Matthew 16:21-23 says, "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priest and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
Jesus rebuked Peter, because the devil was using him to discourage Jesus from fulfilling God's will. The enemy will use anyone, sometimes the people we are closest to, to try and hinder us from fulfilling God's will for our lives. In 2019, there was a pastor's conference in Estonia, Eastern Europe. The pastors were praying for God to bring revival to Europe. A man of God was invited and when it was his time to speak, he told the pastors what God had given him. God wanted to bring revival to Europe. This is what they had to do. The body of Christ in Europe was to help the Jews return to Israel. God has an appointment with His people in Israel. Every church was to set up a fund and help the Jewish people return to Israel. If the church disobeyed God's commands, there would be war in the region. The pastors refused to believe the man of God and three years later, just as he had prophesied, there was war in the region.
There is a large Messianic Jewish congregation in Kyiv, Ukraine where the women and their children are ready to return to Israel. However, they need financial help. If you are willing to help, you can contact me at support@wearscriptures.com and I will give you more information. God promises to bless those who bless His chosen people.
After Jesus' resurrection, the angel said to Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, in Matthew 28:6 "...He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." The angel was referring to Jesus. God had raised Jesus from the grave. Jesus proved to his disciples that he was indeed the Messiah and God the Son when he rose from the dead. Numbers 23:19-20 says, "God is not a human, that he should lie; not a human being that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"
John 1:1-2 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." Jesus is the manifested Word of God and God's Word is the truth. Proverbs 30:5-6 says, "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Psalm 119:89 says, "Your word, LORD is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." Psalm 119:60 says, "All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me."
We who have been born of the Holy Spirit, know that Jesus' words are true. When we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit came into our hearts and confirmed to us that Jesus is alive, that Jesus has indeed been raised from the dead and is alive forevermore. We know that because Jesus lives, we live also. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." He is not here: he has risen, just as he said.
]]>In Jeremiah 1:12, God told the prophet Jeremiah that He was watching over His word to perform it. God had called Jeremiah to be a prophet to rebellious Judah. Jeremiah was a young and inexperienced prophet and he felt unqualified for his assignment. However, God reassured him that He would never leave him and that He would give him the words to speak. Jeremiah was not to worry about the outcome, but just be obedient and speak the words that God gave him. God pronounced judgment on rebellious Judah and sure enough, the Babylonians invaded Judah and destroyed the city in 605 BC. God is watching over His word to perform it.
God assures us today that He is watching over His word to perform or fulfill them in our lives. Probably God promised you to heal or restore in some area; whatever it is, God promises that He is watching over His word to fulfill it. He will keep His promises to us. He is keeping track of what He promised, and He has not forgotten about us. Isaiah 49:14-15, "But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me. [And the Lord answered] Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she would not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you," (AMPC).
All of God's promises are yes and amen. When we speak the Biblical promises over our lives, we are restating them out of divine communion with God. We are not just confessing God's words as a magic formula, but of a divine revelation from God. John 15:7 reads, "If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you," (AMPC).
In Luke 1, God sent the angel Gabriel to speak His word to Mary. God promised her that she, although a virgin, would bear the Savior Jesus Christ into the world. God fulfilled His Word to Mary, and she brought forth Jesus. Luke 1:37 says, "no word from God will ever fail." Jesus fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-3. While Jesus was on earth, He forgave sins, healed the sick, cast out devils, raised the dead, and completed His assignment by going to the cross and dying for us. Jesus is still fulfilling his apostolic mandate today through his body, the church. God is watching over His word to perform it.
God is faithful to fulfill His word. Let God be true and every man a liar. He is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? Let us continue to stand in faith in God and His Word. He will never disappoint us. He is a covenant keeping God. He is faithful to His word. Hebrews 10:23 says, "And let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word," (AMPC). God is watching over His word to perform it.
]]>Keep means to guard, to protect, to take care of. God our Heavenly Father promises to guard, to protect and to take care of us. From the very beginning of time, God promised us that He would take care of us. When He created the earth, He prepared it to sustain us. God placed the constellations in the sky at the right distance to sustain life on the earth. Genesis 1:14-19. God created all the plants and the vegetation and the animals first, then He created mankind. He created the earth to sustain us. Genesis 1:29-31.
Even after Adam and Eve sinned and was banned from the garden, God still kept them. He covered their nakedness with animal skins and even though He pronounced a curse upon them, He still put in place a plan for our redemption. Genesis 3:15. God is our keeper.
In Noah's day when God was grieved and regretted that He had made mankind, He put in place a plan to keep and preserve humanity and the animals. Genesis 6:1-8. However, God kept Noah and his family. He told him to build an ark and it was their means of escape from the flood. When Noah and his family came out of the ark, God gave mankind the permission to eat the animals for food because all the vegetation on the earth had been destroyed by the flood waters. Genesis 9:1-4. God is our keeper.
God kept the nation of Israel, His chosen people. God kept Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the patriarchs. He provided for them and watched over them. He preserved Jacob and the twelve tribes by sending Joseph into Egypt to preserve them through the famine that came upon that region. God delivered the Jewish people from bondage in Egypt after 400 years. He kept them through the wilderness for 40 years. He was the cloud by day and the fire by night. God promised them that His presence would go with them and that He would never leave them nor forsake them. God promised to destroy the nations that were in the promised land and that He would protect and keep them. Deuteronomy 31:3-6.
God kept His promise and kept the Israelites. He fed them supernaturally with manna and quail and quenched their thirst with water from the Rock. Deuteronomy 29:5. God kept Israel then and He continues to do so today. Psalm 121. God promises to keep us also. We have been grafted into spiritual Israel through the blood of Jesus and we are now children of God. John 1:12.
Just as God kept Israel, God promises to protect us too. Jesus prayed to His Father in John 17:6-16 to protect and keep us. John 10:27-30. No one can pluck us out of God's hands. God promises to protect, to guard and to watch over us. When Stephen was martyred for his faith, God still kept him although he was murdered. At his death, Stephen looked up into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:54-60. Yes, Stephen died physically, but God kept his soul and brought him safely to heaven. God still kept him although he was murdered because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That is why Jesus tells us not to fear man but to fear Him instead. Matthew 10:28-31.
As we hear of wars and rumors of war and we see all the end time prophecies unfolding, God reminds us not to fear. Instead, He commands us in Joshua 1:9 to be strong and courageous. In Mark 4:35, Jesus got into a boat and told his disciples, "Let's cross over to the other side of the lake." While they were crossing the lake, a fierce storm arose and threatened their lives. Jesus rebuked the storm and kept the disciples all the way over to the other side of the lake. God is in the boat of life with us, and He promises to keep us as we journey to the other side of eternity with him. God is our keeper.
]]>Throughout the Bible, we see the faithfulness of God. He made a promise to Abraham that He would give him a son of his own flesh and blood and he would be the father of many nations. Abraham was married to Sarah, however Sarah could not have children. So, after several years of barrenness, Sarah thought God could not fulfill His Word to Abraham, so she had Abraham have a child with Hagar, her handmaiden. Abraham was 86 years old when he had Ishmael.
When Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah 89, God appeared to Abraham and reminded him of the covenant that He had made with him. Then God told him that the next year, 100 years old Abraham and 90 years old, childless Sarah, would have a son called Isaac and he would be the promised son. Sure enough a year later, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with Isaac. Abraham became the father of many nations. God fulfilled His word to Abraham. God is faithful. He is a covenant keeping God. He does what He says He will do. God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? All of God's promises are yes and amen. What has God promised you that has not come to fulfillment as yet? Keep believing and standing in faith. God is faithful. He makes everything beautiful in His time.
God is a date setter and a promise keeper. He told Noah in 120 years, He would destroy the earth by flood. He told Abraham his descendants would be in Egypt as slaves for 400 years. He told the Israelites they would spend 40 years in the wilderness, a year for each day and He told Jeremiah, the Jews would be in captivity for 70 years in Babylon. Daniel knew the prophecy of the Jews being in exile for 70 years in Babylon, so at the end of the 70 years, he set himself to fasting and seeking God's face. Sure enough God heard his prayer and sent the angel Gabriel to give him the timeline of the coming of the Messiah and the end times. Galatians 4:4-5 says, "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship," (NIV). God is faithful. He keeps His Word.
The Apostle Paul was a prisoner on a ship sailing for Rome to appeal the charges brought against him by the Jewish Sanhedrin. He was accused of being a troublemaker, a rioter and of desecrating the temple. When the ship first sailed, a gentle south wind was blowing. However, soon a violent storm battered the ship and took it off its course. Things got so bad that the sailors had to throw the cargo and the ship's tackle overboard. All hope and faith were lost. Everyone on board the ship thought they were going to die. No one even had any appetite. The men couldn't eat for weeks. Things looked grim.
However, God gave the Apostle Paul, the man of God, a dream and he stood up and encouraged the men. God told Paul that no one on the ship would lose his life; only the ship would be destroyed. Paul trusted God. He knew that God was faithful. He knew that God would save their lives and sure enough, Acts 27: 44b says, "In this way everyone reached land safely," (NIV). God is faithful.
Malachi 3:6 says, "I the LORD do not change, (NIV). Hebrews 6:18 says, "it's impossible for God to lie," (NIV). Psalm 145:13b says, "The LORD is faithful to all His promises and loving towards all he has made," (NIV). Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever," (NIV). God is faithful.
God has promised us that Jesus is coming soon. 2 Peter 3:10-14 says, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him," (NIV).
God is faithful. He promises that He is going to protect and care for us in these unprecedented times. Let us continue to seek His face, trust and obey Him. Psalm 32:8 says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you," (NIV). Yes, God is faithful, but will Jesus find faith in us when He returns to the earth. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight," (NIV). Be a voice for the gospel and let others know that God is faithful. Wear Scriptures!
]]>Sarah, the woman whom God had chosen to be the mother of the promised child, Isaac, was now in a position to be harmed and her destiny in jeopardy. Sarah seemed to be in a helpless situation. However, God intervened and saved Sarah. God warned King Abimelech in a dream not to touch her because she was Abraham's wife. Genesis 20:1-7. Our God is mighty to save.
Mighty means possessing great and impressive, power and strength. Salvation can be defined as preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin or loss. Salvation also means the deliverance from sin and its consequences.
God sent His Son, Jesus to save us from our sins. Jesus died on the cross for us and salvation is now available to anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus. John 3:16-17, Romans 10:13. However, God's salvation goes beyond just the forgiveness of sins. God desires to make us whole. God desires to not only heal us spiritually, emotionally and physically, but also to provide for us and rescue and preserve us from any dangerous situation that threatens to harm us in anyway. Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."
In 2 Chronicles 20, a vast army came against Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. It was a confederacy of the Moabites, Ammonites and some of the Meunites. Alarmed Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. God answered their cry and the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah. Jahaziel prophesied that God was going to defeat their enemies. God kept His Word and He confused the confederacy and had them fight against and destroy each other. God saved His people from harm and destruction. Our God is mighty to save.
No matter the vast army that comes against us, whether it be sickness and disease, financial hardships, relationship difficulties, emotional trauma or work-related challenges, our God is mighty to save and able to deliver us from all trouble. Luke 4:18, Matthew 4:23-24, Acts 10:38, Psalm 34:17. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and He promises to never leave nor forsake us.
1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God; 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 what we asked of him." God's will for us is to prosper and be in good health just as our soul prospers. Our God is mighty to preserve us from all harm, evil and destruction. Our God is mighty to save.
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God asks us today, "Are you and I our brother's keeper? Are you and I our spouse's keeper? Are you and I our neighbor's keeper?" Keeper can be defined as to watch over, to guard, to protect, to look out for someone's best interest. God is our keeper. God created us because of His great love and His desire to share His life and His love with us. In Genesis 3:15, God announced the remedy for the trouble and the curse that fell upon mankind because of sin. God promised that the offspring of the woman, Jesus, would crush satan's head. That is why God sent Jesus to die for us, to redeem us from sin and death. John 3:16-17 Jesus crushed satan's head at the cross and delivered us from the kingdom of darkness.
God is our keeper. He is our guardian, our protector and the lover of our souls. God has our best interests at heart, and He is always looking out for us and our loved ones. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Psalm 121:5 says, "The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand."
God has set the example for us to be our brother's keeper and He has called us to love each other and to be our brother's keeper as well. In John 15:9-13, Jesus tells us, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.... my command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."
God has called us to walk in love. A major part of love is forgiveness. Colossians 3:13 says, "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." 1Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." Ephesians 4:29-32 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
1 Thessalonians 3:12 says, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else..." Let us love one another and be our brother's keeper as God has called us to do. Shalom.
]]>In Matthew 21:44, Jesus says, "Anyone who falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed." Jesus is the Stone. No one can avoid Him, because He is the only way to heaven. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. "God has made provision though Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for us humans to be forgiven and have our sin atoned for. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 says, "for the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God is a just and holy God, and He cannot tolerate sin. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Without holiness no one can see God. So, God made a way for our sins to be atoned for by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins. John 3:16-17. Hebrews 9:22 says, "...without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins." When we choose to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God justifies or makes us righteous in His sight. Romans 3:22, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
However, if we refuse such a great salvation and choose not to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God's wrath remains upon us, and we are bound to suffer the same fate as the rich man. John 3:36, Hebrews 9:27-28. All of us have to stand before Christ and face the judgment. It is inevitable. No one can avoid the judgment. None of us has the power to keep ourselves alive. Psalm 24:1-2. All souls belong to God. If we choose to reject Jesus' sacrifice, then the Stone will fall upon us and we will be crushed. We will be eternally separated from God. Hebrews 10:26-31, Romans 14:11.
Today if you hear God's voice, do not harden your hearts. Today is the day of salvation. Fall upon the Stone and be broken instead of the Stone falling upon you and be crushed. If you are ready to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please say this prayer. Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that you raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Please come into my heart and help me to live for you forevermore. If you said this prayer, welcome to the family of God. You are now a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. Please let someone know that you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You can email us at support@wearscriptures.com to let us know. Shalom.
]]>In Isaiah 9, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that Jesus the Messiah would go to the people living in the land of Naphtali and the land of Zebulun, both areas of pre-exile Judah, the southern kingdom, and become a Light to them. God showed the prophet the future and He saw His own people, after God had restored them to their land after being exiled to Babylon, being visited by the Light, the Messiah. Isaiah 9:1-2
In Matthew 4, after Jesus learned that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee, then He went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. That is the area where Jesus began His public ministry and called His disciples. Matthew 4:12-17. Jesus demonstrated to the people that He was the Light of the world. He was the gift from the Father to save us mankind from our sins and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. John 3:16-17, Matthew 4:23-25.
Today, we who were living in darkness have also seen the Light. We were also living in the land of the shadow of death and Jesus delivered us from spiritual death, (some of us even from natural death) and shone His Light upon us and showed us the way to go. Some of us were delivered from the darkness of addictions, demonic oppression and possession, false religion, sickness and disease, doubt and unbelief, etc. Whatever, the darkness, Jesus the Light of the world shone His Light upon us and dispelled the darkness.
Jesus continues to be the Light in our lives as He instructs us and shows us the way to go. Psalm 32:8. Jesus is the Light and He is also the Word of God, and He has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us. He promises never to leave nor forsake us. Jesus is in the boat of life with us, and He promises that we are going to the other side together. Whatever trial or tribulation that we as God's people find ourselves in today, Jesus promises to be the Light and help us to overcome. John 16:33. Nothing can separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:31-39.
As people who are now living and walking in the Light, Jesus now calls us to be the Light of the world to show the ones who are living in darkness His Light. Matthew 5:14-16. This Christmas season, we thank God for delivering us from the darkness and we pray to let His Light shine through us in the darkness. Merry Christmas.
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Deliverance is a part of the covenantal blessings found in Jesus Christ. Deliverance is our portion also, because we are Abrahams' children, heirs according to the promise. John 1:12-13 says, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of a natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God," (NIV). Galatians 3:7-9 says, "Understand, then that those who have faith are the children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham. 'All nations will be blessed through you:’ So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith," (NIV). Deliverance is the children's bread.
God promises to deliver us from any bondage, whether it be an addiction, fear, doubt and unbelief, excessive grief, unforgiveness and bitterness, sickness and disease, debt, poverty and lack, demonic oppression and possession, etc. In Exodus 3, God told Moses that He was going to send him to Egypt to deliver His people. Exodus 3:7-10 says, "The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering. So, I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey-the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them," (NIV).
When Moses went to Pharoah and commanded him to let God's people go, so that they may hold a festival celebrating their God, Pharoah made life worse than before. The people were put under greater suffering. Moses returned to God and complained to Him. Exodus 6:1-10. God brought the ten plagues upon Egypt and Pharoah was forced to let God's people go. Deliverance is the children's bread.
In the book of Esther, God delivered His people from Haman's wicked plot to destroy the Jews. Haman was an official in King Xerxes administration, however he hated the Jews and made a plan to destroy them. However, God delivered His people from destruction. Instead of God's people being destroyed, Haman and the enemies of the Jews were killed. Esther 9:23-28.
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quoted from the prophet Isaiah 61:1-3. Jesus announced His apostolic mandate to everyone in the synagogue. Luke 4:18-19 reads, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor," (NIV). Jesus' mandate was to deliver us the children of God from every oppression or captivity or anything that threatens to bring us harm. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and deliverance is still the children's bread.
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him," (NIV). Psalm 91:14-16 says, "Because he loves me,' says the LORD, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation," (NIV). Psalm 118:13-17, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, 2 Timothy 4:16-18. Deliverance is the children's bread.
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At first Naaman refused to believe and obey God's Word and His instructions given through the prophet Elisha. He was offended at God's Word. Yes, he had leprosy and he wanted to be healed, however, at first, he hardened his heart. His pride and unbelief almost prevented him from receiving his miraculous, healing and deliverance. God used his servants to speak some sense into him. Naaman then humbled himself and obeyed God's Word and instructions. He dipped himself in the Jordan River seven times as Elisha had instructed him to do. The Scriptures say his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. Obedience always brings the blessings. Today, if you hear God's voice, do no harden your heart.
All of us human beings were born in a sinful, spiritual condition that requires a spiritual cleansing, just like Naaman. God has given us specific instructions in His Word on how to be cleansed from our sins and receive His nature. Romans 3:23 says, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Naaman most likely contracted his leprous condition by breathing in the droplets containing the bacteria that causes leprosy, however we all contracted our sinful nature from our parents Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve sinned against God and passed on their sinful condition to us. However, God our Heavenly Father made a way for us to be cleansed of our spiritual condition. Just like how God told Naaman to go dip in the Jordan seven times to get healed, He has given us specific instructions on how to get rid of our sins and be healed.
In John 3, God tells us that we must be born again or born from above or of the Holy Spirit in order to enter the Kingdom of God. When we get born from above, we are cleansed of our sins, and we receive God's spiritual nature. How do we get born again or born from above? First, we have to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of the Savior. The only Savior, the only person who can save us is Jesus, the Christ, the Anointed One. Jesus was the perfect lamb of God. He never sinned and He sacrificed his life and His blood for us so that we can be cleansed from our sins. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for people." "Hebrews 9:22 says, "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness or remission of sins." Acts 16:31 says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, you and your household." Romans 10:9-11 says, "If you declare with your mouth "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame."
These are the specific instructions that God has given to us in order for us to be cleansed from our sins and be reconciled to him. First, we have to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of the Savior Jesus, believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. Just like how God gave Naaman the specific instructions to dip in the River Jordan 7 times to be cleansed, God has given us specific instructions on how to be cleansed of our sinful condition. Today if you hear God's voice, do not harden your heart.
To receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and be cleansed of your sins, you can say this prayer, "Heavenly Father I repent of my sins. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe that you raised him from the dead. Please come into my heart and help me to live for you now and forevermore, in Jesus' name. Amen."
If you said this prayer, welcome to the family of God. You are now a new creation in Christ. The old has gone and the new has come. Let someone know that you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You can email us at support@wearscriptures.com. Ask your Heavenly Father to lead you to a church fellowship, where you can grow with the family of God. Shalom.
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In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, the wise King Solomon wrote, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil," (NIV). God, our Heavenly Father is our Creator and we His creation are to fear Him. To fear God is to have reverence or deep respect for God, which leads us to have an intense love and admiration for Him. God is the King and the Supreme Being in all the earth. Revelation 4:11 says, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being," (NIV). Psalm 24:1-2 says, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it; the world and all who live in it. For he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters," (NIV).
Isaiah 8:13 says, "The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread," (NIV). Every human being belongs to God. Therefore, we have an obligation to fear God our Creator and to obey His Commandments. Our lives are in God's hands. We cannot keep ourselves alive. Therefore, we need to humble ourselves before our Creator and acknowledge Him and obey His commandments. 1John 5:3 says, "Loving God means keeping his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome, (NLT).
In Acts 17:30-31, God commands men everywhere to repent of their sins. It reads, "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead," (NIV). God is calling all people everywhere to repent and change their minds about His Son Jesus. Jesus was not just a perfect man, a religious figure, a prophet, or a god. Jesus Christ was God the Son in human flesh. John 1:1 reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made," (NIV).
God loves you and He has made a way for you, like the nation of Nineveh, to repent and receive Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior. John 3:16-18 reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him hall not perish but have eternal life. for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son," (NIV). Jesus Christ died for your sins. He paid the penalty for your sins with his blood which was shed upon the cross. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, every human being has the opportunity to be saved from God's wrath or God's judgment. The Bible says it's appointed once for every man to die and face the judgement. John 3:35-36 says, "The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on Him," (NIV).
Romans 2:5-11 says, "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.," (NIV). If you want to receive eternal life instead of eternal destruction, now is the time for you repent like the nation of Nineveh and fear God and keep His commandments.
If you are ready to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please say this prayer. Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe that you raised him from the dead. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Please help me to live for you forevermore in Jesus' name. Amen. If you said that prayer, welcome to the family of God. You are now a new creation in Christ. The old has gone; the new has come. Ask the Lord Jesus to lead you to a church fellowship where you can grow with the family of God. Shalom.
]]>In Psalm 18:2, David sang, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold," (NIV). David could sing that song because he was in the midst of a raging current in his life. King Saul and his army were pursuing him with the intent to kill him. David had to flee for his life. However, God protected him and King Saul never got a chance to lay a hand on him.
That is why David could sing in Psalm 124:2-8, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us; then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was kindled against us. Then the waters would have overwhelmed us and swept us away; the torrent would have gone over us. Then the proud waters would have gone over us. Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We are like a bird escaped from the fowler's snare. The snare has been broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth," (NIV).
A rock denotes stability, strength and permanence. Jesus is our Rock. In Jesus we find our protection, provision, deliverance, healing, restoration, refreshment and strength. Just as God provided water from the rock for the Israelites in the wilderness, Jesus our Rock, also meets all of our needs. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 says, "For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the seas. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ," (NIV).
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus tells us to build our lives upon Him the Rock. Jesus is the Word of God and He promises that whoever hears His Word and puts them into practice will not be swept away by the raging streams and the howling winds from the storms of life. However, the person who refuses to build his house or his life upon the Rock of Jesus Christ, his home will be swept away by the winds and the raging waters of the storm.
Jesus promises that when the raging streams of fear comes, He is our Rock of peace. Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken." (NIV). Jesus promises that when the raging streams of lack comes, He is our Provider. Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus," (NIV).
Jesus promises that when the raging streams of sickness and disease comes, he is our Healer. Sometimes God heals us by taking us home to Himself. Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases," (NIV). Jesus promises that when the raging storm of trouble comes, He will fix the problem. Psalm 34:19 says, "the righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all. He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken," (NIV).
Psalm 16:8 says, "I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken," (NIV). The LORD Jesus is our Rock. Be a voice for the gospel and let the world know that there is a Rock they can hold onto in the storms and the raging waters of this life. Wear Scriptures!
]]>Jesus answered Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one enters the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked, (NIV).
Why do we have to be born of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God? You see we human beings were all born in sin. Our parents, Adam and Eve sinned against God and died spiritually. They lost their divine connection to God. They experienced a separation from God. They passed their dead, sinful nature onto us, down through the generations. Ephesians 2:1 says we were born dead in our transgressions and sins. That is why Jesus said flesh gives birth to flesh. In order for us to be born again, God has to regenerate us. He has to give us a new birth. Just as how a new person enters the earthly realm as a baby, spiritual birth is a new person entering the heavenly realm.
Romans 3:23 says, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (NIV). But God made a way for us to be cleansed of our sins through Jesus' shed blood, his sacrifice on the cross for us. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him," (NIV). Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (NIV). In order for us to be born again, God has to regenerate us. He has to give us a new birth. Just as how a new person enters the earthly realm as a baby, spiritual birth is a new person entering the heavenly realm.
Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. Blood has to be shed in order to make reparations for our sins. God is holy and He loves us, but without holiness no one can see God. Sin separates us from God. God cannot tolerate sin and He cannot sin. That is why God had the Jews, His chosen people sacrifice the blood of goats and lambs as a sin offering to atone for their sins. However the Jews had to keep offering God animal sacrifices year after year, because an animal's blood was not sufficient to atone forever for mankind's sins. Therefore, God sent Jesus into the earth as the God man to die for our sins. Jesus's blood was not contaminated with sin. Jesus is our Passover lamb, the perfect sacrifice for sins.
In order to be born again and to enter the kingdom of God, one has to receive Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus shed his precious blood for us, so that we can be cleansed from our sins and be reconciled to God. Now how do we get born again or born from the Spirit so that we can enter into God's kingdom. We have to first acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Savior. We have to repent and change our minds towards sin and how we see God. Romans 10:9-10 says, "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved," (NIV).
If you are ready to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if you are ready to be born again or born of the Spirit, please say this prayer: Heavenly Father I confess that I am a sinner. I repent of my sins. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead. Please come into my heart and help me to live for you forever more, in Jesus' name. Amen. If you said that prayer, welcome to the family of God. You are now a new creation in Christ. The old is gone, the new has come. Please let someone know that you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You can email us at support@wearscriptures.com. Also, ask Jesus to lead you to a church fellowship where you can grow with the family of God. Shalom.
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Samson's supernatural strength surpassed that of any other man. The secret to his strength was his seven long braids of hair that had never been shaved since his birth. It would seem as if Samson's hair was his source of power, but God was his strength. The source of his strength was his obedience to God. He was a Nazarite, consecrated to God from his mother's womb and no razor should ever touch his head. Samson fell into sin and compromised. He was then betrayed by Delilah, who cut off his hair while he was asleep. Samson lost his strength. Compromise and unrepentant sin will cause us to lose our supernatural strength. However, after Samson repented, his hair grew back, and his strength returned.
How do we receive God's supernatural strength? We receive it by reading and meditating upon God's Word. Acts 20:32 says, "Now I commit you to God and the the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified," (NIV). Jude 1:20 says, "But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit," (NIV). Ephesians 6:10 says, "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides}," (AMPC).
Psalm 118:14 says, "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation," (NKJV). Psalm 29:11 says, "The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace," (AMPC). Isaiah 40:31 says, " But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him} shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired," (AMPC). Yes our flesh and hearts may fail, but God remains the strength of our hearts and our portion forever.
God will give you the strength to be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
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While Noah was building the Ark, he preached to the people living back then. He warned them of the coming judgement by flood. He told them the only place of safety would be in the Ark. He warned them to turn from their wicked ways, turn to God, and be saved. The people mocked him and ignored his warnings. When Noah completed the ark, God sent the animals and birds in pairs to him and they entered the ark. Only Noah, his three sons, and their wives chose to believe God's warning and enter the ark to be saved. They were the only ones who believed that God was going to bring judgement to that generation by flooding the earth. God then shut the door and shut them in. No one could enter or exit the Ark. God had given that generation 120 years to repent and make the decision to enter the Ark. When God shut the door, it was too late.
After seven days, the flood waters came on the earth. The Bible says on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the flood waters of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. Every person who chose not to repent, believe and enter the Ark drowned. They failed to listen to God's warning and save their lives.
Today there is an Ark of Salvation traveling through the earth. The ark is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the only Ark of safety and refuge in the earth today. All of us are only one heartbeat from eternity. None of us knows the day or the hour of our death or the coming of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. But we know it's appointed once for every man to die and to face the judgement and that we are living in the time of the end. Matthew 24:36-39 says, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man," (NIV).
We will all be judged on whether we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, have been cleansed and justified with his blood or if we refused his sacrifice. If you choose to get into the Ark of Jesus Christ, you become a child of God and God's wrath is removed from you. However, if you refuse to get into the Ark of Jesus Christ and choose not to obey the gospel, you will suffer the punishment of eternal separation, away from the presence of the LORD.
The Bible says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, you and your household." Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Now is the time to get into the Ark of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died for you. If you choose to receive him and what he has done for you, simply confess the following: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is LORD and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead. Please come into my heart and make me new. Please help me to live for you now and forever more, in Jesus' name. Amen.
If you said that prayer, welcome to the family of God. You are now a new creation in Jesus Christ. The old has gone and the new has come. Let someone know that you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You can email us at support@wearscriptures.com to share your salvation with us, or if you have any questions. Ask the Lord Jesus to lead you to a church fellowship where you can be encouraged and grow with the family of God. Shalom.
Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
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In John 10:11, Jesus introduces himself to us as the "Good Shepherd". Jesus is the Good Shepherd who risks and lays downs his own life for the sheep. Jesus laid down His life for us at the cross. He says in John 10:17-18, "the reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father," (NIV).
Romans 5:6-9 says, "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 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," (NLT).
Jesus, our Shepherd, promises to lead, guide, provide, and protect us all the days of our lives. He shows us the way to go and the steps to take to fulfill our purpose in Him. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," (NIV). The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.
We can trust our Shepherd to lead us on the right path. Isaiah 30:20b says, "...yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher. And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, this is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left," (NIV). When we need guidance and wisdom, we can ask God to instruct and guide us. Psalm 32:8 says, "I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you," (AMPC).
Jesus promises to meet all our needs, whether it be spiritual or physical. He makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us beside quiet waters. If we need healing, He is Jehovah Rapha. If we need provision, He is Jehovah Jireh. If we need peace, He is Jehovah Shammah. God gives us victory over our enemies; He is Jehovah Nissi. He is Jehovah Rohi, the Lord our Shepherd.
The Lord also promises to protect us as we walk through the darkest valley of the shadow of death. We do not have to fear or dread evil because God promises to use his rod to protect us and his staff to guide and comfort us. God promises to provide a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Our enemies cannot defeat us because El-Gibhor, the Mighty God, is with us. Psalm 46:1,11 says, "God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation] a very present and well-proved help in trouble. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge [our High Tower and Stronghold,]" (AMPC).
Romans 8:37-39 says, "Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," (NIV).
Nothing can ever separate us from our Lord, the Great Shepherd. The Lord is good and His love endures forever. The Lord is our Shepherd, we shall not lack. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
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We have entered into the Advent Season. It's the time of year when we celebrate Jesus coming into the earth as a baby and we look forward to His return to earth as the Coming King. Matthew 1:23 says, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him "Emmanuel" which means, "God with us," (NIV). God is still with us in these unprecedented times. He promises to never leave nor forsake us.
]]>Be Unashamed of the Gospel
In Romans 1:16-17, the Apostle Paul declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteous-ness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith," (NIV). To be ashamed is to feel embarrassed or remorseful of something. The Apostle Paul was saying he was not embarrassed or regretted preaching the gospel. Paul had endured great persecutions in his missionary travels.
He described his experiences in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27; "...I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm," (NLT).
Why could Paul say that he was still unashamed of the gospel after enduring such great trials? He knew that the gospel was the only way by means that sinful humans could be reconciled to God. He was commissioned by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Yes, he wanted to obey his Heavenly Father, however, he also knew that the gospel was the only way to make a human being born in sin, righteous and justified before God.
Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," (NIV). However, he wrote in Romans 3:21-22, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe," (NIV). Paul knew that being born a Jew and following the law could not cleanse him from his sins and justify him. He knew that being a member of a church or a denomination or being born into a certain culture and religion could not justify anyone before God His Creator.
Paul had an encounter with the Lord Jesus, and he knew that only receiving Jesus as his Lord and Savior could save him from his sins. He wrote in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (NIV).
What about you today? Are you unashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? The gospel is good news. Salvation is found in on one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me," (NIV). Receiving Jesus is the only way to be saved from our sins and to be justified before God, our Creator.
Be unashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation for each human being on the earth today. Wear Scriptures!
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On the other hand, God considers someone a fool if they do not want to learn of Him. Proverbs 1:7b says, "..but fools despise wisdom and instruction," (NIV). God also says in His Word that the fool says in his heart there is no God. It is foolish to not believe in God and not to fear the LORD. Romans 1:20-21 says, "For since the creation of the whole world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have clearly been seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened," (NIV).
It is foolish to not fear the lord because His wrath awaits whoever refuses to acknowledge Him as God the Father and Jesus the Son. John 3:36 says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them," (NIV).
Romans 2:4-11 says, "But because of your stubborness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgement will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism," (NIV).
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Let us be wise and fear the Lord. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
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Faith in God enables us to stay the course like Abraham. Abraham trusted God to fulfill His promises, purpose and plan for his life, despite the impossible situations he faced. In the natural, Abraham and Sarah having the promised child, Isaac, looked hopeless. Sarah was unable to have children. But Abraham believed God. He is called the father of faith. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, when Isaac, the promised child was born. God delights in doing the impossible for His children and in the prosperity of His servants.
Faith in God requires perseverance and patience. God has a set or an appointed time to bring His promises to fruition into our lives. God told Noah, he should build an ark because in 120 years He was going to flood the earth. God was not going to contend with sinful mankind at that time forever because of the wickedness of man on the earth at that time. God told Abraham, his descendants would be in slavery for 400 years. God also told Daniel the Jews would remain in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. At the appointed time, in the fullness of time, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.
God always has a set appointed time in order to fulfill His promises. He is faithful. He is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind. Let us strengthen our faith in God and His Word. All His promises are yes and amen. Galatians 6:9 encourages us to not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up,” (NIV). Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
]]>The kingdom of darkness wants to impede, stop and destroy God’s people and God’s will being done in the earth. The weapons will be formed, but they will not be successful. Jesus has already won the battle and we as God’s people need to enforce his victory. Colossians 2:13-15 says, “And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), (God) brought to life together with (Christ), having (freely) forgiven us all our transgressions, having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This (note with its regulations, decrees, and demands) He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to (His) cross. (God) disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it (the cross),” (AMPC).
In John 16:33 Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer (take courage; be confident, certain undaunted)! For I have overcome the world. (I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you,)” (AMPC). Jesus has already overcome the world and the kingdom of darkness and because He overcame, we overcome.
Personal Testimony
When I first became a believer, it was a very intense time in my life. I remember walking down a hill to one of my friend’s house and I had my keys in my pocket. At the bottom of the hill, there was one of my neighbors with his rottweiler. The dog was not leashed. My keys jingled in my pocket and got the dog’s attention. The huge dog came charging up the hill at me. The Holy Spirit came upon me and I had no fear. I commanded, “In the name of Jesus stop! In the name of Jesus stop!” The dog stopped at my feet and looked behind me. Then I said, “Now turn around and go back to your master.” The dog turned around and ran down the hill to its owner. The owner quickly brought him in his house. I continued walking and I was gloating over the authority that I possessed, but God quickly reminded me it was His angels who protected me. No Weapon Formed Against Us Shall Prosper. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
However, we all know what happened when Adam and Eve sinned against God and sin entered the world. The first murder was committed when Cain murdered his own brother, Abel. Since then, we have seen many atrocities; wars, slavery, racism, the holocaust, genocides, broken marriages, broken families, etc., all due to sin. There is also the kingdom of darkness which is opposed to God’s Kingdom and is set on destroying mankind, and separating us for eternity from God, our Creator.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (making us conquerors) through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57, AMPC). Yes, mankind fell, but God provided the perfect lamb, Jesus Christ His Son, as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross provided the way for us, God’s Creation, to be reconciled to Him. When we receive Jesus' sacrifice and have our sins atoned for, we become God’s children. Children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
John 3:16-17 says, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him,” (AMPC).
Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures and go and tell the world the good news God loves them.
]]>But we as believers and citizens of God’s Kingdom, have been given access to God’s supernatural peace and provision. Isaiah 9:6 ascribes to Jesus the title, Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace because He is the answer and the solution to any trouble. Jesus is the Lord and Master over panic, confusion, fear and hopelessness. He is the master over nature, sickness, death, evil, lack and Covid-19 and its effects.
When the winds and the waves threatened the disciples’ lives, Jesus proved Himself Lord by calming the storm with the words, “Peace be Still”. When Jesus walked the earth, He healed the sick, cast out evil, miraculously provided food for thousands, raised the dead, and even provided finances to pay His taxes. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. All dominion, power and authority belong to the Prince of Peace, King Jesus.
That is why we as believers can have peace through this storm. We have placed our faith and trust in Jesus. He will make a way for us, even when it seems like there is no way. He is the Way Maker and the Miracle Worker.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths,” (AMPC). Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace (shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace) which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” (AMPC).
Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus, (AMPC). Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You,” (AMPC). Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures and share Jesus, the Prince of Peace today.
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In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus told his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him,” (NIV).
Similarly, like the disciples, we are experiencing the howling storm of sickness and death around us, economic uncertainty, loss of income, loss of retirement funds, isolation, stress, uncertainty and fear of the future. However, Jesus is in our boat with us and He promised us that we are going to the other side of this tumultuous season. Jesus was at rest, sleeping through the storm. How could Jesus be sleeping soundly through the storm? Jesus knew that until his time came to drink his cup of suffering, no harm could come to him. He was not worried about the storm, because he knew he was at the center of his Father’s will and knew that his Father would never let any harm come to him. Jesus trusted or had faith in his Father. He knew he was his father’s beloved and that a loving father would not disappoint or prove himself unfaithful. Jesus was also God in human flesh. He had power and authority over the winds and the waves. He had authority over the storm.
We are not alone in the storms of life. Just as Jesus trusted his Father and was at peace in the storm, he wants us to be at peace and trust the Father also. Jesus gives us everlasting life and no one can pluck us out of God’s hands. He encourages us to read and meditate on His Word so that we can build up our faith and trust in him. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” (KJV). Jesus also has bequeathed his peace unto us. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My (own) peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled,) (AMPC).
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace (shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace) which transcends all under-standing shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” (AMPC).
God is in control. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. As we continue to put our trust and hope in him, He will not disappoint us. He is in the boat with us, and He promised we are going to the other side. As the storm continues to howl, Jesus will calm any emotional storm inside us and He will bring an end to this crisis we are going through. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus. Whom shall we fear? Let us encourage the ones who are afraid and do not know Jesus. Share the gospel with them, so that they can experience the Prince of Peace. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
]]>Those words changed the future of mankind forever. Jesus’ resurrection proved that He is God and that He can be trusted. In John 2:19, Jesus had told the Jews, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” (NIV). Jesus was referring to himself. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried through?” (NLT).
Because Jesus lives, we can live in victory on this earth, and we have hope for the future. Jesus is alive. Before He ascended to heaven, he promised that God the Father would send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Advocate, the Strengthener, and the Standby. The Holy Spirit would remain with us forever, lead us into all truth, and help us to live a victorious and overcoming life.
It doesn’t matter what challenges and opposition we may face here on earth, because Jesus lives we are able to overcome. Jesus encourages us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer (take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted)! For I have overcome the world. (I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you,) (AMPC). 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory (making us conquerors) through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (AMPC).
Be encouraged today, because Jesus Lives, we can face tomorrow without any fear of the future. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures.
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God desires for us to Choose Life each day and in every situation that we encounter in our lives. No one can take away our power to choose. When we choose life, we are also making a decision that affects our children, grandchildren, and the generations of our descendants. If you have been born again, you have made the decision to Choose Life for yourself and your descendants. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Just one family member receiving Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior, can change the generations that follow. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved, you and your household,” (NIV).
How can we Choose Life each day? We can Choose Life by:
Let us Choose Life each day in our thoughts and in our actions, as faith without works is dead. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
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Jesus came into the earth as a newborn baby. God placed him in Mary’s womb. He was conceived of God, not of man. Therefore, he was not contaminated with sin. After Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, he returned to heaven. However, he promised in his Word, he would return. In John 14:1-3, Jesus admonished his disciples. He said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am going,” (NIV).
Jesus will not return to earth as a baby in his second coming. He will return as the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS. The beloved disciple John was given a vision of Jesus’ return. In Revelation 19:11-16, John said, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
In Revelation 22:11-13, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city,” (NIV).
What are we, as the body of Christ and his bride, to do as we wait for his return? 1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy (and acknowledge Him) as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you; but do it courteously and respectfully. (And see to it that) your conscience is entirely clear (unimpaired), so that, when you are falsely accused as evildoers, those who threaten you abusively and revile your right behavior in Christ may come to be ashamed (of slandering your good lives),” (AMPC). 1 Peter 4:7 says, “But the end and culmination of all things has now come near; keep sound minded and self-restrained and alert therefore for (the practice of) prayer,” (AMPC).
We should also be fulfilling the Great Commission. Revelation 22:17 says, “The (Holy) Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, “Come! And let him who hears say, Come! Whoever is thirsty (who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened); and whoever (earnestly) desires to do it, let him come; take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost,” (AMPC).
Merry Christmas! Prepare the way of the LORD. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures.
]]>Hebrews 12:2-3 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart,” (NIV). It takes perseverance and endurance to continue to serve God faithfully despite the unexpected disappointments, the battles, the losses, and the delays of our dreams and promises.
God promises to strengthen us and give us grace to run our race with perseverance. Isaiah 40:27-31 says, “Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, my Way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint,” (NIV).
Our ultimate goal is to become like Christ. Romans 8:28-29 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters,” (NIV). Therefore, let us run the race set before us with perseverance and endurance, keeping our eyes on Jesus, and encourage others to run alongside us. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
]]>Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ purchased our freedom (redeeming us) from the curse (doom) of the Law (and its condemnation) by (Himself) becoming a curse for us, for it is written (in the Scriptures), cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified),” (AMPC). The Law or the Ten Commandments were against us. We were guilty of sin. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
However, Jesus the God man, never sinned. While He lived on earth, he never broke any of the Ten Commandments. Jesus fulfilled the Law. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfill them.” Romans 10:4 says, “For the Christ is the end of the Law. And because of him, God has transferred his perfect righteousness to all who believe,” (TPT). Colossians 2:13-14 says, “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross,” (NIV).
We have been redeemed or repurchased. We have been bought back and reconciled to God with the precious blood of Jesus. We are no longer under the law of sin and death, but we are under the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Let us remember who we are in Christ Jesus. We have been redeemed. Let us tell others how they can be redeemed too. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!
]]>The rainbow can also be found above God’s throne. The rainbow represents God’s glory. Ezekiel describes the vision he saw of God’s glory in Ezekiel 1:26-28. It reads, “.... high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like, the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.”
In Revelation 4:2-3, the Apostle John describes God’s throne in heaven, where he saw the appearance of a rainbow resembling an emerald surrounding the throne. “At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.” The rainbow represents God’s glory and the covenant that He made with mankind.
Thomas Heffner wrote a mini book called Rainbow, and in it he describes the revelation that God gave him concerning the meaning of the colors of the rainbow. According to Thomas, the color red represents Jesus’s blood being shed as a propitiatory sacrifice for mankind’s sins. Orange represents the great suffering and fiery trial Jesus endured upon the cross and his transition from life to death. Yellow, which is the brightest color of the visible light spectrum, represents Jesus’ resurrection to life on the third day. Green represents Jesus’ new life as he walked the earth in his glorified body in which he would never taste death again. Blue represents Jesus becoming our High Priest after he ascended into heaven. The color blue symbolizes priest hood. And the final color in the rainbow, purple, represents Jesus’ role as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.
The rainbow has been used as a symbol of diversity in the LGBTQ community. However, the rainbow represents God’s truth. It represents God’s glory and the covenant God made with man not to destroy the earth by flood again. That is the truth from God’s Word that will never change. Speak truth to the culture. Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures!