Psalm 13 - The Prayer Of The Present-Day Christian

"[[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] How long wilt Thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?
"How long shall I take counsel in my soul, [having] sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
"Consider [and] hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the [sleep of] death;
"Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; [and] those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
"But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.
"I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me."
Psalm 13:1-6

There are times when every modern Christian wonders just how much more must be endured until the return of our King, Jesus Christ. It takes no effort to find countless stories in the news that show how evil is rampent in the world. Killing, stealing, destroying...over and over and over.

And in many cases, you will find that Christians are the target of these evil deeds. Torture, execution, defilement...again, satan knows few bounds today.

What is a Christian to do? Simple--we are to rejoyce! The mercy of God Almighty towards us through His Son, Jesus, is without limit. We can celebrate the fact that we have been granted salvation. We can shout our shouts of thanksgiving, for we have been given adoption into the royal family of God. We can sing with a glad heart, for He provides for us in all ways. Uncertain times do not bring uncertainty to a Christian. We know our hope, our faith and our future.

We shall join our Lord Jesus in life without end, resurrected into an eternity of love and fulfillment as we grow forever in the knowledge of our God.

So, be of a strong heart, my brothers and sisters. Jesus will never lose a single person that He has been given. We are sealed with a seal that is unremovable. We have a promise that can never be broken.

Soon, so very soon, the evil of this world will know that Jesus Christ is the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords.

Grace and Peace....

If The Stock Market Has You Worried....

I found this posted on a forum, and thought that it was most appropriate for the recent events in the financial news.

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God's Provision for Israel in the Wilderness

After they left Egypt, Moses and the Children of Israel were in the desert for 40 years, but what was God going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 2 or 3 million people requires a lot of food (and water).

According to the Quartermaster General of the US Army, it is reported that Moses would have needed 1500 tons of food each day!

Do you know that to bring that much food each day, two freight trains, each a mile long, would be required! Besides, you must remember, they were out in the desert, so they would need firewood to cook the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day. And just think, they were 40 years in transit (that's more than 14,500 days - half a life time)! (Oh, and by the way, trains and freight cars were not invented for another 4000 years!!!)

And, oh yes! They would need water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 (yes 11 million) gallons each day, and a freight train with tank cars, 1800 miles long, just to bring the water to them! (Boy, they must have been a stinky lot - 100+ degree heat, no water to wash, no swimming pools, no bathrooms....no deodorants...).

Then another thing! They were to get across the Red Sea at night (in one night). Now, if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long, and would require 35 days and nights to get through. So, there had to be space in the Red Sea 3 miles wide, so that they could walk 5000 abreast, in order to all cross over in one night.

But then, there is another problem. Each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles ... think of it! This space was just for nightly camping. Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think not! You see, Moses believed God. God took care of these things for him supernaturally...

Now, do you think God has any problems taking care of all your needs?

As Paul reminds us....

"And my God shall supply ALL your need according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:19

God is our source - not our jobs, pensions, investments, inheritances...

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We can see God putting all the pieces into position. Each day brings more and more things being made ready. We shall not have to wait much longer to be in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace....

Just Let Me Die....

(Dear Readers: There will be some interruptions to my postings over the next month or so, as our family is working on moving to a new location. Please bear with me during this time.)

In the Book of Jonah, we see that sometimes the man of God doesn't always follow the directions of God willingly.

Jonah was called by God to go to the sin-filled city of Nineveh. When he get there, he is to announce to the city that, due to their ongoing sins, they shall receive the wrath of God.

Jonah doesn't really want to go. Instead, he jumps on a boat and heads off in the opposite direction.

While underway, God sends a violent storm. The storm threatens to sink the ship. The sailors are tossing everything that isn't nailed down overboard. They instruct every person on the ship to pray to their "gods" for safety. Everybody is in full panic, praying to every god they know.

Except Jonah.

He's asleep below deck.

The crew cast lots, and determine that he is the reason for the storm. When they awaken him, and tell him of what has happened to this point, he acknowledges that he is the cause for the storms. He tells them to throw him overboard. They are reluctant to do so, but they do as he asks.

The storm calms.

Many that see what has just happened accept the fact that God Almighty, the God of Israel, is in fact the one and only true God. Many believe, and many make vows of dedication to Him.

God has a big fish swallow Jonah. Thereafter, for three days, Jonah is educated in the school of humble pie and obedience. Once Jonah has taken this instruction to heart, God has the fish vomit Jonah onto dry ground...not to far from Nineveh.

So, after all his efforts to resist the will of God, Jonah goes into Nineveh proclaiming that in forty days the city will be destroyed, unless the citizens repent of their sinful ways.

Believe it or not, they do!

From the lowest beggar to the king himself, everyone puts on the clothes of mourning. They begin, at the king's command, a time of prayer and fasting. They confess their sins to God, and beg for His forgiveness.

And God, being merciful and loving, forgives them!

And so, Jonah goes outside the city...

...and sulks.

"And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, [was] not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou [art] a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for [it is] better for me to die than to live."
Jonah 4:2-3

Jonah was NOT a happy camper! He had to dragged to Nineveh, kicking and screaming. He was all but forced to deliver a message of imminent destruction. After all this, he was ready for an old-fashioned rain of fire and brimstone on Nineveh. Yet, that was not to be. So, he just really wanted to die, to get away from it all.

So, there he was, sitting on the hills outside the city, throwing a pouting fit. He decided to build a booth shelter, and just sit and wait to see what happened next.

While Jonah was just sitting there, God caused a gourd plant (known for it's full, wide leaves and thick growth) to grow up and form a shade for Jonah. This is rather amazing, and obviously from God, since it normally takes months for a gourd plant to grow to any real size.

The gourd gave Jonah welcomed protection from the hot sun. However, overnight, God sent a worm to destroy the gourd. By the next mourning, it was dead and wilted away.

That day, the winds were strong and hot, and the sun beat down on Jonah mercilessly. Once again, he decides it would be better if he could just die.

So God asked Jonah, do you think it's a good thing to be this angry? Jonah answered that he did. In fact, he told God that he felt it was just fine to be upset, even to the point of wishing he was dead.

God decided it was time to put things into perspective.

"Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and [also] much cattle?"
Jonah 4:10-11

Here was Jonah, getting all bent out of shape because of a little thing like a plant dying. God explained that, if he could be upset about a plant, wasn't it just and proper of God to be concerned, and to take steps to give a second chance to the 80,000 babies? And, what about all the livestock that would have been destroyed just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

We need to keep a simple fact in mind: God's will is perfect. There is nothing that has, is or will be happening that is not under direct control of God Almighty. When Jesus died on the cross, it was part of His plan. He knew each and every single one of us before the world was created. He knows what we go through. He allows trials and tests in our lives, not to torment us. No, He allows these things in order to perfect us. Each trial teaches us to rely on Him more. Each test perfects the faith that is in us, just like the refining fire purifies the metal of imperfect substances.

There will be times when each of us may well be tempted to cry out to God, "Just let me die!"

During these times, just remember that your brothers and sisters in Christ are going through similiar trials. God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ love us, and are awaiting us at the end with arms open wide and with eternal love for their family members.

Grace and Peace....

The Brass Tacks

Sometimes, when we are fighting to defend our faith, it is easy to get so wrapped up in the details of doctrine that we lose sight of the real purpose for our lives.

This isn't a bad thing, nor is it evil. It's just the way we humans tend to think. We forget those things that aren't constantly thumping against our brains. On top of that, we are constantly bombarded by the noise of the world. Little cares take away our focus. Worries of the world bog us down. This leads to our relationship with the Lord growing colder than it should.

Micah had seen such amongst the people of Israel. God gave him words by which to remind His people what was really important. As we see in Micah chapter six, verses six and seven, God, through Micah, asks His people a series of questions:

"Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?"

Truly, this is a situation of "what do you give the Man that has everything?" Notice how each step of example gets bigger, and more difficult...and crazier when you try to imagine in the doing. Will a simple sacrifice make God happy? How about a couple of truckloads of sacrifices? Would God be please with millions of gallons of oil, poured out for Him? Even the thought of killing child and self is presented.

How about us? Do you ever find yourself promising God that you'll be a better Christian. You promise that you'll give more money to the church. You'll pray harder. You'll throw out all your old stuff and become a monk. But, would God be pleased by this?

Instead, let's see what God really wants from us.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

Wow! God doesn't want (and He sure doesn't need) any of your possessions. Hey, He made them all to begin with. Instead, He asks for three simple things:

Do justly.

Love mercy.

Walk humbly with Him.

In order to justly, one must (according to the dictionary) be honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions. Never take the low road when you interact with other people. Aim to be honest beyond what is expected in the world today. Play fair! You know--take the smaller piece of cake, return the money that you found, let others go first. The basic things you SHOULD have been taught as a child. Be that child again, for the Lord!

Mercy. We display mercy when we are compassionate, kind and forgiving to others. No matter what a fight may be about, be the peacemaker. When you come across a person that is down, give them a hand instead of the boot. Care for those around you. Try to make the lives of others as important to you as your own.

To be humble is to be meek or modest in behavior; not prideful, not arrogant. God Almighty, creator of all and everything, ruler and master of all that was, is or will be, has every reason to dislike pride and arrogance from His creations. What would you think of a child that has been cared for, loved and nurtured by it's parents, if that child turned around and took the credit for everything the parents did? How about if a coworker took the raise and the promotion that you did the work for? God just wants to walk day after day with those people that love Him, and respect Him for who He is. What He wants from people is the same as what He wanted from Adam and Eve...fellowship.

All this is nothing new. Jesus taught us all of these things:

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

"This is the first and great commandment.

"And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

"On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Matt. 22:37-40

When we do these things, God the Father/Son/Holy Spirit will be please with us. And, when we are doing these things, everything else that we should be doing will fall into place.

These are the "Brass Tacks" of our Christian walk. These are the fruits of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace....

Who Will Occupy The Millennial Kingdom?

As most of you that read this blog have noticed, I am very selective when it comes to posting information from outside sources. Before I'll put something on this blog to be read, I have to be 100% assured that it is correct in fact and doctrine.

The following article fits just fine under those guidelines. Have a read, enjoy the teachings, and feel free to visit their site at the link below for more articles.

Grace and Peace....

Question: "Who will occupy the Millennial Kingdom?"
http://www.gotquestions.org/millennial-kingdom.html

Answer: There will be two distinct groups occupying the earth during the millennial kingdom—those with glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15) who were raptured prior to the tribulation, and those with earthly bodies who lived through the tribulation and on into the millennial kingdom. The group who have earthly bodies can be subdivided into two groups: believing Gentiles and believing Jews (Israel).

In Revelation 19:11-16, we find the return of Jesus Christ to Earth, known as His second coming. The rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53) is an appearing of Christ in the air, not His second coming. This is included to make a distinction between the rapture and the second coming of Christ. There is no mention in Revelation 19-20 of any kind of rapture event where believers receive glorified bodies. The implication is that saints who are on Earth when Christ returns will remain on Earth to enter the millennial kingdom in their natural bodies. If the rapture or any kind of event where a believer receives a glorified body were included in the second coming of Christ to Earth, one would expect to find reference to such a major event in Revelation 19. But no such reference is to be found.

Matthew 25:31-46 is another passage that should be considered. This passage is commonly called the separation or judgment of the sheep and the goats. The sheep and goats refer to righteous and unrighteous Gentiles. Christ will judge the unrighteous Gentiles (goats), and they will be cast into the lake of fire for eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). Therefore, no unbelieving Gentile will survive to live on into the millennial kingdom. The righteous Gentiles, or sheep, will live on into the millennial kingdom. They will give birth to children and will populate the earth. However, these are not the only ones who will be producing children during the millennial kingdom.

The impression is given that when Christ returns, all Israel will trust in Him (Zechariah 12:10). They too will not receive glorified bodies (as those did who were raptured prior to the tribulation). They also will produce children during the millennial kingdom.

So, believing Gentiles, Israel, and resurrected/raptured believers (all of whom have glorified bodies) will occupy the earth. It should be noted however that believers with glorified bodies will not be reproducing. There is no marriage after this life (Matthew 22:30).

Children born during the millennial kingdom will have the responsibility of faith in Christ as all people of past ages have (faith in Christ since His coming; faith in God before—Genesis 15:2-6; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 3:20). Unfortunately, not all of the children that are born during the millennial kingdom will come to faith in Christ. Those that do not will be led away by Satan into rebellion against God at the end of the millennial kingdom when Satan is let loose for a short time (Revelation 20:7-10).

For a further look at this subject (who will live into the millennial kingdom), look also at the following passages: Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:8-21; Ezekiel 34:17-24; Daniel 7:13-14; Micah 4:1-5.

Clouds

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."
Psalm 19:1

Have you ever taken time to just watch the clouds?

Most of us have. Maybe it was when we were kids, out lying on the grass. Perhaps it was when driving to work, or just laying in a bed next to a window. In all my life, I have never met a person that didn't enjoy just watching the clouds.

For just a moment though, I'd like for you to consider what a cloud is.

It is a mass of water vapor containing millions of tiny dropplets of water in it's steam form, or at least going or coming to the point of being in that form. And in each little dropplet are millions of water molecules, flying about due to the thermal energy they possess. Sometimes the join together to form the bigger drops of water that we eventually see as rain. Other times they remain separate, having enough energy to keep them following their own paths.

And, inside each molecule of water is a chemical grouping of oxygen and hydrogen atoms. Each of these atoms is made up of a nucleus composed of protons and neutrons, surrounded by a cloud of even smaller parts called electrons. And these subatomic particles are composed of even smaller things that enter the realm of quantum physics; forces and particles only recently being explored with any depth. And, beyond that? No man knows at this time.

Yet, each and every cloud, dropplet, molecule, atom, particle...every component of every thing was put into place by God. Everything has a purpose in His will. Everything has a design, as determined by the mind of God Almighty. Nothing was left to chance--there is nothing that was "just random." All things that every were, that are, that ever will be, were created by God our Father.

How did He do this?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made."
John 1:1-3

God created all these things by The Word, which was both with God and was God. Look in the first chapter of Genesis and see how many times you find, "And God said...." All things were spoken into existance By God with His Word.

But, you know what is the most amazing thing?

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
John 1:14

The Word of God Almighty, the Son of God, Jesus Christ...left His place in heaven to become a man. He came to earth to give up His life in order to bring His people into His home forever. An undeserved death of the most cruel nature, because He loved His children.

In the clouds, we see the glory of God. We can recognize His handywork. We can know that He has a plan and purpose for everything and everyone.

Even you.

So, why not cast off the burdens that sin have brought into your life. Surrender them and confess them to Jesus Christ. Repent, and be born again of the spirit. Then you can truly find out what God's purpose and plan is for you.

Every knee will bow and every mouth will confess that Jesus is Lord. It will be so much better to do this out of love and thanksgiving than in fear and failure.

Grace and Peace....

Spirit Of Antichrist

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
1 John 4:1-3

Let's start the new year off with a bang, shall we?

I'm going to show you what the Bible gives us as a test to look for those things that are not of the Spirit of God (and, therefore, should be avoided.)

As you can read above, we are required to test the spirit behind everything that we come in contact with as we go through our days. Why? Because, false prophets have gone out, and are all over the place.

How can that be, you may be wondering? After all, you don't see false prophets standing on street corners, now do you? You go to church, or you go to work, or you go to the grocery store...yet, you don't remember seeing false prophets.

Well, in fact, you probably DO see them in all these places. You just don't recognize them for what they are.

In the Bible, the action of prophecy is claiming to speak what is from God, or what is in direct keeping with the revelations of God. From the time of the new covenant (sealed with the death and resurrection of Jesus), all that we have from God, and all that we have revealed from God, is contained in the Holy Bible. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit doesn't move people to speak for God. But, it does mean that EVERYTHING they say must be 100% in harmony with what the Bible says. No exceptions.

Now, think about it for a moment--how many times in a given day do you come under the influence of another person? Be it a phone call, a casual conversation at the store, a quiet moment with spouse, etc...these are all moments where you are potentially under spiritual influence.

So, the first question in your mind in each of these situations should be, "Is this person representing a spirit that is Christian, or a spirit that is antichristian." And yes, those are the ONLY two options. There is no such thing as a spiritual "middle ground." If it is not of God, it is most assuredly of satan.

When you ask this question, you need a way to find the answer. The test is given in the Scripture at the top of this article. To review:

"Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God"

This means more than just what the first reading of the words might seem to say. In fact, there are a few key words here that add a deeper meaning than what we might get from just the English rendering.

Confesseth - ομολογει (homologeo - composed of the roots homou (like, or same) and logo (word)...to acknowledge, give thanks or promise.)

This word implies more than just a simple verbal statement. Instead, it represents a type of "kindred spirit", an "esprit de corp", a "blood is thicker than water"...a strong, common bond.

Another important phrase is "in the flesh". This is σαρκι (sarx - the meat of an animal, skin and bones and blood.)

So, when we put this all together, we see that a spirit (πνευμα - pneuma - a word meaning breath, which is often used to describe, as it does here, the soul) that expresses a common bond between themselves (that is firm and unbreakable) and Jesus Christ, and accordingly bears witness that Jesus did in fact come to earth as a human (flesh and bone, not just some "spirit" that looked like a human) and did fulfill the role of both messiah and savior (which is a must since that is what He said He did, and as part of our confession we believe that completely.) The soul that passes this test is of God (and is a member of the family of God Almighty.)

So, when you are listening to that song on MTV, or CMT or such, do you think the artist is passing the above test? Remember, there is only a grade of "PASS" or "FAIL." How about that movie you're watching? The TV show? The book...magazine...website...etc?

If it doesn't pass this test, it is of the spirit of antichrist. Period.

How about the church you're attending? Are the messages in line with the above? Friends? Co-workers? Are they passing the test?

Are you? Am I?

We must not fall into the "you shouldn't judge" trap. This isn't judgement--that is reserved for our Lord Jesus. This is pure discernment. And, if we don't use it, we'll be in danger of following after all sorts of wrongful, lying spirits. For the unsaved, this can be used to lead them to eternal damnation. For the called of God unto Jesus His Son, it can wreck our fellowship and remove opportunities to gain treasures in heaven.

Test the spirits!

Grace and Peace....

The Only Real Hope For 2008

May this year be the time where our Lord Jesus Christ returns for His people. The season is upon us. Now, we just wait to see the day and the hour revealed.

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Rev. 22:17

Grace and Peace....