To Believe or Not To Believe

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: To Believe or Not To Believe
Date: Sunday July 2, 2011
Chapters: Isaiah 31-32, Proverb 24, Psalm 24
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-24
Details of Today's Chapters: Judah again warned against the Egyptian alliance, God’s defense of Jerusalem, the promise of the coming Kingdom, a warning of great tribulation and deliverance from the true King.

Hello My Friend/Guest,

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” - Luke 12:4-9.

No one on earth is more ruthless and cruel than Satan himself, while anyone is capable of killing the flesh, he is the only one who can kill the soul. In fact, the second a person is born their soul belongs to Satan, it is only when they receive God's spirit in them that their soul is set free. The only way to receive God's spirit is to receive Christ as your Savior. Only those who receive Christ, even if they never did anything else for Him, shall be seen before the angels of God as His and saved from the day of judgment.

God warned Israel time and time again not to align themselves with the enemy, yet they rarely heeded the warning, often becoming slaves to those who refused to listen, even those professing their faith in God suffered because they were living amongst them. Now, after Judah made an alliance with Egypt once again, God gave them one last warning, this time there was no changing His mind, judgment was coming, but gives a glimpse of hope also.

“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together...As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.” - Isaiah 31:1-3,5-7.

There is no escaping the judgments of God, but as birds protect their young by hovering over them when danger comes, God protects His children, even if they have gotten away from Him. The truth is, no amount of good saves us from judgment, it is only by our trusting Jesus Christ as our Savior that we are saved or rather made to suffer only for a little while. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” - Hebrews 10:36-39.

The wasting and desolation of the land upon the judgment of God was given because His people were living in the pleasures and corruption of the world, ignoring God's commands in pure rebellion. All who set their hearts upon the worldly things, will find huge disappointment. Through Isaiah, God foretells of the days Christ comes to reign.

“Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken...Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;” - Isaiah 32:1-3,16-18.

It is the comfort of the faithful few that blessed times of righteousness and eternal rest are promised when the Prince of Peace shall come forth to reign. Even those whom have put God on the back burner will find this peace. Why? Our faith in Christ saves us. God knows that the flesh is wretched, I was telling my Sunday school class that I never trust myself because I have this flesh and flesh sticks. It is because we have this sinful flesh that God chose a different way for us to be saved from His judgment and that is through Jesus Christ. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:10-13.

People ask me all the time, “How can God send people to hell?” God does not want to send anyone to hell, but the truth us only those who call upon the Lord shall be saved. You see, God will not force anyone believe in and follow Him, we are all free to choose what we believe. That still does not change the fact that God, Christ, Satan, and hell exists just as much as we exist nor does it change the fact that Christ will return one day only for those who believe in Him. While He does not want to see anyone end up in hell, He will allow them to make that choice as well. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;..The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” - II Peter 2:4,9.

The word believe means to be persuaded or influenced of the truth of something upon the declaration of another, in other words, it is only when the heart is persuaded or influenced of the truth of Jesus Christ that it receives Christ. You must believe to be saved, which only comes by faith, just as one believes the wind and air exists without the appearance of it, we too must believe in the presence of the only living God and His Word. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen...Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear...But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:1,3,6.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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