Saturday, July 23, 2016

The Second Coming Of Christ

KJB Daily DevotionFollowing Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, July 23, 2016
Chapters: Isaiah 9-11
Message: The Second Coming Of Christ

Hello My Friend,

As the world gets crazier by the day people often wonder what is going on, on the other hand, those who know Christ often wonder when He will return. You see, while there are many signs of His returning, Jesus will not return until the very last soul on the earth to believe in Him is saved. Although we still have some time, it could be in the blink of an eye, so, instead of using this time to gratify our flesh we need to be living in the Holy Spirit because as wicked as things are now, they are going to get a lot worse, and God help us all, the good news is, we have the “Good News”, but it is only a matter of time before it will be too late. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” - II Peter 3:9,10.

If you think that we have been waiting long to for Jesus to return, think Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel who prophesied of His first coming and the second all in the same time frame. Think about Peter, John, and James who saw Jesus and were sure that He would return in their lifetime. It does not matter what age we come from, God has always been a just God, and He will judge those who are living in sin. Again, this is not the world that God is speaking to right now, it is His people. When God gave Isaiah the news that He was sending Jesus to be a judge over His people it was over seven hundred years before He was born in the flesh, and seventy years before Babylon invaded Jerusalem. God does not place judgment right away, He gives ample warning, and now He addresses false prophets as well.

Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” - Isaiah 9:11-17.

and they that are led of them are destroyed.” Wolves in sheep’s clothing, that is what Jesus calls them, they are all the preachers, teachers, and priests, teaching false doctrine, they are not helping anyone by hiding truth or making up their own lies, all they are doing is sending people to hell. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” - Matthews 7:15,16.

You know, not teaching truth and letting them live in sin is no more effective than teaching truth and enforcing harsh restrictions on people. Some churches are so liberal that you cannot even tell it is a church, some are so strict that the doors are closed to anyone who are not mature Christians. Well, God addresses all of these people as well.

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.” - Isaiah 10:1-4,10-12.

Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners,” You have seen it in the movies, and it happens in real life, an inmate has some kind of power over the rest of the inmates. How humiliating it must be to not only be in prison, but to have some bully dictate your every move, talk about being bondage. People who live in the world, and especially Christians who do, are oblivious to the bondage they are under by their sinful lifestyles. And as for the bullies, God will get them as well. If you are a saved, born again Christian you are free, you are no longer held bondage to sin. Stop living in bondage, stop being bullied by the things that hold you bondage and do not be so restrictive that you become bondage to that, we are told to follow His commands a live, not die.. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” - Galatians 5:1.

God has given the task of Judge to Jesus Christ Himself, the amazing thing is that while Christ is the Son of God, He is also the Son of man, meaning as being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, who is God, through the seed of David, who is man. Only those who hear His voice will live when He returns to judge the world. This is nothing new, even Adam knew that God would send someone to reconcile mankind so they can live. Now, through Isaiah God foretells the coming of the Messiah, this time He reveals Christ as the one who would return and judge all mankind.

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.” - Isaiah 11:1-5,10,11.

and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,” Jesus will not judge us according to our actions or by what we hear, say, or believe, He is going to judge us by one thing, our righteousness, more importantly His righteousness. All who receive Christ as their Saviour put on His righteousness, that means when we stand before Him He does not see our sin, but His blood, and that it has cleansed us from our sin. “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” - John 12:46-48.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah 9:6.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, It still amazes me that You went through so much pain to save me and my simple faith and trust in Your finished work is all I need to live. When I think of the years I was caught up in false religion and where I would be if I died before I knew the truth I cringe. Lord, work in the heart of every unsaved soul and help them understand what You did for them and how important it is to know and walk with You. Give me Your power, use me to be a witness to the lost, and help me to be bold enough to keep speaking the truth. In Your name Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Friday, July 22, 2016

Be Prepared For Judgment

KJB Daily DevotionFollowing Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, July 22, 2016
Chapters: Isaiah 5-8
Message: Be Prepared For Judgment

Hello My Friend,

If there is one thing that the Old Testament books ought to teach us it is that while God has always been merciful, He is a just God, and will place judgment upon all who live in sin. Judgment does not always come in the form of jail or corporal punishment, it often comes in the form of things like sickness, war, famine, and poverty. As you study the prophecy books one thing is clear, while God is addressing Israel as nation, He is definitely speaking to all His people, and when He is done with us, He will deal with the rest of the world. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” - I Peter 4:17,18.

where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Sometimes it seems as though the same passages are used over and over again, especially when reading a certain portions of the Bible. I imagine it is just God trying to get it through our heads that judgment is coming. Think about it, if things are as bad as they are while God is placing judgment upon His people, think about what will happen when He comes to the unbelievers? Here is the scenario in Jerusalem during Isaiah’s time, the city was prosperous, and bountiful, but it was full of corruption. God refers to Israel as His vineyard, one that has grapes that grew wild and are out of control, He decides it is time to remove His hedge.

And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.” - Isaiah 5:5-7,11,12.

but there shall come up briers and thorns:” If you wonder why the economy is tanking, farms and groves are being destroyed, and the weather has been so crazy, it is because God is warning us that His judgment is coming. While God is very merciful and promises to never let one saved soul get cast into hell that does not mean He will not place judgment upon His people for living in sin. And the thing is, it is not just a couple of people, it is a multitude of saved, born again Christians living in sin, not to mention the ones who take a blind eye to such sinful behavior, and they have no regard for God’s work, or what He has done for them. Remember, we will all be held accountable for the things we have done after we are saved, and that includes times we shunned sin. “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” - Luke 21:34-36.

When we live a life that is pleasing to God, the Holy Spirit works overtime to keep us from hurting ourselves, and you can be sure that when we do something we know it immediately. Case in point, this past week I made a vow to stop eating any processed food, and asked God not to let me eat anything with white flour or sugar in it. I did good for three days, then decided I wanted an ice cream cone, I began eating it and knew I ought to stop, but did not and the rest of the night I was in pain. This is an example of why we cannot live a lavish lifestyle meant to please the lusts of the flesh, and all I did was eat ice cream. God does not want us to suffer more than we have to, the Holy Spirit is that voice in our heads that nudges us not to do something, He is our guide, our teacher, and He will not hesitate to convict us. God gives Isaiah an amazing vision, one in which brought great conviction to him.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” - Isaiah 6:1-8.

Here am I; send me.” Something amazing is witnessed here, Jesus on His throne. Seraphim’s means fiery serpents in Hebrew, they are angels of the highest order in the celestial hierarchy, and are represented as servants of the King, they stand over Him ready to minister to Him at His command. They are sent by God as His instruments to inflict righteous judgment on people as a penalty of sin. As Isaiah sees this he realizes how unclean he is (that he is a sinner). Then one of the angels comes over, drops a hot coal in his mouth, and all of a sudden he is cleansed. Isaiah was so humbled and grateful that he wanted to tell the world how they could get cleansed. This ought to be the attitude of every, saved born again Christian, we are clean, all of our sins and iniquities have been removed. We may have to stand before Him and give an account, but it will not be for our salvation because He has already taken care of that. “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” - Titus 3:4-6.

During the reign of kings certain promises were attached to the family of David, a godly heir would come from the house of David to not only bring righteous judgment, but hope through the affliction. For the most part the house of David remained godly, but they too have rejected God. Now Ahaz is king and even set up an altar for a strange god in the Temple. God sends Isaiah to meet Ahaz and reveal and reconfirm this amazing prophecy.

Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land. And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns.” - Isaiah 7:11-16,21-23.

I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.” Ahaz is like a lot of Christians who ignore God in an attempt to justify sinful living, they have the mentality that if they do not know His Word then they can get away with what they are doing. Regardless of whether or not we believe all of His Word, all of His Word is true and everything will come to pass as it is written. Now, God instructs Isaiah to do something rather strange, write about his son, whom he was to name, Mahershalalhashbaz.

And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son; Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.” - Isaiah 8:3-8.

O Immanuel.” Judah is called Immanuel's land, because Jesus was to be born there, to live, and to die there; and this is particularly mentioned, to show that, although this land should be overrun by the Assyrians, yet not destroyed, until Immanuel, the son of the virgin, was born here. Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means, “swift is booty, speedy is prey”, meaning God will destroy Judah, it will be quick, He will take away all their defenses, and they will be as prey. We have been given numerous warnings, and ample time to concede, but God’s judgment is coming and it will come quick. “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” - Revelation 16:15.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” - Isaiah 7:14. Jesus, the Son of God, born of a virgin, and God Himself who came to redeem all who believe in Him. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” - Matthew 1:23.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for Your gift of salvation, we do not have to do any work to be saved from judgment, all we need to do is believe in and receive Your Son, who gave His life to redeem me forever. I know I am a sinner, but thanks to Jesus I am clean, all my iniquities have been lifted and my sins removed. While I can never do anything to lose my salvation, I do not want to have to given an account as to why I did not use every opportunity to proclaim Your Son. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power, strength, wisdom, mercy, and grace to live in Your will and let me be led by the Holy Spirit and not my flesh. Give me boldness to speak Your truths and in fact, let Your voice speak through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Thursday, July 21, 2016

A Life That Reflects Christ

KJB Daily DevotionFollowing Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, July 21, 2016
Chapters: Isaiah 1-4
Message: A Life That Reflects Christ

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Isaiah is the twenty-third book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains sixty-six chapters. The author of the book is Isaiah and it was written to Judah and all believers. The timeline for these events took place between 766 BC to 679 BC. The purpose of the book was to teach correction and reproof to all believers. What we are to learn from the book is that rebellion leads to destruction, but repentance leads to restoration. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” - Isaiah 1:18.

The Book of Isaiah is actually a mirror of the entire Bible. The Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters. The Old Testament has 39 books covering the history and sin of Israel, the first 39 chapters of Isiah cover the same. The New Testament has 27 books describing the ministry of Jesus Christ, including the new heaven and earth, the last 27 chapters of Isaiah describe the same. The book of Isaiah takes place during the time that Hezekiah was king in Judah, it begins with God in deep mourning over the sinful and corrupted state of His nation, but He gives them some hope if they just return to Him.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.” - Isaiah 1:11-13,19,20,24-27.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?” God is not talking to strangers here, He is talking to those who are His, who know Him, yet refuse to turn from there wicked ways, yet still try to keep Him in their lives. While God is a forgiving God, He wants faithfulness more than constant pleads for redemption. The second we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour we are redeemed, but what good is it if we spend the rest of our lives here on earth living as though we are not. Oh, we might find joy in living recklessly for a while, but sin always comes with consequence, especially when we know what we ought to be doing yet still ignore it. And guess what? Trying to change God’s Word or deliberately ignoring it to justify your sin will only make matters worse. “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” - James 4:15-17.

It is vital that we as Christians live a life that reflects Christ, not to keep our salvation, but to bring others to Him. If we are a part of the world and trying to proclaim Jesus those who do not know Him are not going to see the value in knowing Him because we are just as they are. One day, all will face Jesus, those who know Him will join Him in His Kingdom, but it will not be pretty for those who do not know Him.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:” - Isaiah 2:2-5,12.

and he shall be brought low:” Not only will those who are not His stand before Him in judgment, those are His will also. Every knee will bow at His sight because we will all see how unworthy we are of Him, especially when He points out the opportunities we missed. Jesus does not judge His as He will those who are not, we will be judged according to the works we have done through Him after we are saved. Think about it this way, if you are going to school or even trying to get a promotion, while being there is a blessing in itself, if you want more you have to prove yourself more to get it. The same works with Jesus, we are already saved and that is a blessing, but imagine what we could have if we did more things through Him.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” - Matthew 25:34-40.

If you are wondering why the whole world is going to shambles, it is because God’s people are turning their backs on Him and doing what they want to do. God shows us what happened to Jerusalem so that we can see what is going to happen to the world for turning their backs on Him. “For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.” - Isaiah 3:1-5,8.

to provoke the eyes of his glory.” Do you think God wants to see His people living in sin? Yeah, they are saved, by grace through Christ, but come on now, we are children of Almighty God, and while we are sinners just the same, we need to start acting more like our Father and less like Satan. God is going to judge His people first, here in earth, well before He sends His Son to judge all the earth, but He gives us hope after the judgment. “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” - Isaiah 4:1-4.

even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:” People get the idea that you have to be Jewish or a Christian to be saved, this is wrong and will send you to hell quicker than you can blink your eyes. I do not know how the Israelites became known as the Jews, when they were always Hebrews, but somehow their race has been reduced to a religion. If you think about it, both the Jews and Christians have been reduced to a religion, when God has nothing to do with religion. Being Jewish, Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, or Muslim does not save anyone, only Christ does, and to be honest, a Christian is not a Christian unless they personally know Jesus Christ as their Saviour. See the name within the word Christian, it is Christ, and the only ones who will be written among the living in Jerusalem are those who believe in and have received Him as their Saviour.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” - John 5:28-30.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.” - Isaiah 2:10. Jesus is the Rock upon all who hide will be safe, He will come to judge the earth as King of all kings.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank you for sending Your Son to make redemption for our sins a permanent one. We no longer have to offer sacrifices or follow the Law because we are redeemed by the precious blood of Your Son upon our souls. Our redemption does not give us a free pass to live in sin and not suffer for it, it does give us the opportunity to show Your Son to the world and receive heavenly crowns and rewards. Lord, lead us and guide us, help us to seek Your truths and live by them so we can be an honor to You. Put Your hedge of protection around us, and give us the strength and courage to boldly proclaim Your Son to the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

I Am My Beloved’s

KJB Daily DevotionFollowing Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Chapters: The Book of Song Of Solomon
Message: I Am My Beloved’s

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Song of Solomon is the twenty-second book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains eight chapters. The author of the book is Solomon and it was written to Israel and all believers. The timeline is approximately 1014 BC. The purpose of the book is to show the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Church as demonstrated by the intimate marriage relationship between a husband and wife. What we are to learn from the book is that the divine model of love between a man and his wife is the pattern for the relationship between Christ (Man) and the Church (His Bride). “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” - Song of Solomon 2:16.

The Book of Song of Solomon begins with the brides love for her bridegroom, she anticipates the day she becomes his wife, but she realizes something, she has neglected him. “Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.” - Song of Solomon 1:4-8.

but mine own vineyard have I not kept.” The love of a husband and wife is quite like the love of Jesus and His bride, there is a sweet savor that gives off something unforgettable. The soul who lives nearest to Jesus in sweet will feel convicted when it discover the sin in its life, but rejoice in the fact that it is one with Jesus as He never leaves them. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” - I Corinthians 6:19,20.

The soul, you cannot see it or touch it physically, but you definitely know it is there. A lonely soul is probably the most noticeable as it never rests until it finds it's one true source of happiness. We get an illustration of the brides lonely soul seeking her one true love. “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.” - Song of Solomon 3:1-4.

but I found him whom my soul loveth:” This is a great illustration of a lost soul that finds Christ, once it finds Him they become soul mates, Jesus grabs a hold of it and never lets it go. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” - John 10:27-30.

Sometimes the things we go through make it seem as though Jesus is no where to be found, perhaps we are holding on to something from our past or even have some hidden sin we fail to bring up that's causing us to lose sight of Him. Here we have a wife singing, not to her husband, but of him, and it is a sad song, she sings of the distress she is under after her husband walks away because she neglected him while he was trying to get her attention. She looks all over for him, but cannot find him, only to have her veil taken from her as if she were a prostitute.

I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.” - Song of Solomon 5:2-7.

“the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.” The veil was a sign that this woman belonged to her husband, she was taken, she was pure, and clean. This is an illustration of a saved soul who neglects Jesus, when we receive Him as our Saviour He cleanses us and removes all the filth of sin from our lives. Let me tell you, when we do not let go of the past or even let the smallest sin remain prominent in our lives, while He never leaves nor forsakes us, He does take a step back and lets us figure things out for ourselves for a while. Those who remain living in sin with no effort to remove the sin will be exposed and they will be mistaken for one who does not know Christ. Jesus is never too far that He cannot be found, all we have to do to see Him is turn around. Jesus loves us, He feels our pain and does not want us to suffer, but we do need to come to Him if we want to find Him.

I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.” - Song of Solomon 7:10-13.

I am my beloved's,” Beloved, to be loved or greatly loved, we all long to be beloved, there brings no greater joy than to for someone to share their love. Quite often, we do not feel beloved at all, in fact, we feel unloved and unworthy of even being loved. The truth is, we are loved, no greater love is shown than in Jesus, who gave His life to save us from a burning fiery hell. Much more than that, we are His and He is ours, in Him we love and are loved. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 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 Christ Magnified: “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” - Song of Solomon 2:1. Jesus is the Rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley. He stands at the door of every persons heart, He knocks, peaks in the window, looks around the back in hopes that His love will let Him in. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” - Revelation 3:20.

Today's Prayer: God, You long to have a one on one relationship with us, one that is full of faith, trust, and honor, just as a husband and wife do when they vow to be one. While nothing is sure in life, one thing is sure, nothing can separate us from You. We may find some dark pathways, but You will always shine the Light to bring us back home. Lord, give me Your power to know You and love You with all my soul, heart, and mind. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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