Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
A strong habitation. A fortified city. A protected home. Most of us have seen a strong habitation- if not in person then on television or in books. What is the most heavily guarded place you've ever seen? What comes to mind when you think of a strong habitation? Fort Knox perhaps, which is the Bullion Depository where the majority of U.S. gold is kept. That place is one of the most protected, the most fortified, the strongest habitation in the U.S. However most of us do not have access to that sort of protected place.
Where would you go if you were seeking to be protected? A friend's house? A police station? When you're in immediate danger you most likely would run to the nearest home seeking shelter and help from the danger you're in. A person usually isn't very discriminatory when they are in desperate need- though they'd choose a strong house over a little falling down shack if given a choice.
Let me ask another question, where do you go for constant protection, what place to you is a place of continuous refuge? Is it your own home? Most people feel safe in their own homes don't they? Maybe you're coming home late at night and you're in your driveway and feel a sense of foreboding so you rush into your house to safety, that sense of relief as you lock the door keeping out any danger real or imagined makes you feel better almost instantly doesn't it? You've come to a place of refuge.
Throughout life we encounter many frightening situations, we face numerous moments of vulnerability where NO strong habitation can make us feel safe. These are moments of internal terror and panic, of distress and fear, the times when we are filled with anxiety and overcome with worry. You can be in the safest place on earth and still have fear within and no lock or key, no thick walls or strong steel doors can take care of that internal distress.
When David prayed these words- 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…' He was not talking about a physical habitation. He was talking about finding safety and protection in God's love, in God's strength.
Do you have a friend or loved one you might call your 'rock', someone you turn to when you need a strong shoulder to lean on, someone you know will be there to comfort you and help you in any way they possibly can? Maybe you have a whole family of strong shoulders to lean on, or maybe you don't have a single person you can rely upon. Even when we do have family and friends to lean upon all too often in life those strong shoulders seem to disappear, and disappoint. God is one who will NEVER disappear or disappoint. God is forever a strong habitation for us to continually resort to. God is REAL. Too many believe in God in a very abstract way as someone who is there but not really there. When we get to that 'not really there' bit we are not truly believing in God as being as real as you and I are real. God is more real than any of us, God is more sure than a single person, God is a more strong refuge than any earthly habitation will ever be. We have to believe this! David believed this. God was very, very real to David- and God needs to be very, very real to us!
David understood that God was a strong habitation where he could continually resort. He could continually go to God for protection, for safety. God is one who would NEVER betray, NEVER disappoint, NEVER disappear.
Satan has us so confused that we almost instantly BLAME God when things go wrong in life rather than RESORT TO God for comfort. We forget that God is good, that God is love, that God is righteous. We forget everything positive and choose to blame God for NOT letting things go the way we want them too. Not preventing death of a loved one, not stopping a storm from tearing every possession from us, not curing the chronically ill, the chronically pain-filled person's life, keeping new life from us. We BLAME God because we believe He is in control and choosing to allow bad stuff to happen to us without discretion. We believe that God DOESN'T know what is best in the eternal scheme of life. Surely if He knew better He wouldn't hurt us who love Him that way. How can we believe God truly loves us if we equally believe He will hurt us unjustly, that He allows our lives to become chaotic messes on a whim? The two beliefs are opposing, not complimenting. We CAN'T believe one thing and believe the opposite or one of those beliefs is our true belief and the other a false one. We can't believe dark is light and dark is dark. It's one or the other. We can't believe God is evil and love. When we take our OWN sinfilled natures and tack them onto our God we pervert who He truly is. We can say we love someone and then hurt them without concern for them. We can tell someone we love them and will honor them and then turn on them and hate them and dishonor them- WE DO that all the time because we are SINNERS! When we make God like us with the ability to evilly HATE us and LOVE us imperfectly we take away His Godhood and make Him human- we make Him a sinning human. Is it any wonder people question God's love when they take away His status as God? Is it any wonder people question God when they start to believe He isn't love? Satan wants us to believe badly of God or not believe at all in God, either way Satan is pleased.
David prayed-
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
God is a strong habitation, a place of safety - He holds the safety of our eternal lives within His grasp and it is to God we must continually resort. Not just go to God once as if we are getting a God vaccine good for protection the rest of our lives if we accept Him once. How often do you think of your vaccines- the ones you've received as a child? Or even as an adult? Rarely. Occasionally. Seldom. Often. Never. We need to think of God all the time, part of that is in praying always. We need to always have God with us not the occasional thought - not the brief morning thought, not the mealtime blessing thought, not the nighttime prayer- but always. God needs to be in our lives continually. We need to resort to God continually as the source of hope and strength, of safety, of love. If we fill our lives with all that is depressing and hopeless we are NOT trusting in God, we are not continually resorting to Him but retreating from Him. The further we retreat from God the more hopeless everything becomes. Some might argue that and say that when they deny God and stopped depending upon Him their lives were instantly better. They took over their own lives, taking responsibility for all that goes on with themselves finding strength, hope, and empowerment within themselves making them better people. Do you know what that is? That's Satan gifting them with that belief so they won't find salvation in Jesus Christ. Satan is cunning and will use everything and anything at his disposal to get us to abandon God- he'll use good as well as bad things to trap us to him.
We need to pray as David prayed-
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
Let us continually resort to You God in all things, in all ways, everyday, all day, without ceasing- knowing YOU are our strong habitation, knowing we can go to You in all situations. Instead of blaming you Lord help us to resort to You and know that all evil stems from Satan and while it is allowed- it is only allowed temporarily when compared to eternity. That the Kingdom of God will one day exist without any evil at all whatsoever and that we can possess the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
In Your amazing love! Keep us from evil!
Amen.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Incline thine ear unto me
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Lord, hear me! Lord, save me!
Asking God to save us is something we must do and not just once, but often. Just as there is much we need to escape from in this sin sick world there is a great need to be saved. We need to be saved from enemies seen and unseen and this is a fact. People may scoff at such talk but it's true, the unseen spiritual attacks are plentiful and unceasing. We war against principalities and powers, wickedness- not just flesh and blood.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Asking God to save us is something God's beloved David did often...
Psa 6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 7:1 …O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
Psa 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 54:1 ...Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
Psa 69:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Psa 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy
Psa 119:94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
Psa 119:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
Psa 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
David faced a lot of physical threats to his life and where did He go for help? GOD.
David faced a lot of emotionally trying times and where did He go for help? GOD.
Isa 38:20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Amen!
Being saved by God there is NOTHING more important that that, nothing.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus was sent into the world NOT to condemn it, NOT to find it unworthy of being saved. Jesus came to the world that though HIM the world might be SAVED.
The purpose of the sinless One taking on flesh, the purpose of a God emptying Himself to become uniquely human and God was to SAVE US!
Php 2:5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Php 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men
Joh 5:30 I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Joh 5:32 It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Joh 5:33 Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:34 But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.
Joh 10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.
We CANNOT save ourselves, we must be SAVED. Is it any wonder at all that we should cry to our God to be saved? Only by crying out to be saved do we acknowledge salvation is found without ourselves and in another.
Save me!
If we were to hear these words as we were walking down a street what would we think? That someone needed help, right?
We need help! We need the help of our Savior for only He can save us for eternity!
*******
Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear
Psa 17:6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Psa 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Psa 116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Please Lord incline Your ear to hear us! Please Lord, SAVE US, all in YOUR righteousness by YOUR grace and mercy!
Amen!
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Lord, hear me! Lord, save me!
Asking God to save us is something we must do and not just once, but often. Just as there is much we need to escape from in this sin sick world there is a great need to be saved. We need to be saved from enemies seen and unseen and this is a fact. People may scoff at such talk but it's true, the unseen spiritual attacks are plentiful and unceasing. We war against principalities and powers, wickedness- not just flesh and blood.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Asking God to save us is something God's beloved David did often...
Psa 6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 7:1 …O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
Psa 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 54:1 ...Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
Psa 69:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Psa 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy
Psa 119:94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
Psa 119:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
Psa 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
David faced a lot of physical threats to his life and where did He go for help? GOD.
David faced a lot of emotionally trying times and where did He go for help? GOD.
Isa 38:20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Amen!
Being saved by God there is NOTHING more important that that, nothing.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus was sent into the world NOT to condemn it, NOT to find it unworthy of being saved. Jesus came to the world that though HIM the world might be SAVED.
The purpose of the sinless One taking on flesh, the purpose of a God emptying Himself to become uniquely human and God was to SAVE US!
Php 2:5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Php 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men
Joh 5:30 I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Joh 5:32 It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Joh 5:33 Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:34 But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.
Joh 10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.
We CANNOT save ourselves, we must be SAVED. Is it any wonder at all that we should cry to our God to be saved? Only by crying out to be saved do we acknowledge salvation is found without ourselves and in another.
Save me!
If we were to hear these words as we were walking down a street what would we think? That someone needed help, right?
We need help! We need the help of our Savior for only He can save us for eternity!
*******
Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear
Psa 17:6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Psa 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Psa 116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Please Lord incline Your ear to hear us! Please Lord, SAVE US, all in YOUR righteousness by YOUR grace and mercy!
Amen!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Cause me to escape
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
Cause me to escape.
What do we need to escape from? Seriously, what?
Psa 141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Wicked nets. Yes, we need to escape from the wicked and their evil nets they lay down hoping to trap those that would be God's.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Watch…pray always…to be accounted worthy to escape all these things…
Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
So much to escape!
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
How are we worthy to escape? ONLY IN CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS! We need HIM to cause us to escape! We need to escape there is no doubt about it but it's not escaping out of the trials and tribulations, but escaping the evils of the world so that we may possess the good world- eternal life in Christ our Savior. We need to escape the EVIL that can and will seduce so many people. Snares will come on ALL them that dwell on the face of the whole earth, ALL them! Snares will come- we can escape from those snares though and that escape is in our Savior no where else!
Is it any wonder we should pray-- 'cause me to escape' ? We need to be caused to escape. On our own we cannot escape of that there is NO doubt at all whatsoever. Christ can cause us to escape through HIS righteousness- remember this- 'Deliver me in thy righteousness' it comes right before this- 'cause me to escape'. We escape the evil that would take God from us, that would strip eternal life in the goodness o our Lord and Savior only through Christ's righteousness.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
How shall we escape if we neglect CHRIST as our SAVIOR?! We won't, we really, really won't escape any evil whatsoever but by Christ our Lord. He is our hope! Our ONLY hope!
In His love!
Forever and always!
Amen.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
Cause me to escape.
What do we need to escape from? Seriously, what?
Psa 141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Wicked nets. Yes, we need to escape from the wicked and their evil nets they lay down hoping to trap those that would be God's.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Watch…pray always…to be accounted worthy to escape all these things…
Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
So much to escape!
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
How are we worthy to escape? ONLY IN CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS! We need HIM to cause us to escape! We need to escape there is no doubt about it but it's not escaping out of the trials and tribulations, but escaping the evils of the world so that we may possess the good world- eternal life in Christ our Savior. We need to escape the EVIL that can and will seduce so many people. Snares will come on ALL them that dwell on the face of the whole earth, ALL them! Snares will come- we can escape from those snares though and that escape is in our Savior no where else!
Is it any wonder we should pray-- 'cause me to escape' ? We need to be caused to escape. On our own we cannot escape of that there is NO doubt at all whatsoever. Christ can cause us to escape through HIS righteousness- remember this- 'Deliver me in thy righteousness' it comes right before this- 'cause me to escape'. We escape the evil that would take God from us, that would strip eternal life in the goodness o our Lord and Savior only through Christ's righteousness.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
How shall we escape if we neglect CHRIST as our SAVIOR?! We won't, we really, really won't escape any evil whatsoever but by Christ our Lord. He is our hope! Our ONLY hope!
In His love!
Forever and always!
Amen.
Thy righteousness
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness
This does NOT say deliver me in my righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my friend's righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my loved one's righteousness.
This tell us that we are delivered in GOD'S righteousness.
Oh if only we could truly comprehend this! If only we could understand that we have NO righteousness of our own. No possible way whatsoever to deserve eternal life. No possible way to ever earn eternal life on our own merit. If we live believing that as long as we are *good* we will get to heaven, we are sadly, and lethally mistaken. God is good. God enables us to be good and it's only through HIS enabling us to be good in anyway that we have goodness in our lives. Without God no good is possible, no true goodness exists. There is a false goodness and it exists in such magnitude most believe it's real goodness because they know very little else. They know it in part as being good enough, having good intentions, good ideas, being as good as can be, mostly good, a good person overall- you know what I'm saying. We do know good and we evil, and yet so much good is evil in disguise and Satan loves it that way. If he can get whole churches of seemingly *good* people believing they are saved in their goodness he has won them without them ever suspecting. It sounds cruel but NO one is deceived unless they desire to be confused- unless they deep down desire to live their lives under a cloak of self-deception that allows them to believe more in their own selves than in their Savior, their God.
This is God's word--
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our BEST at being good, at being righteous is as a FILTHY RAG!
Yes, I'm shouting it! Yes, I mean it, because GOD means it! Yes, I want to scream this out like a preacher of old, shouting down the rafters of a church, like a prophet of old letting His voice echo against the rocky hills. We have NO righteousness to claim as our own and if we plan on standing before God and pointing to ourselves explaining how we did this bit of goodness and that bit of righteousness and can we please live eternally - all we will get as a response is a sad no. We cannot expect any goodness in ourselves to save us, not the tiniest speck, not the largest act of kindness. People talk all the time about being redeemed by an act of goodness. We are not redeemed to eternal life by any act of goodness of our own, not by any sacrifice we make, not by any exceptional life we may truly, in fact lead. We are ONLY redeemed by our Savior through HIS righteousness, His life, His death, His love.
Accepting that our Savior Jesus Christ is our ONLY righteousness is something we need to cling to!
Any righteousness that we even think we might possess comes solely from God. We do need praise and thank God for all good because of ourselves we have none.
Joh 5:30 'I can of mine own self do nothing…'
Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Zec 9:17 For how great is his goodness
Whatever we do…
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
*******
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee
1Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
1Sa 24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
Psa 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Rescue, recover, save me! Deliver me in thy righteousness!
Only by your love, only by your grace, only by YOUR righteousness, all by faith.
Amen!
This does NOT say deliver me in my righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my friend's righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my loved one's righteousness.
This tell us that we are delivered in GOD'S righteousness.
Oh if only we could truly comprehend this! If only we could understand that we have NO righteousness of our own. No possible way whatsoever to deserve eternal life. No possible way to ever earn eternal life on our own merit. If we live believing that as long as we are *good* we will get to heaven, we are sadly, and lethally mistaken. God is good. God enables us to be good and it's only through HIS enabling us to be good in anyway that we have goodness in our lives. Without God no good is possible, no true goodness exists. There is a false goodness and it exists in such magnitude most believe it's real goodness because they know very little else. They know it in part as being good enough, having good intentions, good ideas, being as good as can be, mostly good, a good person overall- you know what I'm saying. We do know good and we evil, and yet so much good is evil in disguise and Satan loves it that way. If he can get whole churches of seemingly *good* people believing they are saved in their goodness he has won them without them ever suspecting. It sounds cruel but NO one is deceived unless they desire to be confused- unless they deep down desire to live their lives under a cloak of self-deception that allows them to believe more in their own selves than in their Savior, their God.
This is God's word--
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our BEST at being good, at being righteous is as a FILTHY RAG!
Yes, I'm shouting it! Yes, I mean it, because GOD means it! Yes, I want to scream this out like a preacher of old, shouting down the rafters of a church, like a prophet of old letting His voice echo against the rocky hills. We have NO righteousness to claim as our own and if we plan on standing before God and pointing to ourselves explaining how we did this bit of goodness and that bit of righteousness and can we please live eternally - all we will get as a response is a sad no. We cannot expect any goodness in ourselves to save us, not the tiniest speck, not the largest act of kindness. People talk all the time about being redeemed by an act of goodness. We are not redeemed to eternal life by any act of goodness of our own, not by any sacrifice we make, not by any exceptional life we may truly, in fact lead. We are ONLY redeemed by our Savior through HIS righteousness, His life, His death, His love.
Accepting that our Savior Jesus Christ is our ONLY righteousness is something we need to cling to!
Any righteousness that we even think we might possess comes solely from God. We do need praise and thank God for all good because of ourselves we have none.
Joh 5:30 'I can of mine own self do nothing…'
Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Zec 9:17 For how great is his goodness
Whatever we do…
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
*******
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee
1Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
1Sa 24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
Psa 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Rescue, recover, save me! Deliver me in thy righteousness!
Only by your love, only by your grace, only by YOUR righteousness, all by faith.
Amen!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
In thee O LORD do I put my trust
Beautiful.
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust.
This is where our trust belongs, not in ourselves, not in each other but in the LORD. Inevitably when we put our trust in others and ourselves that trust is broken. Do you think it strange that I say putting our trust in our self- ends up with a broken trust? We don't betray ourselves do we? All too often we really do. All too often we'll be filled with regret over something we've done and that's usually the result of breaking a trust we have in ourselves to do or not do something. When we sin and are filled with the regret of that sin - we've broken a trust we WANT to be able to have in ourselves. Is it any wonder Paul could say this--
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would
I do not
but the evil which I would not,
that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not,
it is no more I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law
that, when I would do good
evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind
and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God;
but with the flesh the law of sin.
Oh wretched PEOPLE that we are!
Paul did NOT want to sin but He couldn't trust Himself! There was only one person He could trust and that was JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
We CANNOT trust ourselves!!!! I can't emphasize it enough, I just can't.
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust.
Our trust has to be put in the LORD and NO WHERE else!
You hear all the time that we are supposed to trust ourselves, or trust another. People will say those words right to our faces- trust me. Vows are taken where trust is pledged eternally- till death parts people. Promises are made even by the young as they look into the eyes of their parents vowing to behave, honestly meaning they will and then a short while later the parent is looking on in disappointment and the child is bewildered by their inability to behave. The trust is broken and if you've never seen the eyes of a young child as they are scolded and filled with dismay by their own actions, you've not seen the results of broken trust. It's my hope that you haven't seen the dark, deep disappointment in one you've betrayed or the awful betrayal in the eyes of one who's betrayed you. We let people down all the time and we let ourselves down, people let us down too, and we let God down, BUT God will NEVER let us down.
I know, I know most people will tell me I'm wrong, that God lets people down ALL the time. Well, they're WRONG. God thinks and acts on an eternal level beyond our comprehension. While we are lamenting what we believe is God letting us down, it's God looking out for us - for our eternal life. We might not get all we want- even of worthy things. Our life might be filled with torment and pain from the day we are born. We might be born so deprived, in the worst of poverty, in the most awful of conditions where all we ever know is hunger and pain but GOD is not letting that person down. Suffering for all it's horrific and on levels I've never had to experience, is temporary. If suffering lasts for 75, 80 years it is still TEMPORARY to ETERNITY. If the worst of the worst we can ever imagine happens to us or those we love and it seems as if the pain is going on endlessly, never endingly and death is longed for, desired more than anything else- it is temporary to eternity in God.
God is our everything! God must be our TRUST in all things. Do we have to like it? NO. We don't have to like when we are called to endure awful things, but we have to accept that there are reasons we can't comprehend and God will prevail in our love as long as HE is our trust.
Easy to say, hard to do. People would call such blind faith, such trust, incredibly stupid and naive. And Satan wants people to believe that, He revels in such belief that faith is stupid. It is ONLY by the grace of God that we can have that trust.
We need to PUT our trust in God and NO WHERE ELSE.
Does this mean that I believe we are to go around mistrusting everyone? No. It means that our full trust can never be place anywhere but in Christ. We can still trust others but know that they can break that trust at any time. We don’t want to imagine loved ones breaking our trust but it happens all the time in many, many ways.
This is my prayer…
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion.
Please Lord let us not be put to any confusion, or shame, let us KNOW that our trust needs to be in YOU, always in YOU eternally!
By YOUR grace Lord, by YOUR love, all in YOU!
Amen.
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust.
This is where our trust belongs, not in ourselves, not in each other but in the LORD. Inevitably when we put our trust in others and ourselves that trust is broken. Do you think it strange that I say putting our trust in our self- ends up with a broken trust? We don't betray ourselves do we? All too often we really do. All too often we'll be filled with regret over something we've done and that's usually the result of breaking a trust we have in ourselves to do or not do something. When we sin and are filled with the regret of that sin - we've broken a trust we WANT to be able to have in ourselves. Is it any wonder Paul could say this--
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would
I do not
but the evil which I would not,
that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not,
it is no more I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law
that, when I would do good
evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind
and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God;
but with the flesh the law of sin.
Oh wretched PEOPLE that we are!
Paul did NOT want to sin but He couldn't trust Himself! There was only one person He could trust and that was JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
We CANNOT trust ourselves!!!! I can't emphasize it enough, I just can't.
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust.
Our trust has to be put in the LORD and NO WHERE else!
You hear all the time that we are supposed to trust ourselves, or trust another. People will say those words right to our faces- trust me. Vows are taken where trust is pledged eternally- till death parts people. Promises are made even by the young as they look into the eyes of their parents vowing to behave, honestly meaning they will and then a short while later the parent is looking on in disappointment and the child is bewildered by their inability to behave. The trust is broken and if you've never seen the eyes of a young child as they are scolded and filled with dismay by their own actions, you've not seen the results of broken trust. It's my hope that you haven't seen the dark, deep disappointment in one you've betrayed or the awful betrayal in the eyes of one who's betrayed you. We let people down all the time and we let ourselves down, people let us down too, and we let God down, BUT God will NEVER let us down.
I know, I know most people will tell me I'm wrong, that God lets people down ALL the time. Well, they're WRONG. God thinks and acts on an eternal level beyond our comprehension. While we are lamenting what we believe is God letting us down, it's God looking out for us - for our eternal life. We might not get all we want- even of worthy things. Our life might be filled with torment and pain from the day we are born. We might be born so deprived, in the worst of poverty, in the most awful of conditions where all we ever know is hunger and pain but GOD is not letting that person down. Suffering for all it's horrific and on levels I've never had to experience, is temporary. If suffering lasts for 75, 80 years it is still TEMPORARY to ETERNITY. If the worst of the worst we can ever imagine happens to us or those we love and it seems as if the pain is going on endlessly, never endingly and death is longed for, desired more than anything else- it is temporary to eternity in God.
God is our everything! God must be our TRUST in all things. Do we have to like it? NO. We don't have to like when we are called to endure awful things, but we have to accept that there are reasons we can't comprehend and God will prevail in our love as long as HE is our trust.
Easy to say, hard to do. People would call such blind faith, such trust, incredibly stupid and naive. And Satan wants people to believe that, He revels in such belief that faith is stupid. It is ONLY by the grace of God that we can have that trust.
We need to PUT our trust in God and NO WHERE ELSE.
Does this mean that I believe we are to go around mistrusting everyone? No. It means that our full trust can never be place anywhere but in Christ. We can still trust others but know that they can break that trust at any time. We don’t want to imagine loved ones breaking our trust but it happens all the time in many, many ways.
This is my prayer…
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion.
Please Lord let us not be put to any confusion, or shame, let us KNOW that our trust needs to be in YOU, always in YOU eternally!
By YOUR grace Lord, by YOUR love, all in YOU!
Amen.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Woe- to the wise in their own eyes
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
Rich.
Increased with goods.
Need of nothing.
How many people believe this of themselves? How many believe they are spiritually rich? Spiritually filled with knowledge. How many believe they have need of nothing spiritually? Encountering this sort of person is extremely commonplace nowadays. You go back in time and the majority of people had some sort of faith in they were a part of. Most had a *religion*, a *church* to go to. Children were raised to believe in God, but all that has changed. Today it's a sign of enlightenment not to believe, but that is tinged with something else- a need to find something other than *God*. There are more wiccans, more pagans, more satanists, more cults, more nature worshippers, more druids, more spiritualist, more scientologists, people ARE looking for something and make no mistake, they'll find it. Some are even grasping at intellectualism seeking to hold on to their belief in evolution, in what they call logic- they're too enlightened to believe in what they call fables. So many of these people when faced with very trying situations will however seek a higher power to help them. While so many believe they have no need of God, that they can take care of themselves there is a internal contradiction in most of them.
Those who believe they are rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing DON'T know that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked! They don't know! They don't…know! They are counseled though, counseled to buy all they need to live in Christ. Because we know they are counseled we know that they are warned. People everywhere are warned, no one is left able to say they weren't told- no one.
*
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. While many might not believe they need Christ for anything at all, that they are doing fine without Him, the truth is- their ability to do fine without Christ is because Satan is more than willing to let people believe they are fine without Christ. You are one or the others and Satan loves when a person chooses not to believe in Christ and for that matter- he loves it when people choose to not even believe in him. As long as a person doesn't believe in Christ they are His and he's happy as can be to let them believe whatever they want.
As Christians, to learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in can only happen through Christ which strengthens us. We will NEVER find contentment in ourselves, by ourselves, or in others. If we seek to have contentment as a Christian we have to be prepared to be content even in the most awful times of our lives. Seriously.
When we are abased, when we are hungry, when we suffer we MUST find contentment. When life is at its worse can we find contentment? Should we be able to do so? When we have all the right in the world to be upset, angry, devastated - we can be content. But that contentment is only found Christ - a deep, deep faith in Christ, a real faith in Christ.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Are you wise in your own eyes?
Are you prudent in your own sight?
People are taught that to have SELF-esteem they must believe in THEMSELVES. People teach their children to be wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Teachers teach them this too. And it's not that we don't want our children to have confidence- but we have to want them to find that IN CHRIST! We have to teach our children self-esteem through Christ which in fact makes it Christ-esteem. We have to esteem Christ!
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
We are not often taught to esteem OTHERS better than ourselves, are we? Usually when we do think others are better than we are it's in the way of jealousy - in a negative manner. We LAMENT that they are better. But we are supposed to esteem others better than ourselves! This is a good thing. When people are better, or we perceive them as being better it is GOOD. How can we get this into our mindset? We need Christ to do it for us, we need Christ to fill us, to fill that part in us that wants self to rule. To help us not to look to self but look to Him and when we look to Him know that our believing in others - even that they are better than we are is a very good thing.
By the grace of God may we EVER realize our need of Him, never even imagining that we have any hope without Him. By His grace He has saved us and promised us life eternal in Him. All the suffering we endure we do so knowing we can have contentment in Him and the hope of a future in Him without any of this pain and anguish.
In His LOVE! Always In HIM!
Amen.
Rich.
Increased with goods.
Need of nothing.
How many people believe this of themselves? How many believe they are spiritually rich? Spiritually filled with knowledge. How many believe they have need of nothing spiritually? Encountering this sort of person is extremely commonplace nowadays. You go back in time and the majority of people had some sort of faith in they were a part of. Most had a *religion*, a *church* to go to. Children were raised to believe in God, but all that has changed. Today it's a sign of enlightenment not to believe, but that is tinged with something else- a need to find something other than *God*. There are more wiccans, more pagans, more satanists, more cults, more nature worshippers, more druids, more spiritualist, more scientologists, people ARE looking for something and make no mistake, they'll find it. Some are even grasping at intellectualism seeking to hold on to their belief in evolution, in what they call logic- they're too enlightened to believe in what they call fables. So many of these people when faced with very trying situations will however seek a higher power to help them. While so many believe they have no need of God, that they can take care of themselves there is a internal contradiction in most of them.
Those who believe they are rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing DON'T know that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked! They don't know! They don't…know! They are counseled though, counseled to buy all they need to live in Christ. Because we know they are counseled we know that they are warned. People everywhere are warned, no one is left able to say they weren't told- no one.
*
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. While many might not believe they need Christ for anything at all, that they are doing fine without Him, the truth is- their ability to do fine without Christ is because Satan is more than willing to let people believe they are fine without Christ. You are one or the others and Satan loves when a person chooses not to believe in Christ and for that matter- he loves it when people choose to not even believe in him. As long as a person doesn't believe in Christ they are His and he's happy as can be to let them believe whatever they want.
As Christians, to learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in can only happen through Christ which strengthens us. We will NEVER find contentment in ourselves, by ourselves, or in others. If we seek to have contentment as a Christian we have to be prepared to be content even in the most awful times of our lives. Seriously.
When we are abased, when we are hungry, when we suffer we MUST find contentment. When life is at its worse can we find contentment? Should we be able to do so? When we have all the right in the world to be upset, angry, devastated - we can be content. But that contentment is only found Christ - a deep, deep faith in Christ, a real faith in Christ.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Are you wise in your own eyes?
Are you prudent in your own sight?
People are taught that to have SELF-esteem they must believe in THEMSELVES. People teach their children to be wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Teachers teach them this too. And it's not that we don't want our children to have confidence- but we have to want them to find that IN CHRIST! We have to teach our children self-esteem through Christ which in fact makes it Christ-esteem. We have to esteem Christ!
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
We are not often taught to esteem OTHERS better than ourselves, are we? Usually when we do think others are better than we are it's in the way of jealousy - in a negative manner. We LAMENT that they are better. But we are supposed to esteem others better than ourselves! This is a good thing. When people are better, or we perceive them as being better it is GOOD. How can we get this into our mindset? We need Christ to do it for us, we need Christ to fill us, to fill that part in us that wants self to rule. To help us not to look to self but look to Him and when we look to Him know that our believing in others - even that they are better than we are is a very good thing.
By the grace of God may we EVER realize our need of Him, never even imagining that we have any hope without Him. By His grace He has saved us and promised us life eternal in Him. All the suffering we endure we do so knowing we can have contentment in Him and the hope of a future in Him without any of this pain and anguish.
In His LOVE! Always In HIM!
Amen.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
He touched her hand
Mat 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
Mat 8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
A Healer. Undeniably we know that Jesus was a Healer. A touch of the hand, His fingers upon the flesh of this unnamed woman's hand that's all it took. A touch. How often do we give simple touches to people? Seriously, how often do we offer the simplest of touches? A brush of fingers against flesh, it happens a lot doesn't it? A handshake, a hug, a caress, a little push, a tiny poke. Jesus touched this woman's hand and the sickness in her that was producing a fever was gone.
You've had a fever, right? Not many people haven't had a fever once or twice in their lives if not more. You know what it's like to be sick with a fever, things just don't feel right, you feel run down, tired. A fever can take a lot out of person. A fever can lay you up and keep you from doing your normal work, going about your normal day to day life. You know what it's like to be ill. All you want when you are ill is to get better. You forget how wonderful it is to not be sick until you are sick and then you can't wait to get better. How wonderful it truly is when we begin to heal- seldom is it instantaneously though. Gradually we begin to feel better, stronger, less ill. Yet here was Jesus and with a simple touch of his hand to the woman's her illness was completely gone and she was able to get right up from the bed and tend to the men. Just imagine her wonder at what had been done for her! You could imagine your own couldn't you? There you are lying sick on your bed feverish and your hand is touched and instantly you're healed. Just imagine the wonder and thoughts going through your mind in that moment. The wonder, the gratefulness, the awe. Tending to the One who healed you so miraculously would be a joy!
Jesus our great Healer said...
Luk 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,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus. Jesus was anointed to do the work of His Father. Jesus was anointed to do these miracles. These miracles many have tried to imitate as they proclaim their own divinity - but are really false prophets. Quickly as the years passed the miracles became few and far between- this had to be. For the same reason there weren't scores of miracles before Christ was born. Were there any miracles? Yes. We know all about Moses' miracles and we know about the various miracles wrought by God through His prophets but none were like Jesus- NONE. None were like Jesus before and none after. Jesus healed to enlighten the minds and hearts of people. Jesus spoke these words...
Joh 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Believe the works. How could ANY deny Christ was of God, how, when they witnessed and experienced first hand the wonders He did, the miracles He performed? Yet they refused to believe. They refused to accept.
I'm not saying miracles aren't performed in many ways because they are. I'm saying that Jesus' millions of miracles - miracles performed day after day, many, many miracles so numerous we probably could not count them if we tried- were the GREAT exception to the rule of miracles.
There does not exist today any person who heals others on the scale of our Savior, they can't and will never exist, there is only ONE Savior who could and did heal as He did.
Our Savior today continues to heal us through the Holy Spirit a SPIRITUAL healing that we so desperately need. Our sin sickness is so horrific - many don't even believe they are in need of any healing- that is how awful the sickness is. To not even recognize our need of a Savior leaves us without healing. The one who thinks they are completely healthy does not believe they have need of a physician.
We are all in need of healing, all in need of our Savior's touch. We can never forget this, must never forget.
As we are healed we must minister to our Savior in all we do. Of ourselves we can do nothing--
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
By His mercy and grace may we do all things in Him!
In His love!
Amen.
Mat 8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
A Healer. Undeniably we know that Jesus was a Healer. A touch of the hand, His fingers upon the flesh of this unnamed woman's hand that's all it took. A touch. How often do we give simple touches to people? Seriously, how often do we offer the simplest of touches? A brush of fingers against flesh, it happens a lot doesn't it? A handshake, a hug, a caress, a little push, a tiny poke. Jesus touched this woman's hand and the sickness in her that was producing a fever was gone.
You've had a fever, right? Not many people haven't had a fever once or twice in their lives if not more. You know what it's like to be sick with a fever, things just don't feel right, you feel run down, tired. A fever can take a lot out of person. A fever can lay you up and keep you from doing your normal work, going about your normal day to day life. You know what it's like to be ill. All you want when you are ill is to get better. You forget how wonderful it is to not be sick until you are sick and then you can't wait to get better. How wonderful it truly is when we begin to heal- seldom is it instantaneously though. Gradually we begin to feel better, stronger, less ill. Yet here was Jesus and with a simple touch of his hand to the woman's her illness was completely gone and she was able to get right up from the bed and tend to the men. Just imagine her wonder at what had been done for her! You could imagine your own couldn't you? There you are lying sick on your bed feverish and your hand is touched and instantly you're healed. Just imagine the wonder and thoughts going through your mind in that moment. The wonder, the gratefulness, the awe. Tending to the One who healed you so miraculously would be a joy!
Jesus our great Healer said...
Luk 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,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus. Jesus was anointed to do the work of His Father. Jesus was anointed to do these miracles. These miracles many have tried to imitate as they proclaim their own divinity - but are really false prophets. Quickly as the years passed the miracles became few and far between- this had to be. For the same reason there weren't scores of miracles before Christ was born. Were there any miracles? Yes. We know all about Moses' miracles and we know about the various miracles wrought by God through His prophets but none were like Jesus- NONE. None were like Jesus before and none after. Jesus healed to enlighten the minds and hearts of people. Jesus spoke these words...
Joh 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Believe the works. How could ANY deny Christ was of God, how, when they witnessed and experienced first hand the wonders He did, the miracles He performed? Yet they refused to believe. They refused to accept.
I'm not saying miracles aren't performed in many ways because they are. I'm saying that Jesus' millions of miracles - miracles performed day after day, many, many miracles so numerous we probably could not count them if we tried- were the GREAT exception to the rule of miracles.
There does not exist today any person who heals others on the scale of our Savior, they can't and will never exist, there is only ONE Savior who could and did heal as He did.
Our Savior today continues to heal us through the Holy Spirit a SPIRITUAL healing that we so desperately need. Our sin sickness is so horrific - many don't even believe they are in need of any healing- that is how awful the sickness is. To not even recognize our need of a Savior leaves us without healing. The one who thinks they are completely healthy does not believe they have need of a physician.
We are all in need of healing, all in need of our Savior's touch. We can never forget this, must never forget.
As we are healed we must minister to our Savior in all we do. Of ourselves we can do nothing--
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
By His mercy and grace may we do all things in Him!
In His love!
Amen.
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