Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Saturday August 14, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Jeremiah, chapters 1-3. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-14
Today's Message: Let God Handle It
As Christians we can be pretty hard on ourselves, especially if we get caught up in sin. The great thing about God is that even if we get caught up in the messiest of sins we can be forgiven. All the guilt, shame, and sleepless nights can be eliminated simply by asking for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9. Praise God! You say it is not that simple? Of course it is, we have a choice and there comes a point in our lives where we need to just stop trying to fix it all on our own and let God handle it. No one escapes chastisement for their sins, so, if one is caught up in sin, he needs to just accept it, take the punishment, and move forward, chastisement does not last forever and the longer one tries to avoid it the more he will suffer. The chastisement is actually a blessing and once it is over more blessings are to come.
The book of Jeremiah is the twenty-fourth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains fifty-two chapters. The author of the book is Jeremiah and it was written to Judah to warn of the coming judgment of captivity and call for repentance. What we are to learn from the book is that national disasters and deterioration is often due to disobedience to God, but like all storms when we call on God and repent, He will restore what has been lost. Jeremiah was actually very young when God called on Him to warn the people of the coming destruction of Jerusalem. “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” - Jeremiah 1:4-9. There is an assurance from God listed in these verses, no matter how young or old a person is they can be used of God. In fact, before we are even thought of God has a plan for us and when He calls us we need to answer Him. Often a person will face lots of pain and suffering before they realize God's call, but once they do they realize just how much God loves them and wants the best for them.
I remember before I got caught up in a mess that God was calling me, I knew He was because I had the urge to start reading the Bible again and while I was out of town my brother called me to tell me he was going to church. I ignored it and it took a few years for me to completely commit to God, and I suffered for it too, but once I did I knew God had a better path for me than where I was going. Did you ever take a wrong turn and get lost? Sometimes it takes a long time to get back on the right road, but once you do you are relieved, even if you are a little late. I always imagine two paths in life, of course, one being God's path, the other our own. Sometimes we take a wrong turn and get lost for a while, but God always directs us back on the right road. Of course, it is usually affliction that directs us, but how else is He going to get our attention. If you were a child of God at birth and remained that way praise God that you never fell into the lusts of the world, if you were a backslider like I was praise God that He got you back on the right road. If you are a backslider or never even known God, praise God that you are reading this because He is calling you right now. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” - I Corinthians 6:9-11. Praise God!
Through Jeremiah God illustrates our backsliding as an adulterous woman. “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.” - Jeremiah 3:8-12. God does not stay angry forever, we can all praise Him for His mercy and grace. If it were not for His grace we would all still be offering up animal sacrifices to seek forgiveness for our sins. He is telling all who have backslid, “You are forgiven, but in order to be forgiven you must return to me.” Until I with my mouth asked God to forgive me I suffered deeply, the guilt and shame of what I allowed myself to get involved in alone made me suffer, but when I finally made that choice to let God handle it I was set free. Yes, I was chastised a bit, but it was all worth it because as I look back now I realize God was always there trying to get me to get back on the right road. Praise God that He did. He can do the same for anyone else who let's God handle it.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and the rest of your weekend
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Bible Study: Give Them The Opportunity 08.13.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Friday August 13, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 64-66. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-13
Today's Message: Give Them The Opportunity
As Christians we can rejoice in the fact that Christ will return and when He does it is only the beginning to our wonderful journey, no more pain, suffering, or remembrance of anything that we had to endure here on earth. Whether we just come to know Him, forgot about Him, or were faithful servants, all who have called on Jesus to save them will escape the horrible fate of every person who rejected the Lord, eternal separation not only from God, but everyone as they spend the rest of eternity burning in the lake of fire. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”- Revelation 20:14,15. Yes, it is a scary thought to think that there is such a place, but it is real and anyone who has not called on Jesus to save them will end up there. It saddens me to think that I have family and friends that I will not see in heaven because they did not know the truth or ignored it. “He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”- John 3:33-36. Everyone in their lifetime on earth will have the opportunity to be saved, it is up to them to accept it, we can not dwell on those who did not heed the warning, but we can do what we can to try and tell the rest so they have the opportunity as well.
A lot of people think that all we read in the New Testament is new news and that it has no impact from the Old Testament, but the fact is, it is nothing new. All throughout the Old Testament these things have been told already. When God inspired Isaiah to write his book, the prophecies given to him about Jesus coming were given over seven hundred years before his birth. Isaiah also prophesies about Christ's second coming and the destruction that will take place. Isaiahs prophecies deemed true when he warned the Northern Kingdom and later the Southern Kingdom of their destruction. Eight years after the fall of the Northern Kingdom the Southern Kingdom began to take a fall that would lead to it's destruction and the Israelites being taken captive by the Babylonians. The majority of the people had abandoned the Lord and had turned to the false gods of neighboring countries. In a desperate plea Isaiah began praying to God, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?” - Isaiah 64:8-12. Just like today, they rejected the prophecies as well, but that did not stop them from happening. Through Isaiah, God is giving us a warning and is preparing us for what is about to come of our own nation, which ever one that may be, like Isaiah, we too need to be praying and pleading to God for our nation.
Regardless of what we have gotten ourselves into, God is forgiving and although we will suffer some chastisement when it is over we will be blessed through it. God assures us that although we have sinned He will save us from His wrath, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” - Isaiah 65:13-17. Jesus is the bread of life, unless we receive His offering we will always be hungry and thirsty for more, never satisfied. Jesus Said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” - John 6:35.
When God's people have the bread of life they shall want nothing good for them, but those who forsake the Lord, shall be ashamed of vain confidence in their own righteousness, and the hopes they built thereon. Worldly people bless themselves in the abundance of this world's goods, but God's people bless themselves in Him, recognizing Him as their strength and will. They shall honor Him as the God of truth. They shall think themselves happy in having Him for their God, who made them forget their troubles. The former confusions, sins, and miseries of the human race, shall be no more remembered or renewed. In the grace and comfort believers have in and from Christ we look forward to the new heaven and new earth awaiting us. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome and blessed weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? Visit God's Price
http://www.godsprice.com
Want to learn more? Visit I'm Following Jesus
http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Today is Friday August 13, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 64-66. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-13
Today's Message: Give Them The Opportunity
As Christians we can rejoice in the fact that Christ will return and when He does it is only the beginning to our wonderful journey, no more pain, suffering, or remembrance of anything that we had to endure here on earth. Whether we just come to know Him, forgot about Him, or were faithful servants, all who have called on Jesus to save them will escape the horrible fate of every person who rejected the Lord, eternal separation not only from God, but everyone as they spend the rest of eternity burning in the lake of fire. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”- Revelation 20:14,15. Yes, it is a scary thought to think that there is such a place, but it is real and anyone who has not called on Jesus to save them will end up there. It saddens me to think that I have family and friends that I will not see in heaven because they did not know the truth or ignored it. “He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”- John 3:33-36. Everyone in their lifetime on earth will have the opportunity to be saved, it is up to them to accept it, we can not dwell on those who did not heed the warning, but we can do what we can to try and tell the rest so they have the opportunity as well.
A lot of people think that all we read in the New Testament is new news and that it has no impact from the Old Testament, but the fact is, it is nothing new. All throughout the Old Testament these things have been told already. When God inspired Isaiah to write his book, the prophecies given to him about Jesus coming were given over seven hundred years before his birth. Isaiah also prophesies about Christ's second coming and the destruction that will take place. Isaiahs prophecies deemed true when he warned the Northern Kingdom and later the Southern Kingdom of their destruction. Eight years after the fall of the Northern Kingdom the Southern Kingdom began to take a fall that would lead to it's destruction and the Israelites being taken captive by the Babylonians. The majority of the people had abandoned the Lord and had turned to the false gods of neighboring countries. In a desperate plea Isaiah began praying to God, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?” - Isaiah 64:8-12. Just like today, they rejected the prophecies as well, but that did not stop them from happening. Through Isaiah, God is giving us a warning and is preparing us for what is about to come of our own nation, which ever one that may be, like Isaiah, we too need to be praying and pleading to God for our nation.
Regardless of what we have gotten ourselves into, God is forgiving and although we will suffer some chastisement when it is over we will be blessed through it. God assures us that although we have sinned He will save us from His wrath, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” - Isaiah 65:13-17. Jesus is the bread of life, unless we receive His offering we will always be hungry and thirsty for more, never satisfied. Jesus Said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” - John 6:35.
When God's people have the bread of life they shall want nothing good for them, but those who forsake the Lord, shall be ashamed of vain confidence in their own righteousness, and the hopes they built thereon. Worldly people bless themselves in the abundance of this world's goods, but God's people bless themselves in Him, recognizing Him as their strength and will. They shall honor Him as the God of truth. They shall think themselves happy in having Him for their God, who made them forget their troubles. The former confusions, sins, and miseries of the human race, shall be no more remembered or renewed. In the grace and comfort believers have in and from Christ we look forward to the new heaven and new earth awaiting us. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome and blessed weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? Visit God's Price
http://www.godsprice.com
Want to learn more? Visit I'm Following Jesus
http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Bible Study: Fasting God's Way 08.12.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Thursday August 12, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 58-63. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-12
Today's Message: Fasting God's Way
When most Christians think of the word fasting they think of Fat Tuesday, Lent, and Easter. The word fast is defined as to abstain from food, or limiting of one's food or certain kinds of food, especially when voluntary and as a religious observance. I remember growing up and only eating fish on Friday's and the forty days of fasting during Lent when we would take a food we enjoyed the most and not eat it the entire season. Another meaning for the word fast is a period of such abstention or self-denial. You would often hear of people during the Lenten season use that time for abstaining from fleshly desires as well. While it is good to have times of reflection and restraint, it is important to remember that living the Christian life is not about taking forty days out of the year to do what is right, it is about a lifetime commitment to living your life as Christ did. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” - Romans 12:1.
Through Isaiah, God addresses people who fast in vain, “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” - Isaiah 58:2-4. As I said earlier, living the Christian life is not about taking forty days out of the year to do what is right, and this is what God is talking about here. You can not live immorally and seek God and expect His blessings. Often Christians will abuse God's good graces to continue to live in sin, although God is a forgiving God, He is not a gullible God, He knows what we are doing and if we are sincere.
Isaiah continues and through him God addresses what we are to do when we fast, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;...Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. ” - Isaiah 58:6-9,14. Fasting is not to impress the world of how religious we are, but is to seek the will of God through intercession. We are blessed when we truly seek the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, it is only then can we forget about our own burdens and desires and focus on others, who have much more to deal with then we do.
God assures us through Isaiah, “For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” - Isaiah 62:1-5. Hephzibah means Jerusalem will be restored and Beulah means a land of peace. That new name for the Gentiles are Christians, that is all who have called on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. We sing a song at my church called, In Beulah land, it is a vision of what is to come as Christians and Jews come together to a land of peace.
So many people make the assumption that if they are a particular religion that will save you from hell. This is wrong, whether Jew or Gentile the only way to escape hell is through Jesus Christ. “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” - Isaiah 61:9-11. Alee who accept Jesus Christ are saved. Praise God!
Fasting is perhaps the most intimate relationship you can have with God, fasting is more than refraining ones self from eating food and doing things we love, it is about using that time for prayer, getting in God's Word, and helping others not only come to know Christ themselves, but see that they can find peace through their burdens. Jesus Said, “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” - Matthew 6:16-18. Spiritual fasting is something between you and God and no one else. We are to go about our day like every other day, for instance, instead of eating at lunch time you would be praying or reading the Bible.
At times it is necessary to fast, while God answers all prayers, some requests take more than just praying, and this is where fasting comes in. You know, the disciples did not always have total confidence that Jesus could do and make anything happen. They doubted Him from time to time as well so, we are no different from His first twelve disciples. When questioning why they could not heal a boy possessed by the devil, Jesus Said, “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” - Matthew 17:20,21. Prayer and fasting combined can truly move mountains. Think about it, a mountain is just a rock, it can not grow, it has no life to it, but a seed, as seed has live to it and when it grow it can literally break through that mountain and it will tumble. Ever see a flower or piece of grass pop through a driveway or sidewalk? That is the power of a tiny seed. Just that much faith can increase ones faith, especially through prayer and fasting, so much so that it can show God you truly believe in Him. If just a little bit of faith can move a mountain imagine what more faith can do? Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven? Visit God's Price
http://www.godsprice.com
Want to learn more? Visit I'm Following Jesus
http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
devotions@imfollowingjesus.com
Today is Thursday August 12, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 58-63. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-12
Today's Message: Fasting God's Way
When most Christians think of the word fasting they think of Fat Tuesday, Lent, and Easter. The word fast is defined as to abstain from food, or limiting of one's food or certain kinds of food, especially when voluntary and as a religious observance. I remember growing up and only eating fish on Friday's and the forty days of fasting during Lent when we would take a food we enjoyed the most and not eat it the entire season. Another meaning for the word fast is a period of such abstention or self-denial. You would often hear of people during the Lenten season use that time for abstaining from fleshly desires as well. While it is good to have times of reflection and restraint, it is important to remember that living the Christian life is not about taking forty days out of the year to do what is right, it is about a lifetime commitment to living your life as Christ did. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” - Romans 12:1.
Through Isaiah, God addresses people who fast in vain, “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” - Isaiah 58:2-4. As I said earlier, living the Christian life is not about taking forty days out of the year to do what is right, and this is what God is talking about here. You can not live immorally and seek God and expect His blessings. Often Christians will abuse God's good graces to continue to live in sin, although God is a forgiving God, He is not a gullible God, He knows what we are doing and if we are sincere.
Isaiah continues and through him God addresses what we are to do when we fast, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;...Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. ” - Isaiah 58:6-9,14. Fasting is not to impress the world of how religious we are, but is to seek the will of God through intercession. We are blessed when we truly seek the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, it is only then can we forget about our own burdens and desires and focus on others, who have much more to deal with then we do.
God assures us through Isaiah, “For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” - Isaiah 62:1-5. Hephzibah means Jerusalem will be restored and Beulah means a land of peace. That new name for the Gentiles are Christians, that is all who have called on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. We sing a song at my church called, In Beulah land, it is a vision of what is to come as Christians and Jews come together to a land of peace.
So many people make the assumption that if they are a particular religion that will save you from hell. This is wrong, whether Jew or Gentile the only way to escape hell is through Jesus Christ. “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” - Isaiah 61:9-11. Alee who accept Jesus Christ are saved. Praise God!
Fasting is perhaps the most intimate relationship you can have with God, fasting is more than refraining ones self from eating food and doing things we love, it is about using that time for prayer, getting in God's Word, and helping others not only come to know Christ themselves, but see that they can find peace through their burdens. Jesus Said, “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” - Matthew 6:16-18. Spiritual fasting is something between you and God and no one else. We are to go about our day like every other day, for instance, instead of eating at lunch time you would be praying or reading the Bible.
At times it is necessary to fast, while God answers all prayers, some requests take more than just praying, and this is where fasting comes in. You know, the disciples did not always have total confidence that Jesus could do and make anything happen. They doubted Him from time to time as well so, we are no different from His first twelve disciples. When questioning why they could not heal a boy possessed by the devil, Jesus Said, “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” - Matthew 17:20,21. Prayer and fasting combined can truly move mountains. Think about it, a mountain is just a rock, it can not grow, it has no life to it, but a seed, as seed has live to it and when it grow it can literally break through that mountain and it will tumble. Ever see a flower or piece of grass pop through a driveway or sidewalk? That is the power of a tiny seed. Just that much faith can increase ones faith, especially through prayer and fasting, so much so that it can show God you truly believe in Him. If just a little bit of faith can move a mountain imagine what more faith can do? Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Bible Study: Our Redeemer 08.11.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Wednesday August 11, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 52-57. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-11
Today's Message: Our Redeemer
Out of all the people in the world who consider themselves Christians, how many actually know what it means to be a Christian. Being a Christian is not about going to church, trying to be good, and helping others less fortunate than us. The key word within the word is Christ, to be a Christian, one needs Christ. If you from the bottom of your heart believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and confessed to Him that you are a sinner and asked Him to save you than you are a Christian. If you have never asked Jesus to save you than you are not and all that work you have been trying to do is getting you no where.“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Romans 10:9,10. This is nothing new, it has always been in the Bible. False religions and doctrine try to change this, but no matter what they try they can not hide the truth and are deceiving all who believe them. It is sad when I get people telling me that they believe by their religion they are going to heaven or that heaven and hell do not even exist. The truth is, heaven and hell are real, Jesus is the only way to heaven, and anyone who has not personally called on Him to save them, if they died today, would be in hell. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:7,8.
You know, the sad thing about all this is that good people truly do think that if they do enough good that it will save them, but being good does not save us, Jesus saves us. We think that Jesus is someone who just came around a couple thousand years ago, but the truth is, Jesus was around before God created the heavens and earth and He is still around. Even the Israelites knew of Jesus, known by them as the Messiah. Jesus was, is and will always be our Savior. Through Isaiah God reveals to all, not just Israel, that He was making a way for us to be redeemed without paying for it. “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money....The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” - Isaiah 52:1-3,10. When God speaks of Zion and Jerusalem, He is speaking of all nations. Jerusalem being the holy city, while Zion is the hill where the Temple was built and will be the final destination for all believers .
Isaiah continues and reveals the coming of Jesus and how He would be rejected, persecuted, and suffer for the sins of everyone, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed....Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” - Isaiah 53:2-5,10-12. Jesus became our intercessor, the one who would sacrifice His life, just as a sin offering was given to redeem a person, to save us from our transgressions (sins). Jesus was perfect and sinless and God allowed Him to die for the sins of all of us, people think that God would not send a person who tries to be good to hell, but no matter how good one tries to be we have sin in us, therefore, unless one knows Jesus personally they will end up in hell when they die.
God is not trying to send people to hell, He loves everyone and wants to see all of us in heaven, but He will not save anyone who does not want to be saved. “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer....And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee....No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” - Isaiah 54:7,8,13,14,17. A redeemer is someone to make amends for, to pay off, or to recover possession or ownership of by payment of a price or service. Jesus is our Redeemer, He paid the price for our sins by dying for us. Before Jesus, Satan has possession of our soul, but the second we call on Jesus he no longer owns our soul, it is free and on it's way to heaven when the body dies. Praise God!
Christ suffered and died on the cross in our place and conquered death by His resurrection. It was on the cross He revealed His love and made the supreme sacrifice so each one of us could receive forgiveness for our sins. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” - Isaiah 55:1-7. All we have to do to be free from our sin and go to heaven is call on Jesus. He is our Redeemer and the only one who can save us and pardon us. Think about it. If a person was drowning and did not call for help the lifeguard would not see him drowning until it was too late. It is only by yelling and calling for help that he would be saved. The same thing applies to eternal life, if we want to be saved from hell we need to call on Jesus. He is our only life preserver. Praise God that He loved us so much that He sent Jesus and gave Him up to save all of us, but to be saved we must first call Him.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Today is Wednesday August 11, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 52-57. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-11
Today's Message: Our Redeemer
Out of all the people in the world who consider themselves Christians, how many actually know what it means to be a Christian. Being a Christian is not about going to church, trying to be good, and helping others less fortunate than us. The key word within the word is Christ, to be a Christian, one needs Christ. If you from the bottom of your heart believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and confessed to Him that you are a sinner and asked Him to save you than you are a Christian. If you have never asked Jesus to save you than you are not and all that work you have been trying to do is getting you no where.“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Romans 10:9,10. This is nothing new, it has always been in the Bible. False religions and doctrine try to change this, but no matter what they try they can not hide the truth and are deceiving all who believe them. It is sad when I get people telling me that they believe by their religion they are going to heaven or that heaven and hell do not even exist. The truth is, heaven and hell are real, Jesus is the only way to heaven, and anyone who has not personally called on Him to save them, if they died today, would be in hell. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:7,8.
You know, the sad thing about all this is that good people truly do think that if they do enough good that it will save them, but being good does not save us, Jesus saves us. We think that Jesus is someone who just came around a couple thousand years ago, but the truth is, Jesus was around before God created the heavens and earth and He is still around. Even the Israelites knew of Jesus, known by them as the Messiah. Jesus was, is and will always be our Savior. Through Isaiah God reveals to all, not just Israel, that He was making a way for us to be redeemed without paying for it. “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money....The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” - Isaiah 52:1-3,10. When God speaks of Zion and Jerusalem, He is speaking of all nations. Jerusalem being the holy city, while Zion is the hill where the Temple was built and will be the final destination for all believers .
Isaiah continues and reveals the coming of Jesus and how He would be rejected, persecuted, and suffer for the sins of everyone, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed....Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” - Isaiah 53:2-5,10-12. Jesus became our intercessor, the one who would sacrifice His life, just as a sin offering was given to redeem a person, to save us from our transgressions (sins). Jesus was perfect and sinless and God allowed Him to die for the sins of all of us, people think that God would not send a person who tries to be good to hell, but no matter how good one tries to be we have sin in us, therefore, unless one knows Jesus personally they will end up in hell when they die.
God is not trying to send people to hell, He loves everyone and wants to see all of us in heaven, but He will not save anyone who does not want to be saved. “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer....And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee....No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” - Isaiah 54:7,8,13,14,17. A redeemer is someone to make amends for, to pay off, or to recover possession or ownership of by payment of a price or service. Jesus is our Redeemer, He paid the price for our sins by dying for us. Before Jesus, Satan has possession of our soul, but the second we call on Jesus he no longer owns our soul, it is free and on it's way to heaven when the body dies. Praise God!
Christ suffered and died on the cross in our place and conquered death by His resurrection. It was on the cross He revealed His love and made the supreme sacrifice so each one of us could receive forgiveness for our sins. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” - Isaiah 55:1-7. All we have to do to be free from our sin and go to heaven is call on Jesus. He is our Redeemer and the only one who can save us and pardon us. Think about it. If a person was drowning and did not call for help the lifeguard would not see him drowning until it was too late. It is only by yelling and calling for help that he would be saved. The same thing applies to eternal life, if we want to be saved from hell we need to call on Jesus. He is our only life preserver. Praise God that He loved us so much that He sent Jesus and gave Him up to save all of us, but to be saved we must first call Him.
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Bible Study: God's Free Will 08.10.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Tuesday August 10, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 47-51. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-10
Today's Message: God's Free Will
Perhaps one of the most amazing gifts we can ever receive from God, apart from sending Jesus, is the gift of free will. While God knows already who will and will not follow Him from the time we are conceived, He still gives us the choice to choose Him. Now, often you will hear the world, especially people we use to hang out with, say something like, “You are brain washed” Believing in God is not being brain washed, it is predestined, we are all born with the knowledge of God, but we allow circumstances and false doctrine alter our perception of Him. People are more willing to believe that they evolved over billions of years rather than believe the truth. In fact, no matter what people go through they are more likely to believe the lie that the truth. Did you ever have someone accuse you of something that was not true? This is the same situation. Instead of trying to hide your faith, embrace it. Who cares what people think? It is God that we have to please, not people and if they are any kind of friend they will respect that and see that we are not brain washed, but free. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:32. Praise God!
God is not forcing anyone to believe in Him and that is why some people will only remain as God's creation while others will become His very own children. Yes, there is a difference. God created everything living, but only those who believe in and accept Him and His Word can become His children. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” - Ephesians 1:3-5. When we believe in and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we become one of God's children. Praise God!
God's free will allow us to test the spirits, He says, go ahead, seek help from all the false gods, idols, and astrologers out there and see what they will do for you. Through Isiah God addresses those who believe in all of these things, “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.”- Isaiah 47:10-15. God will not share Himself with any other god. If you are going to choose God He expects you to commit only to Him. He will not take anyone away from their choice, but He will welcome all who come to Him, even if they followed other gods for a while.
I will tell you there was a time in my life when I was so far from God that I tested those spirits one time, I use to read tarot cards and often recited chants to them. I even convinced myself that it was from God, in reality it was from the devil. All it took for me to see that it was evil was for one of those chants to come true. I was so scared that I threw everything away and vowed to never recite anything, but a Bible verse ever again. And now, I not only am forgiven and a child of God, I am also a testimony proving that only God can change our lives in a positive, good, and prosperous way. You see, God may become angry with us from time to time and we will suffer for our actions, but it is through the affliction that we learn we need God and just how loving and forgiving He is. God continues through Isaiah, “And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.” - Isaiah 49:5-7. God will bring blessings out of suffering and triumph out of tragedy for every child of God, but the key is to go to Him and ask Him for forgiveness.
Jesus Said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:13-16. Jesus assures us that all who believe in Him and call on Him are not servants, but His friends. What better friend to have then our Lord, Savior, and Brother, Jesus Christ. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
http://www.godsprice.com
Visit I'm Following Jesus
http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
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Today is Tuesday August 10, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 47-51. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-10
Today's Message: God's Free Will
Perhaps one of the most amazing gifts we can ever receive from God, apart from sending Jesus, is the gift of free will. While God knows already who will and will not follow Him from the time we are conceived, He still gives us the choice to choose Him. Now, often you will hear the world, especially people we use to hang out with, say something like, “You are brain washed” Believing in God is not being brain washed, it is predestined, we are all born with the knowledge of God, but we allow circumstances and false doctrine alter our perception of Him. People are more willing to believe that they evolved over billions of years rather than believe the truth. In fact, no matter what people go through they are more likely to believe the lie that the truth. Did you ever have someone accuse you of something that was not true? This is the same situation. Instead of trying to hide your faith, embrace it. Who cares what people think? It is God that we have to please, not people and if they are any kind of friend they will respect that and see that we are not brain washed, but free. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:32. Praise God!
God is not forcing anyone to believe in Him and that is why some people will only remain as God's creation while others will become His very own children. Yes, there is a difference. God created everything living, but only those who believe in and accept Him and His Word can become His children. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” - Ephesians 1:3-5. When we believe in and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we become one of God's children. Praise God!
God's free will allow us to test the spirits, He says, go ahead, seek help from all the false gods, idols, and astrologers out there and see what they will do for you. Through Isiah God addresses those who believe in all of these things, “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.”- Isaiah 47:10-15. God will not share Himself with any other god. If you are going to choose God He expects you to commit only to Him. He will not take anyone away from their choice, but He will welcome all who come to Him, even if they followed other gods for a while.
I will tell you there was a time in my life when I was so far from God that I tested those spirits one time, I use to read tarot cards and often recited chants to them. I even convinced myself that it was from God, in reality it was from the devil. All it took for me to see that it was evil was for one of those chants to come true. I was so scared that I threw everything away and vowed to never recite anything, but a Bible verse ever again. And now, I not only am forgiven and a child of God, I am also a testimony proving that only God can change our lives in a positive, good, and prosperous way. You see, God may become angry with us from time to time and we will suffer for our actions, but it is through the affliction that we learn we need God and just how loving and forgiving He is. God continues through Isaiah, “And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.” - Isaiah 49:5-7. God will bring blessings out of suffering and triumph out of tragedy for every child of God, but the key is to go to Him and ask Him for forgiveness.
Jesus Said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:13-16. Jesus assures us that all who believe in Him and call on Him are not servants, but His friends. What better friend to have then our Lord, Savior, and Brother, Jesus Christ. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Bible Study: Abide in Christ 08.09.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Monday August 09, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 43-46. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-9
Today's Message: Abide in Christ
As Christians, no matter how strong we are in our faith we still underestimate the love and power of our Almighty God. God truly wants the best for us, often we just do not know what that is and confuse our own will with God's will. This is where God will bring affliction and we think it is a punishment, but in reality it is only Him trying to show us what is best for us. Jesus Said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” - John 15:7. To abide means to remain or dwell with, in other words Jesus is saying, “If you remain with Me, My Words (God's Word) will remain with you and you will receive what you are asking. As we abide in Christ, we learn what God's will is and as we learn God's will Jesus will teach us what to ask for and we will receive it. Think about a child asking a parent for something, some things the child is just not able to have because it is not good for him. God is the same way with His children, He is not going to give us anything that is bad for us, but be careful, if we use our own will to get it, we can be sure affliction will come our way.
Abiding in Christ means that you are to live by every Word of God, this is where many people fall, no matter how many times it is stressed that we need to live by Every Word some one always tries to make an excuse as to why it is not necessary. While we are no longer subject to some of the laws given before Jesus came, the same morals and commands still apply. We are God's creation, formed in His image, therefore we are to honor and respect Him and everything He has to say to us. Through Isaiah God says, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” - Isaiah 43:1-7. This is a vision of the coming of Christ, His seed that would be the One who would give His life for all. What are Egypt and Ethiopia, with all their lives and treasures, compared to the blood of Christ? True believers are precious in God's sight, His delight is in them, above any of His creation.
Just yesterday I was thinking about how people were saved before Jesus came and gave His life as a sacrifice to save us. An unblemished (without defects) animal took the place of the sinner and that animal was killed on the spot upon the altar and offered as the sacrifice. “And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.” - Leviticus 4:33-35. Jesus took the place of all that and we do not need a priest to assist us, we can make an atonement for our sins simply by calling on Jesus (who is our high priest) and asking Him for forgiveness.
Even though God has control over all matters, every soul that is born and lives in the flesh has the free will to chose for themselves whether they will serve God, or Satan. He already knows our choice, He also knows who is true to Him and who is not. He made each and everyone of us and regardless of whether or not we choose to follow Him, He uses each person in some way to get His true and faithful to acknowledge Him, no matter how long it takes. “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” - Isaiah 43:21-26. When God forgives, He forgets. It is not for any thing in us, but for His mercies' sake, His promise' sake and especially for His Son's sake. We can do things the easy way, by accepting Christ and learning how to live our lives according to God's Word through Him. Or we can do things the hard way, by ignoring God's Will and suffer needless suffering until we realize we need Christ in our lives.
Of course, there are some things that God does that we will not understand, but this is where we have to follow our faith and trust in His judgment. Jesus said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full...Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:10,11,16. As long as we keep abiding in Christ we will find joy, even though we do not always understand God's will. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Today is Monday August 09, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 43-46. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-9
Today's Message: Abide in Christ
As Christians, no matter how strong we are in our faith we still underestimate the love and power of our Almighty God. God truly wants the best for us, often we just do not know what that is and confuse our own will with God's will. This is where God will bring affliction and we think it is a punishment, but in reality it is only Him trying to show us what is best for us. Jesus Said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” - John 15:7. To abide means to remain or dwell with, in other words Jesus is saying, “If you remain with Me, My Words (God's Word) will remain with you and you will receive what you are asking. As we abide in Christ, we learn what God's will is and as we learn God's will Jesus will teach us what to ask for and we will receive it. Think about a child asking a parent for something, some things the child is just not able to have because it is not good for him. God is the same way with His children, He is not going to give us anything that is bad for us, but be careful, if we use our own will to get it, we can be sure affliction will come our way.
Abiding in Christ means that you are to live by every Word of God, this is where many people fall, no matter how many times it is stressed that we need to live by Every Word some one always tries to make an excuse as to why it is not necessary. While we are no longer subject to some of the laws given before Jesus came, the same morals and commands still apply. We are God's creation, formed in His image, therefore we are to honor and respect Him and everything He has to say to us. Through Isaiah God says, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” - Isaiah 43:1-7. This is a vision of the coming of Christ, His seed that would be the One who would give His life for all. What are Egypt and Ethiopia, with all their lives and treasures, compared to the blood of Christ? True believers are precious in God's sight, His delight is in them, above any of His creation.
Just yesterday I was thinking about how people were saved before Jesus came and gave His life as a sacrifice to save us. An unblemished (without defects) animal took the place of the sinner and that animal was killed on the spot upon the altar and offered as the sacrifice. “And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.” - Leviticus 4:33-35. Jesus took the place of all that and we do not need a priest to assist us, we can make an atonement for our sins simply by calling on Jesus (who is our high priest) and asking Him for forgiveness.
Even though God has control over all matters, every soul that is born and lives in the flesh has the free will to chose for themselves whether they will serve God, or Satan. He already knows our choice, He also knows who is true to Him and who is not. He made each and everyone of us and regardless of whether or not we choose to follow Him, He uses each person in some way to get His true and faithful to acknowledge Him, no matter how long it takes. “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” - Isaiah 43:21-26. When God forgives, He forgets. It is not for any thing in us, but for His mercies' sake, His promise' sake and especially for His Son's sake. We can do things the easy way, by accepting Christ and learning how to live our lives according to God's Word through Him. Or we can do things the hard way, by ignoring God's Will and suffer needless suffering until we realize we need Christ in our lives.
Of course, there are some things that God does that we will not understand, but this is where we have to follow our faith and trust in His judgment. Jesus said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full...Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:10,11,16. As long as we keep abiding in Christ we will find joy, even though we do not always understand God's will. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
http://www.godsprice.com
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http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
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Bible Study: Our Guard From Thieves 08.08.10
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Sunday August 08, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 38-42. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-8
Today's Message: Our Guard From Thieves
Did you ever stop to think just how cunning and organized thieves are? They appear helpful, blend in with everyone, yet the entire time they are planing their scheme to take whatever it is they are after. Thieves steal more than just material things, they can steal identities, lives, and even ones innocence. It aggravates me, and I am sure others feel the same way, when the media and government tell all the world about the weapons we have and our strengths and weaknesses as a nation, whatever nation it may be. That's like parking a car in a bad neighborhood, leaving the keys in it, and wondering why the car was stolen. It is very important to watch who we tell our information to and just how much information we tell. The Bible says, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night....Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 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.” - I Thessalonians 5:2,5-8. We need to be awake and sober to what is around us, who we talk to, and what we tell the heathens, they are constantly out there to destroy us. Of course, we are to tell all about Christ and what He has done to us, but we need to be very careful of whom we reveal more than the Gospel to.
About 13 years had passed since Isaiah brought Hezekiah, king of Judah, the exciting news that the southern kingdom would be miraculously saved from the invincible armies of the Assyrian Empire (Isaiah 37). Now, Hezekiah is gravely ill and about to die when he gets a visit from Isaiah. “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.”- Isaiah 38:1-5. Hezekiah reminded the God how he had served Him faithfully and had not departed from the Lord's Commandments. He had sincerely lived to please the Lord, he just made some dumb decisions when things were going well. God heard his prayer and added fifteen years on to his life.
Now, here is where Hezekiah messed up, after his miraculous recovery he began telling all, even his enemies what God had done for him. Now, the error was not in telling the people about what God had done for him, it is who and what he told them.“At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon. Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.” - Isaiah 39:1-4. Hezekiah accepted gifts from the enemy and on top of that he disclosed secret information to them. The warning here is to watch out what you show and tell to anyone who does not know God or His Word, for that is what shall be used against you in due time.
Christ is the good Shepherd; he shows tender care for young converts, weak believers, and those of a sorrowful spirit. By His word He requires no more service, and by his providence he inflicts no more trouble, than he will strengthen them for. “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young....Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:9-11,28-31. The glad tidings of the coming of Christ are to be sent forth to the ends of the earth. Satan is a strong man armed, but our Lord Jesus is stronger; and He shall proceed, and do all that He purposes. Where God had begun the work of grace, he will perfect it. He will help those who, in humble dependence on him, help themselves.
Many of the circumstances in the world, regardless of whether it is war, disease, or poverty, comes from the decisions we make. Many people wonder if there is a God then why all the war, why all the suffering, why all the disease, but in reality, none of these would have even come into play had we listened to God in the first place and that means all of us and all of His Word. “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.” - Proverbs 13:18. God has given us every warning and instructions on how we can avoid the thieves in the night. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” - John 10:9-11. Jesus Christ is the only one who can guard us from the thieves. He is life and all who allow Him to guide them will be prepared and able to discern whether or not a person is an enemy. Trust in Jesus and He will keep you safe. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going to Heaven?
Be 100% Sure
http://www.godsprice.com
Visit I'm Following Jesus
http://www.imfollowingjesus.com
Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
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Today is Sunday August 08, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 38-42. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-august-8
Today's Message: Our Guard From Thieves
Did you ever stop to think just how cunning and organized thieves are? They appear helpful, blend in with everyone, yet the entire time they are planing their scheme to take whatever it is they are after. Thieves steal more than just material things, they can steal identities, lives, and even ones innocence. It aggravates me, and I am sure others feel the same way, when the media and government tell all the world about the weapons we have and our strengths and weaknesses as a nation, whatever nation it may be. That's like parking a car in a bad neighborhood, leaving the keys in it, and wondering why the car was stolen. It is very important to watch who we tell our information to and just how much information we tell. The Bible says, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night....Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 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.” - I Thessalonians 5:2,5-8. We need to be awake and sober to what is around us, who we talk to, and what we tell the heathens, they are constantly out there to destroy us. Of course, we are to tell all about Christ and what He has done to us, but we need to be very careful of whom we reveal more than the Gospel to.
About 13 years had passed since Isaiah brought Hezekiah, king of Judah, the exciting news that the southern kingdom would be miraculously saved from the invincible armies of the Assyrian Empire (Isaiah 37). Now, Hezekiah is gravely ill and about to die when he gets a visit from Isaiah. “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.”- Isaiah 38:1-5. Hezekiah reminded the God how he had served Him faithfully and had not departed from the Lord's Commandments. He had sincerely lived to please the Lord, he just made some dumb decisions when things were going well. God heard his prayer and added fifteen years on to his life.
Now, here is where Hezekiah messed up, after his miraculous recovery he began telling all, even his enemies what God had done for him. Now, the error was not in telling the people about what God had done for him, it is who and what he told them.“At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon. Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.” - Isaiah 39:1-4. Hezekiah accepted gifts from the enemy and on top of that he disclosed secret information to them. The warning here is to watch out what you show and tell to anyone who does not know God or His Word, for that is what shall be used against you in due time.
Christ is the good Shepherd; he shows tender care for young converts, weak believers, and those of a sorrowful spirit. By His word He requires no more service, and by his providence he inflicts no more trouble, than he will strengthen them for. “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young....Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:9-11,28-31. The glad tidings of the coming of Christ are to be sent forth to the ends of the earth. Satan is a strong man armed, but our Lord Jesus is stronger; and He shall proceed, and do all that He purposes. Where God had begun the work of grace, he will perfect it. He will help those who, in humble dependence on him, help themselves.
Many of the circumstances in the world, regardless of whether it is war, disease, or poverty, comes from the decisions we make. Many people wonder if there is a God then why all the war, why all the suffering, why all the disease, but in reality, none of these would have even come into play had we listened to God in the first place and that means all of us and all of His Word. “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.” - Proverbs 13:18. God has given us every warning and instructions on how we can avoid the thieves in the night. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” - John 10:9-11. Jesus Christ is the only one who can guard us from the thieves. He is life and all who allow Him to guide them will be prepared and able to discern whether or not a person is an enemy. Trust in Jesus and He will keep you safe. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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