Rejecting The Position Of God

It is dangerous to demand that God give you what you deserve.

Numbers 16:1-4 One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. 

2 They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. 3 They united against Moses and Aaron and said, "You have gone too far! 

The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD's people?"

4 When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground.

Today we are looking at another way that God's people have rejected his sovereign rule in their life. We have already seen that God's people have rejected the pleasures of God and they have rejected the promises of God and now we will see that God's leaders are not content and will reject the limits that God has on how they can serve him.

As soon as God chose this people and made them a nation he gave them the rules for life and worship. Unfortunately it is way too easy for us to become unhappy with God's design, Satan doesn't have to work very hard to get us to reject God's promises, his pleasures and the position that he has for us.

Moses has already dealt with challenges to his God given authority, it started way back when they were still in Egypt and right after God brought them out of Egypt the people were still rebelling against Moses. (Exodus 5:1-23, 15:22-27)

God gave his people a social and religious structure to live by and he made the duties of Moses and Aaron and every other lower level of leadership very clear. God also made the penalty for doing things the wrong way very clear so it is difficult to understand how God's people rejected the rules that God made.

The people that became unhappy with their job assisted the priest in worship and they had an important job when the Tabernacle was being moved but they were not content, they wanted to do more than God allowed.

They could not go into the most holy area during worship and they could not go in that area to remove the holy objects so that the Tabernacle could be moved when it was time to break camp. The priest had to go in and cover the holy items and then bring them out the Kohathite clan. (Numbers 4:1-20) 

Their God given authority to work for him in ministry was not enough for them, they wanted a promotion, God set the rules for the priesthood and he already showed us how serious he is about enforcing the rules. 

Moses response was so wise! These guys better be right!

Numbers 16:5 Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The LORD will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence.

Numbers 16:10-12 Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? 11 The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?"

12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, "We refuse to come before you!

These rebels are so bold that they ignored Moses' summons to meet with them and then they accuse Moses with outrageous allegations. The good old days back in Egypt should have been replaced with a new land that is also at least as good as Egypt was. 

For them to say that they experience the good life in Egypt, "the land of milk and honey" and demand the new "land of milk and honey" that they were promised. (Numbers 16:13-14) They seem to forget that they rejected God's promised land!

These rebels should have been terrified at the idea of "playing" priest just to see if they were allowed to do it. They were aware of God's response when Aarons sons didn't perform their duty as priest the correct way but they didn't seem to care. (Leviticus 10:1-3)

God handles the rebellion and the rest of God's people prove that they are just as bad as the men that God killed. The people had the nerve to accuse Moses and Aaron of being responsible for the death of these men.

Numbers 16:41 But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the LORD's people!"

Really!?! Everybody knew the rules for coming into the Lord's presence. Moses didn't make the rules, God used Moses as the messenger to reveal his rules to God's people. (Proverbs 19:3)

God's people must be very careful about negative thoughts because they have a habit of growing very quickly and they spread to the people around us. A lack of contentment in where God has chosen to put you and the ministry that he has given to you can spiral out of control and infect the rest of the church.

Whether in the government, the church, or the home, God never grants authority for the power or benefit of those in authority. Serving God requires that you be his servant as well as a servant to those around you.

We must decide for ourselves if we are going to argue with God.

Galatians 1:10 Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.

God's people must remain humble and be content with their God given ministry. We should strive to do our best in whatever God has called us to do, but be careful not to do our best to promote ourself. (John 3:30)

God's choice to use me and in what capacity is totally his choice. I can choose a different area of ministry and attempt to work "for him" on my own but the consequences can be very severe to myself and to the people around me that I was trying to serve. (Galatians 6:7-19)

RELATED ARTICLES

Lessons From The Life Of Korah (biblicalcounseling.com)

Who Were The Sons Of Korah (gotquestions.org)

Rejoice In Tribulation

The circumstances of this life should not alter my view of God's goodness.

Habakkuk 2:14  For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD.

Habakkuk 3:1-2  This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:  2  I have heard all about you, LORD. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.

Habakkuk 3:17-19  Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,  18  yet I will rejoice in the LORD!

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!  19  The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

---

Habakkuk has been struggling with God in the first two chapters of his short book. He has shown us that we should wait on the Lord and decide that we will trust him to take care of us for this life and for eternity no matter what the circumstances look like. When we come to know God in this way our natural response to God is to worship him.

As God answered his prayers, Habakkuk grew in his awareness of the glory of the Lord and his knowledge and control of every detail, his view of God grew so much that he compared it to the waters that fill the seas.

God's glory is also known because people have been talking about it and writing books about it for thousands of years. Habakkuk is amazed at the great deeds that God has done for his people because he has read the books that Moses wrote and he has heard a lot of stories that have been passed down about God's power and glory.

Exodus 7:5  When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

In spite of God's superiority over the man made gods of Egypt they still didn't acknowledge him as the one true God. It is incredible that God's glory was denied even in the grandest display of his power in sending the plagues to Egypt.

We tend to blame the Pharaoh for Egypt's troubles but it has occurred to me that the people of Egypt didn't show any signs that they were willing to turn from their little gods any more than Pharaoh was.

Habakkuk knows that God has used his power to benefit his chosen people in the past and he hopes that he will do it again. He knows that the only power that is sufficient to save is the same power that has been proven in the past. But he also knows that God won't always use his power to end our suffering.

We say that God is good when things are going our way but sometimes his blessings come to us in disguise. We usually pray for the difficult times to go away, none of us like for anything to be tough, but what if those difficulties are the very thing that God is using to send blessings your way?

When God judges his people it is for their benefit even if it doesn't feel or look like it is.

God's Judgment Is Like:

A thunderstorm that is seen approaching over the tops of the southern mountains (Habakkuk 3:3-4); A plague from which no one escapes (Habakkuk 3:5); An earthquake that terrorizes the nations and shakes the mountains (Habakkuk 3:6); A desert wind that blows down the Arab’s tents (Habakkuk 3:7); The overthrow of enemies in battle, whether by armies or by the spectacular intervention of the forces of nature (Habakkuk 3:8-9); A flood that sweeps everything away (Habakkuk 3:10); An eclipse of the sun that leaves the earth in darkness (Habakkuk 3:11); The triumph of a warrior who kills his enemies and saves his people (Habakkuk 3:12-15). Bridgeway Bible Commentary by Missionary Don Fleming

Habakkuk knows that God is right to be angry but he knows that God is also merciful even in judgment. He knows that God is good even when there isn't any resources available to sustain us. There isn't any food available today and there isn't anything in the garden or in the pasture that will provide food anytime soon but that doesn't change the goodness and glory of God.

Because God always deserves praise and glory, Habakkuk will rejoice in these circumstances, he knows that his joy doesn't come from the abundance of things that he has or how easy his life is, he will rejoice because the God of his salvation is his delight. (Psalm 34:1)

Hard times can push you to new heights or they will destroy you. Your suffering will make you far better or far worse that you were before. Will you be better or bitter? Will suffering make you humble or arrogant?

I need to rejoice because God is using everything for his glory which ultimately leads to me spending eternity with him singing his praises for my undeserved salvation. I should not allow the circumstances of this life to alter my view of the glory of God and his unrelenting goodness to his people.

RELATED ARTICLES

God’s Zeal for His Own Glory (desiringgod.org)
Book of Habakkuk (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Why Doesn't God Do Something

Wrestling with God when he doesn't make sense.

Habakkuk 1:2-3 How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.

There is always trouble in our world but there have been decades of peace and prosperity that have drawn people to the conclusion that the world is getting better and better. But then there are moments when that perception gets shattered and it become obvious that we have no right to think that way.

During those long periods of suffering it's very common to wonder why God doesn't step in and end the suffering or maybe you get the idea that this is the end of the world and nothing will ever get better again.

Sometimes suffering is about judgement for our sins, in the days of the Old Testament prophets it certainly was, God's people must have thought that he wouldn't judge them too harshly because they were his chosen. Before the chosen people took possession of the Promised Land they were warned that the people that they were displacing were not pleasing God and if Israel made the wrong choice they would suffer similar consequences. (Deuteronomy 28:1-68)

The people of the southern kingdom already know the warnings that the northern kingdom had, they saw them ignore the prophets and they saw the consequences as they fell to the Assyrians, and on top of that the southern kingdom also ignored their own prophets.

Habakkuk seems to know that there isn't any hope that they won't be punished or that there is a possibility of revival, he doesn't plead with the people to change their ways, he seems to know that God is going to step in and judge them.

God's man feels the burden of sin that is all around, Habakkuk cry's out to God to let him know how long this situation is going to last, he hopes that all of this will come to an end soon but he fears that the Lord isn't listening. What burden can be heavier than this, to see evil prevail among God’s people, and to be unable to do anything about it?

Habakkuk asks God why he isn't doing something to make the world better, we all seem to have this longing, it's like we know that we were made for a better world.  The man of God was right to go to God with his difficult questions but when God replies it makes it even more difficult for Habakkuk to understand.

God answers: "I am doing something!"

Habakkuk 1:5-6 The LORD replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands.

Habakkuk 1:12-13 O LORD my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal— surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O LORD, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins. 13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?

Habakkuk was looking at the events happening around him but God tells him that he needs to expand his view and get the big picture. God is doing something about the sin that Habakkuk is weary of seeing but when God gives him the details Habakkuk is shocked.

God makes it clear that he is the one that is raising the Babylonians to power for his purpose but Habakkuk cannot understand why God would use a notoriously greater evil to reprimand his own people. It seemed right when God told the Israelite's to kill the people so that they could take the Promised Land, those were evil people, but this seems to be wrong. Man's wisdom says that God should punish the worst people first and work his way down the list to the next most evil people.

Habakkuk cannot understand why God is going to allow things to get worse but he gives no hint that he believes that he can walk away from God. Habakkuk has to decide to trust God, just like a child that cannot understand his parents answer, all he needs to understand is that God is working out his plan in every moment of world history.

The consequences of the rebellion of God's people looks like bad news. There was a lot of suffering and many people died but God's plan for the world was being fulfilled in all of these events. Because of hundreds of years of exile, suffering and persecution, God's people are dispersed all around the known world at that time. These people surely didn't understand why they were so far from home but it was all a part of God's plan.

Because there were so many Jews living outside of Palestine that maintained their religious observances and customs among the Gentiles it made a huge difference in the spread of Christianity. God fearing Gentiles that learned about God from the dispersed Jews were the first converts to Christianity in the book of Acts.

Justice Out Of Injustice, Salvation Out Of Judgement

Acts 13:41 Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.

What Habakkuk couldn't comprehend looking forward in hind sight Paul gets it and he uses it in his sermon. First he shared with the crowd about the injustice and the undeserved suffering of Jesus (Acts 13:26-30) then he shares about the justice that came out of that injustice and the salvation that came out of judgement. (Acts 13:38-41)

Jesus was the ultimate Habakkuk, his heart broke over the sin that was all around him, he was the ultimate man of sorrows, he was truly abandoned and yet he was faithful in evil times.

God brought our ultimate good out of the ultimate of dark times. When I don't understand the injustice, the sin and suffering around me I need to look at the cross as the ultimate example of dark times happening to someone that didn't deserve it. And it was all for my benefit!

RELATED ARTICLES

The Just Shall Live By Faith (desiringgod.org)
What does the Bible mean when it refers to the Diaspora? (gotquestions.org)
A World of Evil and Suffering (cru.org)
Book of Habakkuk (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

One Man's Faith

Noah's faith affected his family but the rest of mankind missed the boat.

Genesis 6:5-8 The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the LORD was sorry He had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke His heart.

7 And the LORD said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing--all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them." 8 But Noah found favor with the LORD.

---

If you think our world is bad, consider what Genesis says about the world before the flood, in just a short time the way of Cain had increased to the point that "everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil."

When you read the genealogy in Genesis chapter five it is easy to not realize that the world population could have been a few billion people before the flood came. That would make the ratio of self pleasers to God pleasing people a few billion to eight.

We think we have it so bad but it is very possible that evil may have been far worse than it is in our day. Today we still have thousands of God's people on the planet compared to only eight out of billions of people back in Noah's day. You probably know hundreds of people that do not fit the description of "everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil."

God chooses one family to be a part of his plan to start over, God knew that Noah and his family had the faith to build the ark, a special boat without sails, oars or a rudder. The occupants of the boat didn't have any control, their faith in God made it possible to trust him for the direction, the speed and their final destination.

Noah Was A God Pleaser
Noah was a righteous and blameless man. (Genesis 6:9-13) Noah believed that events that never happened before would take place. Noah trusted God's design specifications for the ark. (Genesis 6:22) Noah dedicated a large amount of time and resources to build the massive ark. Noah warned the people around him (1 Peter 3:20 / 2 Peter 2:5) Noah waited on God before leaving the Ark (Genesis 7:1-24)

Imagine the ridicule as the Ark project got started, when people asked what he was building and why, they had never seen rain and there wasn't a large body of water around. It seemed like Noah was just a crazy man wasting his life and resources away.

Besides the neighbors, Noah must have also been mocked by the suppliers and the laborers that contributed to the project. There were men that made good money in the lumber business, there were laborers, carpenters and people that applied the waterproofing.

After the Ark was completed there were the suppliers for the food and supplies that they would need to set-up household on the boat. There were probably people that visited the project maybe some that went inside and took a tour of the Ark. They saw it, they touched it and heard the message from Noah but at the end of the day they shared crazy Noah stories with their family and friends.

Think about the reactions when the animals started showing up in pairs. It seems to me that the animals would validate Noah's warning and prove that he wasn't just a crazy old man but this was another missed opportunity to receive grace and avoid the coming judgment.

God could have supernaturally provided the Ark and flooded the Earth immediately or he could have wiped out man in some other way but instead there was a season of grace, a delay of justice that allowed the message of salvation and repentance to spread.

The good news was ignored by everyone, all of Noah's friends, his extended family and his business associates that helped build the Ark, they were physically so close to the truth but spiritually they were so far. Noah's faith didn't make any difference to the culture, their wickedness was so great that they were blind to the truth of Noah's faith and obedience.

Blinded By Sin
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

The letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthian church makes it clear that people are blind to the truth. The glorious light of the good news is right in front of them but they can't see it, grace and mercy is available but it makes no sense to them, the same stubbornness that we see in Cain still exist today.

Sadly, the rebellion continues, the flood put a temporary end to the injustice in the world but it did not change the human heart. Mankind keeps on rebelling against God and his glorious standards, we stubbornly redefine marriage, distort sexual relationships, we think one man is better than another because of pigment, and we kill our babies everyday without any sign of remorse.

We are so wrong for thinking that God doesn't really care about morality and injustice or he would have already intervened. Don't be fooled, the day is coming when God will judge mankind, just as he did in Noah's day, he will protect his people and then he will judge the earth. But this time his people will be taken away to their forever home so that the earth can be destroyed by fire.

Just like the days before the flood, it will seem like God is okay with how things are going, all of the everyday things that happen will keep on happening, plans will be made to marry, have a family, change jobs and go to parties, it will be business as usual for the planet right up to the end. (Matthew 24:36-39)

We all belong to Adam, we all have the craving to go the way of Cain, but we can choose to belong to Jesus and get caught up to live with him for eternity.

RELATED ARTICLES

Thinking Outside The Box (answersingenesis.org)
Timeline For The Flood (answersingenesis.org)
The Global Flood Of Noah's Day (icr.org)

Caught Up

Death is not an issue for God's children... some of them won't even do it.

Genesis 5:21-24 When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 Enoch lived 365 years, 24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

2 Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.

Mark 16:19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand.

---

God loves us so much that he gave us a very important warning way back at the beginning of his love story to us, he warned us that the penalty for our sin would be death, and since Adam sinned we all sin and we all will die.

But that's not completely true, God changed the rules for a couple of privileged men that had a special relationship with him, these two were promoted to Heaven without going through the formality of dying. (Hebrews 11:5)

The first one was Enoch, the exception to a long list of men that begot a son and then died at a very old age. (Genesis 4:17-5:32) Enoch had a short life for people back in those days, after only 365 years God walked him right up into Heaven. I don't know how his family felt about this but what a way to go!

Jude 1:14-15 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, "Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of His holy ones 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

Think you have it bad as a follower of Christ? Enoch lived a godly life in a culture that was so bad that God wanted to destroy it with a flood. There were far more people that followed the way of Cain that brought the culture down spiritually, but there is good news for God's people.

Enoch is a picture of the rapture before the judgment that was on the way. God will take up his church just as sure as he took up Enoch, this is a picture of the rapture of the bride of Christ before the tribulation.

Matthew 24:36-39 "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son Himself. Only the Father knows. 37 "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

The days before Jesus’ return will be similar to the days before the Flood. All of the everyday things that happen will keep on happening, plans will be made to marry, have a family, change jobs and go to parties, it will be business as usual for the planet right up to the end.

God could have provided the Ark and flooded the Earth immediately but instead there was a season of grace that allowed people to change their minds and call upon God to save them. God's grace saved eight people from the flood while everyone else lived for themselves.

They had plenty of warning during the time that it took for Noah and his construction crews to finish building and stocking the Ark with supplies. Imagine being one of the laborers or a supplier of the materials that got stuck outside the Ark when the waters started getting high. Surely Noah and his family let you know what you were building and why.

Noah's predictions were too incredible, even the people that helped build the boat didn't care that Noah could be correct. Life goes on for most people without any serious consideration of where they came from or where they are going.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when He comes back. 

God's grace will be seen by his children that are alive when he comes back to take them to the home he has prepared. I want to walk in close fellowship with God and be a part of the multitude that God will take up without dying.

We all belong to Adam, we all have the craving to go the way of Cain, but we can choose to belong to Jesus and live a new life that will not end or be marred with sin.

Are you ready to be caught up?

RELATED ARTICLES

What Is The Rapture? (billygraham.org)

Make The Wise Choice

People without a Savior will beg to die instead of living for Him.

Revelation 9:3-6 Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. 4 They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. 6 In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!

Revelation 9:20 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood--idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk!

---

In the last blog post we saw the incredible amount of trouble that was reserved for the unbelievers during the Great Tribulation. So far the earth has been subjected to all kinds of catastrophic events that have affected the people, these events are similar to what happened in Egypt when Pharaoh wouldn't let God's children go.

That is about to change as the misery becomes a result of physical torture that is applied directly to the unbelievers. The first few rounds of torture were the result of events that take place on the earth. (earthquakes, famine, water becoming blood)

The agents to administer this torture are released when the key to the bottomless pit is handed over to their leader. The bottomless pit is opened and its demons receive their orders, they are released but they are restrained, they are told what they must do and they cannot do anything else.

For five months the unbelieving world will have non-stop stinging pain like a scorpion inflicts. The pain will be so extreme that the people will wish to die but God does not grant them their wish, man has always had the ability to self destruct, but in the Great Tribulation suicide will not be an option.

The seals and trumpets are a gradual start of God's judgment that allows people some more time to change their minds but instead they are still rebellious even after being constantly tortured for five months. That's 216,000 minutes of non-stop, extreme suffering without any hope of relief.

To live without hope is a very sad place to be, you would think that this misery would be enough to get them to turn from their wickedness but instead of changing their ways they prove that they love their sinful ways and just seek to die. (Proverbs 2:14, 26:11, @ Timothy 3:1-5

Instead of seeking life they seek death but how is dying without a Savior going to make things better?

After five months of torture one-third of the earth's population gets their wish. God allows another group of wicked angels to be released and there is another outbreak of demonic activity that will bring widespread death to the people that were so anxious to die.

Again, I must ask you, even if you are being tortured continuously for 216,000 minutes, how does dying without a Savior improve your sad condition?

Back in Revelation 6:8 one fourth of the earth have already died and now another one third of the population dies in Revelation 9:15. There are thousands upon thousands of bodies lying around that needed to be disposed of, there are great wars, famine and evil demonic torture. No wonder mankind's only hope is to die.

It is unnecessary to try to “spiritualize” these symbols, or to interpret them in light of modern means of warfare. John is heaping image upon image to force us to feel the horror of this judgment.

-Warren Wiersbe

Again, I must ask you, even in these terrible conditions, how does choosing to die without a Savior improve your sad condition?

There must be another option, there must be time to make the right choice and accept the Savior, otherwise why would John tell us that man refused to repent. It seems to be implied that they have a choice but they refuse to choose wisely. (Revelation 2:21, 9:20)

You know that Cain and Abel must have heard their parents tell them about life in the garden and that God judged them for sin. When Noah and his family left the Ark they all immediately run back to their sinful ways.

Deuteronomy 30:15, 17-18 Now listen! Today am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 17 But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

When you read about it in scripture it seems like the correct choice is so obvious. After everything that happened on the way to the promised land God's children should have been able to make the right choice. They suffered severe consequences that are as big as some of the events in Revelation and many of them refused to repent just like the people in the end times.

Proverbs 1:22 "How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?

We are all just one step from stupid. We can all be known as a simpleton that enjoys his own rebellion and pride. The chances of success in this area are greatly increased when we truly love God and his book of instruction that he has given to us. 

God's Books

Believe the contents of the open book or be punished by the sealed book.

Revelation 5:1 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals.

Revelation 5:4-5 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals."

Revelation 13:8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made--the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered.

---

Some of the oldest books known to man are the sixty six books that make up the Bible. The Jews were meticulous about preserving God's word and making handwritten copies of it with a great deal of accuracy.

The Bible tells us about other books that God has that are even older. David says that God has a record of every tear, in Ezekiel God says that he will remove the false prophets from Israel's record books and in Malachi a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.

What a blessing it is to have the words of our creator to help us know him and have some understanding about who he is and what he expects of us. The thought that he took the time to speak to us is amazing, as small as we are and despite all of our flaws he gave us a book to let us know him.

The Bible doesn't tell us much about all of God's books but we don't need worry about their content. We don't need to try and understand more than God has made undeniably clear in the sixty six books that we have in our Bibles. God isn't going to give us a pop quiz on material that isn't covered in his word. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

We need to read God's open book so that we can know what he expects of us. The open book tells us about a day of judgment that is coming for all of mankind after God's children are safely at home with Jesus.

There is a sealed book that will finally be opened and God's wrath will be carried out as the final battle with Satan takes place. The Lamb that was found worthy to take the sealed book from God will reveal it's contents a step at a time to carry out God's plans. (Revelation 5:1-5)

There are thousands of promises from Genesis to Revelation, so many of them have come true that it is safe to assume that the promises that haven't happened yet are going to be accomplished.

Revelation 20:11-12 And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.

The final judgment of mankind will be done with some more books, there will be the book that has a record of all of our deeds and there will be the Book of Life, the first book that God will use will find us in great need of a Savior and his second book will validate if you have one. 

John 3:3 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."

The Book of Life is the record of all of the citizens of Heaven, everyone that is recorded in this book is a citizen by birth, there won't be any illegal immigration into this country and there won't be any discrimination based on your color or the place of your first birth.

Have you become a citizen of God's eternal kingdom? Find out how you can have peace with God that starts now and last for eternity.

FIND PEACE WITH GOD

My Closest Companion

The Holy Spirit is a powerful friend that the believer is privileged to have.

 

John 15:26-27  “But I will send you the Advocate, the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry."

John 16:5-9 "But now I am going away to the one who sent Me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I've told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come."

"If I do go away, then I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in Me."

---

In the previous post on the book of John, Jesus was teaching his disciples that "God's Children Are Hated," we saw that the hatred that came at Jesus will be directed at his children after he is gone. We have to remember how incredible and huge the love of God is toward us because the world's hatred of us is almost the same size.

The opposition that they will face requires some help from a source that the disciples have never heard of. They knew they had a great friend in Jesus, so great that it is distressing to see him go after only three years, but Jesus tells them that there is a better relationship that will come about after he leaves.

The Holy Spirit doesn't get mentioned very much, we shy away from him, maybe it's because the spirit world seems too scary or magical and there are a lot of wrong ideas in religious circles about him. He does not typically draw attention to himself and put himself in the spotlight, most of the time the Holy Spirit’s work in your life is quiet and unassuming. His work is subtle and many times we give the glory he deserves to someone or something else.

Each member of the trinity performs their role with the full cooperation of the other members, God the Father creates, the Son redeems us, and the Holy Spirit sets us apart.

"The Holy Spirit: Jesus’ Closest Companion"
Pastor and theologian Sinclair Ferguson

Not only has the Holy Spirit been the Son’s eternal partner in the uncreated fellowship of the Trinity, but the Spirit was there with the Father and Son at creation (Genesis 1:2). He was there overshadowing Jesus’s conception (Luke 1:35), and there at his baptism (Luke 3:22) and temptation (Luke 4:1–2). Jesus performed his miracles through the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14–19).

When Jesus’s closest earthly companions betrayed him, denied him, and scattered, the Spirit walked with him all the way into the jaws of death, empowering him to offer himself freely (Hebrews 9:14). And the Spirit was there on Easter Sunday to raise him in power (Romans 1:4). Indeed, what a companion he is.

Jesus closest companion can be mine as well

The Holy Spirit is often neglected and we avoid talking about him but we need to remember that he is a powerful friend that the believer is privileged to have. He assisted Jesus in his ministry and we can enjoy the benefit of his power in our ministry as well.

The Holy Spirit draws us to Jesus for salvation, he makes the gospel clear and gives us faith to believe. We have such a tendency toward being self-sufficient that makes it so difficult to think that we can't even believe without help.

The Holy Spirit gives us gifts and helps us to use them properly. It is tempting to use our gifts for our own interest or to just say that we are naturally talented in a certain area and ignore the source of that talent. It is an ugly thing to see a gift being used in a self-serving or unloving manner.

The Holy Spirit strengthens us in the face of suffering and persecution, enabling us to confront a hating world and a supernatural enemy with all of his demonic helpers, such a powerful foe would be impossible to defeat without the power that Jesus told his disciples to wait for. (Acts 1:8)

The Spirit guides me toward being obedient, it is easy to believe that being more like Christ is a product of our own efforts but really it isn't us at all, the ability to change comes about by the Spirit's power within us.

I need to be sure that I am as powerful as I can be by staying in the word each day and praying for the Holy Spirit's direction in every detail of my life. I need to give him credit for my abilities and use those abilities to glorify God.

RELATED ARTICLES

Be Filled With The Holy Spirit (cru.org)

I Am The Vine

God planted a new vine and he tends to it so it will be fruitful.

 

John 15:1-8  "I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener.  2  He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.  3  You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.  4  Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me.   

5  "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.  6  Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.  7  But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!  8  When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.

---

Our God loves to create, out of nothing he likes to make the most elaborate and complex, out of the dirt he likes to make something clean, and out of the old he likes to make things new. Maybe that is why I like yard work, I like to do my part to create, it is a partnership with God to get things to grow. I do my part and leave the rest up to him.

Our creator is portrayed as someone who has planted and cultivated a vineyard. In the Old Testament God prepared the soil for his vineyard, he built up walls to keep out the wild animals and to keep people from stealing the fruit, his vine had every advantage and should have been the most productive and prosperous. (Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:8-16, Joel 1:7, Jeremiah 2:21, Ezekiel 19:10)

But after a lot of patient gardening Israel has forfeited its right to be the vine, the New Testament message is of God planting a new vine, Jesus comes along and says, "I am the true vine." Formerly God's life was poured through Israel and you must be connected with Israel to get God's blessings but that's all changed now.

God tends to the vine by looking for two different types of branches, the ones that bear fruit and those that don't, both types are holding the vine back from maximum fruit bearing. It may seem harsh but he uses his knife on both types of branches, the dead branches he cuts off and the fruitful branches get pruned.

He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn't produce fruit

The way that John MacArthur explains it makes so much sense. If you look at the context of this metaphor it is easy to understand that the first branch that didn't bear fruit was Judas. He was close to Jesus and he played along like he was a fruitful branch but he proved to be a phony. The branches that are being cut and thrown into the fire were never Christ followers.

John 13:10-11  “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

A lot of people try to attach themselves to the vine, John calls them "Judas" branches. They attend church, they go to your small group, they sound like they belong but they are not genuine. Eventually, the fruitless branches are identified and they are removed for the sake of truth and the benefit of the real branches.

He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more

The last words you want to hear from the doctor is "we need to operate." That is the news that the Great Physician has for you. Pruning improves your fruit production. In order for us to operate at maximum fruit-bearing capacity God needs to cut off our sins, our habits and attitudes that slow down the production of fruit.

Hebrews 12:10-11  For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

God's discipline is to bring us to being holy, sanctification is the church word for the process of being made holy and set apart for God. To live attached to the vine is a life of dependence, exercising faith and imitating the vine.

Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.

-Utmost.org

Jesus is our only connection with God, the only means that we are saved and the only hope we have of living a fruitful life for God. When we are joined to the vine, we are united with Jesus in all our interests, we have common desires, we are delighted in the things that he loves and we hate the things that he hates. We are willing to endure the same trials, contempt and persecution that he bore.

When you produce much fruit you are My true disciples

Every believer bears fruit but not all of them bear much fruit. Jesus' followers should be know by the abundance of fruit and the type of fruit. The fruit we produce is the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (Matthew 7:15-23, Galatians 5:22–23)

God's Pruning Tool
Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

God never changes, he is still using the same tool that he has always used to prune his vine, he uses the knife of his Word to get rid of the impurities that will hold up fruit production. He takes off the old blooms, the shoots that are going the wrong way and the parasites.

The Gardner's knife causes us much pain, sometimes we wonder why some things have to be cut away and we resist, we don't like it or understand everything that the Gardner cuts off. I have to wonder if I really need so much attention from the gardener. I must trust that he has great things in store.

I need to be a part of the true vine, the world grows their vines that I need to avoid, Their vine may be their bank account, their education, fame, talents or relationships. Many people plant a vine of religion and rules. None of these can bear fruit! The Vine is Jesus and you need to be attached.

RELATED ARTICLES

The Cost Of Sanctification (utmost.org)

God's Incredible Power

God's power should not be scary to his friends.

Ephesians 1:19-23  I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power  20  that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.   

21  Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come.  22  God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church.  23  And the church is His body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself.

---

God's power is incredible, the force that created everything out of nothing and gives life to man may seem like something that you should be afraid of but we don't have to live in fear that we will be hit with a bolt of lightning from the sky, God's incredible power is actually for our benefit.

Instead of being scared, God wants to have a loving relationship with his children, his power is our ally and is used for our benefit, instead of coming at us in judgment against us. God's power is manifest in our lives through his written word, his power to save us and redeem us from sin is through his blood, his power to change us is worked out through the Holy Spirit.

The unlimited power of God that raised Jesus and took him back to heaven to sit at God's throne is the power that we can count on in our lives. There was power exerted for the believer at our conversion. There will be power exerted in keeping us. There will be power in raising us up from the dead and power to take us up with Christ to heaven.

Since Jesus is at God's right hand as our advocate we know that we do not have to live in fear of God's judgement. That doesn't give me freedom to sin, God wants me to be so much more righteous and holy than what I will ever be here on earth, but my failures should not make me live in fear of him. Jesus is at the right hand of God for the benefit of the church which he loves so much that he died for her.

Is Jesus your friend?

John 15:12-17  This is My commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.  13  There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.  14  You are My friends if you do what I command.  15  I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in His slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me.  16  You didn't choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name.  17  This is My command: Love each other. Romans 5:8-11  But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  9  And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God's condemnation.  10  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son.  11  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

There isn't any way that you will find a better friend than the friendship that you can have with the one that gave you life and wants to give you life that will last for eternity. God has done everything necessary to take away the barriers that stood between him and man.

Thank you Lord for making it possible to have a relationship with you; your mercy and forgiveness toward man are priceless. I am so glad that your awesome power is being used to benefit me to shape me and make me more like you.

Crying for The Lost

Why doesn't it break our hearts?

Jeremiah 4:19-22 My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. 20 Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed.

21 How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war? 22 “My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord. “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!"

Jeremiah 6:6 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through.

---

Imagine if you knew that God was upset that he was preparing for judgement. Imagine that you received a message from God that your nations idolatry, arrogance and pride were going to be judged very harshly and that many people that you know are going to die.  It shouldn't be that difficult to imagine, after-all, we have received that message from God.

Jeremiah is brokenhearted for the people of Israel, it reminds me of Jesus when he was approaching Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-43), he was very sad because he knew that they would soon see the destruction of Jerusalem. Just like in Jeremiah's time, the people in Jesus time thought that they were safe from anything happening that would be too bad, they thought that surely God wouldn't destroy his temple. (Jeremiah 7:1-15) That's sort of like saying that going to church is going to save you, wrong!

Jesus cried for the people around him

Matthew 9:36-38  When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  He said to His disciples, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few.  So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields."

It is so easy to disconnect to the reality of the spiritual condition of those that are around us and the future that those people have. We have been given a message from God, warning us that our city, our nation and even the entire world is full of people that are not ready for the judgement day that is coming. How much do we really care? Do we have a burden for the lost?

I need to pray for my friends, for the people at work, for the people that I see while I am doing everyday life. I need to have the same burden that Christ had, or how about the burden that Paul had? (Romans 9:1-3) I need to allow God to use my hands to serve, my feet to pursue the lost sheep, my mouth to speak up for him.

My prayer:

Break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause, as I walk from earth into eternity. -- Hillsong United

Are You Ready?

We will never know which day he will return.

Matthew 24:36-44  "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son Himself. Only the Father knows.

37 "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away.

That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 40 "Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. 42 "So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming.

43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

---

It has been a while since a religious group made the news with their prediction that Jesus is going to return by a set time, I am sure that somebody else is going to take a stab at it but why, how could they possibly know?

Don't they know that the odds are stacked against them? Why do they want to take on Jesus, when he says that nobody can possibly figure out when he will return, he means that NOBODY will know when. Jesus told them that if they expected it to happen at a specific time then guess what, that certainly isn't the time.

I am sure that Noah told everybody that asked why he was building that big boat, he must have been asked a thousand times, and as they walked away laughing not one of them was concerned with God's coming judgment. It is more probable that they were placing their bets on when the rain would start.

I am ready for his return and I hope that you are also ready.

The Master Gardner

scripture

---

Matthew 13:24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner's servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

observation

---

Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount that the first thing for us to do is to seek his kingdom, now he begins to show us what the kingdom of heaven is like.

Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven begins on this earth and that we will have to live scattered among the weeds. The Devil is not going to allow us to live in a nice pretty field full of wheat for he just loves to scatter his weeds all around us. We have to live side by side with the devils children who are working to carry out their father’s desires.

John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.

It is normal for a gardener to pull up weeds as soon as they are found but in God’s garden he allows the weeds to stay so that the wheat does not get pulled up in the process of pulling up the weeds. Sometimes the weeds can look a lot like the plants that you are trying to grow so you can't hardly tell what you need to pull, God wants to protect his wheat so it is better to wait.

I also suspect that God doesn't want the weeds pulled right away because he can perform a miracle in horticulture and maybe some of those weeds can become wheat someday.

God is going to have the angels clean up his field at harvest time so that the wheat will have good strong roots, it is the angels that will determine between the two, it isn't my job to judge.

application

---

My main concern should be whether I am wheat or if I am a poser and I should be concerned with helping to save the weeds from the fire.

prayer

---

You told us Jesus that the harvest is ripe; I pray that you will send more workers into the fields.

Change Is Needed

SCRIPTURE

---

Genesis 15:16 For at present the sin of the Amorite is not full.

Isaiah 1:4 O nation full of sin, a people weighted down with crime, a generation of evil-doers, false-hearted children: they have gone away from the Lord, they have no respect for the Holy One of Israel, their hearts are turned back from him.

Proverbs 6:18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;

OBSERVATION

---

Much will be said today about the election results from yesterday and I don’t want this to be a political blog so I will keep this brief.

Has America been a “bless-able” country? Does God look at us and see a nation full of sin? A nation that has forgotten God and made substitutes for him is a nation that cannot prosper for long.

We, as a country, have decided to be God. We will decide which unborn child will live and which will not. We have decided to be okay with the sin of homosexuality, we are even okay with teaching our children that their sexual identity is something for them to decide. We have tolerated sex being thrown in our face from every angle. Porn has destroyed even Christian homes.

Very few attend church and fewer still are truly living as disciples, growing more Christ like and seeing the world from his point of view. How can millions of Christians vote for the most liberal senator that the country has? It is a sad commentary on the spiritual condition of those that claim to follow Christ and how much longer will it be before God says that “the sin of the Americans is full.” We have become the "generation of evil-doers, false-hearted children" that Isaiah spoke of.

Men of the body of Christ, wake up and live for something that is worth dying for, we need to become more like the New Testament church. We need to be vigilant to “Go and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.”

APPLICATION

---

I will seek to please you everyday Lord and to be obedient to your command to go and make disciples. We need a nation full of disciples, that’s the only way that we will be effective in making “change”

PRAYER

---

Lord I pray that we will make real change that is pleasing to you so that you can bless our nation again.

Mercy In The Midst Of Judgement

SCRIPTURE

---

And destruction came on every living thing moving on the earth, birds and cattle and beasts and everything which went on the earth, and every man. 22 Everything on the dry land, in which was the breath of life, came to its end. 23 Every living thing on the face of all the earth, man and cattle and things moving on the face of the earth, and birds of the air, came to destruction: only Noah and those who were with him in the ark, were kept from death. 24 And the waters were over the earth a hundred and fifty days.
And God kept Noah in mind,
-Genesis 7:21 – 8:1

So my wrath will be complete and my passion will come to rest on them; and they will be certain that I the Lord have given the word of decision, when my wrath against them is complete.
-Ezekiel 5:13

And the Lord went past before his eyes, saying, The Lord, the Lord, a God full of pity and grace, slow to wrath and great in mercy and faith;
- Exodus 34:6

OBSERVATION

---

God’s justice cannot be restrained forever, we may think that he doesn’t know or doesn’t care but it is because of his mercy that you are being spared. Noah’s neighbors had the whole time that the ark was being built to consider what was going on so when destruction came their way they could only blame themselves.

God’s mercy comes through during the destruction of everything else, “God kept Noah in mind.” What a very, very personal display of God’s love. The rest of the world is in chaos and ruin but God kept Noah in mind.

APPLICATION

---

I will remember that God is in control, something that I definitely need to remember during this election time. My God is a just God that wants a very personal relationship with me.

PRAYER

---

Thank you for your love and mercy, thank you that you give us room to blow it and then you give us time to repent.

Hypocrite!

SCRIPTURE

Romans 2 – 3:8

19 You are so sure of the way to God that you could point it out to a blind man. You think of yourselves as beacon lights, directing men who are lost in darkness to God. 20 You think that you can guide the simple and teach even children the affairs of God, for you really know his laws, which are full of all knowledge and truth.

21 Yes, you teach others--then why don't you teach yourselves? You tell others not to steal--do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery--do you do it? You say "Don't pray to idols" and then make money your god instead.

23 You are so proud of knowing God's laws, but you dishonor him by breaking them. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say that the world speaks evil of God because of you.

25 Being a Jew is worth something if you obey God's laws; but if you don't, then you are no better off than the heathen. 26 And if the heathen obey God's laws, won't God give them all the rights and honors he planned to give the Jews? 27 In fact, those heathen will be much better off than you Jews who know so much about God and have his promises but don't obey his laws

OBSERVATION

Its annoying when you are counting on someone and they don’t live up to their word. We have all done it to our spouses, friends and family but I must add one more to the list that we have done it to.

How many times have we made promises to God or we commit ourselves to obey Him and then we turned out to be a traitor.

We dare to judge others and pass that judgement along in gossip, which sometimes is disguised as a prayer request, but so often we forget that in some other situation we may be guilty of the same exact sin.

“When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are talking about yourselves, for you do these very same things. And we know that God, in justice, will punish anyone who does such things as these. Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and overlook you when you do them, too?”

Not so with God He gave us His word and He will follow through “He will give each one whatever his deeds deserve” (verse 6). “But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all that obey him, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. For God treats everyone the same.“

APPLICATION

I will show mercy to those that stumble in their Christian walk in hopes that they will extend the same mercy to me when I fail.

PRAYER

Help me Lord to obey your commands consistently.

Where Is Jesus

Scripture

---

Luke 24:9-12  But very early on Sunday morning they took the ointments to the tomb-- 2 and found that the huge stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. 3 So they went in--but the Lord Jesus' body was gone. 4 They stood there puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Luke 24:1-4 (Living)

9 and they rushed back to Jerusalem to tell his eleven disciples--and everyone else--what had happened. 10 (The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and several others.) 11 But the story sounded like a fairy tale to the men--they didn't believe it. 12 However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; and then he went back home again, wondering what had happened.

Luke 24:13-27  That same day, Sunday, two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles out of Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking of Jesus' death, 15 when suddenly Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. 16 But they didn't recognize him, for God kept them from it.

17 "You seem to be in a deep discussion about something," he said. "What are you so concerned about?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 And one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about the terrible things that happened there last week." 19 "What things?" Jesus asked.

"The things that happened to Jesus, the Man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a Prophet who did incredible miracles and was a mighty Teacher, highly regarded by both God and man.20 But the chief priests and our religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to the Roman government to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had thought he was the glorious Messiah and that he had come to rescue Israel.

"And now, besides all this--which happened three days ago--22,23 some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning and came back with an amazing report that his body was missing, and that they had seen some angels there who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus' body was gone, just as the women had said."

25 Then Jesus said to them, "You are such foolish, foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures! 26 Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?"

27 Then Jesus quoted them passage after passage from the writings of the prophets, beginning with the book of Genesis and going right on through the Scriptures, explaining what the passages meant and what they said about him.

Observation

---

Where is Jesus? The tomb is empty so the next question has to be where is He? The women at the tomb asked that question. The eleven remaining disciples asked and I say that we must also ask that same question. Where is Jesus?

Jesus encountered two disciples on the road and they were asking the question. They were having a crisis of belief, they knew the law, and the prophets and the Psalms and what they all said about Jesus. They should have known what was going to happen next. God was telling his people for thousands of years what he was up to. But since they missed it Jesus started explaining the scriptures to them he actually proved that the law the prophets and the Psalms were correct so they would know that he had risen just as they had been told.

For forty days Jesus proved his resurrection (Acts 1:1-3) and we must examine these proofs and answer the question for ourselves. If he didn’t rise from that tomb then we have no hope for eternity and all the church stuff we do is completely meaningless. But thank God that he did rise and that he now sits at the right hand of God. (Acts 3:12-15)

Application

---

I will praise God daily for His plan! That Jesus would die on the cross for our sins and then rise from the tomb to give me the hope that “I know all will be well with me in death, You will give me back my life and give me wonderful joy in your presence.”

Prayer

---

Thank you Lord that you loved me so much that you would suffer and die a cruel death to pay for my sins and allow me access to you.

You Better Like This King

Maybe not this king.

Scripture

---

Luke 19:11-27   While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'

14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' 15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

16 "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 17 "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' 18 "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' 19 "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'

20 "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' 22 "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'

24 "Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' 25 "'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' 26 "He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them--bring them here and kill them in front of me.'"

Observation

---

No greater or nobler person will walk on this planet and yet he had his enemies, those that rebelled and refused to acknowledge him as king. He was sent away but before he left he gave us gifts and resources to be used for his kingdom and he told us to use these gifts until he returns. Before he left he also gave us the Holy Spirit to give us power to use our gifts (Acts 1:8).

He did go away and he has been crowned king despite the opposition and the fact that some people don’t acknowledge him as king of their lives. The Pharisees didn’t want this man to be their king after all he didn’t think highly of their goodness and "holiness." They wanted a king that wouldn’t make them change their mode of operation, they would say “we are good, why should we change, those bad sinners they are the ones that need to change.”

Well some of those bad sinners did change and they were using their gifts for the kingdom while the king was gone. The king returned and was pleased with their use of the gifts that he gave them, they were interested in the kingdom and helping it to prosper.

The last servant didn’t care about the kingdom he rebelled against the king’s orders to 'Put this money to work, until I come back.' He missed out on the blessings of being fruitful for the kingdom and he suffered the loss of his original gifts. But it gets even worse for this servant because he rejected the king, he is the king’s enemy and the king’s enemies will be killed.

Application

---

I have accepted the gift of salvation by acknowledging Jesus as king. I must use my talents and abilities that he has given to me. My focus should be on his kingdom.

Prayer

---

Father I pray that you will be pleased with my use of the abilities and resources that you have given me. I will rely on the Holy Spirit for the power to use them.