JESUS: Creator, Saviour, God in flesh!

It is impossible for a human being to create an accurate physical representation of the Creator God. On Mars Hill the Apostle Paul told the Athenians that "we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man" (Acts 17:29).

In the Genesis creation account we find that, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." He created the heavenly hosts. He created light and darkness, plants, sun, moon, stars, birds, sea creatures and land animals. And, lastly, He created mankind (male and female) in His Image!

The Genesis account tells us God created man for fellowship with Himself. He created us enough like Himself to have a relationship with Him. And, from the very beginning, we have never been alone. We have never been without the knowledge of God. God spent time with Adam and Eve every day until they chose to break off the relationship by sinning against Him.

In Romans 1:20-23, we learn why mankind has lost touch with the truth they originally knew about the Creator God. It says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish  hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things."

After mankind rejected the truth they knew about God, they foolishly began to create their own little gods-- images--idols. Later, God forbade the making of graven images in the 10 Commandments given to Moses; but, this sin has persisted.

All of creation daily testifies to the glory of God. "His invisible attributes are clearly seen" by those whose eyes will see! And yet, God wanted us to know Him personally so He sent His Son, Jesus, to dwell among us for a time and die for our sins so we could regain right relationship with Him.

And, this brings us to a profound truth. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Him (Jesus) dwells (lives) the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (in bodily form). And, 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “God was in Christ”.  

We will never be able to imagine what God, in Himself, is like, but He has revealed Himself to us through Jesus Christ so we don't need to.

John 1:14 says, "And the Word became 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 1:18 says, "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."

All of God's invisible attributes reside in and are manifested through Jesus.

He created all things, He holds all things together. He loves us. He died for our sins! He's soon coming again (in bodily form) to eternally save those who have put their trust in Him.

John 3:16 -18 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

I encourage you to put your faith in Jesus. Everything we need to know about God is revealed to us through Jesus Christ!

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I originally wrote this as a comment on another blog but decided it was worth sharing here.

Jesus Desires Your Affection

 

 

 

Before my husband left for work he brought me a Jonquil from the flower bed. Look at that beautiful flower. It is the flower of March so it bloomed right on time. Its name, Jonquil, means "I desire a return of affection." 

Lovers give this flower to express that sentiment to their loved ones. How much more does that apply to the One Who created the Jonquil for His pleasure and our delight? It reminded me that Jesus really loves us and that He wants our love in return.

Hebrews 12:2 says, "...Jesus...for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame..." 

What was the joy that was set before Him? It was the joy of an eternal loving fellowship with us! He really loves us! He loves us and wants us to love Him. Nobody deserves our love like He does. Our Creator and our Savior!

If you know Him, rejoice in His love today! If you don't know him, today is always the day of salvation for those who believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The end of this age is very near.

May God's Spirit make His love, His grace and His truth real to you.

An Open Door No Man Can Shut

 
 "... I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it..." Rev 3:8 

   But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. Acts 16:25-34
 
1. At midnight:

At a very dark time in your life.

At a time when you’re feeling pained, distressed, lonely, rejected, or physically drained.

At a time when you’re financially devastated, emotionally depleted or spiritually oppressed.

At a time when things are not going the way you had hoped or planned or dreamed.

At a time when things are out of your control. You don’t know which way to turn or what to do.

At a time when you can’t even see your own hands in the darkness, much less help yourself!

Have you noticed things always seem worse at night? This is exactly the kind of situation Paul and Silas found themselves in. They had been beaten and imprisoned without just cause. They were in pain. They came to win souls for God and things weren’t going as they had planned. They had no control over their outward circumstances. It was a midnight of the soul!

So how did they respond? They could have complained until they got themselves into a state of depression. They could have felt deserted by God and despaired of life. But what did they do?

They chose to trust God! They chose to look up and not down or around! They did something that goes against human nature in that kind of setting. Something that’s pleasing to God. Something that’s powerfully effective! They began to pray and sing hymns. Wow!
 
2. Let’s look at prayer first.
Why did they pray? Why should we? What does God’s word have to say about it?

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray... The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Excerpts from Jam 5:13-16 

Paul and Silas were definitely suffering and they needed God’s help. We do too. God was moved by their prayers and He is moved by ours as well. Prayer, as we shall see, does make a difference.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phi 4:6-7  
 
This is a familiar passage but it is so important. When do we need peace as much as when we face great difficulties? God, who is the peace speaker, promises that if we will call on Him with a grateful heart, He will give us a peace that no one can understand.

When Mike and I were in Germany, we went to the hospital to pick up a young man for church. His wife had been hospitalized with a heart problem. They knew she had major problems when they got married but they were young and in love and they just thought everything would be alright. When Mike went in to get him he found out that his wife had just passed away. We didn’t even know him but we hurt for him. The body needed to be prepared to send back to the United States for burial, and there was nothing else he could do at the hospital, so he wanted to go on to church with us. Mike came out and told me what happened so I was expecting to see a broken young man but he got in the car and spoke nothing but the praises of God all the way to church. We could not believe the peace God had given him. At first, I thought he was just in shock. But, he was so anointed by God’s Spirit that he was able to go back to the States and preach his wife’s funeral so effectively that people were saved during the service. God had truly given him a peace that passed human understanding. What a testimony to the truth of God’s word!  

3. Paul and Silas not only prayed, they also sang hymns to God. They weren’t like the Jews during the Babylonian captivity spoken of in Psalms 137, verses 1-4.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?  

Can you feel their hopelessness, dejection and depression? They focused on their losses rather than focusing on their deliverance and Deliverer! They were alive! They had a future and a hope because God was with them! They were asking the wrong question. How could they not sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? God is worthy of praise no matter where we find ourselves. He’s always worthy of praise! And, singing a song of praise would have lifted their spirits and allowed God to touch the hearts of their captors.
Their example is not one to follow.

Like Paul and Silas, we sing the Lord’s song in every circumstance? He is worthy to be praised! Singing lifts our spirits and encourages our hearts! It builds our faith as we sense God’s presence inhabiting our praises! Nothing comes into our lives but what the Lord allows for our good so faith should keep a song in our heart at all times. And remember, it will not only help us, it will touch others!

4. Others were watching and listening:

Whether we realize it or not, someone who is truly in bondage is always watching our lives, very much aware of what we are up to. Someone in bondage is listening to our talk and watching our walk. Someone in bondage wants to know if our faith is real because they need something real in their own life! They have pressing needs. Often, desperate needs. They want and need to know if our God can help them. So, they are watching to see if we really trust Him to help us when things go wrong in our lives. They are waiting for some Good News that is more than mere words! We are living epistles! As Paul and Silas did, we have a great responsibility to let our lights shine in the darkness.

Let me share with you a short poem of encouragement.

Shine
Whate’re the size your flame,
Shine in Jesus’ name!
Declare His glory. Lift the cross!
Save others from eternal loss!
Don’t be ashamed. His Word proclaim.
Whate’re the size your flame,
Shine in Jesus’ name!  

By our faithfulness, we can turn our troubles into testimonies!

 God responds to the prayers and praises of His people!
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. Can you imagine what that was like? After the initial shock was past it had to have been a prisoner’s dream come true!  

5. All the doors flew open!

Prayer brings results! By God’s grace, it can open all the closed doors in our lives and in the lives of those we are praying for. There are many types of doors that need to be opened. As I read through this partial list I’m sure you will relate to some that you know God has already opened for you and to some you think still need to be opened.

Doors of hard hearts. Doors of difficulty. Doors of defeat. Doors of addictions. Doors of misunderstanding. Doors of failure. Doors of ignorance. Doors of debt. Doors of woundedness. Doors of rejection. Doors of painful memories. Doors of sickness. Doors of possession. Doors of doubt. Doors of poor self-image. Doors of oppression. Doors of unforgiveness. Doors of abuse.

As the saying goes, "Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors!" Except those who live there, of course. Life can be really hard living behind closed doors! On the other hand:
 
Open doors allow the light of revelation knowledge to enter– the truth that sets free!

Open doors allow the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into seemingly hopeless situations.

Open doors allow all those prisoners that want to, to go free!

If I had the time I could testify about how God has opened at least a dozen of the doors listed above in my own life. I’ll take the time to tell you about just one. The door of debt.

Back in the early 80's, when my husband, Mike, was the pastor of a small church in Mustang, Oklahoma, God miraculously opened the door for us to buy a house with a VA loan. We only lived in it about 18 months when Mike felt led to move to Cleveland, Tennessee, to go to the School of Theology. We agreed to sell the house with our VA loan intact and it sold very quickly. We knew if they defaulted on the loan it would come back to us, but that seemed highly unlikely since the economy was booming and they’d paid $10,000.00 down on it. We moved to Cleveland and didn’t give it much thought. 
Sometime after we moved, the economy in Oklahoma went south and the buyers defaulted on the loan. By the time the VA contacted us in 1989 they wanted us to pay $3000.00 to catch up the missed payments and then to start making the payments. We didn’t have any money. We were in that "descending into greatness" mode at the time– you know, living on next to nothing to serve God. He was taking care of us, but there was no extra cash, so Mike ignored the letter hoping the problem would just go away. That’s not an example to follow!  
 
Since we didn’t respond, the mortgage company sold the house. Supposedly, because the economy was so bad, they sold it for $8000.00 less than the outstanding loan balance and in November of 1989, they sent us a bill for that amount. Since we didn’t have it, they set up a payment schedule of $45.00 a month, ad infinitum! It didn’t seem fair to us, but we managed to make the payments.

Shortly thereafter, God blessed us by opening the door for Mike to go to work in the World Missions Department. Our pay increased significantly and we decided to build a house. I was concerned about qualifying for the building loan with the VA debt on our credit record so I prayed about it. I didn’t tell God what to do. I merely shared my concerns with Him and asked if there was any way He could help us out and told Him we would certainly appreciate it if He could. Well, a week or two later, we got a letter in the mail that said, "Your debt has been reduced by $7830.00." There was no explanation given. I was excited but wondering what happened so I called Mike to tell him and see what he thought about it. He told me to call and get the details. When I called the VA Debt Servicing Center, the man who answered said, "Your debt has been forgiven and the money you’ve already paid will be returned to you with a verification that your debt is cancelled." I was amazed and delighted by his choice of words (it sounded like God to me) but I asked, "Do you know why?" He said, " No. I don’t know. But, if I were you, I’d just accept it." So we did. Is God incredible or what? Be encouraged that prayer makes a difference!  
 
6. The chains of every prisoner fell off!

The chains fell off of the thieves, the slanderers, the liars, the murderers and the rapists. They fell off of those who had been falsely accused as well as those who were rightfully condemned. They fell off of the good old boys and the worst of sinners, the whited sepulchers and the devil worshipers! Everyone’s chains fell off! Why? Because God is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) The blood of Jesus paid for all sins to be forgiven! Freedom is available to all whether they take it or not! All prisoners may have new life by faith in Christ! But some don’t know how to get it. 

7. The jailer said, "What must I do to be saved?"

We don’t know what happened to all those prisoners but it’s possible a revival broke out in that prison led by the jailor! We know that he was serious about his need of God. He asked what to do and got the answer. (Are you ready to tell others how to be saved?) Paul and Silas were ready to tell him. They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household!" So all the members of his household believed. They responded to the truth from heaven, the good news of God’s Word, by faith! They simply believed and they were all saved by God’s grace through the blood of Jesus!  

You can be saved too. Not just from your sins but from a life of doubt, depression, oppression, rejection, obsessions, addictions, failures, etc. The work is already accomplished. ("I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it!") The doors are open! The chains have fallen away! If you are saved but still feel bound, it is only an illusion! Satan is trying to blind you with a false impression! He is a liar! The Father of lies. Don’t listen to him. Don’t believe the lie he has whispered in your ear or placed before your eyes. Defeat is just a wrong perspective! In Christ you are super victorious!

I encourage you to resist the enemy of your soul and always speak in agreement with God’s Word. Satan cannot change the truth. Say,  

"I am God’s child." John 1:12

"I am free from all condemnation." Romans 8:1-2

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" Phil 4:13

"I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me!" Romans 8:37

"He will never leave me or forsake me." Hebrews 13:5

"He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day!" 2Tim 1:12

"No weapon formed against me shall prosper." Isa 54:17 
 
Stand on God’s Word! See through eyes of faith! Appropriate by faith what God has already promised and provided for you and ask in faith, and according to the will of God, for those things you have need of. Notice the following scripture.　

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. I John 5:14-15  
 
This is a scripture we should all memorize and understand. It says we can have whatever we ask for in faith, if it’s within God’s will. God is sovereign and He doesn’t need us to tell Him what to do. We are to ask God to help us as He sees fit. He knows far more than we do. We don’t even know how to pray sometimes but He knows how to answer. And His way is always for our best.

When we need something from our Heavenly Father, we should follow the example of the leper who went to Jesus and said, "Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean." Notice the leper believed Jesus had the power to heal Him but recognized that it must also be His will. Jesus responds to that kind of faith. He said, "I am willing....!" And because the leper believed Him, he cleansed him. (Matthew 8:2) His Word says He wants to forgive us, free us, fill us with His Spirit, provide for us, and save us to the uttermost! His Word also says He wants to save sinners. So if we ask for those things in faith, we will have what we ask for. 

It is time for us to be like Paul and Silas. It is time for us to know who we are in Christ.

"... we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine... but... grow up in ...Christ... working... (so that) every part does its share, (and) causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:14-16)   

God wants us to work together like Paul and Silas did so that we can continually go through the doors He has opened for us and so that we can help open doors for others. I trust that God will minister the truth of His Word to your hearts.

Our Father in heaven, I hallow and praise Your Name! Thank You for Your Word, the only source of Truth! Thank You for freedom from sin and peace of mind provided on the cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ, Your only begotten Son. Thank You for creating us for your pleasure and loving us as your children.

I ask, in the name of Jesus, that Your Holy Spirit will comfort Your children in their times of need and that You will bring salvation to those longing for Your forgiveness and deliverance. Nothing is too difficult for You!   

God's Faithfulness Through Trials

Beloved, if the title to this blog has gotten your attention, you are most likely are going through a difficult time or know someone who is. No matter what you are going through today, I'm posting this to tell you God "wants" to help you.

God is a God of miracles.

When I desperately need a miracle I spend time in His Word to see what He reveals to me about my situation. If He gives me a clear Word about something I stand on it. If I don't get a clear Word, I pray, "Your will be done."

Either way, I know if I keep my trust in Jesus, I will end up with God's very best because I know He is my Shepherd and His word says, "He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) That's not talking about a sentimental feeling. It means He protects and provides for His people!

 

The Book of Job has been a mainstay for me through many trials. I don't think any human has endured such losses combined with such betrayal by friends and family. It's clear from the beginning of the book that his children perished when the house they were in collapsed on them (so they couldn't support him). But, where was the rest of his family, and where were his friends and close acquaintances throughout his trial? 

During the worst time of his life, the only friends who showed up allowed themselves to be used by the enemy of his soul. Rather than undergirding him, his "miserable comforters" condemned him and tried to straighten him out theologically. He had no human support during his trial. Those he would have expected to help him finally reappeared when the trial had passed. Job's faith amazes me and God's faithfulness encourages me. Job's trial was meant for good! What would we do without that book?

 

Of course, Jesus suffered more betrayal, injustice and affliction than any human could have borne. Passages like Hebrews 12:2-4 come to mind. (NKJV)

 

"looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin."

 

This passage reminds us to consider what Jesus endured on the cross for our eternal salvation. Meditating on what He willingly went through for us will, in time, strengthen our weary hearts and troubled minds. How could it not?

 

The Psalms! What would we do without the Psalms? "Weeping may endure for the night (a period of time) but joy comes in the morning (at last)!" Psalm 30:5  Wait for it, beloved. Wait in hope. God will never fail you.

The Holy Spirit through Paul says, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."   Romans 8:28

 

If the answer to your need seems impossible, remember "with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

No matter what kind of trial you are facing today, I want to encourage you in the Lord. Let me share one more wonderful, faith building passage with you: Psalm 103:1-5. If we would see Him work in our lives we must remember to bless the Lord and meditate on His wonderful benefits!

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

Let's close with prayer.

May our heavenly Father lift up your head.

May He give you peace and comfort your heart.

May He grant you a forgiving spirit.

May He bless you with a wise mind. 

May you experience His unfailing loving kindness.

May He meet your every need and direct your steps.

May He send you human comforters and assistance.

May He restore more than your losses.

May the joy of the Lord be your strength.    

 

May you experience the love of God, the grace of Jesus, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.   AMEN!!!

Pope Should Return To Biblical Truth of Creation

The Earth is Full of the Goodness of the LORD! Psalm 33:5b

Behold, consider and see.
He made the chicken and the egg.
He made the apple and the tree.
He made the grain and the seed.
All we have, and all we need!

He spoke and all came to be.
Land for homes, forests and fields.
Water for springs, rivers and seas.
Skies for birds, rain clouds and breeze.
All we have, and all we need!

Behold the beauty, and see.
He made the sun to rise and set.
He made the waves to crash and beat.
He made the mountain's majesty.
All we have, and all we need!

When His creation was man ready
He planted a garden in Eden of east.
He made mankind of colorful clay.
With breath of life, made them breathe.
All we have, and all we need.

CSJustice

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Psalm 33: 5b, 6, 8-9

The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD!
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,

And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For HE SPOKE, and it WAS DONE;
HE COMMANDED, and it STOOD FAST.

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God’s Word is truth! Genesis tells us God created, out of nothing, all that exists, in six days. It goes on to say, "This is the history of the heavens and the earth..." Gen 2:4

It makes no sense to believe that evolution is compatible with God’s Word. Evolution requires billions of years of mutations guided by blind chance and has no idea where the raw material came from in the first place or how life came from non-living matter. 

Pope Francis recently said, "When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,"  

Take that statement apart. Is Pope Francis actually implying that reading Genesis could lead people to wrong conclusions about God? Is he really saying God has less power than a magician with a wand? Is he saying God is not able to do everything? If that is really what he thinks, he is serving the wrong God. And, that is so!

It never ceases to amaze me how far afield people can go with their grand concepts which are not scripturally based. To protect yourself from deception: Reread Genesis. Reread Psalm 33. Review the clear statements Jesus made about creation. Make sure what you believe is scriptural.

Creation passages are scattered throughout the Bible. They all proclaim that God is the CREATOR of all things in a short period of time. To say otherwise is to deny the authenticity of the Bible as God's Word.

Doubting and disputing God's Word is what brought SIN into this world.

Why do you suppose intellectuals insist on believing something as baseless and senseless as evolution? Is it because they are truly searching for reality? Or, is it because they refuse to acknowledge the Creator God to whom they are accountable.

Psalm 14:1 says, The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."  It goes on to say, They are corrupt...  They choose to believe in a blind process called evolution because it cannot hold them accountable for their wicked deeds.

Believing God's Word is the only means of salvation.

All men sin. Jesus died for all men so they might be saved. Believe what God's Word says about salvation. Repent (turn away from sin). Trust in Jesus to forgive you and give you a new life. Be baptized in water to proclaim your faith in God. If you do these things, God's Word says you will be born again, filled with the Spirit of God, and empowered to serve Him now and forever!   

The Pope should withdraw his declaration that evolution is not inconsistent with creation. The Catholic Church should return to clearly taught Biblical Truth. 

The Left's Worst Crime in the Middle East

The Left's Worst Crime in the Middle East

The left's worst crime in the Middle East has been its support for the region's Arab-Muslim majority at the expense of its minorities. It has supported the majority's terrorism, atrocities, ethnic cleansing and repression of the region's minorities. Very rarely has it raised a voice in their support, and when it has done so, it was in muted tones completely different from their vigorous defenses of the nationalism of the Arab Muslim majority.

The left backed the Arab Spring which rewarded the ambitions of Arabist and Islamist activists at the expense of Coptic, African and other minorities. Its great regional obsession is statehood for the Arab Muslims of Israel, (better known by their local Palestinian brand), but has little to say about the Kurds in Turkey or the Azeri in Iran. The million Jewish refugees and the vanishing Christians of the region never come up in conversation. They certainly don't get their own lefty protest rallies. 
read more
http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-lefts-worst-crime-in-middle-east.html

23rd Psalm Devotional

Psalm 23: A Psalm of David.  

 

 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

 

Unlike the fearfully reverent scribes who maintained God's Word for posterity, David was not afraid to address his Shepherd by name. David declared, "YAHWEH is my Shepherd."

 

Our Heavenly Father wants us to know Him by name. The Great I AM revealed His Name to us so that we could call on Him in a personal way. I think Bible translators have done us a dis-service by presenting Him as LORD rather than calling Him by His Name, YAHWEH.  This practice has caused confusion and has opened the door for those who currently want us to believe He can also be called Allah. Not so!

 

David, having been a shepherd,  knew by experience that a good shepherd provides everything his sheep need. Therefore, he knew and proclaimed with confidence that as Yahweh's sheep, he would never lack anything he needed. And, if Yahweh is our Shepherd, we can have the same confidence!   

 

Yahweh knows our needs before we ask. How lovingly He provides for every area of our lives! 

 

² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

 

We live in a body so physical needs are met first.

 

Every day of life's journey we become tired so He provides a place for us to lie down and rest.  We also need a daily provision of food and water which David refers to as green pastures and  still waters. 

 

At no time are we left to fend for ourselves. He meets our physical needs so we can function physically, mentally and spiritually. As David expresses it: 

 

³ He restores my soul;

 

And when the soul is restored we are ready to follow Jesus!
 

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.

 

Once we are prepared for traveling, He leads us! The Holy Spirit is our faithful guide and leads us always in the right ways that we should go.  Why? For His Name's sake! (God will never lead us astray because to do so would violate His nature and bring shame to His Name. Impossible!) We cannot go wrong following Him.   

 

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 

We are safe with Yahweh. In His presence, evil cannot touch us. When we walk through dark, scary places we are always under His protection. His rod will beat back the enemy. His staff will pull us out of danger. Fear may rear its ugly head but it must flee because Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, is our ever present companion and comforter!

 

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

We are always surrounded by enemies in this life but they cannot keep us from banqueting with Jesus. Notice that He prepares the feast and He provides the spiritual atmosphere. We  respond with thanksgiving and abundant joy. And we find hope for the future!

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

 

It's all about perspective.  If we choose to keep our minds focused on the Good Shepherd and trust in His faithful provision for our lives we can have inner peace and joy even in the midst of a troubled world. 

 

I hope this quick look at the 23rd Psalm speaks to your heart today. It has strengthened me in times of trial so I wanted to share it with you. 

 

May God's Word increase your faith and encourage you--wherever you are.  

The United States of Guilt

There was once an America that built its shining cities on a hill in the name of virtue. That nation has been replaced by another nation that builds housing projects in the name of guilt. We used to elect the best men for the job, or at least we believed we did. Now we hold elections of guilt, deciding which oppressed minority has been most shamefully overlooked, before casting our vote for a more diverse and equitable society.

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The United States of Guilt

Jesus, Fully God and Fully Man

Many in the church world today are denying the diety of Jesus Christ. The virgin birth, the miracles performed by Jesus, His claim to be God,  His death on the cross for the sins of mankind, and His resurrection from the dead, which guarantees the resurrection and rewards of all believers: all these eternal truths are being questioned and dismissed as allegorical or even mythical by much of the mainline church world today.

I could discuss each of these issues in detail but my first concern is the diety of Jesus Christ. Is He really God? Did Jesus make statements and perform deeds that led first century peoples and individuals to believe He was God? Let's see what the Bible tells us about this subject.

First of all, Jesus told the first century Jews, "Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to My coming. He saw it and was glad." John 8:56

How did the Jews respond to this declaration of Jesus? They argued with Him about His claim. They didn't believe Abraham could have seen Jesus because He wasn't even 50 years old and Abraham had been dead for around 2000 years!

Jesus answered, "The truth is, before Abraham was, I AM." (v58) Then they wanted to stone Him because they knew He was claiming to be God. I AM was the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush. (Exodus 3)

In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgave a man's sins and healed his body to prove He had the power of God to forgive sins on earth. These actions were considered to be blasphemy by the Jewish leaders.

During His trial account shared in Matthew, Mark and Luke, the chief priests told Jesus, "Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus answered, "I AM." They called for Him to be crucified because they said He claimed to be God.

There are many other passages I could share which reveal the divinity of Jesus. He clearly claimed to be God, and I, one among the many multitudes, believe Him!

John 1:1-18 excerpts

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men... That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word became 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 bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

ANY ONE WHO DENIES THE DIETY OF JESUS CHRIST MUST ALSO DENY THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE.

I'll close with another clear statement of Jesus found in John 8:23-24.

And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

This means if you DO believe that Jesus is God and trust that He died to forgive your sins, you will live eternally! That is good news!

God's Divine Nature | Access-Jesus.com

Bible Summary.

God nature is perfect. The essence of God's divine nature is love and righteousness. He is the source of a divine love called “agape” love. This is a love of unmerited favor. It is a love that is offered to all of mankind through God's grace. God's divine nature is also the source of righteousness in the world. His nature is the source of all goodness, love, truth, and wisdom. God's divine nature is so awesome that we cannot fully comprehend God. His nature is a great mystery to us that He reveals to mankind at the right place in time. See below for Biblical commentary and scriptures concerning God's divine nature. Key Bible verses: 1 John 4:17, Psalms 33:5, 1 John 4:8, Colossians 2:3, and Colossians 2:2.

The Perfection of God's Divine Nature.

God’s nature can be summed up in two words: love and righteousness. God is the only one that is perfect and only through discovering and growing closer to Him, can we be made perfect in righteousness.  See Scripture Commentary: 1 John 4:17 advises us how to obtain the perfect nature of God.

For more see:   God's Divine Nature | Access-Jesus.com

Night Falls on Civilization by Daniel Greenfield

Forget the World's Fair, we now have a new way to celebrate human accomplishment. Instead of seeing a vision of the future, we turn off the lights and sit in the dark for an hour.

Earth Hour shows how far we have come from celebrating human accomplishment to celebrating the lack of accomplishment as an accomplishment. For all the pretense of activism, environmentalism celebrates inaction. Don't build, don't create and don't do-- are its mandates. Turn off the lights and feel good about how much you aren't doing right now.

Environmentalism has degenerated into a conviction that all human activity is destructive because the species of man is the greatest threat to the planet and all life on it. Each death, each act of undoing and unmaking, each darkness that is brought about by the cessation of humanity becomes a profoundly environmentalist activity.

Kill yourself and save the planet. Put out the lights, tear down the city and let the earth revert to some imaginary primeval paradise free of all pollution; whether it is the carbon breath of men, dogs and cows or the light pollution of their cities.

Embrace the darkness.

While we take electric light for granted-- being able to read and write after dark is a technological achievement that transformed our civilization. Animals are governed by day and night cycles. Artificial light made it possible for us to work independently of the day and night cycle.

During the recent extended blackout after Hurricane Sandy, some of us had a brief period of reverting to a pre-technological civilization in which work was governed by day and night cycles. And that was a reminder that there is no way to measure the increase in knowledge gained from the conquest of the darkness. There is no better measure of the unthinking contempt of the environmentalist movement for that achievement than a call to turn off the lights and sit in the dark.

Like all environmental gimmicks, Earth Hour is perverse and hypocritical. Far more energy is consumed promoting it, then is saved by practicing it. Websites switch to black, even though displaying black on television sets or monitors consumes more energy. Turning off electricity to entire buildings after working hours and then turning it on costs more than letting it run. And getting 90 million people across the country to turn their power on and off at a scheduled time is an energy savings disaster. And since power companies draw down on their more expensive 'green' generators first, Earth Hour actually shuts down 'green' power.

But its sponsors don't claim that Earth Hour saves energy or prevents us from polluting the globe. Like every environmentalist stunt from flying rock stars around the world on jet planes to carving thousands of statues made of ice and then leaving them to melt in a public square, Earth Hour is meant to spread awareness.

Spreading awareness is the sole purpose of most environmental activism. Awareness spreading doesn't make anything better, but makes people feel guilty, outraged, hopeful or some combination of the appropriate political sentiments in the face of an imminent armageddon that can only be fought by convincing everyone to be deeply concerned by it and disdainful of everyone who stands outside their Chicken Little consensus.

The WWF, Earth Hour's godmother, has learned that shrill attention seeking is a reliable fundraising method. One of the WWF's more memorable fundraising methods was an ad that showed hundreds of planes headed toward the World Trade Center, to highlight just how much more important their work is than fighting terrorism. Franny Armstrong of Age of Stupid, which was promoted by the WWF, ran a 10:10 campaign in the UK, whose ads featured environmentalists murdering dissenters, including a group of schoolchildren. The ads are just ads, but London's leftist former mayor, Ken Livingstone had said of Age of Stupid, "Every single person in the country should be forcibly sat down on a chair and made to watch this film."

That is the dark side of environmentalism. The most active non-Muslim domestic terrorist group is environmental. The undercurrent of violence finds easy purchase in environmentalism's creed that the only real problem with the world is people. No amount of turning off the lights is enough. Eventually you come around to having to turn off the people.

The Nazis were among the most enthusiastic environmentalists of their day, even the term 'Ecology' was coined by Ernst Haeckel, whose racial views served as precursors to Nazi eugenics. But while Nazi environmentalist believed that we were all animals, they insisted that some animals were better than others. Modern environmentalists believe that we are all worse than animals. In their view we are both natural and unnatural. Natural because we come from the ape and unnatural because we are intelligent. We live on the planet, but our intelligence excludes us from ever belonging to it.

The incompatibility of productive man with the natural world is a fundamental tenet of the environmental movement. Everything we do is destructive, because of what we are. We are tool builders, inventors and producers. And the environmentalist movement is aimed at convincing us to stop being these things. To turn off the lights, make do with less and march back to the caves with a few clever ad campaigns and a catchy tune.

Zero Population campaigns and calls for mandatory one-child families are the eugenics of environmentalism. The old eugenicists were concerned with improving the human breed by promoting the reproduction of some, and preventing the reproduction of others. Environmental eugenics treats all of mankind as an inferior race. We all must die.

Not only mankind must go, but all the animals that man has domesticated and bred-- cows, dogs and cats. That is why PETA kills thousands of dogs and cats a year, promotes the euthanasia of wild cats and pet spaying and its staffers have even been known to kidnap animals and then kill them. It is why the Global Warming crowd has made cow emissions into their whipping bovine.

It's not enough to kill man, tear down his cities and put out his lights. His cats and dogs and his cows and sheep must also die.

Environmentalism is not motivated by a love for all creatures, but by preference for a prehuman world of natural wilderness uncultivated by man. The political leftist romanticizes the noble savage over the civilized man and its environmentalist arm romanticizes the jungle over the thousand acre farm. It prefers the the swamp to the garden, the wolf to the dog, and the tiger to the house cat.

This preference is not scientific, it is emotional, rooted in an antipathy to industrialization and human development. It wraps itself in the cloak of science, but it is a reactionary longing for a romanticized past that never existed.

In the environmental bible-- man is the source of all evil. The transition from the nomadic to the domestic, the village to the city, and the craftsman to the factory, is its version of original sin. The environmentalist began with a distaste for human civilization and the fetishization of the rural farm life of the peasant. The champions of this "naturalism" were invariably urban artists and writers from the upper classes who were enthusiastic about being in touch with nature. After them came the "Nature Fakers" crafting myths about the high moral standards of wild animals. Domestic animals in such stories were always wicked and dumb, while wild animals lived deep and spiritual lives out in the woods. And so the animal kingdom was subdivided into the noble savage and the uncle tom.

The world was divided into two polar opposites, the green and the gray, in an apocalyptic struggle. Either man would drown the world in industry, or he would return to a natural way of life through a lethal virus (Mary Shelley, The Last Man, 1826), a devastating war (H.G. Wells), oppressive social policies (Edward Bellamy) or eco-terrorism (The Monkey Wrench Gang). The more civilization grew, the more apocalyptic the scenarios became culminating in the two great environmental myths; nuclear winter and global warming. These apocalyptic myths have served the same purpose for environmentalists as apocalypses do for all religions. They predict a time when the sinful order is overturned and the earth is renewed to make way for the faithful.

Man is the environmentalist's devil. He must be beaten, broken and subjugated. Even the animals he has bred, who are the spark of his genius, must be taken out and killed. Take away his food and his power. Blame him for the natural cycles of the planet and the inevitable extinction of species that goes on whether he is there or not. Take away his technology and his inventions. Tell him that the humblest bacteria is better than him, for it is dumb and follows its natural instincts, while he insists on using his mind. Take away his primacy and his learning. And then leave him in the dark.

The environmental movement is tenacious, fanatical and deceptive. Its creed is the undoing of all human progress. There is money to be made from that, as there is in all revolutions, but beneath the inconveniences of living under an environmental regime, from dirty clothes to high taxes, while being forced to listen to the hypocrisies and false pieties of the Gorean clergy of environmentalist activists heating their mansions while the poor freeze in energy poverty, is the darker reality that environmentalism is an anti-human movement with a vicious hostility toward man and the civilization he has built. Whatever he has built, it must destroy.

The gap between darkness and light is a profound symbol in every civilization. The light of knowledge pitted against the shadowy dark of ignorance. The light reveals, but the darkness hides.

Civilization and the moral code exist in the light of awareness, but the darkness is home to unthinking bestial things. To call for a return to the darkness is a profound act of symbolism. A civilization that celebrates a return to the darkness for even a single hour is longing for a return to a deeper state of darkness. A darkness of the soul.

Daniel Greenfield is a New York City based writer and blogger and a Shillman Journalism Fellow of the David Horowitz Freedom Center.

Night Falls on Civilization

The Rose's Response to the Leaf

 

 

If I were a rose and you a leaf
I’d think myself well graced
For having you beside me
And knowing your embrace.

 

I’d gladly share my beauty,
My fragrance, I’ll be bold,
Grateful for your support
There’s nothing I’d withhold!

 

Most benevolent of companions,
Delightful source of much relief,
Attended by you I’d know pure joy,
If I were a rose and you a leaf.

 

Cherel S. Justice
 Copyright © 2009

 

The Leaf's Declaration to the Rose

 

 

If you were a rose and I a leaf,
My life would be inspired,
And being by your side
Would gratify my heart’s desire.

 

The leaf beholds the beauty,
The leaf inhales the scent,
The leaf enfolds the flower,
What more to be content?

 

Most amiable of companions,
In truth, for me, ‘twould be no grief,
To attend you by the hour,
If you were a rose and I a leaf.

 

Cherel S. Justice

Copyright © 2009

Islam Roars Like A Lion



 

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8

Have you ever been in danger of being devoured by a lion? Have you ever, in real life, heard a lion roar? I've seen caged lions at the zoo, and I've seen lions on TV, but I've never been physically endangered by a real lion. However, I understand that the fear created by a lion's roar can actually immobilize its victim. 
 

Fear is the purpose of the lion's roar. The roar is meant to inspire a mind-numbing terror in the lion's intended victim which leads to a helpless, hopeless confusion and minimal resistance. This response makes the lion's prey easy to devour.

In the Holy Bible, Peter warns us about a roaring lion who goes about seeking victims to devour. He speaks not of a big cat, but of a far more diabolical enemy who wants to devour the soul, as well as the body of his victims. This is a dangerous lion indeed! In fact, Peter speaks of our oldest enemy, Satan!

Peter doesn't tell us what methods Satan will use against us and he doesn't describe the sound of the roar. But, he does tell us how to avoid being devoured. He tells us to "be sober and vigilant."

Peter was aware of the temptation to become drunk with the pleasures of the age and distracted by the cares of life. He knew it was easy to rest on the premise that someone else is on guard. So, Peter sounded a clear and personal warning. "You be sober. You be vigilant!"

The early Christians faced many lions. But, the sober, vigilant, early church was not devoured and continued to share the good news and grow stronger in spite of Satan's frequent roars. In fact, they "turned the world upside down" for Jesus.

 

By 800 A.D., churches dotted northern Africa, the Middle East, Europe and parts of Asia. And Satan was not pleased. (Many of the early churches are long gone, having been converted to mosques or destroyed by the followers of Islam.)

 

 

In Satan's view, there were too many crosses marring the skylines of the population centers. So, he came up with a truly diabolical plan. He would create a new religious totalitarian regime which would despise the Jews and would deny the truths of the faith taught by Christians.

 

 

Islam would deny that Jesus is the Son of God and present Him as a second rate prophet. It would deny that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to provide salvation by grace for all who would repent and believe in Him. It would deny that God even had a Son. And, this new religion would deceive many!

Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22
Satan's ingenious scheme was based on a bate and switch strategy. His new religion would base the legitimacy of its new prophet, Mohammad, and its new revelation, the Qu'ran, on its association with the Holy Bible-- since it was already believed by many to be the revealed Word of the True God. Then, Islam would use the Qu'ran to instruct its followers to reject the accuracy of the Bible, saying it has been corrupted. It would also teach Muslims to look down on, mistrust, and avoid friendship with Jews and Christians, from whom they might learn the truth.

To institutionalize religious bigotry, Islam would instill within its followers an arrogant sense of superiority based on nothing more than the word of their god, Allah. To instill pride and build group solidarity, it would require participation in rote prayers five times a day (spoken in Arabic) facing Mecca. It would also mandate good works to be performed to demonstrate submission to Allah.

 

And, finally, to replace the Christian's commission to share the goods news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, it would require its followers to fight to dominate the world by force.
Domination by force was actually Satan's primary goal in creating this totalitarian regime called Islam. Since Satan hates people and delights in making them submit to him, he used two methods to accomplish this goal. 

First, he loaded the Qu'ran with detailed threats of eternal punishments for the unbelievers, the hypocrtites and the infidels. And then he linked the fighting for Islam with booty in this life and the promise of salvation in the life to come. Those who died fighting for Allah (jihadi martyrs) would be guaranteed salvation and rewards. In fact, no Muslim other than a martyr could be assured of salvation since salvation would be based on works not grace.

That the Bible has been corrupted is a lie, of course. Thousands of copies of the Old and New Testament show remarkable preservation of the original texts for thousands of years-- far longer than Islam has existed! The Dead Sea scrolls testify to the accuracy of Jewish and Christian scriptures.

 

If you are Muslim, please stop relying on second hand information. Read the Bible for yourself and experience the living Word of God. Jesus died for your sins! You can know you are saved by grace if you put your trust and faith in Him!

 

By Satan's design, Islam is out to destroy Israel and the Western Nations. Muslims think they are meant to rule the world.

 

The very name, Islam, means submission. It denies freedom. Sharia law does not allow for a willing submission. Sharia law demands obedience which results in subjugation. Ask some of those Arab women imprisoned in black sheets how much freedom they have.

 

 

Islam claims to be for peace but peace for them means that everyone must honor them and submit to Islam. Don't be fooled. World domination is the agenda of Islam. Satan wants to be "like" God. He wants to be in control! He wants to rule the entire world! He wants everyone to submit to him! He is the Allah of Islam.

Jesus said, "Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy." And, that is a perfect description of Islam from its inception. The religion was born of Muhammad's sword. He consolidated a band of followers by raiding caravans: stealing, killing and destroying traveling merchants. Then he turned to the destruction of towns and villages throughout Arabia. And, when he died, his followers continued in his footsteps conquering (stealing, killing and raping) and destroying many countries and entire cultures. Look to history!

And, look around you today. The destruction and pillage continues throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa, as well as in Sudan, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and around the world!
For more details about the millions slaughtered follow the link below to an excellent article at Atlas Shrugs. 

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/11/how-many-slaughtered-millions-under-jihad.html

Can you hear that roaring when Muslim jihadists explode bombs to terrorize societies they intend to dominate? The world could have heard the roar in Nigeria on Christmas of 2012-- if they were listening.
Can you hear the roaring when fundamentalist Muslims riot over contrived offenses? They seek death and destruction. Who has taught them to behave this way? Satan, in the Qur'an.


We must be sober and be vigilant in order to preserve the non-Muslim nations who are currently in danger of being devoured by Islam. We must speak the truth and refuse to be silenced by political correctness! Every voice for truth matters! Please don't remain silent. And, vote for those who stand for Truth.

But, the most important resistance is receiving Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior and sharing the good news of salvation by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ Who died in our place so we might live eternally with Him!

Don't let Satan devour you. Be sober! Be vigilant! Please put your trust in Jesus and invite others to do the same.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1Peter 5:9 NIV