Prophecy...

Prophecy fulfilled IS our HISTORY. Prophecy unfulfilled is our future. There has to come a time when ALL prophecy is fulfilled. There is ALWAYS a time when people are living in the time of prophecy being fulfilled but they don't always recognize it as such- only being able to look back as the prophetic puzzle pieces fit together. This isn't ALWAYS the case though, sometimes when a prophecy is being fulfilled people recognize it. For instance- Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's prophetic dream of the seven years of plenty and then seven years of famine. When the years of plenty began it was noticeable that the harvests were exceptional--

Gen 41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
Gen 41:48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
Gen 41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

With such exceptional harvests the thoughts of the horrific famine to come was probably far from most people's minds. You can bet though that many in the pharaoh's inner circle who knew all about this prophetic interpretation of the pharaoh's dream were watching the years go by and waiting to see if what Joseph had said would come true. When the famine began right on time with Joseph's interpretation those people KNEW after the first few months, and definitely after the first year that this prophecy of Joseph's was being fulfilled. There WOULD be seven years of famine. They were living during a prophecy fulfillment and recognized it as such.

Not all prophecy interpretation is readily understood though.

Read these words in the book of Daniel--

Dan 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Daniel who had been given many prophecies and had seen the fulfillment of many of them, could not know the interpretation of all the prophecies given to him. A lot of Daniel's prophecies would not be understood until the time of the end. 'The time of the end' - a period of undefined time that would bring an end to the world of sin and usher in the second coming of a Messiah that hadn't even been born at the time of the prophecy and been in the world once.

Now if Joseph could interpret a dream depicting seven ears of corn equaling seven years it is hardly farfetched for us to use a day for a year when the Bible itself actually explains that this is a real prophetic possibility. This isn't something we can discount out of hand because we don't want to believe in the real possibility that every prophetic time interpretation isn't literal time- a day isn't always a day- but rather a day can equal a years worth of time, and a year isn't always a literal year but 360 days equaling 360 years and so on. Yes, it sounds terribly confusing, but prophecy wasn't meant to be easily understood, prophecy served and serves a purpose by being crouched it obscurity. Isn't faith itself the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen?

When we go to the book of Daniel we can find a fascinating prophetic scene unfolding history from their present time to the world's end. I'd call it an overview with little detail in this particular prophetic presentation. Let's look at it--

Dan 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

*Here we have a king dreaming something that upset him so that he couldn't sleep.

Dan 2:2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

*This particular king- not a king of Israel but of Babylon- believed readily in magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and such, all those things which were an abomination to God.

Dan 2:3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
Dan 2:4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

*So here we have the king summoning all these supposedly special type of people- those not ordinary but special in their fields of the supernatural and the king tells them he had a troubling dream and wants to know what it is. Of course this would be easy for the kings many supernatural interpreters, they would be told the dream and then make up any sort of meaning for that dream that they wanted to, something the king would reward them for of course so they're eager to know what the dream was about so they can give their interpretation.

Dan 2:5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
Dan 2:6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

*Ah ha! The king was going to foil that sort of supposed ability to interpret dreams because the king himself DID NOT know what the dream was that he dreamed! He couldn't recall the dream but only knew that it was a dream he needed to recall and understand. Surely we call can relate to this experience in the sense we've all had dreams that leave our memory and in doing so trouble us a bit as we strive to no avail to recall what the dream was. This isn't an uncommon experience really, dreaming is something we are told we do every time we sleep, we just don't remember them all. Not being a king and not having magicians, astrologers and such at our fingertips to open the unknown to us we don't demand other people tell us what our dream was, we just live with the unsettling feeling until it disappears and we simply forget all about it. So here we have a king demanding his special people tell him what he dreamed and do so on the penalty of death, horrible, painful, torturous death for them and their entire house. Talk about a seemingly petulant, demanding, possibly deranged king wanting the impossible can you even imagine being among those hearing this ultimatum? Of course while their ears were ringing with the knowledge that imminent death was at their doorstep the king also countered it by telling them that if they did tell him his dream and what it meant they'd be rewarded richly. Now how is that for inspiring your subjects to do as you command? Some king, uhn?

Dan 2:7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

*Of course these men weren't stupid and immediately they replied… tell us the dreams and we'll interpret that's how it's done, we don't do it any other way, we've never done it any other way, there is no other way to interpret a dream- you have to know the dream first. No, they didn't say all that, at least it wasn't related to us that they did but you can be sure it was some of what they were thinking. They had to remind the king of how it was done because he seemed to have forgotten that you just didn't ask for someone to tell you what the dream is- it wasn't done, it wasn't the way of things!

Dan 2:8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
Dan 2:9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

*The king wasn't completely stupid, he knew what the men were doing, they were stalling for time. Who wouldn't be stalling for time when they were asked for the seemingly impossible on the penalty of death. The king wasn't having any of it though, he outright told them if they wouldn't tell him his dream they were just a bunch of lying, corrupt people who wanted him to just forget about it all and he wasn't going to fall for their lies and corrupting, he wanted to be told the dream and then he would believe the interpretation. Why should he believe an interpretation when the interpreter didn't even have the supernatural power to tell him what the dream itself was. Surely if they were all they claimed to be- special people having special powers to understand things others could not- they'd be able to use those powers now when their lives depended upon it. Just imagine… well we don't have to just imagine because this was their response--

Dan 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
Dan 2:11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

*No one, not a single man on earth can do what you're asking! And because you're asking the impossible no king, no lord, no ruler has EVER asked us to do such an impossible thing! The king wants something only the gods - not man- can do and the gods don't dwell among men in flesh. The king has to ask this thing of his gods not of his men who claim to be able to understand godly inexplicable things when it suits them. How convenient are these practices astrology, magic, sorcery and such. Now I'm not saying they're all bogus- but I am saying they're all ungodly whether we want to believe it or not. God has pronounced them such and they are! People have been brought up to believe they are harmless pastimes and nothing more, but in truth they are under the control of Satan and as such even the best astrological prediction, the greatest trickery of telling the future with sorcery or magic is of the devil and evil. Harmless? Hardly! Being under the control of a being that can work his own seeming miracles and appear as an angel of light is a deadly deception way too many have fallen victim to. Here a God-less king wanted all his supernaturally controlled, his satanic controlled people, to tell him his dream and NONE dared to even believe they could because they knew their source of power wasn't directly from any that would dare commune with them in such a manner. Satan didn't know the dream so his followers couldn't know the dream, all their false gods they prayed to and worshipped could not tell them this dream and they knew it- they didn't have to think about it really because it was an impossibility and they told the king so. They wanted the king to wise up to the fact he was asking the impossible of them, but the king didn't want a bunch of powerless wise men surrounding him pretending to be special and able to use their special powers to serve him.

Dan 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

*Did the fact he was asking what all his wise men thought was impossible deter the king from wanting to destroy them? Nope. Just picture it, these poor deluded men who up until then felt secure in their professions were now filled with terror, they were going to be murdered by an insane king who wanted the impossible!

Dan 2:13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
Dan 2:14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
Dan 2:15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
Dan 2:16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

*Daniel- one of the captured slaves of Israel- was among those considered especially wise and he fell into this category of victims. He would be killed. However Daniel wanted to at least know what he was being killed for because he obviously hadn't been among those in the king's presence when the decree went forth. Told everything that happened, Daniel went to the king and told him if he had time he could do as the king wanted. Imagine it, here comes an Israeli slave daring to actually tell the king he could do the impossible! All those others didn't dare even try to make up something, didn't dare pretend they could do what they claimed was impossible - because it was impossible for them and it would mean death either way for them. The only hope they probably thought they had was in all of them sticking to the fact the king wanted the impossible. Then here comes a captive from another kingdom, a slave, and he tells the king he can do this thing!

Dan 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
Dan 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

*Obviously the king didn't have a problem with giving Daniel a little time just on the offhand chance this troubling dream could really be told to him. The king had nothing to lose by waiting a bit- either way the deaths would come- now or later if the dream was not told to him. So Daniel - wanting to save the lives of himself and his friends- fellow captives from Israel- was going to do this impossible thing. He went to his fellow captives and told them they had to desire the mercy of THE GOD OF HEAVEN. Daniel believed in the TRUE God and as such believed that if God wanted him and his companions to live that He would reveal the secret that none other could reveal.

Dan 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

*Then Daniel had a vision in the night! God gave Daniel a vision! God blessed Daniel with the secret!

Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Dan 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

*Amazing! Daniel praised God mightily! Such praise is wonderful! Daniel thanked God because Daniel knew it wasn't of himself that he understood things, it wasn't of him that he suddenly knew the dream it was all because of God! Daniel had no power of his own and he knew it! God reveals the deep and secret things! God knows the things in the dark because light dwells with God! All the wisdom, all the might of Daniel came directly from God and no where else! God revealed to Daniel and his companions the king's dream and interpretation doing what NO other could do even with the pain of death hanging over their heads. Our wondrous God! His will is done and He will use those who look to Him for all things!

Dan 2:24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
Dan 2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

*Ha! Arioch the captain of the king's guard told the king HE FOUND a man to tell the interpretation. Interesting. Daniel had already gone in to ask the king for time and was granted the time and now Arioch brings Daniel back to the king quickly and tells the king HE found one who could do as the king wanted. Just interesting to note this little fact. People don't hesitate to take credit for good things do they? Even when it's undeserved credit.

Dan 2:26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

*Of course the king wanted to know if this man could do as he'd asked of all his wise men, he wasn't particularly interested in the fact the guard captain had found him- he wanted to know if what Daniel claimed he could do was in fact true.

Dan 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

*Oh yeah! Daniel isn't going to give the interpretation to the king without letting the king know where this knowledge came from and it wasn't from any of the pagan, heathen, God-less supposed wise men filling his kingdom.

Dan 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

*GOD in heaven HE reveals secrets! He is going to reveal to the king what will be in the latter days! God in heaven, no where else, no other god, no other idol, no other has revealed the dream, only the God in heaven!

Dan 2:29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
Dan 2:30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

*King you had a prophetic dream, this is what Daniel is telling Him. God in heaven was revealing the secrets of the future in that dream. The secrets weren't for Daniel's wisdom, the secrets weren't being revealed so Daniel could become greater than any other person. The secrets are being revealed to save lives not to exalt Daniel.

Dan 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
Dan 2:32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
Dan 2:33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Dan 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

*Here it is… here is the dream you couldn't recall-

A great image!
A very bright great image standing in front of the king, an image whose form, whose appearance induces fear!
The image had a head of fine gold.
The image had a breast and arms of silver.
The image had a belly and thighs of brass.
The image had legs of iron.
The image had feet of iron and clay.

What an amazing conglomeration of minerals! Gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay. It's obvious from the first reading that the minerals are ordered in value- Gold being much more precious and desire, much more valuable than silver, and so on down the line ending with clay being the least valuable. There is a distinct degradation in the value of this image. If the image were all of gold it would be magnificent. That this image is such a mixture it is no wonder it's a fearful sight. No one at that time would make up such an image and expect anyone to want to purchase it and you can be sure that there were many images of many things in a culture that valued worshipping images of their gods and such. Is it any wonder it is considered horrifying. We might just call it abstract art and not take a second glance at something like this, but the time period then was far from appreciating such abstract art. No artist would dare put together a statue with such things, it just wasn't done.

There it was a terrifying image made up of five different minerals standing there when a stone was being cut from a mountain or quarry it doesn't say here but no hands cut it, no person cut this stone from rock, no stonemason was there but the stone was being cut and after it was cut the stone was thrown at the feet of the image and the feet broke into little pieces. With the feet broken to pieces there was nothing left to hold up the image and the rest of the image broke into pieces, into such small pieces the wind carried them all away. Then that stone which broke up the feet, destroying the entire image began to grow and it fill the entire earth!

What a dream! No wonder it was troubling the king to remember something to incredible. Just picture it being out of reach of recall, right there on the edges of his memory but unable to bring it out to the forefront. It was a prophetic dream holding great meaning not only for the king but for all of future mankind. This was a God-given dream of future events - an overall view of things to happen here on in and no wonder it commanded such great attention. You can bet this dream had the attention of everyone in the kingdom by this time. When a king is ready to murder his entire entourage of wise men, astrologers, soothsayers, magicians, Chaldeans it wasn't some small insignificant happenstance- this was a huge deal!

Now the interpretation!

Dan 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Dan 2:37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Dan 2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

*The king himself was the golden head of the image! God had made the king prosper it wasn't just by happenstance, it wasn't by chance that the king of Babylon had such good fortune. He was this head of gold.

Dan 2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

*But like that image, things change. After the head of gold there came a breast and arms of silver - an inferior kingdom. Then another kingdom after the silver one, this kingdom of brass and obviously inferior to the first and second kingdoms. These kingdoms were great kingdoms- not tiny kingdoms but kingdoms whose rule effected all the earth in some manner.

Dan 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

*Then in the image the legs were of iron, yet another very great kingdom.

Dan 2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
Dan 2:42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Dan 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

*Then the feet- iron and clay- a mixture. Mankind would never again have a kingdom as whole as that of the fourth kingdom but it would become a mixture- the kingdoms would be divided even though through mingling (marriage) they would try to bring it together it wouldn't happen.

Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

*God sets up a kingdom that will never be destroy. We know that Jesus came preaching the kingdom and His kingdom will NEVER be destroyed! God's kingdom will stand forever!

Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

*This is the dream, this is the interpretation that the king wanted, that the king demanded from all his wise men but could not get it. None but Daniel a man who looked to the true God, could bring this knowledge to the king.

Isn't it amazing?! Truly amazing this marvelous vision. You know why it's so amazing? It's OUR history! From the time of the king of Babylon until the end when God's kingdom is all that's left. This is a tremendous overview of history but people don't want to believe it could be so. People want to pick things apart and warp them in a way God never intended. People say the Bible isn't even real and then pick up a book containing the many failed prophecies of Nostradamus and that they believe! People say the Bible is a bunch of fairy tales and fables, fiction and no more, and then they'll pick up a book by Darwin and say this man spoke truth. This prophecy alone- written thousands of years ago can prove to the spiritually discerning that what was predicated has come to pass and what's left to be revealed will happen just as all that was predicted happened- it's TRUTH! So many don't want to believe that God has a real kingdom and that they will one day either be in that kingdom or destroyed as though they never existed. People would rather grasp as some vague afterlife as their future rather than repent and be converted to Christ. People would rather indulge their ego than admit they have no right whatsoever to indulge something so perverted by sin that its worth is ONLY found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. People will believe lies and fairy tales alright but they won't be of God.

It is proven-

Babylon was followed by Medes and Persia who were followed by the Greeks, who were followed by the Romans who were then followed by divided kingdoms never to be brought together to any great one world kingdom and never will be brought together again into such a kingdom. We live in the time of the divided kingdoms- we live in the time of the toes of iron and clay- we live in time as that stone is being cut without hands and soon will break the feet of the image ushering in God's kingdom forever!

We have the ability to look back and see history fulfilled, only those who wish to be blind will remain so. Only those who wish to have delusions will have them. Those who would much rather believe lies will do just that, they'll believe the lies as if they were truth not caring at all that they are deceived.

There is so much to prophecy and I'd like to study more of it. There is a lot unfulfilled and a lot filled and only by the grace of God may we truly understand as He would have us understand. We are to watch and pray- let us watch-let us pray because we live in the very end of time.

Being such a volatile subject I'm aware that not everyone will agree with my view and I wouldn't dream of asking anyone to believe me. I just hope and pray that as we study your Bibles will be open and you'll pray as never before to have discernment and understanding as the Holy Spirit guides into all truth, I know I'll be praying the exact same thing.


In His Grace! In His Love! By His Mercy!


Amen.

Let the dead bury their dead

Mat 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.


Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.


Jesus was ready to leave and those who had spent time listening to Him didn't want Him to go, so much so that they were ready to follow Him. The people knew this was a very special man, He spoke as none other had ever spoke. The hearts of the people were pricked inside their chests. The words weren't spoken offhandedly, the words weren't spoken pompously. Each word that fell from the lips of the Savior held meaning and those hearing these words of the kingdom were touched in ways they'd never been touched before. Have you ever heard a stirring message? Did you ever listen to someone and want to hear more? Perhaps an eloquent Pastor has spoken God's word in such a way you felt the need for more and wished the sermon would go on and on. So often we hear all about people falling asleep during church, children fidgeting, all the people there enduring the hour or so message out of a sense of duty. We have seldom heard of people eager to go to church, people looking forward to the time spent learning more of God, church goers actually wanting the sermon to not end. Yet here Jesus had much to say and many listeners, many who didn't want to leave the presence of the Lord. However- Jesus in His message had preached this…


Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.


Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.


These were the words the people listening to Jesus heard, this was all part of His glorious message.


Do you think this man was contemplating all the messages of Jesus? Or was He dazzled by the many miracles Jesus performed that day after He'd spoken?


Mat 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick


Just picture the scene- you're there right there to witness first hand the Savior healing people left and right- people you know, people you don't know. Miracle after miracle coming from this amazing, unique man! This amazing teacher speaking in such a way that you'd never heard before- with true authority. How absolutely life changing! No wonder people were telling Jesus they wanted to follow Him.


Now let's read this again--


Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.


Suffer me first to go bury my father.


The obvious is that His father has died or is dying, right? Honestly we don't know when He died, or why this man was there with Jesus when His father died. Had his father been ill and someone come to where this man was to tell him his father died? It doesn't seem too logical does it. To have a father on his death bed and not plead with Jesus to revive him- is that logical? It is suspected that the man had a very old father and though he wasn't dead the man knew that sooner than later he would die and it was his duty to remain with his father until then.


What was Jesus' reply to this man?


Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.


Let the dead bury their dead.


How can the dead bury the dead? The dead can't bury the dead because they are dead…but the SPIRITUALLY dead can bury the dead, yes?


Jesus would NEVER be disrespectful, or promote disrespect in a son to a father, Jesus was all about children honoring their parents. Jesus would have understood the customs of burying the dead- the old testament spoke of Abraham burying Sarah, Jacob burying Rachel, Joseph burying Jacob…


Gen 50:5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
Gen 50:6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

Gen 50:10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.


Yes, Jesus would know all about burying the dead and wouldn't even hint at it being wrong to burying your father, except this man's father must not have been dead- or else he wouldn't have been there listening and watching Jesus as He preached and performed miracle after miracle. The expectation of someone dying isn't the way we are to live. We should NOT live our lives around the fact that our parents will die, or that anyone we love will die. We can't let the fact of death- however old someone is, ancient or young still- impact our lives taking from us living for our Savior.


This man wanted to follow Jesus but also was living his life in the expectation of his father's death. That man had NO way to know who long his father would live. Often some of the most frail old people seem to hold on a lot longer than expected. When the man told Jesus he wanted to bury his father before following Jesus this was telling Jesus that there was something in the man's life that he put before God. I've already said that honoring your mother and father wasn't the issue here, but we aren't to put anything or anyone before following God.


Jesus even said a man was to leave his parents…


Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?


Jesus also had this to say…


Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.


We are to love NONE above God. God first and foremost then our fellow man.


Jesus said this…


Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.


If we choose to let LIFE get in the way of a life with Christ we are spiritually dead! If we are spiritually dead we might as well bury the dead and not concern ourselves with following Christ as a second thought.


It's true! We have to understand this!!! We have to!


If we choose to let ANYTHING in our life get in the way of a life lived for CHRIST we are spiritually dead!


So many things will call us away from God. So many things will beckon to us with their logic, with their compassionate heart strings, with their family ties, with their allure so great it's all but impossible to resist. The devil will stop at nothing to keep us from God and he'll use anything to get us to put Jesus second in our lives, or third, or fourth…and so on just as long as we don't put Him first and foremost. Life with all its intricate little and big ways will interfere at every turn. Just when we are choosing God first life will throw another curveball at us and when we are hit by that curveball it will be with the intention of knocking us out of the game, out of a life with Christ truly being first.


Let the dead bury their dead. Choose to be among the living, for we are only really alive in Christ! As long as Christ is first in all that we do in life we are living! Whenever we choose to do anything without Christ first we are dead- spiritually dead.


Let the dead bury their dead.


By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we not be among the dead burying their dead!


In His love, in His righteousness, in His kingdom!


Amen!

No where to lay His head

Mat 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
Mat 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.


Jesus gave the commandment to depart from where He'd spent so much time expounding on life and the lessons people everywhere from there on in until the end of time would need to learn. He'd been there for a long time and the crowds of people there were huge. It was time to leave now, time to depart and when people heard this some had to speak out.


A scribe- one who teaches. A scribe- one of a type of people that Jesus said this about--


Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.


Woe unto you scribes!
Woe unto you scribes who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.
Woe unto you scribes who will NOT go in to heaven themselves.
Woe unto you scribes who will not suffer others who would go in-- to go in!


Scribes. And here was a scribe who was listening to Jesus, who was listening at the Master's feet, learning from His lips the lessons we so desperately need to learn. This scribe said to Jesus-


'Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest'


He wanted to follow Jesus no matter where he went! This is dedication, this is devotion, this is someone who was completely won over by the words of Christ and there were many that felt the same.


Did Jesus say to him - follow me? No. Jesus laid it all out for this eager disciple, this scribe…


'The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.'


Foxes have holes. This is true, Jesus would never speak an untruth. Foxes have hole to go to, foxes have homes, foxes go out and do their hunting and such but have a hole to return to at the end of their day's work. No fox is homeless, no fox wanders aimlessly about going from place to place. Foxes according to an online source may have many dens where they'll stay in winter months constantly, and in warmer months they spend a lot of time hunting returning to their den to rest. Foxes have holes. Foxes have a place to live.


Jesus also said 'birds have nests'. This is a fact, yes? Yes. Birds have nests. Birds have a home as well. Birds aren't wandering aimlessly without a place to return to, they have a nest.


Capping it off Jesus said 'the Son of man hath NOT where to lay his head'. Jesus HAD NO WHERE TO GO TO. Jesus had NO HOME. Jesus had less than a fox, or a bird in terms of a place to dwell. Jesus had NO place to call His own. The Son of man had no home. The Son of man was a wanderer, homeless.


Our Savior was homeless.


You might want to say that He could always have returned to His parents and carpentry, but that's not true. There was no going back and many people know what this is like. Many people start out on their own after being raised and have that sense of 'there's no going back' and it's a real thing. Whether that belief is something in them or a fact of their parents- either way it's real and as they begin their journey they don't always make it, do they.


Do you know anyone who is homeless?
Have you ever been homeless?


With our awful economy many people who never, ever imagined themselves homeless have become just that - homeless.


The foxes still have holes, the birds still have nests but these people don't have homes.


A lot of people who don't know what it's like to be homeless can't understand how people become homeless but there are many stories about how it comes to be. Tragedies, sickness, misfortune, love-less, so many things lead us to finding yourself homeless.


Jesus was telling the scribe who wanted to follow Him wherever He was going to go that they didn't have a destination at the end of the day, the week, the month of journeying. There wasn't a home base, there wasn't a place to belong and that scribe would have to take part in this sort of life- calling no place home. The scribe would be homeless.


Is it possible that the scribe had never known homelessness? Very, very possible. This thought, this truth Jesus was revealing to the scribe was for a reason. The very real possibility of being homeless had to be confronted. Following Jesus wasn't going to give this man a place to live, it wasn't going to give him a life of security. This man had to understand that he would be homeless if he were to choose to follow Jesus.


Imagine this happening to you for a moment. Seriously, step outside your comfort zone, step outside of your reality and into this man's. We know that most homeless do not CHOOSE that life, it happens to them. Now imagine CHOOSING to be homeless. No, the same circumstances are not available to us as they were to that scribe but use your imagination to put yourself there. You want to say you'd follow Jesus without hesitation, and that's logical, I want to say it too.


This man was being asked to embrace a life of homelessness by trusting in Jesus for ALL things. Follow this man (because to so many the fact He was God's son, a God-man, was not fully realized) follow this man and count on Him to give you everything- every bit of foot, every bit of shelter, every bit of clothing would need to be provided for by Jesus- the Master. Yes, come follow Him, but do not expect it to be a life of ease as you are used to experiencing.


Today we are called to trust just as much, aren't we?
Our faith has to be fully in our Savior!
We have to follow our Savior and He says to us as well that the life we are being called to is not going to be an easy one. We are NOT going to have a real home here anymore. We are not going to fit into the mold of the world, we CANNOT fit in and if we do we should worry. This isn't our world, this isn't our home.


That scribe wanted to follow Jesus and wanted Jesus to know that he wanted to follow Him wherever He went. Jesus wanted the scribe to understand that the life he was expressing interest in wasn't going to be a life filled with worldliness, there would be NO glamour in this life, none, no physical comforts. Follow but understand Who you are following.


By the grace of God may we understand and in understanding still choose to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!


In His love!


Amen.

Root of all evil...

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.


That old saying you can't take it with you is very true. Even people who are buried with their treasures aren't really taking them with them. Seriously. They can do absolutely nothing about someone coming along and looting their grave sites right after their buried all the way to thousands of years later. The pyramids are an example. The pharaohs were buried with many, many things but they took NOTHING with them. When a person dies and sleeps death's sleep they know nothing, they are not aware of their surroundings, they can interact with absolutely nothing. They haven't a clue that their things are there with them, not a single inkling. We die with exactly what we are born with- nothing.

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.


Can we?
Can we be content with having food and clothing? Seriously, is this possible? We are SO incredibly materialistic that I have to ask with all honesty if this is possible.
Many people have little choice but to live in poverty- where food is a scarcity and clothing minimal. But even those people might not be content with what they have.
The verse is…


'And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.'


Be therewith content.


Content.


At peace with- is contentment isn't it? Not being at odds with something is being content with it. Not being angry, upset, dismayed, and not being overly happy, or even happy really but rather being at a place where your situation is accepted for what it is and there is no angst at all. There is an understanding, an acceptance, a certain peace knowing God's will is being done in the harshest of situations-- in all things-- in the simplest of food and clothing.


1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.


We are told to be content with simple food and raiment because the RICH fall into temptation and snares, into lots of foolish and hurtful lusts, and those all DROWN men in destruction, in perdition!
Yet so many of us WANT to be rich. So many of us want to have the good life, so many of us long to have riches beyond measure. Riches… an abundance of wealth, food in excess, food in high quality, clothing to spare, the best and latest fashions- we desire these things. We desire the abundance of things. We want the good things, the good cars, the good clothes, the good food, the good houses, the good furniture, the good everything! This materialistic desire is alive and well and living among us. We are raised on this materialistic belief and thrive on it, it's in our blood, it's in the air we breathe and when we try to extract ourselves from it, it seems all but impossible. We make excuses for our *wants*. We just want our house to look good, not fancy but good. We just want to appear neat and nice, not diva-ish. We just want a car that won't break down, doesn't have to be this year's model. We just want quality food not that stuff that is unhealthy and substandard. We just want a little extra spending money. We just want the occasional night out. We just want to go out to a restaurant once in a while. We just want to go into a store and be able to buy a few things. We just want… we just want… we just want. And our just wanting is more often than not for things other than the simplest of food and clothing.


We just don't realize how dangerous riches are, we don't realize that we are toying with our eternal life when we desire wealth. Materialism is DANGEROUS. The dangers we face are tremendous and Satan has it all set up so we don't see it, and won't see it until it's too late.


1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.


The love of money is the root of all evil.


This isn't one of those things people say that has no real substance. This has a lot of substance, more than we realize.


The discontent we heap upon ourselves is more than just an inconvenience, it's a deadly eternal loss. This discontent we feel when our life is hard and we don't have this, that, and the other thing , is horrific- and it will pierce us with MANY sorrows.


We need to pray for contentment in what we have, and NOT allow discontentment in what we don't have pierce us with the most deadly of sorrows- eternal death.


As we feel the wanting we've grown used to experiencing well up inside us even now, even as this is read, we have to pray for God's mercy, pray for God's help to overcome the evil of riches trying to ensnare us. It is by His grace and love, in His righteousness we live and we claim salvation through Him so that we will be in the kingdom of heaven with Him.


By His LOVE!


Amen.

My Hope!

Psa 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.


What do you hope for? You do have a hope even if it's a small one, right? Think about it for a few moments, or longer if you need to. We live with hope. Very few live without hope in their lives, very few. While some people might live with a lot of hope for many things, others can live life with just a few hopes. We hope for good things for our children, we hope for good things for ourselves, we hope for good health, we hope for nice weather, we hope for gifts, we hope for love, we hope for long life, we hope for many things over the course of our lives.


In reality the hope we need to have should be in one place because all the hope we place in temporal things can fade away. Hope we place in the eternal Lord Jesus Christ our Savior will never fade away- not now, and not ever.


While we hope for our children to be successful in life- not necessarily rich monetary wise- but in many ways- is that hope always something that will be realized? Unfortunately, no. While we hope for ourselves many times our hopes are dashed aren't they, over and over some would say. We sometimes get what we hope for but more often than not we don't.


Placing hope in *things* of this world is foolish IF we don't keep that hope checked by realizing that nothing is promised to us in this life- not good health, not happiness in worldly things, not human love, not wealth, not friendship, not loving family, not peace in worldly ways, not children, not intellect, not employment, and on and on. We are NOT promised this world or anything in this world. So many want others to believe they are promised good in this world.


We are promised hope in our Lord.
We are promised happiness in our Lord.
We are promised eternal life in our Lord.


Our riches are heavenly riches.
Our hopes are heavenly hopes.
Our happiness is a heavenly happiness.


Psa 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD


The Lord our God must be OUR hope first and foremost. Let's read a few more verses on hope--


Psa 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.


Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.


Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.


1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation


Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began


Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ


Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.


Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us


1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead


1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ


1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.


1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.


Hope in God.
The blessed hope.
Lively hope.


We really need this HOPE more than any other hope we could possibly desire.


Is your hope in Christ? Or are you placing your hope in things not eternal?


Christ our Hope!
Christ our Kingdom!
Christ our Love!
Christ our everything!


In His love, His grace!


Always.


Amen.

Deliver us from the wicked, the unrighteous, the cruel

Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.


Do we need to pray this? Most of us aren't in the hands of the wicked, are we? Do the unrighteous and cruel men hold us captive? Perhaps we are held captive more than we realize. Seriously. Just how much do other people influence our lives? Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, friends, neighbors, peers, schoolmates, teachers, doctors, everyone we come in contact with has a touch of influence upon our lives. The stranger that smiles, the stranger that frowns, the stranger that seems oblivious to our existence. Those we work for, those who work for us, those who help us, those we help. It's an endless ongoing influence surrounding each of us. We have even more influence from others nowadays from those who are online. Whole groups of people that would otherwise be total strangers to us are now influences that affect us.


When Christ prayed to His Father to NOT take us out of this world but to KEEP us from evil, it was a prayer that was more necessary than we really understand. Evil's influence comes in so very many forms. To pray to be delivered from the wicked, the unrighteous, and the cruel person is asking to be protected from the evil people in the world, isn't it?


The wicked-


Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.


Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.


Pro 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.


Pro 15:28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.


Pro 21:10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil…


Pro 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked


2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.


Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.


The wicked- those who are bound up in sin, deceitful, evil.


Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies


Mar 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.


Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful


The wicked surround us and when we dare to acknowledge the wicked ways we are witness to we are the ones who are often unjustly condemned. We need protection from the wicked, we need to pray as David prayed- Deliver me oh my God out of the hand of the wicked. The wicked are not simply the gangsters on the street. The wicked are not just the murderers caught and jailed. The wicked are not just the sexual predators our world is filled with. The wicked are ANY that would keep us from God. The wicked are ANY that would do anything to prevent us from worshipping our Savior as we are told to worship. The wicked are all who are unrepentant. We need to be delivered from any that would keep us from God. We need the protection of the Holy Spirit to keep us from succumbing to the grand delusions that surround us that try and convince us that God's way is wrong, that evil is good and good is evil.


We do need to pray-


Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.


We are surrounded by people who wear false cloaks of righteousness and are eager and ready to hand us a cloak just like theirs. While we must live IN this world, we need to pray that we are kept from evil. Our Savior prayed that way for us and if He prayed that way we too need to pray that way. Deliver us from evil- from the wicked, from the unrighteous, from the cruel men that surround us. We can never cease to pray to be delivered, never. We can never become comfortable in believing all those around us only care for our well-being. We can never allow ourselves to believe there are no wicked, no unrighteous, no cruel people. While we MUST NEVER condemn another's eternal life because that is not ours to know, but we must understand that evil lurks all around us- it's not paranoia if it's true, right? Far be it from me to call another wicked, evil, unrighteous, or cruel- I have my own problems, that old beam in my own eye to removed so I can pluck a tiny mote out of another's eye. But I can't allow myself to be deceived into believing that evil, that wickedness, that unrighteousness, or that cruelty doesn't exist. I must understand my need for deliverance in all things.


God please deliver us from ALL the wicked, ALL the unrighteous, ALL that are cruel-- in YOUR righteousness alone this is possible. Keep us from evil Lord, keep us from evil by Your mercy!


Save us oh Lord, SAVE US.


In Your amazing love!


Amen.

My Rock and my Fortress

Psa 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…


… thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.


God has given the commandment to save us. Think about it-- He didn't have to save us. People think that there is that *have to* aspect to this but there isn't. God didn't have to save humanity, He almost didn't.


Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.


God gives the commandment to save us.
God accepts our repentance and our plea for forgiveness. Does He have to accept? No. There is a choice there is a knowing of us.


Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.


God knows all things. God knows if we have love for Him. God knows if we seek forgiveness. God knows if we repent of our wrongs. God doesn't have to save us, but God can and will save us. If we make God our strong habitation where we continually resort, if we put all our trust in God, we have to know that God will give the commandment to save us because HE is our rock and our fortress. God is our ONLY solace. God is our only hope! God is our strong habitation. God is our place of safety. We can go to God for all our eternal needs and yes, our immediate needs as well but we must understand that when we go to God for our immediate needs that He sees the BIG picture and how every detail of our life blends together to lead us to eternal life in Him and while we don't understand our sufferings, our pains, our distress and why we are called to go through things we do not want to go through, He does.


Above all no matter what we MUST remember that God is our rock and fortress, He never forsakes us, never!


2Sa 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer


Psa 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.


Jer 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction


My rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my strength, my buckler, my salvation, my high tower, my refuge-- this is our GOD.


No person can be all this for us and so many of us look for these qualities in another human being and are disappointed when they don't live up to the expectations. Only God can be all this perfectly for us, only God.


Do we need a fortress to go to in life? Yes.
Do we need a deliverer? Yes.
Do we need strength? Yes.
Do we need a buckler? Yes.
Do we need salvation? Yes.
Do we need a high tower? Yes.
Do we need refuge? Yes.


WE NEED GOD!
We need to know that He has given the commandment to save us.


Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.


Salvation is of the Lord! Praise God! All glory and honor to Him!


Psa 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.


AMEN!