Living By Faith

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Saturday, October 03, 2015
Chapters: Matthew 8-9 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-276.html
Message Title: Living By Faith

Hello My Friend,

Faith, complete and utter belief in something or someone, those who believe in and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour completely and utterly believe that they will live eternally with Jesus. We have great faith in Jesus being our Saviour, yet if we truly think about it we have little faith in Him being our physician, our comforter, our strength, or our provider. The key to seeing God do anything great in our lives is faith, without faith we are wasting our breath and words. “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 11:6.

While Jesus came here through the Jews, He wasn't the most popular person, in fact, many rejected Him, yet He came through them for a purpose and He was not going to stop until He fulfilled it. However, Jesus did not just come here for the Jews, He came here for all, He died for all, He was buried for all, and He arose for all, but it us up to each one of us to believe and accept that. Many times we learn of Jesus running into someone, including a Roman commander asking Him to heal his servant.

“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” - Matthew 8:8-13.

Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed, this man of great authority humbles himself before Jesus, he knows that he is a sinner unworthy to even have Jesus standing in his house, yet his faith is so great that he knows all He has to do is speak and it will be done. How much more unworthy are we sinners (sensible sinners see themselves to be so unworthy), that Christ should come into our hearts, and dwell there by faith, as He does in all true believers, however vile and sinful we have been? God wants to heal us of every ailment whether it is of our minds, bodies, or spirits, but we must humble ourselves before Him. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” - 1 Peter 5:6,7.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, to be humble means to be modest, not proud or boasting of ones own abilities. Okay, we are all good at something, and as Christians we should take pride in what we do, but we should never be so proud of ourselves that we think we are incapable of improving. Now, as Jesus began healing and casting out evil spirits in people his fame grew rather quickly, not all were believers, many were out to catch Him doing something they could use against Him. He never denied anyone the chance to know Him, He humbly received anyone who would come to Him by faith. As Jesus headed home and eating dinner, many came to Him and was received by Him, that did not stop the religious people from questioning Him.

“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Matthew 9:10-13.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, Jesus was challenging them to read and study the Scriptures they should have rightfully known since they claimed they followed the Law. To stand before God we must first have faith, second we must humble ourselves, and third, we must admit we are sinners. Do you know how many say they are going to heaven because they have been good? This is why our works do not save us, our good can never measure up to God's good. And this is what Jesus was referring to, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” - Hosea 6:6. While salvation through Christ is our only means to being saved us from our sins, Jesus does not just want to save us, He wants to be a part of our lives, He wants us to acknowledge Him and make Him more than just our Saviour. Great blessings come when we make Christ Lord of our lives. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” - Matthew 6:33.

I get it, as we get older in our walk with Christ things can get a little mundane, especially when life seems to be going at the same pace. I'm in a new relationship and the one thing I ask God every day is that it brings us closer to Him as we get closer. Let me tell you, I have not talked to God more or seen Him work so much in my life since I met this guy. Obedience to God is good, but He wants more than that, He wants faith and trust also. We learn this of a woman who had so much faith in Jesus that if she could just touch the hem of His clothes she knew she would be healed. “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” - Matthew 9:20-22.

Thy faith hath made thee whole, no matter how close we get to Christ if we are honest with ourselves we will see that we are broken and need Him to make us whole. To see God do great things in our lives we must first have faith, second humble ourselves, third admit we are sinners, and fourth, really seek God. You know, in the midst of what I call ruts, God is doing a great work in our lives, sometimes, it's Him using us to work in someone else's life first. We do not realize just how many people are hurting and desperately seeking to be made whole. As Jesus sees so many people, He looks as His disciples and says the only thing that made any sense.

“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” - Matthew 9:35-38.

The harvest truly is plenteous, there are so many people who actually see us living a pretty good life with Christ, even if we are the poorest of the poor. The people are represented as sheep, scattered abroad, without the care of a shepherd; they are as a ripe and abandoned harvest, ready to picked, but would be lost and inedible unless reapers are sent to gather it. Who are the reapers? We are, those who God sends, and He will let you know He wants you to go there. This also includes those who were saved, but have gotten away from God. While all of these things, faith, humbleness, confession, and supplication, are necessary to see God do great things, what goes above and beyond anything else is leading someone to Christ. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.

Today's Prayer: God, From the bottom of my heart I know that all things are possible to those who believe in You. I also know that my emotions and reasoning are what causes me to lack faith, not in your abilities, but in mine to actually follow through with what I am asking of You. Lord, give me Your power to live by faith and not by my emotions. Lead me and guide me, and help me to get past my fears, create in me a clean heart and renew my spirit to see past my own reasoning and over to Yours. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Christ's Fruit or Rotten Fruit

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Friday, October 02, 2015
Chapters: Matthew 6-7 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-275.html
Message Title: Christ's Fruit or Rotten Fruit

Hello My Friend,

Fruit, there is nothing like biting into a sweet, ripe, juicy piece of fruit, it's so refreshing. Did you ever get a piece that looked so good, but when you bit into it it tasted awful? Christians are like fruit, Jesus is the vine, He is our life line, the trials of life are the fertilizer that feeds us, the tribulations of life are the pruning that removes all the bad things that keep us from budding, and God's Word is the water that keeps us growing. There are many who claim they are Christians, but are not from His vine, they are like those rotten fruit that look really good, but deep down are rotten inside. How can we tell if they are Christ's or not? By their fruit. “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” - Matthew 7:18-20.

There is a big difference between a religious person and one who belongs to Christ. Ever hear the saying, Jesus is my Saviour, not my religion? Religion is any system of faith and worship. It is the belief and worship of a higher power or powers governing the world. Pagans, Muslims, Turks, Hindus, Indians, Christians, and yes even Evolutionists follow a system of faith and rules man has made up about that faith. Religion takes away the simplicity of Christ, and you can say that God does or does not exist in many forms, but the truth is there is only one God, there is only one way to God, and He will call out the religious nuts from the true worshipers. As Jesus continues speaking to His disciples and the multitudes that gathered to hear Him, He calls out the religious who were clearly basing their works on their salvation.

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” - Matthew 6:1-6.

Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. Part of being a fruit of Christ is giving tithes and offerings, and while God does want us to bring our tithes and offerings into the church (they are necessary for operating the church), He does not want us to be boastful about it to ourselves or anyone else. When we give to God, we must do it in a way that is approved by God, not man, God takes more notice of a person humbly giving one penny than one proudly giving a million dollars. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” - Malachi 3:10.

Another way of being a fruit of Christ is in the way we present ourselves, we must understand that our behavior has nothing to do with our salvation, but it has everything to do with showing Christ in us. If we live about the way the world does how is the world going to understand the importance of knowing Christ. And, let me tell you, they will fall for the religious before they will fall for Christ, because the religious know exactly how to reel them in when they are searching for that one thing that would secure and comfort them. As Jesus continues speaking concerning religion, He stresses the importance of seeking the things of God, not the world.

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?' Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” - Matthew 6:22-26,30.

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! The light of Christ shines through every one of His fruit as they walk with Him daily. A true relationship with Christ transforms the believer, if the light is true than the hearts desire will be devoted to pleasing God. However, if it is evil than it will be devoted to the things of the world and will learn to hate God. We who are the light cannot abide with darkness, it will keep us from being fruitful. Jesus explains this further.

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” - Matthew 7:6-8,11,12.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. Dogs and pigs are unclean and detestable to the Jews, so Jesus used them in this illustration. That which is holy represents God's Word, dogs, wild and ferocious back then represent those who oppose and or abuse God's Law. These would be the religious groups placing harsh rules and penalties, far greater than what God's Law allowed and or adding their traditions to the Law. The pearls represent the precious Gospel, and the swine or pigs represent those who have corrupted or profaned the Gospel. God's Word is only useful to those who are holy, meaning saved, not for those who oppose or corrupt it. Any religion that changes or corrupts His Word and the simplicity of the Gospel is false and will be called out for the rotten fruit that they are. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” - Matthew 7:21-23.

This topic comes up so much, it means that religion does not get us to heaven, only those that do the will of the Father get into heaven. What is the will of the Father? Believing in and accepting the simple Gospel of Christ as the only way to be clean, holy, good, and righteous before God. This does not meant that we will never sin again, that we will lose our salvation if we do, or that we will not face the consequences for sin, but it does mean that we are the fruit of Jesus and we stand before God as those we have not sinned because Jesus stands before us. “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” - 1 John 3:7-9.

Today's Prayer: God, Help me to walk faithfully with You day by day. As I earnestly seek You I will receive the reward You promise to those who do. Daily temptations, doubts, and distractions seek my heart’s affection, but I will remain faithfully committed to You, my Lord and Savior. Though I’ve not seen You physically Your Spirit indwells me and I am filled with Your joy. No matter what circumstances I face , I believe in You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I know that I can do and endure all things through You. Lead me and guide me in Your will and Your way. I love You, Lord and pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Satan's Manipulation, God's Strength To Overcome

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Thursday, October 01, 2015
Chapters: Matthew 4-5 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-274.html
Message Title: Satan's Manipulation, God's Strength To Overcome

Hello My Friend,

There is a culprit behind every sin that is committed, and that is Satan, while he cannot forcibly make us commit sin no more that God can make us not, he is very good at manipulating us to think that we must do it. There is no temptation that we cannot get out of, the only way we fall is when we allow Satan to manipulate us through our desires, lusts, fears, or tears. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” - James 1:13-15.

As I was reading these verses this morning something hit me, I have come a long way since having dedicated my life to Christ. Oh, Christ still has much work to do in me, but at least I am more accountable for my actions than I was when I did not allow Christ to be a part of my life. Everyone gets tempted, God exempts no one from allowing Satan to tempt us, but He does give us a way to keep from falling into the temptation. Jesus was no exception either, Satan did everything he could to try and stop the prophecies from being fulfilled. After Jesus got baptized He was led into the wilderness. It was there that He was tempted by Satan. “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” - Matthew 4:1-4.

He was afterward an hungred, the easiest way for Satan to tempt us is to get us when we are weak, he cannot tempt us while we are strong so, he waits until we are tired and weak in spirit. Many times we fall into sin out of fear that we are not going to get the things we need. Money, food, clothes, shelter, love, all of these things play on our spirit and it weakens us. God strengthens us only if we turn to Him, and He gives us the very things we need. Another way Satan tempts us is by deception. Satan tempts Jesus again, this time leading Him up to the top of the temple. “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” - Matthew 4:5-7.

For it is written, another way that Satan tempts us is by deceiving us into believing that it is God speaking, he knows Scripture, and he will use it try and manipulate us into believing that it came from God. Anytime we use God's Word as a means to do wrong, it is not right, and we better think about what we are doing because it's God we are tempting and have to answer to. When Satan cannot get us through weakness or deception he will try one last thing, lust. Satan tempts Jesus one more time, this time showing Him the kingdoms of the world. “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” - Matthew 4:8-11.

Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, perhaps the biggest downfall of man is power, they want to be on top of the world and everything in it, they will literally sell themselves to the devil to get it. That is where the power of God must and will intercede. We can be prosperous, very prosperous, the key, we must only worship God, He must be at the center of all that we do. When everything we do is for God's glory, we can expect great things to happen, yes, we can expect some persecution too, but it all comes with the territory. As Christians, everything we do must show Christ in us, and in doing so we will be blessed. Jesus stresses the importance of glorifying God in all that we do.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:16-20.

That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, these were the richest, most religious and influential men in all of Israel, yet they we no more closer to God than the poorest person that did not know Him. Serving God and following a bunch of religious rules has nothing to do with our salvation, we must receive Christ as our Saviour for that. Being obedient to God, except for getting saved, has nothing to do with our salvation, but it has everything to do with our thankfulness and gratitude for the sacrifice Jesus made in giving His life to save us. As Jesus continues speaking He stresses the importance of going above the commands of God. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” - Matthew 5:43-45.

Even those who do not know Jesus or to follow Him see the light of Him in those who know Him personally. Some will embrace it right away and follow Him as well, others will observe a bit until they know for sure it is Jesus, then will follow Him too. Some will run, make fun of us, and never follow Him. Either way we are His light, the more we do what He did the more we shine, the more we shine, the more blessed we become. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” - James 1:12,17.

Today's Prayer: God, Help me to walk faithfully with You day by day. As I earnestly seek You I will receive the reward You promise to those who do. Daily temptations, doubts, and distractions seek my heart’s affection, but I will remain faithfully committed to You, my Lord and Saviour. Though I’ve not seen You physically Your Spirit indwells me and I am filled with Your joy. No matter what circumstances I face I believe in You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I know that I can do and endure all things through You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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He Knows The Way I Take

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2015
Chapters: Matthew 1-3 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-273.html
Message Title: He Knows The Way I Take

Hello My Friend,

Every year that I begin reading the Book of Matthew I get a little sad as we are fast approaching the end of yet another year. Did I do all that I could to show Christ through me? Did I do all that I could do to please God? Then I realize, some of our best accomplishments happen when we think that we are doing nothing at all. “On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” - Job 23:9,10.

The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, the fortieth book of the Bible and it contains twenty-eight chapters. The author of the book is Matthew and it was written to all believers, it was directed toward the Jews to teach them that Jesus was their long awaited Messiah, the Son of David. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 4BC and 33AD. The purpose of the book was to present the ministry of Jesus, stressing His role as King of the Jews. What we are to learn from the book is, the Gospel of Christ is to be preached in all the world until He returns. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” - Matthew 24:14.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached, this gospel, which means Good News or joyful message, all started with a baby. It had been centuries since a prophet had been seen, no news of judgments or God showing Himself, up unto this point all they had was God's Word to guide them. Now, the prophecies concerning their long awaited Messiah were about to come to pass. Joseph, a descendant of David, was betrothed to marry a young woman named Mary, but something happened that made him want to divorce her before he even had a chance to marry her, she became pregnant. Now, with human reasoning we would assume that this was an act of adultery. However, this is God that we are talking about, and He is above anything that our own reasoning can apprehend. God speaks to Joseph in a dream and explains this incredible miracle.

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” - Matthew 1:20-25.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled, Isaiah prophesied about this. “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.” - Isaiah 7:14-16. Since there are no longer prophets in the world, and all we have is God's Word (ant he Holy Spirit) to guide us, it is essential to the Christians walk with God. One of the hardest things for people to believe is that Mary was a virgin, they refuse to believe anything that supernatural can occur by an all powerful God they do not want to believe in. It's easier to believe that life just evolved over billions of years from some spec than be accountable for such immoral and inhumane behavior. By the way, someone had to create the spec! “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” - Romans 1:20,21.

Their foolish heart was darkened, it is the foolish heart that will try to put an end to anything having to do with Jesus. No matter how much they try, they will never put an end to Jesus. Now, after Jesus was born, men from all over the world followed the star that would lead them to their King, some ended up in Jerusalem, asking king Herod where He was. This did not go well with Herod, in fact, he was not about to have anyone take his throne, he ordered all the males in Bethlehem under the age of two to be killed. To keep Jesus safe, God sent Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to Egypt until Herod died, but even then they feared being killed so they resided in Galilee.

“But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” - Matthew 2:19-23.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, Isaiah prophesied about this also. “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.” - Isaiah 11:1-4. Nazarene means, the branch, from the multitude of plants and trees that grew there. Jesus is the BRANCH, and He judges all with righteous judgment. “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 5:30.

I can of mine own self do nothing, Jesus had every bit of God in Him, He could have shown His power over and over again, instead He chose to humble Himself under the obedience of His mother Mary, and Joseph. Jesus spent thirty years on earth as an ordinary man, He went to see John the Baptist (called that because he baptized those who wanted to repent of their sins and turn to God). John the Baptist is the first prophet since Malachi, he was the forerunner to prepare the Jews for the coming of Jesus. As he watches the religious people come to him to be baptized he gets pretty angry and calls them out for who they were.

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” - Matthew 3:7-11.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees, it does not matter what family we come from, Abraham's, the Gentiles, those who believe in Christ will be raised up as children of God, those who do not believe will be cut from the root of the human race and be cast into the fire. The only way one can escape the fire is to believe the Good News, the sinless death of Christ who died for all man kind to save them from their sins, His burial, and resurrection three days later. Jesus is our Saviour, the Holy Spirit is our guide, God is our Father, all three, one great God who knows the way that we take, and who are His. He has great plans for those who believe in His Son. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” - 2 Timothy 2:19-21.

Today's Prayer: God, You have called all Your people to warn others of the judgment placed upon them for their sins and to show them the way to escape that judgment. Lord, Thank You for finding us and saving us, let us not take our salvation in vain by ignoring Your call to tell the lost about Your Son. Give us Your power, wisdom, and the boldness to speak the truth about the Gospel and tell whoever You put on our heart to do so. Let us be the example You need us to be as Jesus is for us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Loving God Wholeheartedly

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Chapters: The Book of Malachi http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-272.html
Message Title: Loving God Wholeheartedly

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Malachi is the thirty-ninth book of the Old Testament/Bible, the final book of the Old Testament, and contains four chapters. The author of the book is Malachi and it was written to Israel. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 440BC and 410BC. The purpose of the book was to call Israel to repentance and return to righteousness in order to restore the nation, calling great emphasis on the Levites. What we are to learn from the book is, it is not enough to turn to God, we must turn to Him wholeheartedly. “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” - Malachi 2:2.

Many people want God in their lives, the problem is they are not willing to do what is necessary to make Him a part of their lives. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, he would be the last prophet for over four hundred years. When the Jews in Babylon chose to return to Jerusalem they were not expecting a disaster, but that's exactly what they got, a city in ruins and under great corruption. They begin questioning God's judgment, but through Malachi, God tells them exactly why the city is in such a mess and why He is angry with them.

“Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” - Malachi 1:10-14.

Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick. Here's the situation, if a person wanted to be clean of their sins and pardoned for them, they were to bring, unblemished animals, this means they were not to have any cuts on their skin, no broken bones or sickness in them. These people were bringing sacrifices that were blemished, they wanted God in their lives, but were not willing to come to Him wholeheartedly. This is the same as a person who goes to church, pays tithes, volunteers, even becomes part of a church, but never receives Christ. We are blemished, stained, broken, full of sin, we cannot go before God unless we come to Him wholeheartedly. Christ makes us blemish free, He allows us to be able to stand before God, but unless we come to Him wholeheartedly He cannot. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:17,18.

He that believeth on him is not condemned, those of us who are saved do not have anything to worry about with our salvation. Those who serve Him in His church are truly blessed, and pretty good at showing God that they are faithful to Him and love Him with all their heart. As much as we would like to admit that we are one hundred percent wholehearted toward God, the truth is, we are not. Let's face it, life happens and as long as it does our heart is not always going to be completely on God, and when that happens we can expect affliction from God. This happens to both laymen and servants of God. Now, not only were the laymen complaining about God, so were the priests, God calls them out and tells them why He was angry with them.

“For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” - Malachi 2:7-9,17.

For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth. Those who serve God in and out of His church as pastors, missionaries, teachers, or even laymen are to be godly examples. Their lips should be knowledgeable in the things of God and the should seek to know and teach them everywhere we go. Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, church leaders who disregard God's Word and condone corruptible actions in the church face severe judgment from God. Everything is not good in the sight of God, we must never condone sinful behavior in our churches, it will cause great confusion. “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” - 1Corinthians 14:27,28,33.

The Jews enjoyed all the same privileges and advantages, there were many of very different characters, some very good and others very bad, some plainly appeared to be the children of God and others discovered to be the children of the devil (under his control) himself. Those who are God's kids are written in His book and shown as they fear, respect and honor Him. God knows who are His, even if they had gotten away from Him, He will bring all His kids to that realization and will also teach them to know the difference between a true preacher and one that is lying. Through Malachi, God reveals the book of remembrance.

“Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” - Malachi 3:14-18.

People look to men and women who know God for guidance and direction, but when they are not reading and following God's Word themselves all they are doing is deceiving those who are truly trying to live for God. Heads up to those religions who use other books as God's Word, if churches do not encourage you to read the Bible or read from the Bible themselves in the church service then they are deceiving you. A good sign that you are not hearing the true Word of God is how they preach the Gospel (the death burial and resurrection for the remission of sin). No one written in the book of remembrance also known as the book of life will be saved from judgment. This is even found in

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” - Malachi 4:1,2,5,6.

Today's Prayer: God, We can live in such a way that our limitations define us and guide us in all that we think, do, and say to the point that we feel like prisoners. Or we can recognize our true freedom when You accomplish Your will in our lives as when we humbly serve You. The constraints we place on ourselves can be lifted by the power of Your Holy Spirit as we wholeheartedly devote ourselves to You and Your service. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Building Our Lives Upon Christ

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Monday, September 28, 2015
Chapters: Zechariah 8-14 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-271.html
Message Title: Building Our Lives Upon Christ

Hello My Friend,

Did you ever see a house being built? First the foundation is laid, then the frame is built, then the bricks or wood is put in place for the exterior of the building, and so forth until piece by piece the house is complete. The Christian life is built in this same manner, no other foundation can be laid upon it than Jesus Christ. Without Him we might as well be walking in quicksand because we are not going to get very far. “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 3:10,11.

But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon, God gives us many choices on how we want to build our lives after we get saved. Yes, He wants us to build it upon Him, but lets us choose which pieces we use to construct it. When the Jews came back to Jerusalem they were instructed to rebuild the temple first. However, through a combination of fear and lack of motivation after the foundation was laid the work ceased. Through Zephaniah, God stressed how important it was to get back to rebuilding the temple, more importantly was His promise to restore Jerusalem and all of Israel.

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.” - Zechariah 8:6-8,20-22.

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. When Christ returns after the tribulation and reigns in Jerusalem, it will be the center of the earth’s worship, the Jews will be missionaries to all nations, and bearing the Good News of Christ. Now, this will not be His permanent Kingdom, that will be after the earth is destroyed. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” - Revelation 20:4-6.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, these are those who died and were saved in the flesh before He returned. There will be another resurrection after the thousand years and this will be when He judges the unsaved. As we build upon the foundation of Christ, we are to be witnesses and discerner's of the Good News to a lost world. There are so many liars out there that are sending people straight to hell, only when we build upon Him can we be the examples God needs us to be and show them Christ. Through Zechariah, God addresses the false shepherds, He also gives hope to

“Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them. And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.” - Zechariah 10:1-3,6,12.

Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain, everything that we go through helps us build a solid structure upon the foundation of Christ. When we are in the midst of a storm, that is when we ought to be asking for strength to handle the next storm. God has a hand in all the events concerning Israel, they will finally have His favor and presence, being accepted of Him. They shall be brought together, purified and strengthened in the Lord. Through Zechariah, God reveals the coming of Christ, their rejecting Him, and the judgment they will face before they acknowledge Him as the Saviour.

“Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.” - Zechariah 11:4-7,10,11,14.

Feed the flock of the slaughter, these are the Jews in general, who Christ was sent as a prophet to teach and instruct them by the ministry of His Word. Beauty, represents the privileges of the Jewish nation, in their national covenant. Bands, represents the harmony which united them as the flock of God. However, they chose to cleave to false teachers, which followed the breaking of the covenant between God and them. Through Zechariah, God reveals the time that Israel will finally recognize Christ as their King, and the one they crucified.

“In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.” - Zechariah 12:8-11.

They shall look upon me whom they have pierced. Jerusalem, following the awful days of the end times shall be repopulated and replenished, but it will not be until Christ returning in all His glory that He will be recognized by Israel as the one they have pierced. Building our lives upon Christ may not bring us the most extravagant house here on earth, but it will be a solid structure, one that not even the devil can destroy. “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.

Today's Prayer: God, Help us not to resent the trials and afflictions of life or be fearful of their effects. Much like we prepare for a raging storm by anchoring valuables to a firm foundation, help us to anchor our hearts in the firm foundation of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Only He can help us withstand the tribulation and trials of life that are certain to come our way. Even as a ship is proven to be seaworthy over its lifetime, may our faith be proven trustworthy as we hold onto You, the Anchor for our soul. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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An End To The Affliction

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2015
Chapters: Zechariah 1-7 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-270.html
Message Title: An End To The Affliction

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Zechariah is the thirty-eighth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains fourteen chapters. The author of the book is Zechariah and it was written to the new generation of Jews who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. The timeline for these events took place around 520BC. The purpose of the book was to renew a spiritual commitment with God, and to warn them of the coming second judgment when Christ returns. What we are to learn from the book is that God is in control of the affairs of all, His infinite love and care are in all who receive Christ, known as the BRANCH. “And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.” - Zechariah 2:11.

No one likes to face judgment, and no matter who we are, we all suffer from something as the result of someone else who did not want to obey some law. Judgment, while unpleasant does have a purpose and does not last forever. Zechariah was a prophet while in Babylon, as their seventy year sentence to remain captives was over the time had come for the Jews to head back to Jerusalem. Through Zechariah, God addresses the new generation of Jews, stressing the importance of not walking in the ways of their fathers. “Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD. Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.” - Zechariah 1:3-6.

Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? Since people do not last forever, we as faithful Christians have the task of being the godly example that God needs for future generations. Does God need us to? No. Does God want us to? Yes. Everything fades and will come to an end, but God's Word never will, it is settled in heaven, and never changes. People can try to rewrite His Word, they can ignore as much as they want, but it remains the same and it is in our best interest to learn of and do what it says. “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:14,15.

God may use the world to judge His people, He does this for two reasons, to get us to straighten up and to get those in the world to turn to Him. Once the judgment comes to an end, we will be set free, but He next comes the judgment of the world. When we are set free from our sins through Christ, we are set free from the guilt, shame, and even the bondage that held us down. Why would we remain in bondage to sin when we are set free? God tells the Jews to leave Babylon and head back to Jerusalem, but He also gives a glimpse of hope for all. “Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.” - Zechariah 2:6-11.

For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. No know touches us without the knowledge of God, not even the devil himself. When He allows things to happen He will always bring us through them and His blessings will abound. Through Zechariah and a godly priest named Joshua, God shows us what He does to those who trust Him in the midst of their worse afflictions.

“And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.” - Zechariah 3:1-4,7,8.

I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, iniquity means injustice, God will bring all injustice to an end. Before we know the BRANCH, Jesus Christ, as our Saviour, we are filthy rags, but when we receive Him our garments are changed, we are clean and set free from our sins. The devil will afflict us, but God will protect us, even in the midst of our worst storms. We can never understand the affliction we face, especially when it's something unexpected, but we can understand that God will carry us through. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” - Romans 8:28-30.

He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. God did not predestine us to face the trials we face, He did predestine us to be made in the image of His Son. That means, He uses all things, good, bad, and ugly to conform us to the likeness of His Son, and He will use any situation to bring good out of it. We can endure all things, we are justified, set free, more than conquerors through Christ. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” - 1 Peter 1:7.

That the trial of your faith, often we come to the end of our resources and lose confidence in our own abilities before we learn to trust God. No matter how uncertain things look, God is always there. Through Zechariah, God assures the Jews that as long as they get close to the BRANCH, He will be there for them. He instructs crowns to be made for Joshua.“Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.” - Zechariah 6:11-15.

And he shall build the temple of the LORD, this will be no ordinary temple, this is the temple in which Christ will reign and all of His people will come to worship Him in. This temple is not made up of walls, it is made up of believers, it is the real Church of Christ. Every person who receives Christ is not exempt from affliction no matter how close we are to Him, but with every single trial comes a crown, in fact, we will receive many crowns. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” - James1:12.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for making me a part of Your family, not by works or even obedience to Your commands am I saved from judgment, but solely by my faith and trust in the finished work that Your Son am I saved. Lord, You know the intentions of our hearts, as You allow circumstances and affliction to examine our hearts, lead us and guide us and keep us in Your Word so we cannot be only hears of Your Word, but doers also. Remind us that we are not doing this for our salvation, but simply to honor You and thank You for all that You have done for us because we first turned to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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