He direct our work in truth through the mercy and grace of His Son, may our work be in Him now and forever, in truth.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)