A great illustration of Christ’s love and forgiveness for us to keep in mind. No matter how far we stray away from him. If we still have breath in our lungs we can return to Christ and he will forgive us of our sins. His love endures all things (Read;1 Corinthians 13:4-13)… God is Love (1 John 4:8), his son Jesus Christ is no different because Jesus lives to be like and to please his Father. We need to love others as Christ loves us. We need to forgive others as Christ forgives us.
KEEP SEEKING GOD
Ps. 34:4- I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Fear is can be healthy or harmful. It is a natural part of us in either way. The healthy side of fear is the part that reveres God or man. This side of us seeks to respect and honor God as the source of all life, and to love our fellowman as God has commanded. The other side of fear everyone has suffered, or will suffer, from this dreadful inner instinct that seeks to destroy and imprison us in the dungeons of our own minds. Since the day Adam tried to hide the evidence of what he had done from the all-seeing eyes of God, fear has had field days in the hearts and minds of every human who has journeyed on this side of eternity. The Bible describes this type of fear as punishing (I John 4:18; torment in the KJV). Psalms 73:19 describes fear as consuming. Furthermore, God has given us the all we need to conquer dreadful fear (II Tim. 1:7).
Read the topical verse to see how David conquered his fears. Moreover, he was one of the mighty warriors of the Old Testament; yet, fear was one of the issues he struggled with. He overcame fear by “seeking the Lord.” It entails reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word, and diligently praying. His great testimony was that the Lord delivered him from all his fears, and God can do the same for us! However, as David did, we must confess our fears to God. Believe it or not this strengthens the better side of fear which is also within us, the fear of the Lord. So don’t let your dreadful fear rule your life, but let the fear of the Lord dethrone your fear.
APPRECIATE GOD’S PURPOSE
1 Sam 8:5- …Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
When God chose Israel, it was quickly noticed that they were like no other nation on earth. The Jews are, until this day, a monotheistic nation whose God is eternal and invisible. God chose Israel to bring forth His plan of salvation to mankind. God desired to lead and bring them into His purposes according to His perfect timing. You see, when it seems as though God is delaying, He is really working things out according to the counsel of His Own Will. In others words, He knows what’s best and will manifest what we have been praying for when the time is right. To force the issue by overly asserting ourselves and bringing forth what we want without the expressed consent of God’s timing is asinine. This is exactly what Israel did. They wanted a king to be like the surrounding nations around them. But the nations around them were idol worshippers; therefore, the nations did not know the One true and living God! If Israel couldn’t appreciate God’s ability to lead, most definitely a human would fail them. And he did. Oh, the irony! Israel helped him fail (I Sam. 15:3, 9-11, 14-15).
It is best to know God’s Will for our lives, rather than to want something just because someone else has it. You will never be happy with what you can get until you appreciate what you have. Ill-gains is a fool’s gold, “but godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim. 6:6). Let the world get rich, but be appreciative that God has supplied your needs (Philippians 4:19). Your job may not pay you as much as politicians, sport figures, movie stars, or CEOs make, but be grateful and thankful, for God has given you strength to work. Let God know you appreciate Him…. Let the wealthy get their possessions, land, and money. It all belongs to the believer! Prov. 13:22; 28:8; Ps. 37:9; 105:44.
WHAT DO I BELIEVE
Isa. 53:1- Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
Isaiah 52:13-53:1-12 is totally Messianic. This portion of Scripture speaks all about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Specifically—it deals with His childhood briefly (V.2), adulthood (V.2), our Lord’s death on the cross (V.5), and His triumph which made it possible for men to be freed from sin. The prophet gave the most important news flash of all times about the One that died so that we might live! Let God be true and every man a liar (Rom. 3:4), sinful humanity rejected and murdered their only means of salvation. So Isaiah’s report actually became rhetorical: the religious people of Jesus’ days truly did not believe what was told to them. Nevertheless, what God revealed came to pass exactly like He said it would.
We can buy Christian books, tapes, DVDs, CDs, attend any of the mega churches of our choice, or go to as many conferences as we please, but do we believe what the Word of God is reporting? It is not enough to hear the beliefs of others, unless you and I are standing on the firm ground on our faith. Messages or sermons may stir-up our emotions, but we are ill-advised if we try to live on emotions alone: “For we walk by faith, and not by sight” (II Cor. 5:7). Since believing is the action of our faith, we must take God at His Word. Jesus said, “I am the door….” So our Lord is the way to God, the way of escape, the way of peace, and through Him we have access to all that God has promised! God remained true to what He reported, and it came to pass as He said it would. Now! Are you and I going to believe God, or the negative reports we have been hearing? Let us reflect. What do I believe?
DEFEATED OR VICTORIOUS
Rom. 8:37- Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
The most powerful thing we have is the power to choose. Not even God can take away our right to do so. Why? Because He gave it to us and therefore cannot renege on what He has already set in place: “For I am the Lord, I change not… (Mal 3:6a).” All humans were born “Free Will Moral Agents.” Listen: Jesus died so that we might have the right to life, and that more abundantly (John 10:10). Yet, a man or woman has to make the choice to be wash in the blood of Jesus in order to receive the life He purchased with His life. Think about it! God gave us His son, so that all who believe in His work on the cross could live. However, if we chose not to receive Christ then we could die in our sins. Whatever the decision, the Father truly respects the choice.
My circumstances or situations do not dictate whether or not I am victorious or defeated. I do! If I choose to think, speak, or be defeated than I am defeated. Victory must become a state of mind before we see it in reality, not vice-versa. Having now faith—secures my victory, and speaks volumes on what I exercise inside me. Our eyes can only see what is before us, but faith sees what the natural eyes cannot perceive as real. Our ears may hear what we think to be true; but our spirits knows the truth, Jesus Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit! “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith….” So—even though I may be having an unpleasant experience—I choose to think victorious thoughts regardless to what my outer life says. In spite of what’s happening right now, I am “more than a conqueror”! And this is what I choose to believe.
GOD CANNOT
Luke 11:9- And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
In one of my messages, I mentioned some things that God cannot do, and a few people were offended. Yet it is obvious how God has left certain things in our hands and He will not coerce, manipulate, neither force us to do what He wants. God created us free will agents and even our Creator respects our right to choose. He has given us the right to choose the path we want to walk. We can serve God or refuse the opportunity to do so. Now of course! the best choice is to serve God and live (Ezek. 33:11). Nevertheless, God only offers a great future and encourages us to believe on His son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, which means to be our Helper. The Holy Ghost can empower us to change; however, He offers no assistance if the host rejects His sound wisdom. Wow! So inline with His Word is our God that He will not force us to drop our cigarette, stop the cursing, love our enemy, etc. Whatever we want to change we must first ask God for forgiveness for our sins in the particular area, and then ask Him to empower us to accomplish what we are setting forth to do. Now—once the Holy Spirit knows that you or I are sincere—and He knows our intention is to pursue freedom from the oppression, then immediately strength will be given for the task at hand. But always remember: God cannot move on our behalf except you and I invite Him in to intervene. He will not help unless we Ask, Seek, and Knock!
JESUS IS COMING
James 5:8- Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
There are wars and rumors of wars, over one billion people are starving, and natural disasters are increasing and intensifying; and if there will be more generations to come, they will hold us accountable for countless infractions against the health and well-being of humanity. Unfortunately, all the previous things are just a few relative to a world being destroyed by the sinfulness of its caretakers. These things could establish a fearful outlook or pessimistic view of the future, and there is no way of truly assuring the nations against earth’s demise barring a miraculous move of God.
My fellow believer, God wants our hearts to be established in His love and grace. Although we hear the negative and shocking daily reports of what is happening here on earth, He commands His children to look forward to the coming of the Lord. This world is neither our home nor our problem: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:17). As things get worst, it is letting us know that our journey here is coming to an end. Do not be shocked by anything you see nor hear. Let patience teach your heart not to fear, for the coming of the Lord is so near.
JESUS IS COMING
James 5:8- Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
There are wars and rumors of wars, over one billion people are starving, and natural disasters are increasing and intensifying; and if there will be more generations to come, they will hold us accountable for countless infractions against the health and well-being of humanity. Unfortunately, all the previous things are just a few relative to a world being destroyed by the sinfulness of its caretakers. These things could establish a fearful outlook or pessimistic view of the future, and there is no way of truly assuring the nations against earth’s demise barring a miraculous move of God.
My fellow believer, God wants our hearts to be established in His love and grace. Although we hear the negative and shocking daily reports of what is happening here on earth, He commands His children to look forward to the coming of the Lord. This world is neither our home nor our problem: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:17). As things get worst, it is letting us know that our journey here is coming to an end. Do not be shocked by anything you see nor hear. Let patience teach your heart not to fear, for the coming of the Lord is so near.
JEHOVAH-JIREH
Gen. 22:14- And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
In the midst of a country that is seeing the prospects of its worst economical condition unfolding before its eyes, it is good to know that God will provide. As believers we need not worry. However, America’s reign of being the land of opportunity is fading. Freedom of religion forbids this nation to tell the inhabitants to seek the one and true living God. So it cannot be saved. Since mankind does not learn from his sins of the past, history will continue to repeat itself. Thus the greed, quest for pleasure, idolatry, sexual immorality, etc… makes the fall of America not only needful—but inevitable.
When God told Abraham to sacrifice his “only son,” a chill had to run down his spine. Abraham spent his life separating from everything he held dear: his father’s house (Gen. 12:1), Lot (13:9), Ishmael (21:9-14), and now Isaac (22:2). But in everything he gave up, God fill the void by providing for him. Yet this last separation would make the others insignificantly small by comparison. Thanks be to God that Abraham believed in God providence (Heb. 11:17-19)! Not only did he not have to kill his son, but God provided a sacrifice for Abraham to give. The test revealed Abraham’s undying belief that God would provide.
News reports are going to inevitably become scarier. The dark cloud of doom is moving in the direction of America. But we, my brothers and sisters, are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). We need not panic; but trust in the Lord because He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide.
BEWARE OF THE LITTLE FOXES
Song 2:15- Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
In the Bible days agriculture was big business. They worked hard one season preparing and sowing, to reap in another season. Long hours, late nights, and many sacrifices were made to support the family. Yet the husbandman looked forward to the benefits his labor would soon bring about. Unfortunately, the farmer wasn’t the only one looking forward to the season of reaping. So were the animals; in particular, the foxes. Without warning these menace to the fields would come and eat away at the farmers profits as though they were given license to do so. I am sure these jackals caused many a men to come to tears! The wise ones, those who suffered enough and did something about it, took measures to protection and guard their fields
Let us beware of the little foxes in our lives. The foxes that will steal our joy, gnaw away at our profits of peace, and trample on our fields of contentment. The enemy will send them to ravish our fruit that the blood of Jesus paid for us to have (Gal. 5:22-23). It is up to us to protect and guard our spiritual investments; lest the little critters from the world come into our fields without warning and leave us wondering why we did not do anything about it: debt, worrying, rejection, inferiority, low self-esteem, sickness, loses, etc… these are just a few of the foxes. Guard your and fill your heart with the Word of God. Having faith in God’s Word, which reveals His promises, will limit what the modern day little foxes can do.