Fake, Fear, or Faith

Posted on April 22, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Daniel 2:1-6 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

When an unbeliever looks at you, O Christian, what does he or she see? If your outward actions do not reflect your profession of faith then the first person who will recognize it will be the unbeliever. This Coronavirus Pandemic has done more to test and prove the faith of professing Christians. Many who profess Christ as Savior are inordinately afraid. The Bible tells us:

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

If you are overly fearful during this time then

  • (a) perhaps you are not a Child of God. God does not give us a spirit of fear. Now, I’m not saying you’re not a child of God, but I do believe you need to examine yourselves, as the Scripture commands:

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

If you are a Christian indeed, and fear is overwhelming you, then

  • (b) perhaps you need to spend more time in the Christian disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and service. You must spend time with God if you are going to grow in your faith. Turn off the television, especially the mainstream media news, and turn to God. The Scripture repeatedly says:

Habakkuk 2:4 …. the just shall live by his faith.

Romans 1:17 …. The just shall live by faith.

Hebrews 10:38 … Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

A great truth we see throughout the Book of Daniel is that there is a difference between the fakes, the fearful, and the faithful. Being faithful means spending quality time with the God Who saved you. When you spend time in the Christian disciplines then rather than be fearful, you will be faithful. You will be like the Psalmist who wrote:

Psalm 16:5-9  The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Cast your worries and fears upon God, dear Christian, for God cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7). As Lucy A. Bennett wrote in the poem Trust Him:

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Seems the hardest thing of all.
Trust Him, He is ever faithful,
Trust Him, for his will is best,
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
Is the only place of rest.
Trust Him through cloud or sunshine
All thy cares upon Him cast
Till the storms of life are over,
And the trusting days are past.

The Unbeliever Has Nowhere To Turn In Times of Trial

The Christian has a wonderful Benefit that the unbeliever does not have. The King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar is a believer in false gods and goddesses. Though he will later become a believer because of Daniel’s testimony, at this time in his life he is still chasing after shadows. The unbeliever has no solid foundation to appeal to in times of trial. When bad things happen the unbeliever discovers how terrible it is to live a life bereft of Jesus Christ. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

People think that money or beauty or power or fame or some other humanist god will hide them from trials. Some people – like the King of Babylon – think they will not be tried because of their position in life. Some unbelievers never learn. The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, recently held a press conference and stated:

“The number (of Covid-19 cases) is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that. That’s how it works. It’s math. And if you don’t continue to do that, you’re going to see that number go back up. And that will be a tragedy if that number goes back up.”

Sadly, unbelievers often fails to recognize the mercy and kindness of God. New York suffered terribly during this Pandemic. It could have been worst. The Bible says:

Proverbs 16:9 – A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

No one is God but the God of Scripture. This God – the Creator of Heaven and earth – has made all things for Himself (Proverbs 16:4). This wonderful and loving Lord has all things in His hand. In His hands are the souls of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind (Job 12:10). I could continue with this all day long! The Bible says:

Psalms 22:28 – For the kingdom [is] the LORD’S: and he [is] the governor among the nations.

Psalms 115:3 – But our God [is] in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

King Nebuchadnezzar is just like Governor Cuomo at this point in his life. He is in the second year of his reign and thinks that his position protects him from trials. Then God speaks to the King in a dream. The dream troubled his spirit. His spirit was troubled. So what does he do? He calls his trusted advisers.

Daniel 2:2 Then the king commanded to call the MAGICIANS, and the ASTROLOGERS, and the SORCERERS, and the CHALDEANS, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

God sometimes speaks to unbelievers in their dreams. In Genesis 41 Pharaoh had dreams that disturbed him. Now Nebuchadnezzar is having dreams, disturbing dreams, and they are effecting his health.

I hope that during this Coronavirus Pandemic you have learned to look UPWARD. Faith looks upward. Faithlessness looks horizontally. I believe that as we have come through this Pandemic that God is trying our hearts (Proverbs 17:3). Where is your faith? Is it fake? The King called on

  • Magicians. Not like an “abracadabra” magician, these men were “scholars” who claimed to be able to look into the future using scientific methods.
  • Astrologers. These men created horoscopes that were suppose to tell your future.
  • Sorcerers. These men allegedly spoke to the underworld and cast spells.
  • Chaldeans. These were the priests of the false gods of Babylon – the televangelists, the Benny Hinns of their day.

God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream … but these so called helpers did not know the God of Scripture. It amazes me that when people have problems they go to people just as filled with problems as they are. These helpers told the King:

Daniel 2:4 ….. O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

These helpers didn’t want to anger the King. Nebuchadnezzar roasted two kings – Zedekiah and Ahab – in a fire (Jeremiah 29:22-23). He was brutal, demanding, tyrannical – and like a scorpion he was not to be toyed with. These men said:

Tell us your dream, O King, and we will tell you the interpretation

The King was having none of that. He told them:

Daniel 2:5-6 … The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

“The thing is gone from me”. This is another way of saying “You heard my command. What I have commanded, I expect”. Nebuchadnezzar was not about to back down. “If you don’t tell me what I dreamed and what it means will have you cut in pieces and turn your homes into cesspools and sewers. But if you do as I ask you will receive from me gifts, rewards, and fame”. These counselors were in a quandary, so they ask again:

Daniel 2:7 …. Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

This was going nowhere in a hurry. I think that the King realized these people were clueless as to how to fix his problem. He was not about to be fooled. So he said:

Daniel 2:9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

The King’s Counselors protested – and they spoke the truth. They said:

Daniel 2:10 … There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

No man can do what the King is asking – no man who is not in communion with God. The Counselors said “only the gods can help you – but they don’t come around here!”. A false god cannot give the interpretation of a dream instilled by the True God of the Bible. The idols of the unbeliever are silver and gold, created by the hands of men. These idols cannot tell you anything (Psalms 135:15-18) – they have nothing to offer.

The King is enraged. His trusted advisers. had no answers, so the King responded like a six year old. He had a tantrum.

Daniel 2:12-13 For this cause the KING WAS ANGRY AND VERY FURIOUS, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

An angry ruler is just as bad as an angry peasant. Anger does nothing but cloud our judgment. Since these men couldn’t answer Nebuchadnezzar then his solution was simple:

Kill them all!

The Bible says:

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Nebuchadnezzar had a solution that was much better than killing everyone. We were told in Chapter 1 of this book that

Daniel 1:19-20 …The king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

Daniel had previously helped Nebuchadnezzar, but now the King ignores them and orders the death of all wise men. Why? Because of anger. Another King by the name of Solomon wrote:

Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

The King is being driven by fear and the faithlessness of his closest advisers. He needs to find the counsel of a person of Faith.

In Times of Trial The Mature Believer Is Fully Equipped

Daniel 2:13-16 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: 15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

The King is driven by FEAR and ANGER. The King’s Counselors are driven by FAITHLESSNESS. But when Daniel is approached by the King’s Guard he does not panic. His eyes are firmly focused on God His Savior.

Daniel Did Not Fear, For His Confidence Was In God.

The Executioner comes to the door with a bloody ax, ready to lop off Daniel’s head. Daniel did not fear. Daniel looked up! Where are you looking, dear Christian? Are you looking around at those who have no faith in God? How foolish! Look up. The Psalmist declared:

Psalms 118:6-14 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? 7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them. 11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

Daniel’s faith was not in himself, but in the God Who loves him and gave His life for him. Do not have self confidence. Have GOD confidence. Self confidence leads us astray.

  • When Moses was self confident he killed a slave driver. When Moses was God confident the Red Sea parted.
  • When Saul was self confident he killed Christians and destroyed Churches. When Paul was God confident he established Churches and wrote Scripture.
  • When King David was self confident he killed Uriah and took his wife in adultery. But when David was God confident, that child killed a giant with a stone and a slingshot.

Daniel asked the King for a little time. What did he do with that time? The Bible says:

Daniel 2:17-18 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel had a prayer meeting. He got together with other like minded believers, and they sought God’s guidance. Now that makes sense, doesn’t it? God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar, so Daniel and his friends would speak to God. Didn’t Jesus tell us that:

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

When God’s people come together in prayer, God moves. When God’s people look up in faith, God answers. Take the time to pray. Take the time to pray with other believers. God has told us in His Word:

Jeremiah 29:11-14 … For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord…

It is my prayer that – as we have come through this Pandemic – that you have sought the Lord with your whole heart. I pray that the fruit found in the aftermath of Covid-19 will be strong Christian communities, Churches more concerned about serving God and studying His Word than they are about how others “feel”. I am praying – and I pray you do, too – that we will have a revival in America. Daniel prayed.

DANIEL PRAYED, THEN …

Daniel 2:19-23 THEN was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what WE desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto US the king’s matter.

Daniel found his three believing friends. They all prayed. THEN after they prayed, God spoke to Daniel in a night vision. What did Daniel do next?

Daniel praised God.
Daniel acknowledged the Sovereign power of God.
Daniel thanked God.
Daniel gave God the glory.
THEN Daniel went to see the King.

Daniel 2:27-28 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

Daniel took no credit to himself, but gave God the glory. God spoke to King Nebuchadnezzar through Daniel. Daniel told the King:

Daniel 2:37-38 … Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

As powerful as King Nebuchadnezzar was, his Kingdom would not last forever. In the vision God foretold that all kingdoms of the earth – kingdoms that reigned because God allowed them to reign – would one day cease. There is only one Kingdom that will stand forever. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 2:44 … in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The Kingdom of God will never end. There is coming a day when the Governor of New York will no longer govern. There is coming a day when no earthly king will govern. There is coming a day when Jesus Christ shall rule and reign forever. At this time in Biblical history Nebuchadnezzar is “king of kings” (verse 37) – but not forever. There is only one Kingdom that will last forever.

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Others will resist this Kingdom, but I promise you, they shall not prevail.

Revelation 17:14 … These {other kingdoms} shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Jesus will rule and reign. Beloved, the wicked may have their rule now, but there is coming a day when Jesus Christ shall rule everywhere. The Word of God declares:

Revelation 19:15-16 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

Jesus Christ is building His Kingdom now. One day He shall return and reign over all peoples. Are you ready? Our Jesus is coming again. Nebuchadnezzar saw it. Daniel saw it. John the Revelator saw it. Jesus promised it. Are you ready? Are you? If not, today is the best day to give yourselves over to Jesus. Someone asked Andre Crouch one time “Why are you a Christian?” Andre wrote this song before he went to be with the Lord.

You ask me why, why do you serve the Lord?
Is it just for Heaven’s gain?
Or to walk those mighty streets of gold,
And to hear the angels sing?
Is it just to drink from the fountain,
That never shall run dry.
Or just to live forever, ever, and ever,
In that sweet, sweet bye and bye.
But if heaven never was promised to me,
Neither God’s promise to live eternally.
It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life.
Living in a world of darkness,
You came along and brought me the light.

It is worth knowing Jesus Christ to have this wonderful peace that passes all understanding in my heart. Oh Beloved, call upon the name of Jesus. Receive Him as Lord and Savior. Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. What a joy it is to be a member of His Kingdom! May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen.

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When Jesus Saw Their Faith

Posted on April 19, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Photo by Mads Schmidt Rasmussen on Unsplash

Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

Luke 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

I rarely hear sermons on sin anymore. I hear preachers say that “Jesus saves from sin”, but no one defines sin. Years ago I went through a series of studies on Harmarteology given by Dallas Theological Seminary. Harmarteology is the Biblical study of sin. It’s part of a Systematic Theology, a study that all pastoral candidates are supposed to take. I don’t know if it’s taught in seminaries anymore, but it was very eye opening.

People don’t like to hear sermons on sin, but I think we need to go back to basics. We need to hear sermons on sin because the Bible addresses sin. If there were no sin, there would be no need of Jesus. Sin is very deceptive.

Sin Brings With It Harmful Consequences

I was watching a sitcom the other day, and the dad began to talk to his son about sex. The son had been sleeping with a woman that was not his wife, doing what the Bible calls the sin of “fornication”. Any sexual intercourse outside of marriage is defined by the Bible as sinful, defined as “fornication”. We have hardened our hearts to this sin – it is fashionable today. Anyway, the younger son felt some guilt over what he had done. Then his father told him:

“You’re both adults. What’s the harm?”

This is the attitude of many in our America today. “You’re both adults. What’s the harm?” We have been told that any action we do is absolutely fine as long as it overtly harms no one. This is the deception of sin. It says, “If it feels good, do it”. This is what the world says. Yet the Bible warns us that sin is harmful. Adrian Rogers once said:

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

Sin hurts you. Sin always hurts you. Three of the Gospel writers, the redeemed Tax Collector turned Apostle Matthew, the Evangelist Mark, and the Gentile Physician Luke all record an incident in the life of Christ regarding a paralytic, a man who was paralyzed. Let’s ask a question.

Why was this man paralyzed?

Did he suffer an industrial accident?
Was he run over by a drunk camel driver?
Did he eat some bad oysters?
Was he roofing his home, and fell off?

What caused this man to be paralyzed? We do not know the exact cause of his paralysis, but we do know that it was not a infirmity he was born with. We do know that his paralysis is the result of personal sin. How do I know this? Look at what Jesus said to the man:

Matthew 9:2 … Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 2:5 … Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

Luke 5:20 … Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Jesus does not say merely “you are healed”, but “your SINS are forgiven”. This is a plural. The man had not committed just one sin, but SINS. We do not know what sins he committed, but we do know this was the primary cause of his paralysis because of Jesus’ words.

Sin can make you sick. Sin can kill you. Sin is anything abnormal that God says we should not do.

When I was in the Air Force (I am a retired E-6) I was once deployed to the Philippines. We flew over on large C130 aircraft, disembarked at the Air Base that was there, and immediately began “processing in”. Before we were allowed to go to downtown Manila we were shown a film about the dangers of unprotected sex in this area. I cannot nor will I describe all of the pictures we were shown, but I must say it turned my stomach. When two people engage in a sinful act forbidden by scripture the act can bring with it disease and misery … even death. Listen beloved:

Not all sickness occurs because of willful acts of sin. The world is a fallen place, and we are fallen creatures. But when we choose to sin and depart from God, it is like pouring gasoline on an already lit fire. When we study what God says is “sin” we need to understand He loves us, and doesn’t want us to immolate ourselves, to set ourselves on fire.

Adam’s sin brought death into our world.

Romans 5:12 … Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Sin always brings with it death. Jesus Christ saves us from sin to free us from sin so that we can do what we were made to do – live with God. The Apostle wrote:

Romans 6:20-23 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Christian, forgiven their sins by faith in Christ, is encouraged to serve God and not sin. When we served sin as unbelievers we did not understand how deadly it is. But once we were saved we saw that the wages of sin is death. When you serve sin as a master, that master will eventually repay you not with blessing, but with death. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 107:17 Fools {unbelievers} because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

And again in Psalm 38:1-5 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. 3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

Sin is likened to a weight in the arms of a drowning man. God warned His Old Covenant people in:

Ezekiel 18:20-24 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

If sin were rightly packaged it would not be beautiful, but on the package there would be a skull and crossbones, with the words
“Poison – Deadly – Corrosive”

In John chapter 5 our Lord Jesus comes upon a pool outside of the sheep market in Jerusalem, a place called Bethesda (or “House of Mercy”). For some 38 years this man had laid in this place filled with impotent folk, blind, paralyzed, withered (John 5:3). Jesus passes by all these sick people and comes directly to this man. Why this man? Jesus asks the man:

John 5:6 … Wilt thou be made whole?

The man is not “whole”. Why is he not “whole”? We know he is unable to walk, but don’t know why. Jesus Christ our Lord, the Precious Savior to all who will hear Him, tells this man …

John 5:8 … Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

He hears the Master, and does as Jesus says.

John 5:9 … immediately the man was made whole,
and took up his bed, and walked …

The man was healed. But WHY was the man bed bound for 38 years? We do not know until later in the text, when Jesus finds this same man and says:

John 5:14 … Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Sin crippled this man. Sin put him in bed for 38 years. Jesus said, “Don’t do the same thing again lest a worse thing come unto thee. What’s worse than 38 years bed bound? I don’t know, but I don’t want to find out. Do you?

True Friends Do Not Justify Sin,
But Bring The Sinner To Jesus

Matthew 9:2 And, behold, THEY brought to {Jesus} a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed …

Mark 2:3 … And they come unto {Jesus}, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

Luke 5:18 … And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before {Jesus}.

Four friends got together and brought a crippled friend to Jesus. A true friend does not encourage you to sin. A true friend does not say, “Well, what’s the harm?” There was a commercial on TV years ago that ended with:

“Friends don’t let friends drive drunk”

When I was running wild, much of my wildness and sinfulness was because my “friends” suggested evil – and I followed. The Bible tells us that “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Good friends will not lead you away from Christ, but toward Jesus. This is what happened in our story today. Jesus was in Capernaum, visiting in a home and preaching the Word of God.

Mark 2:2 … straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and {Jesus} preached the Word unto them.

As Jesus preached the Word the Bible tells us

Luke 5:17 … the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Jesus heals people. Jesus makes people whole. Jesus helps us come away from the crippling influence of sin. Jesus blesses us so we can walk with God.

Four men hear that Jesus is in town, so they go and get their friend on a stretcher. When they arrive at the place where Jesus is they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd (Mark 2:4; Luke 5:19). What could they do? Should they give up, and go home? No! True friends bring their fallen friends to Jesus. What they do next is extraordinary.

Mark 2:4 … when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Luke 5:19 … when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

These men stepped outside of their comfort zone to get their friend to Jesus. In ancient times the rooftop of most homes were flat, and often had raised gardens planted there. These men took their friend to the rooftop. Sitting him down, they then removed a few panels from the roof, making a hole in the roof just above Jesus. They then lowered their friend down. They got the paralyzed man to the Lord.

The best thing we can do for anyone is to bring them to the Lord. A friend does not spend time judging a friend. Religion spends it’s time in judgment. Religion separates us from God. Friends do not spend time judging friends. We examine the Scripture, and apply that Word to our lives. We warn fellow believers when they wander into unrighteousness – not because WE think their actions are unrighteous, but because GOD SAYS in HIS WORD that it is unrighteous. God sets the standard. The Bible says:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Jesus preached the Word of God. Let God be the judge. Bring your friends to Jesus.

There is no evidence in our text that the paralytics friends spoke even one word. They just brought him to Jesus. Friends bring friends to Jesus.

The Pharisees and Scribes were in the room, but they were not bringing people to Jesus. They were judging Jesus.

Mark 2:7-8 … Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

Matthew 9:4 … Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Jesus read the minds of these self righteous people and calls them out on it. “Why do you think EVIL in your hearts?” The word translated “Evil” is the Greek πονηρός ponērós, {pronounced pon-ay-ros’}, which means “hurtful, diseased, morally grievous”. The same word is used in the Lord’s Prayer:

Matthew 6:13 … lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil …

The self righteous add nothing to others in any positive way. Jesus said “the corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit” (Matthew 7:18). These men are doing nothing to help, but instead are hindering God’s blessing. Jesus tells them:

Luke 5:23-26 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Jesus Christ alone has the power to forgive sins on the earth. That power is not given to any man, be it Pope or Preacher. Only Jesus Christ can cleanse us from sin. He proved this in a very graphic way, for the man immediately got up and glorified God.

The Way Out Of Sin Comes Only By Jesus

The only way a person can be freed from sin is to come to Jesus. Only Jesus can save a soul. The Bible says:

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

When Jesus told this man to get up and walk – the man got up and walked. He was made whole. He was cleansed from sin. He was made new. Only Jesus can do this. Let us bring our friends, our family, the ones we love to Jesus. It was Jesus “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). We are all sinners. We are born into a world of sin. Yet Jesus Christ came to save us from sin, and to bring us to God.

Jesus Christ is able! I am not able to save anyone, and neither are you, but Jesus is able. Let us bring our friends to Jesus!

What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!
Oh, precious is the flow,
That makes me white as snow,
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!

May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen.

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Jesus Saves Sinners: Red Letters Series #21

Posted on April 19, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

Matthew 9:9-13 (KJV)  And as Jesus passed forth froMatthew 9:13 (KJV) BUT GO YE and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.m thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.  [10]  And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  [11]  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  [12]  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.   [13]   But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

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Photo by Neal E. Johnson on Unsplash

An interesting truth about the Book of Matthew is that it’s writer was not called to follow Christ up until chapter 9 of the Book. His calling is in Matthew 9:9, just prior to the Pharisees first attack on Christ’s ministry.

I want you to notice the difference in what Jesus said to Matthew,
and in what He said to the Pharisees.

The Sinner Is Saved By Following Jesus

Earlier in the day Jesus saved a man “sick of the palsy”. We’ll study that text tonight. Jesus has just had a full day saving sinners and healing the sick. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all report on what comes next – and you learn a little more about the man Jesus saves by looking at the whole testimony.

Matthew 9:9 … as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Mark 2:14 …And as {Jesus} passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

Luke 5:27-28 … after these things {Jesus} went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Matthew is writing about himself, but note that he refers to himself in the third person. He said “Jesus saw a man named Matthew”. It is almost as if Matthew is ashamed of himself. We have all done things that we are ashamed of. If you haven’t, then you have never really examined your life. We are all sinners. We are inherently born sinners because of what our forefather Adam did. God told Adam:

Genesis 2:16-17 … the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God created mankind in love. God put Adam in a perfect place, and gave him a beautiful Eve. But Adam sinned. The Bible tells us that:

Romans 5:12 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Humanity is broken by sin. We cannot fix ourselves. We need the Lord.

Too many people think that salvation is a self help product for the religious. It is not. Jesus must save you. The manufacturer of humanity must change out our hearts – He will only do this if we will heed His call and follow Jesus!

I don’t know what my water bill is going to be this month – but I learned a lesson from it. As summertime approaches I got my old garden hose out to set up my garden. As the end with sprayer on it was broken I decided to “repair” it. I went down to Lowe’s and bought a repair couple r, came back, put it on my hose, turned on the water and watered my garden plot. Then I went inside. Guess what I forgot to do? Turn off the water. Sometime that evening the water pressure in the hose blew the couple r off, and water ran steady ALL NIGHT LONG. When I got up the next morning I could hear sounds from my bathroom water pipes. I quickly went outside, turned the water off, and hit myself in the head. I should have just bought a new hose. Too many people come to Church to put a couple r on their soul. They make the outside look good. They dress up, clean up, sing hymns. What we all need is not a man-made patch, but a new life from Jesus Christ.

We must follow Jesus to be blessed. You only get a new life when you follow Jesus. Matthew 9:13 (KJV) BUT GO YE and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.Choose life. Choose Jesus!

I believe that Jesus deliberately sought out Matthew, and called him to salvation. The Bible says:

Matthew 9:9 (KJV) … {Jesus} saw a man, named MATTHEW, …

This is not Matthew’s given name. We are told in Mark:

Mark 2:14 {Jesus} … saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom …

The man that Jesus saved was using the name “Matthew”, but he was born with the name of “Levi the son of Alphaeus”. The name “Matthew” means “a reward”. The name “Levi” means “attached to God”. Matthew underwent a name change. His father Alphaeus, on seeing the little baby born, he called him “Levi” because he wanted him to grow up and be attached to God. Every parent who loves the Lord wants their children to grow up and love the Lord. Yet at some point as he grew Levi drifted away from God. He drifted so far away that he chose to work for the Roman Empire as a “tax collector”. That’s what Matthew was doing when Jesus called him to salvation. Matthew had left his family, left his friends, left his upbringing. Matthew was seeking pleasure from money.

Money in itself is not evil, but the Bible says:

1 Timothy 6:6-10 … godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Money can be a snare, a trap. Matthew fell in love with money. He left all to seek riches – and was lost because of it. Matthew should have been Levi, but Levi traded what was best for the lesser. God should have been his reward. Instead, Matthew is off from his family. He is like the Prodigal Son who is eating the food fit only for the hogs. He is like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus saying:

Luke 18:18 (KJV)… Good Master, what shall I do to INHERIT eternal life?

His words are interesting. “How do I INHERIT eternal life?” An inheritance is only given to a relative of the deceased. Do you know how to INHERIT eternal life? You must die to self. The old man must die.
You must follow Jesus.

Jesus told the rich young ruler …

Luke 18:22 (KJV) … sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and COME, FOLLOW ME.

How do you have eternal life? You cannot let the things of this world be your reward, your gods, that which you live for. Whatever stands between you and God will damn you forever. Get rid of the gods. Get rid of anything that keeps you from your Creator. “Come, Follow Me” says Jesus.

Matthew 9:9 (KJV) … {Jesus} saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed Him.

I can only imagine how much money was on Matthew’s table. Matthew had money – but he wasn’t happy. He needed what we all need. Matthew needed Jesus. When Jesus said “Follow Me” Matthew didn’t question the command. He got up and followed Jesus. We are told in Luke’s account:

Luke 5:28 … {Matthew} left all, rose up, and followed {Jesus}.

Matthew followed Jesus. Where was Jesus going now? Jesus was going to Matthew’s home.

When you follow Jesus, Jesus comes into your home!

This is the way of salvation. Jesus tells you “follow Me”. Some of you have heard the Lord’s call and yet have never followed Him. You have let how others think of you control whether you go forward or not. You are prideful. You may not have a table filled with gold coins, but you have a table filled with pride. You cannot be half saved. You either surrender to Christ, or you don’t.

Salvation is unconditional surrender to Christ.
Salvation is unconditional surrender to Christ.
Salvation is unconditional surrender to Christ.

We are told in:

Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

James 4:6 But {God} giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

If you would be saved you must follow Jesus. If you want to be blessed you must follow Jesus. You cannot live your life to please others, nor to please yourself. You must follow Jesus.

There is another familiar story I am sure you have all heard, the Bible story of another Tax Collector named Zacchaeus. The name “Zacchaeus” means “Clean, Pure”, but this man was anything but clean and pure. He, like Matthew, chased after the god of money.

Luke 19:2-3 … Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

Zacchaeus went looking for Jesus by climbing a sycamore tree (Luke 19:4). As Jesus passed by He looked up, and told Zacchaeus:

Luke 19:5-6 … Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

Both Zacchaeus and Matthew did the same thing when they met Jesus. Neither man cared what anybody else thought. Jesus said “follow Me”, and they both followed Jesus. And Jesus went to both Matthew’s as well as Zacchaeus’ homes.

God Cannot Save Prideful Self Righteous People

God can save any sinner, no matter what sin you may have committed. There is no one Jesus cannot heal and no one Jesus cannot save – if you come to Him in faith. We are told in Matthew:

Matthew 9:10 (KJV) And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

Why were these “publicans and sinners” at Matthew’s home? We are told in Luke’s account:

Luke 5:29 (KJV) And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a GREAT COMPANY of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

Matthew (Levi) went home with Jesus that very day and invited all of his friends over to eat with him. If you have fallen in love with Jesus, you will share the love that you have experienced with others. Matthew invited his friends over – these sinners and tax collectors – and they all came.

But the self righteous came as well. We read:

Matthew 9:11 (KJV) And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

The only way that the Pharisees dealt with undesirables was to shun them, to walk away, to ignore them or to ostracize them. We often do this as a society. We put drug addicts in jail because we don’t know what to do with them. We should bring them to Jesus. All that self righteousness and self righteous people can do is CRITICIZE. If you want to help someone, take them to Jesus. That’s what Matthew did, and what we should do. Jesus replied to the Pharisees:

Matthew 9:12 (KJV) But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

The Surgeon cannot stand in a room apart from the one he is operating on. The Doctor must be with the patient if there is ever going to be healing. Our Lord Jesus came to heal the sick. Our Lord Jesus came to save the lost. He said:

Luke 5:32 (KJV) I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus came for the sinners. He came for those who are broken. He comes calling them, saying “Follow Me”.

Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

If you think that you are right before God Jesus did not come for you.

If you think you’ve got it all figured out,
Jesus does not say “Come, Follow Me” to you.

What did Jesus say to these Pharisees?

Matthew 9:13 (KJV) BUT GO YE and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

To Matthew, a sinner repenting Jesus said “Come” but to the self righteous Pharisee Jesus said “Go”. Christ has nothing for you if you think you are right before God. If you read:

Romans 3:23 (ESV) … for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …

and say “Not me. I’m good. I’m ready to meet God!” then Christ has nothing in you. Your righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) but you do not see nor smell your stench. Christ has nothing in you. Jesus says to you who think you are better than others:

GO YE and LEARN what that meaneth, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice”. Pharisee, you know your Bible. Go back to your Bible. Open it up. Look what God wrote in Hosea:

Hosea 6:4-7 (KJV) O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. 5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. 6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

God wants His people to know Him. God is the Gospel. The Gospel is not about ME, but about HE. I am broken, but He is not. He was broken so that I might be healed.

Jesus told the Pharisees “Go and learn. Read the Scripture. Read what God said in the Old Testament”. God does not desire sacrifices, but gave sacrifices for sin so that He could give MERCY.

What does God want of us?

To admit that we are ALL sinners who need Jesus!
Every moment of every day.

The Pharisees – the self righteous – are the WORST sinners. Their sin is worst because they do not see it. It is like the Box Jellyfish in the ocean. They swim to it, embrace it, and die in it. What is good?

Micah 6:8 (KJV) {God} hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Acknowledge your sin. Acknowledge you are a sinner, just as all are sinners. Acknowledge that only Christ can heal you of your sin. Then and only then will you hear Him say “Come, Follow Me”.

May God touch your hearts with His Word through His Spirit. Amen and Amen!

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God Is In His Heaven And On His Throne

Posted on April 17, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

When trials and tribulations come upon us, as humans we often ask:

Lord, Why did this happen to me?

If you have ever asked this question you’re not alone. King David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) asked God fifty one questions in the Psalms. David asked questions like:

Psalms 6:3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?

Psalms 13:1-2 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Psalms 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

The Psalms are called the Hebrew Hymnbook. They were put to music so that not only David could say these words, but God’s people could also ask the same questions. Trials come to us and often we do not understand why. As we go through this Covid-19 Pandemic some of you may have suffered the virus. There may have been good Christian people afflicted with the virus, while other brittle and unloving people escaped unscathed. You may be one who asks God,

How long will you forget me, O Lord? Forever?
How long will you hide Your face from me?

When David asked these questions at the front end of a Psalm, by the time he reached the end of the Psalm he rejoices in God, saying things like:

Psalm 13:5-6 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Trials Come To Both Children Of Light And Children Of Adam

God uses two things – TIME and TRIALS – to get our attention and make us consider our lives in the light of His Glory. God brings trials to people to

CONTROL history
to CALL the lost to salvation,
to CREATE faith in His Children,
and to impede the CURRENT of darkness.

God knows the destructiveness of sin, and sets LIMITS on the darkness. Just as firefighters sometimes fight fire with fire, there are times when God uses the darkness of trials against the darkness of sin. The sinful Jehoiakim and Judah will be hit with the sinful Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon – but God will still be in control!

As we examine the Book of Daniel, we read:

Daniel 1:1-2 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

Who attacked Judah? Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. But who caused this trial to come on Judah? The Scripture plainly tells us:

the Lord {אֲדֹנָי ʼĂdônây, (pronounced ad-o-noy’)} gave Jehoiakim king of Judah
into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand

Israel did not fall because they had weak rulers. Israel fell because Israel was not following God. The Scripture says:

Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Why are we as a nation suffering through this Pandemic? I believe it is because we have rejected the God Who so blessed us richly. God is in control. The powers that be are ordained of God (Romans 13:1). God either SENDS the trial or ALLOWS the trial. God is God. God is in control even in the midst of the trial.

When Nebuchadnezzar invaded Israel, God is in His Heaven and on His throne.
When Corona-virus invaded America, God is in His Heaven and on His throne.

God spoke through the Prophet saying:

Isaiah 45:6-7 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

The God of the Bible is in control. This is the God Whom I serve. When the apparent bad happens to the Child of God, our God is in His Heaven and on His throne. We know this to be true, which is why we can declare with confidence:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

All things work together for GOOD. Not that all things ARE GOOD, but that the Sovereign God Who is over us all causes all things to WORK TOGETHER for good. If you love God and are living for Christ, nothing … NOTHING is bad for you.

Several years ago I read a book The Other Side Of The Mountain, written by Joni Eareckson Tada. Joni suffered a diving accident when she was a teenager that made her into a quadriplegic. When asked by others “Why does God allow suffering?” her reply is, “God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” God loves people, and wants to be in a relationship with whosoever will. God uses trials like sheepdogs. A trained sheepdog will bark and snap at the feet of the sheep, driving them into a place of safety. The same sheepdog will chase off the wolf. Through trials God pushes us all toward salvation by faith in Him. Israel would not repent and turn to God. So God gave Israel over to Babylon. God moved the heart of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to order

Daniel 1:3-4 …. unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; 4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

God was working in the background to make sure those who loved Him were not destroyed in the invasion. He ordered that certain young children of Israel be kept safe, and adopted into the Kingdom of Babylon. Oh, how glorious the power of God! Oh, how wonderful is His eternal love!

Daniel 1:6-7 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

Daniel and his three friends were around fourteen years old when taken into exile. Our text describes these young people:

  • “Children in whom there was no blemish, but well favored”. These young people were BELIEVERS in God who LIVED THEIR FAITH. They were pleasant, well liked because they were not brittle.
  • “Skillful in wisdom and cunning in knowledge”. These four young people LISTENED when they were taught.
  • “Understanding Science” is actually mistranslated. A better translation would be “Having the ability to understand”. These four young men were not self absorbed nor narcissistic. The King wanted young people who were not arrogant, but teachable. I can only imagine how many children were killed because they were brats.

The Welwyn Commentary Series by Stuart Olyott states:

“The four boys would have been fourteen years old when their names were changed, for this was the age at which the Babylonians entered young people upon their programmer of re-education. They were to be given no rest until they had a thorough grasp of all that was required of them. That would be three years later. Stolen from their homes, told to forget their God, intensively re-educated in a pagan culture—how would these young boys fare? Would they remain true to their God, and to what they knew to be right? Or would they capitulate?”

When Trials Come WHO Owns You?
Fear? Panic? The World? Or God?

The Bible tells us that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are captured and taken from Israel. Transported from their families, they were carried 1678 miles from everything and everyone they loved. These four young men lost their fathers and mothers, their sisters and brothers, their Church and schools, their friends and girlfriends. They not only lost everything they had grown up knowing, these four young men lost their very names. The Bible says:

Daniel 1:7 .. {the prince of the eunuchs} gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

In the ancient world a name meant something. Parents today give their children names based upon their own fancy or fantasy. In the ancient world children were named as a goal, what their parents wanted them to be when they grew up. The Hebrew names of these four young men examined:

Daniel means “God is my Judge”
Hananiah means “God is Gracious”
Mishael means “Who is like God”
Azariah means “God helps”

These young men were names by Bible believing parents. They were trained as God commanded in the Book of …

Deuteronomy 6:4-15 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; 15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Adopted into the palace as servants of King Nebuchadnezzar these young men were purposely renamed to make them conform to the Babylonian false gods.

Daniel was renamed “Belteshazzar”, meaning “One favored by (the false god) Bel”
Hananiah was renamed “Shadrach”, meaning “servant of (the false god) Sin”
Mishael was renamed “Meshach”, meaning “guest of the king”
Azariah was renamed “Abednego”, meaning “servant of (the false god) Nebo”

What was done to these young men was an attempt to brainwash them, to make them over in the image of darkness. The devil’s world is constantly trying to take away the Christian’s name, our identity in Christ. It amazes me as I go back and watch old television shows how the devil started indoctrinating us, making us consider that which is abnormal as normal, that which is darkness as light, and that which is evil as good. The world pushes the mind of the believer into a state of compromise.

We must turn off the indoctrination, and turn on the Bible. We must do as these four young men did:

Romans 12:2 … be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Daniel was given another name, but we read in verse 8

But Daniel …

Not “but Belteshazzar”, but it says “But DANIEL”. Daniel did not lose his identity. He kept his eyes on God. Daniel knew that “God is my Judge”, and he purposed in his heart that he would stay faithful to the God Who loved him.

Beloved believers, we cannot compromise with the world. We are warned by …

James 4:4 … know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We are to love those around us as we would be loved. We are to treat others with the respect that God calls us to treat all with. Yet we are never to normalize sin, nor make darkness out to be light. Love the sinner, but cry out against the sin. Remember that as Christians our allegiance is first and foremost to God.

Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Daniel looked UP! This was how he was trained, and how he continued.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel PURPOSED in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.

Daniel put God first. If you are a believer in Christ you are to put God first. God’s love to you is to be more than any other love. What did Jesus say?

Matthew 22:37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

With ALL. God is to have ALL of your heart. Not just the leftovers. You are to love God more than anyone else. Jesus told us:

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

God must be first. Seek ye first he Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). Because Daniel did this God worked in the life of his superior, the prince of the Eunuchs. The Bible says:

Daniel 1:9 NOW GOD had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

God brought Daniel into favor with the Prince Melzar. In fact, this prince loved Daniel just as if he were his own child. He was a eunuch, a man unable to have children, unable to know the joy of fatherhood. God planted love in that man’s heart – not creepy perverted love but the love of a father toward a son. Daniel didn’t demand, nor was he ugly in any way to his boss. He asked Melzar …

Daniel 1:12-13 … Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulsevegetables to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

Daniel humbled himself to both God and to Melzar in the midst of the trial. When we humble ourselves and let God be God, it is then that God can bless us.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

The Bible says that Melzar

Daniel 1:14-16 … consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

Several years ago I preached to Riverview the following words. Little did I know that the words would become prophetic. I said:

“A storm is coming to our country, a hurricane greater than anything that has ever been seen. Tie everything up as tightly as you can in your faith with God. Seek out His Word daily, and pray to Him as you go through your day.”

The storm is now here. Are you prepared? If not, let’s start. Repent, turn back to God. Look upward to him Who loves you so. Purpose in your hearts that you will be salt and light every day. Live so as to hear the applause of God. Bind yourselves to your Creator and Savior with the twin golden cords of Grace and His Gospel. God loves you – He loved you so much that He gave His life for you. God loves you still – the grave could not hold Him. He walks with His people, even in the midst of national failure.

He walks with us right now.

Daniel and his three friends not only lived through their exiles, they flourished through it. I am praying that this Covid-19 Pandemic will leave in its wake an awakened Church, and a people willing to shine for the Lord Jesus Christ every day. I am praying that many lost souls will discover the joy of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Beloved, as C.H. Spurgeon said:

Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!

May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen!

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Are You Listening, America?

Posted on April 12, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Daniel 5:25 (KJV) And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Many years ago there was a Sunday when my Pastor was going on vacation. He asked me to fill in for him. I was a young preacher – only 38 years old – and very nervous as I prepared that early message. I prayed and sought God’s face. The Lord put this text on my heart. I preached it that Sunday, and the following week the Pastor called me into his office to ….

…chew me out.

He told me that one of the “elders” of the Church said I was speaking in tongues during the services, and that speaking in tongues was not allowed in a Baptist Church. If I were more seasoned in the Word of God I would have quoted the Apostle, who said:

1 Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

I’ve never spoken in tongues while preaching. I always try (though I am often unsuccessful) to make my words clear and understandable. The elder who claimed I was speaking in tongues heard me quote Daniel 5:25, our focal text. The words Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsinwere written on a wall by a disembodied hand – a clear miracle from God.

and he thought I was speaking in tongues. I guess I was speaking in tongues. For I would not know what those words meant had God not given an interpretation of them. The words that were written on the wall by a disembodied hand, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. God spoke clearly to the King, but the King would not hear what the Lord said.

America, are you reading “the handwriting on the wall”? Are you getting what God is telling us through this Covid-19 pandemic? As I heard Barney Fife say the other day on that grand old classic, The Andy Griffith Show:

“Let’s blow away the smoke and read the handwriting on the wall”

What are we seeing as we go through this Covid-19 pandemic? I was reading the news on the Internet today, where several media outlets are breathlessly proclaiming:

“Unemployment Shatters Records”
“One Hundred Days That Changed The World”
“President Trump Threatens To Remove Funding From WHO”

We are in a time of national distress because a tiny virus has invaded our sense of security. Can we “blow away the smoke and read the handwriting on the wall”? America, we need the Lord! We need to repent as a nation, repent as the Church, and turn to wholeheartedly following the Lord Who loves us and gave Himself for us. Not tomorrow – TODAY.

The Powers That Be Are Ordained Of God

I love studying the Old Testament. I love the whole Bible, but there are many great truths that apply to our world today. The Book of Daniel has great truths that we need to mine as we go through this time of national testing.

Imprisoned for preaching the faith of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul wrote the Roman Church (and us):

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Every power – every President, King, Potentate, or Prime Minister that gets into office or sits on a throne is ordained of God. God is ultimately in control.

We don’t want to hear this, but it is Biblically true. During President Obama’s 8 year term in office I heard self professing Christians make disparaging remarks. Beloved, President Obama was in office because the Lord our God allowed it. President Trump is now in office because the lord our God has allowed it. We vote in America. We have an Electoral College in America. We elect Representatives and Senators to our state and federal Legislatures. Yet the powers that be are ordained of God. The Apostle Peter, often antagonized for preaching the Gospel of Christ, wrote:

1 Peter 2:13-15 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God…

Several pastors throughout our nation are ignoring social distancing and guidelines established by the Governors of their state. They are doing so in violation of God’s Will. The powers that be are ordained of God … and we are to submit ourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake. If the state were to tell us what to preach or how to preach we as God’s people are to “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). But when Governors enact laws to protect the citizens of their states, laws equally applied to churches as well as businesses, then we are under obligation to obey.

The powers that be are ordained of God!

Now let’s head back to our Daniel text. The Book of Daniel was written by a man who believed in and loved the Lord our God. This Book was written after Israel – a nation whom God loves – departed from following the Lord our God. God warned Israel before they drifted that there would be consequences if they departed from Him.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

God spoke to Israel, but Israel would not hear Him. Do not deceive yourself. God is not mocked: for whatever you sow, you shall also reap (Galatians 6:7). Are you listening, Israel? Are you listening, America? Will you blow away the smoke and look at the writing on the wall? Israel didn’t listen, so God allowed Babylon to attack and destroy Israel. Daniel survived because he trusted in God. That’s why Daniel was able to write this Book.

Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took over Israel. Why? The powers that be are ordained of God. Nebuchadnezzar reigned because God allowed him to reign. Donald Trump now reigns because God allows him to reign. Barach Obama reigned because God allowed him to reign. The powers that be are ordained of God.

Now turn with me in your Bibles to Daniel chapter 4. In Daniel chapter 4 King Nebuchadnezzar (the king of Babylon) has a dream.

Daniel 4:5-6 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

The dream frightens the King, so he initially turns to every source but God. That’s what most of us do. When something frightening happens we turn to doctors, lawyers, professionals, hospitals, bankers, whatever. Nebuchadnezzar turned to magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers (verse 7) and got no answer.

Then Nebuchadnezzar called on Daniel. Daniel loved the Lord. Though the king had given Daniel a pagan name, Daniel’s heart was still firmly fixed on God. Daniel lived for the Lord. “I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works.” (Psalm 9:1). The King told Daniel his dream:

Daniel 4:10-15 … I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13 … behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth…

When Daniel heard the dream he studied on it for about an hour, I believe, praying to the Lord our God. At the end of that time Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 4:20-22 … The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that God was going to take away his throne, but leave the nation Babylon intact. The dream was a warning to this proud king. Change your ways and honor God, the God Who gave you this kingdom, or suffer loss. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 4:27 … break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.

The judgment of God could be averted if Nebuchadnezzar would REPENT and do as God directed. But if Nebuchadnezzar continued to ignore God, continued to puff himself up, and hold himself above the way of Christ, then he would suffer.

Beloved, God loves you. God loves us all. But God is ultimately in control. For the longest time our country has enjoyed the blessings of Heaven. We are the richest nation on earth, with unprecedented freedoms, freedoms that other people in other nations only dream of. The powers that be are ordained of God. Having so much, we have enjoyed the bounty of God, but have despised God and His Word. Now we are limping. Now we are suffering. Would that we would – as a nation – turn back to God.

Nebuchadnezzar heard Daniel’s words, but did nothing about the situation. He ignored the wisdom of the preacher. A year passed and nothing happened. Then Nebuchadnezzar walked into the palace one day, saying:

Daniel 4:30 … Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

The king ascribed to himself the glory for his kingdom. He ignored God’s Word. God waited patiently for the king to repent, and he would not.

Daniel 4:31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

King Nebuchadnezzar went mad that very day. The Bible says in verse 33, that King Nebuchadnezzar was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. He stayed in this state until

Daniel 4:34-37 … I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me … 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

When he was proud and lifted up, Nebuchadnezzar was like a wild animal in the field. He remained in this state for seven years. But once he looked heavenward and acknowledge that God alone is King, then he was blessed.

The powers that be are ordained of God.
There is no power but that of God.

The Truth Does Not Change With Time

As we move from Daniel chapter 4 to Daniel chapter 5 twenty-five years have passed. Belshazzar is now King in Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar is called his “father” (verse 2). The word translated “father” is the Arabic word אַב ʼab, (pronounced ab), which can mean “father” or in this case “descendant of or ancestor” (see Ezra 4:15; 5:12). Belshazzar was in the lineage of Nebuchadnezzar, perhaps his great-great-great grandson.

People are always telling me that truth changes with time. “That was back then, pastor, but this is now”. Truth is timeless. What was truth a million years ago is just as true today. God does not change – EVER. “I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). What God told Nebuchadnezzar is just as true for Belshazzar.

Nebuchadnezzar didn’t listen to God.
Belshazzar didn’t listen to God.
The powers that be are ordained of God.
There is no power but that of God.
Are YOU listening, America?

Daniel 5:1-2 (KJV) Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

Belshazzar had a party, and selected 1000 “Lords” to attend that party. At the party they drank, and drank, and drank. Then Belshazzar had an idea. “When Nebuchadnezzar was King he robbed the Temple in Jerusalem, and had some great silver and gold vessels taken. Let’s get those and drink out of them.”

Belshazzar robbed God, and redefined what God made for his own purposes. America has done the same thing. We have redefined marriage, taking it out of God’s design into something else. We have redefined life, making abortion the law of the land, contrary to God’s decree. We have redefined morality, and now endorse sexual pleasure prior to Biblical marriage. We have taken the vessels that God meant for His worship and have filled them to the brim with liquid pleasure. We have worshiped the gods of money, sports, Hollywood, news media:

Daniel 5:4 (KJV) They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Are you listening? Will you repent? God watched and waited. The Bible says that God is long suffering, patient, and kind. Time passes, and we feel that God isn’t watching. God is there. God is here. God is watching. The Bible warns:

Romans 2:3-6 thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds …

Sooner or later a payday comes. Payday is here, King Belshazzar. The King would not listen, so now God gets his attention in a very visible way.

Daniel 5:5-6 (KJV) In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

What did the King do? He did the same thing King Nebuchadnezzar did. He “cried out for the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers” (Verse 7). These wise men couldn’t do anything about it. Why? Because they had no contact with the God of the Bible. But then the Queen of Babylon told her husband about Daniel, and how Daniel had helped Nebuchadnezzar. So Belshazzar calls for Daniel and tells the old believer:

Daniel 5:16 (KJV) And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

I love Daniel’s words to the King. He wasn’t about to receive anything from Belshazzar. He told the King

Daniel 5:17 (KJV) … Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

“You can keep your STUFF. I don’t want it. But I’ll tell you what these words mean”. Before Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall he tells the King that all that Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar has, they have from God. Daniel then scolds Belshazzar, saying:

Daniel 5:22-23 … O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven…

God Has The Right To Judge His Creation

I was reading an article written by Capitol Ministries entitled “Is God Judging America Today?” In that article the author noted:

“Five forms of God’s judgment are repeatedly mentioned in the Bible. They are as follows: 1. Eternal Wrath (Hell), 2. Eschatological Wrath (The Day of the Lord), 3. Cataclysmic Wrath (The Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah), 4. Forsaking Wrath (Removing Restraint), 5. Consequential Wrath (Sowing and Reaping).”

Belshazzar walked away from God (forsaking), so God walked away from Belshazzar. America, have you walked away from God? America, are you listening? Daniel tells King Belshazzar:

Daniel 5:25-26 (KJV) And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

The word MENE מְנֵא (pronounced men-A) is Aramaic, not Hebrew, and means “You have been NUMBERED”. God has closely examined you and your nation. God didn’t just closely examine Belshazzar ONCE, but note that MENE is repeated twice. God closely examined Belshazzar and his kingdom TWICE. What did God determine from this numbering?

Daniel 5:27 (KJV) TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

תְּקַל tĕqal is also an Aramaic word, and it means “to weigh a thing”. The ancients weighed things on a balance beam. On one side a known and true weight was placed, and on the other side the item to be weighed was placed. Belshazzar, you just don’t measure up. Then God gives His judgment:

Daniel 5:28 (KJV) PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

God raised up another Kingdom that would overthrow Babylon. First the Medes under Darius would overthrow Babylon and kill Belshazzar, and later the Persian empire will join with the Medes to rule Babylon. God would raise up first King Darius

Daniel 5:30-31 (KJV) In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

and Darius would keep Daniel as a high ranking adviser in his kingdom. Daniel would be protected for he trusted in God. Belshazzar would lose his life, along with his kingdom, because he neither loved God nor respected the Father’s authority. The Bible tells us that “If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31).

America, are you listening? Church, are you listening? Today we are confronting a global pandemic. What will we do? Will we repent, and turn to following the God of Scripture? Will we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving Him as Savior? Will we follow His leadership? Let us as His people and His nation heed the ancient lesson of Scripture.

The powers that be are ordained of God. There is no power but that of God. May God the Holy Spirit and His Word draw you close to the Eternal Father, in Christ’s name I pray. Amen and Amen.

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Resurrection Changes Everything

Posted on April 12, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Luke 24:1-12 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Christians disagree on many different things. As we study God’s Word we often have different interpretations of different texts. Sometimes these disagreements are so severe (or so we think) that we have divided ourselves up into what we call “denominations” (and don’t fool yourself – a “non-denominational” church is still a “denomination”). Christians even disagree about the day that Christ was crucified. Many believe that the Lord was crucified on “Good Friday”. Others, like me, disagree. I do not see how Jesus could have been crucified and Friday, and resurrect on Sunday, and yet His direct statement be true, for Jesus said:

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus referenced Jonah 1:17 when referring to His death and resurrection. I just don’t see how you can get “three days and three nights” from dying on Friday and rising early in the morning on the first day of the week (see Luke 24:1). So we as Christians disagree on when our Lord died. We disagree as to the permanence of salvation (I believe when you are genuinely saved, Christ keeps you). We disagree on the methods of water baptism (I believe in immersion, whereas others believe in sprinkling or pouring). We disagree on what version of Scripture to use, and we disagree …. well, I could go on and on, but I won’t.

We are humans, fallible, and thus we have points of disagreement. But if you are a Christian then we ALL agree that:

  • Jesus Christ – Eternal God Who became Perfect Man, died for our sins, and that
  • Jesus Christ rose from the grave on the third day, which was specifically “the first day of the week” (Luke 24:1)

The Resurrection of Christ changes everything.

The Resurrection Changes Our View Of Death

Luke 24:1-3 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Very early in the morning on the first day of the week the Bible tells us that Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James along with other women (Luke 24:10) came to the tomb of our Lord Jesus. Jesus had been crucified on the day before a high Sabbath (John 19:31), and the women had hastily prepared His body for burial. The soldiers knew that Jesus was dead, for the Bible tells us:

John 19:33-35 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

When blood separates from the plasma or water in the blood it is sure proof that a person has died. Jesus was dead.

Joseph of Arimathaea a very wealthy follower of Christ sought out the governor Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. (John 19:38). He along with the influential Nicodemus,

John 19:39-40 … brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Jesus’ body was prepared hastily, before the sunset, for the High Sabbath of Passover was at hand (Luke 23:7-16). Now it’s Sunday, the first day of the week.

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, {the women} came unto the {tomb}, bringing the spices which they had prepared {to finish embalming Christ’s body}, and certain others with them.

The women come back to our Lord’s Tomb “with spices they prepared” to better prepare Jesus’ body for the tomb. They expected to see an armed guard and a sealed door. They found nothing that they expected.

Jesus wasn’t there!

There were, however, two men in shining garments. I believe these were two angels who looked like men. Why two? Because God pays attention to details. He said in the Old Testament:

Deuteronomy 19:15 … at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Two angels were witnesses – though only one spoke. We are told in Matthew 28:5 that it is an angel who spoke to the women. The angel said:

Luke 24:5-7 … Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

What Jesus said, JesLuke 24:44-48 These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.us meant. Jesus keeps His Word!

Jesus had repeatedly told those who followed Him that He must be crucified, and on the third day rise again. Read with me our Lord’s Words:

Luke 9:22 {Jesus said} The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY.

Luke 9:43-45 {Jesus} said unto his disciples, 44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. 45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Luke 18:31-33 {Jesus} took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: AND THE THIRD DAY HE SHALL RISE AGAIN.

Jesus told them over and over again – nevertheless the Bible says “they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not”. What “hid this saying” from them was their own humanity. It is not normal human experience to see someone die, be laid to rest in a grave three days, then that person come back from the dead. They heard, but did not process it. It was only after the angel reminded them of Jesus’ words that:

Luke 24:8-9 … they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

Understanding Jesus had risen, now these women became the first “missionaries” of the Gospel. These women went and told the Apostles what had happened:

Luke 24:11-12 … And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

The Apostles did not believe what the women said. It is ironic that – though Jesus had raised three people from the dead:

a widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17)
a ruler’s daughter (Luke 8:49-56)
and Lazarus His friend (John 11:38-44)

they could not fathom He Himself rising from the grave. Sometimes it’s like the old saying, “seeing is believing”. You can be told over and over again but never fully appreciate it until you encounter it yourself. Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and this completely changes our view of life and death. The resurrection is intrinsic to the Christian faith. The Apostle preached:

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen …

The actual death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very foundation of the Gospel of salvation. You cannot be saved unless you believe Christ both DIED then ROSE AGAIN. Jesus walked on this earth for forty days following His death and resurrection. He was SEEN by many who, in turn, were willing to die affirming that they saw a Living Savior. The Apostle Paul said:

1 Corinthians 15:17-22 … if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

In order to be “saved” a person must “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD” (Romans 10:9-10). Without the resurrection death is still man’s greatest enemy. But since Christ has conquered death we can say with the Apostle:

1 Corinthians 15:55

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The Resurrection Changes Our View Of God

Right after the Angel testifies that Christ is risen, and the women go and tell the unbelieving Apostles, we read of two others on the Emmaus Road. These are two disciples, one of whom is Cleopas. They are walking the seven mile road between Jerusalem and Emmaus, and are sad. We read:

Luke 24:15-17 … while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

Why did Jesus draw near to these two men, and not the eleven Apostles that were back in Jerusalem? I believe it was because they were sad, low of spirit. They saw Jesus – the great hope of Israel – die on the cruel Cross of Calvary. Didn’t our Jesus say:

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

And are we not promised:

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Jesus asks these men why they are so sad, Cleopas says that what saddens them is …

Luke 24:19-24 19 … Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

These men saw Jesus as many see Him today – a Great Prophet, a Great Teacher, a Great Man. They thought that Jesus was going to redeem Israel from Rome but, alas, Jesus was crucified by the leadership of Judaism. Cleopas says “the women didn’t find His body, but said that angels told them He was risen … but we couldn’t find Him!”

Beloved, the women couldn’t find Jesus because they were looking in the wrong place. These men couldn’t find Jesus because they were looking for the wrong Person.
But Jesus found them!

Jesus Christ is not found in a tomb. And Jesus is no mere Prophet. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15). These men’s eyes were blinded to Christ because they expected a simple King, a simple Prophet, a simple Man to lead Israel away from Rome. God is more than that. Jesus is more than that. Jesus Christ came to redeem His people Israel, to redeem all that will believe on Him as Lord and Savior. When Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist saw his newborn child he cried out:

Luke 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people

Zacharias saw the birth of his son John and the impending birth of Jesus Christ as redemption from Roman dominance. But Jesus Christ came to redeem Israel from a far greater enemy. Jesus redeemed His people from the sacrificial Law, being the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29):

Galatians 3:13-14 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus has also redeemed us from sin and iniquity:

Titus 2:13-14 … our Savior Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

We who are His are redeemed from ritual worship and religion, so that we can walk with the Risen Savior:

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Jesus Christ redeemed us from circumcision and ceremonial laws and rituals that have no lasting effect. He purchased us with His Blood so that we can become Sons of God by faith in Him. Jesus corrects these two men, saying:

Luke 24:25-27 O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus gave these men a Bible class. He took them to the Old Covenant Scriptures and showed them how each of the rituals of the law were but shadows that foretold the coming of the Messiah. We no longer practice ritual sacrifices because Jesus Christ took their place. We no longer practice ceremonial abstinence from certain foods, for what God has declared clean, do not call it unclean (Acts 10:13-15). We no longer practice ritual circumcision, because in Christ their is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

As Jesus explains these wonderful truths Cleopas and his friend arrive at home, and they invite the Lord to eat with them. As of yet they do not know this is Jesus. But we read:

Luke 24:30-32 … as {Jesus} sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Beloved, Jesus is risen, and is with His people. We need not fear – for He is near to each and every one of us!

The Resurrection Changes Our Witness

Cleopas and his friend nearly run the 7 miles back to Jerusalem. Like the women at the tomb of Christ they can hardly wait to share the news: Jesus is alive! The Bible says:

Luke 24:36-43 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

If it seems that the Apostles were somewhat hard to convince concerning Christ’s resurrection, the truth is I believe each one of us – if we had gone through what they went through – would have been just as difficult. Jesus told them:

Luke 24:44-48 These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

Now that the Apostles had experienced the Risen Savior they were now empowered to preach Him among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Jesus Christ came to save all people from sin, death, and the grave. He is the Risen Savior. We are to preach repentance and remission of sins in His Name – through His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus Christ is alive! He is alive, and leads His Church this very day.

The resurrection of Christ changes things. It even changed the day the Church met. Prior to Christ God’s Israel worshiped and rested on Saturday. But since Christ rose from the grave on the first day of the week, Sunday became the New Testament Church’s Sabbath Worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; John 20:19; John 20:1). Jesus Christ is alive. The devil could not stop Him. The Pharisees could not destroy Him. Death could not keep Him. The grave could not hold Him.

Jesus Christ is alive! He is alive! Do you know Him? Do you know my Jesus? If not, may God the Holy Spirit and His precious Word open your eyes to see Him this very day. Amen and amen!

Posted in Easter Messages, Empty Tomb, Luke, Sermons Preached | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Prayer For A Fallen Nation

Posted on April 8, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash

Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel Chapter Nine. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, DANIEL. As you’re turning to Daniel 9 I want to talk about prayer. As is our custom, Riverview has a Prayer Meeting and Bible study on Wednesday nights. The Church should be full of praying believers. The Bible is a Book full of prayers.

Jabez prayed (1 Chronicles 4:10)
Moses prayed (Exodus 32:9-14)
The virgin Mary prayed (Luke 1:46-49)
The Publican prayed (Luke 18:13)
Our Lord Jesus both taught prayer and Himself prayed
(Matthew 6:9-13)

Before Jesus went to Calvary to save His Church, He prayed that “we would be One as He and the Father are One (John 17:11). Jesus prayed that His Church would be One with the Triune God:

John 17:21 That THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Though we as Christ’s Church are separated by quarantine from the pandemic Covid-19, though we may be physically apart we can still be spiritually one. I believe as Christ’s Church wherever it may be goes through this time of testing, that at the other end of the tunnel we will be stronger, more united in Christ Jesus. Jesus taught us that “a house divided cannot stand” (Mark 3:25; Matthew 12:25). The Church – like Israel – derives its power from unity with God and with one another. Prayer and Bible Study is so very important.

When the Christian prays according to God’s Word we center ourselves on God. Beloved, we as Christians are desperately needed to be centered on our God as we go through this great national trial.

Daniel FREQUENTLY Prayed

Daniel 6:10 …. {Daniel} kneeled upon his knees THREE TIMES a day, and PRAYED, and GAVE THANKS before his God, as he did aforetime.

No one could stop Daniel from praying. Daniel not only PRAYED, but he PRAISED. He sought God in prayer, but exalted God in his praise!

Have YOU thanked God for Covid-19?
Have you thanked God for the quarantine?
There is a reason for this quarantine, and our God is still in control.
Though Daniel was in captivity, cut off from Israel, he still prayed and thanked God for what he was going through.

When you pray, God will speak to you. He spoke to Daniel, and as God revealed what was coming it physically affected Daniel. The Bible says:

Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

When a nation drifts away from God, it brings a curse upon itself. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 33:12 … Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

America, we need to get back to God.
Tennessee, we need to get back to God.
Columbia, we need to get back to God.
Church, we need to get back to God.

How Did Daniel Pray?

  • Daniel focused on God in prayer. He deliberately prayed.

Daniel 9:3-4 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession

I love the way he says this: “I set my face unto the Lord God” (‘Adonay Elohiym) – the Godhead. His focus was not on others to solve the problem, but on the Lord Who saved him. Daniel calls God “The Godhead Who is Lord”, but in verse 4 addresses God as “the LORD my God” (Yahweh Elohiym) – the Godhead Who is the Eternal I AM. Our God is the ever Present God. He is always I AM, never I WAS or I WILL BE. He is with us, watching over His children by faith. Daniel made his confession. The Bible tells us that:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is the first part of prayer – confession of sin. Notice how Daniel confessed sin:

Daniel 9:4-6 … O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Daniel did not play “the blame game” with God. He confessed his sins. He confessed the sins of his nation. He exalted God while confessing sin. He acknowledged that the mess the nation was in was because we have not listened to our faithful and loving God. The Scripture declares:

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Deuteronomy 7:9 … the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God …

Covid-19 may be ravaging our country, but it’s cause is not that God is faithless, or that God is absent. God is there. God is always with us. But when we reject His Word and His Spirit bad things happen. Daniel prayed:

Daniel 9:11-13 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, EVEN BY DEPARTING, that they might not obey thy voice; THEREFORE THE CURSE IS POURED UPON US, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.  [12]  And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.  [13]  As it is written in the law of Moses, ALL THIS EVIL IS COME UPON US: YET MADE WE NOT OUR PRAYER BEFORE THE LORD OUR GOD, THAT WE MIGHT TURN FROM OUR INIQUITIES, and understand thy truth.

Trials come upon us when we reject God’s leading. God warned Israel not to depart from His leadership. When we reject His Word, we automatically do something that brings badness to our front door. God said:

Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, TO OBSERVE TO DO ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES WHICH I COMMAND THEE this day, that ALL THESE CURSES SHALL COME UPON THEE, AND OVERTAKE THEE:   … [20] The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Daniel did not blame others. Politics in our country has elevated itself to a place that previously was held only by religion. Politicians are constantly blaming “the other side”. Beloved, we are one country in distress. The blame game does nothing but lie to cover our own sins. Daniel prayed:

Daniel 9:5 WE HAVE SINNED, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even BY DEPARTING FROM THY PRECEPTS AND FROM THY JUDGMENTS:

Daniel didn’t pray “THEY have sinned” but prayed “WE have sinned”. The beginning of national healing comes when we realize we are all at fault – and return to God.

We are the United States TOGETHER. We are the Church of Christ TOGETHER. We must not compromise God’s Word, but be the light that our Lord calls us to be. What did Jesus say?

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

  • Daniel acknowledged his weakness, that God alone is God. So often we hear God’s Word and say “Yes Lord, BUT”. Daniel prayed:

Daniel 9:7-8 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

The best prayer is the prayer that says, “God, I don’t know what to do. Please be God and tell me. Your servant is listening!”

I have often stood outside at night and looked at a beautiful, full moon. Have you ever thought that, if the moon were to depart from the sun, it would have no glow, and would not be seen from the earth. The light of the Church is God’s Son. The light of the Church is to imitate the Word. Not the WORLD, but the WORD.

  • Daniel acknowledged the righteousness of God, and asked for mercy upon the nation.

Daniel 9:14-17 Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. 17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.

As Daniel prayed, he refereed to various Biblical texts:

Leviticus 26:40
Deuteronomy 28:64
Exodus 34:6
Psalm 44:14
Jeremiah 25:11

Daniel was a man who studied the Word of God. Jesus has told us that (John 15:3) “you are clean through the Word I have spoken unto you”. Jesus said:

John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and MY WORDS abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

God’s people are called to pray and heed God’s Word.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from THEIR WICKED WAYS; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

  • Daniel pleaded the glory of God throughout his prayer. He prayed:

Daniel 9:18-19 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Daniel asked that God grant a positive answer to his prayer for the glory of God. Everything we do is to be for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

The model prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ taught us in Matthew 6 begins and ends with glory to God:

Matthew 6:9-10, 13 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. … 13 … For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

As we pray we acknowledge that we belong to God, and give glory to His Name. We come together to glorify Him. We praise Him here – and out there. The glory of the Lord is our strength.

1 Chronicles 16:28-29 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

As Daniel ended his prayer we know that it was heard of God, for the Lord sent Gabriel to Daniel. He brought a vision to Daniel, telling Daniel “you are greatly Beloved of God” (Daniel 9:23). Daniel was allowed to look into the future, and to see the coming of the Messiah, and His death on Calvary. God led Daniel to a deeper place of blessing, and used Daniel for His glory.

As we go through this time of quarantine let us all commit to being people of prayer. Let us read our Lord’s Word, and trust Him. I believe America has better days to come. But if they will come, they will only come if God’s people are focused on Him and His glory.

Oh that God would bring national revival to America! May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit.

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Turn To Jesus (Red Letters Series #18)

Posted on April 6, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Matthew 8:1-2, 5-6 When {Jesus} was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper {to Jesus}… 5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord …

A leper and a Centurion. The two couldn’t be further apart. The Centurion was in charge of a “Centuria”, a group of 80 to 100 trained warriors. A Roman by birth, the Centurion was not ill, but had a beloved servant who was ill.

On the other hand the leper is an unknown Jewish man, for Jesus tells him to “shew thyself to the priest” once he was cured.

Neither man would normally have anything in common. They were as different as black and white. What united these men was that they had been afflicted by sickness, and both men sought Jesus Christ to relieve them. Sickness has the power to unite. Sickness is a time for a person to stop wasting their lives on frivolous things, a time to look for Jesus for blessing.

Both Of These Men Came To The Right Place

As the Coronavirus ravages our nation people are frantically searching.

Some are searching for bread and milk, food items.
Others are searching for toilet paper.
Medical scientists are searching for cures.
Politicians are searching for someone to blame so they can be reelected.
Television Networks are searching for horrific stories.
“If it bleeds, it leads” – there is money in blood.

The other day I lost my keys. I have ALL my keys on a fob. I had been outside working in my shop (which has a locked door). When I finished what I was doing I locked the door of my shop (I need no keys for that) then went back into the house. Later that day I needed to go get groceries. So I went to get my keys so I could start the car …. NO KEYS! Where did I put them? I searched frantically, then thought “maybe I locked them in my workshop”. I borrowed my wife’s keys, went outside, and turned the workshop upside down. No keys! None! It was hopeless! Hopeless! Then my wife asked a simple question:

“What coat were you wearing when you were in your shop?”

Bam! I realized that’s where those keys were. I went and found where I hung up my coat and, amazingly, there were the keys. They were there all the time, not far from me, and not actually hiding. My world was restored. What does this have to do with our message today?

The world is frantically searching for a fix for this terrible virus that has ascended on us all. The key to our problem is not far from us. The key to our problem is God, and specifically Jesus Christ. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

The solution to our problem – every solution to every problem – is the God Who is with us. We need God to guide the scientists as they seek out a cure. We need God to guide the store managers and the shoppers so that we do not consume ourselves. We need God to cure our politicians of Partisan myopia, and to start caring for this nation and it’s people. Our God is “a very present Help in times of trouble”. If people would look up, and call upon the Name of the Lord, our God can guide us through this current mess.

Here is a hard truth you may not like to hear. The God of Scripture is Sovereign. God is in control of all things. Though God may not be the first cause of tragedy, nothing happens that God does not allow to happen.

  • When the plague of lice came upon Egypt, and “all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt” Pharaoh called on his wise men. These “magicians” told Pharaoh:

Exodus 8:19 THIS is THE FINGER of GOD

Pharaoh didn’t want to hear this, and many of you don’t want to hear this. It is easier to make this out a military experiment gone awry, or a terrorist attack, or something even more sinister. Even Christians will make this out to be “the work of the devil”. So it may be, but even so, it is something nonetheless allowed by our Sovereign God. You don’t think so? Let me give you examples.

  • Who brought the worldwide flood in Noah’s day? God!

Genesis 6:17 {God told Noah} behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

  • Who brought famine to Egypt? God!

Genesis 41:25, 27 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. … seven years of famine.

  • Who brought a famine on Israel during David’s reign? God!

2 Samuel 24:15-16 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough…

  • Who brought famine to the land when Elisha was Prophet? God!

2 Kings 8:1 Then spake Elisha … the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

Our God is Sovereign. The Bible says:

Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

Our God “works all things according to the council of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). If you are a Christ follower then you know what the Scripture says:

Romans 8:28 … we know that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD to THEM THAT LOVE GOD, to them who are called according to His purpose ..

The Bible does not say that God is in control of ONLY certain things. ALL THINGS work together for the Christ follower’s good. All things. Through Isaiah God speaks:

Isaiah 45:7-9 … I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. 9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

The Leper Came To The Right Place In The Right Way

Matthew 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

If you think you have it bad, look at the leper. This terrible disease has destroyed his flesh. He has lost both home and business, family and friends. Leprosy was so contagious that God told Israel:

Leviticus 13:45-46 … the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. 46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

Leprosy as a disease is not particularly painful – in fact, it destroys nerves in the body. What makes leprosy so bad is the isolation. The leper was not only self quarantined, but he or she had to shout “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN” as they traveled about to keep healthy people from coming near. Talk about social distancing! The leper lost friends, family, business – everything.

There ARE things worst than death!

The leper came to Jesus before He reached Capernaum, as he was not allowed it the city as a leper. We read

Matthew 8:2 … there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

With all that he lost the leper came worshiping Jesus. Not complaining, not bitter, but worshiping. The Bible tells us:

Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh Who dwelt among us (John 1:14). Instead of WORRY try WORSHIP. In worship we praise God for the good things He has given us. Every day the Lord gives us life.

Isaiah 12:5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

Psalm 95:1-6 O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. 6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

We are to bow down and trust in God. To thank Him for all that He has given us. The Bible tells us that God said (Proverbs 8:13) “pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate”. Pride tells the Creator that He is created. It tells God that we are god, not Him. Pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Many come to Christ demanding things. We expect God to wait on us, to serve us. God said:

Jeremiah 50:31-32 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. 32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.

This sounds so much like the America I live in today. God blessed us with great prosperity – and we cursed Him. God blessed us with great health care – and we mocked Him. God gave us food so plenteous that most Americans are overweight. We ignore Him. Our comedians make fun of God. If we think of God, it is only as an afterthought. Oh Beloved, it must cease!

The Churches that Christ died for need to stop taking Him for granted. Like the leper, we need to come to Jesus Christ not demanding, but worshiping. We like this poor leper need to fall to our knees before Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15). We all need to say to Jesus:

Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Lord, if you’re willing, you can do it! IF You’re willing. There were no demands made of Christ. This is the heart that is repentant. The leprosy has not only damaged this man’s body, but God used the sickness to make his soul tender unto salvation.

When we worship the Lord in humility and love, He will reach out and touch us. Jesus touched this man. When He touched him the Bible says:

(verse 3) IMMEDIATELY his leprosy was cleansed

Now that Jesus saves this man, He now commands this man. I say it again:

Those whom Jesus SAVES, He COMMANDS

Matthew 8:4 … Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

As the man was a Jew Jesus told him to obey the Law of God, the Law given by Moses. He was to show himself to the priest so that the priest could declare him cleansed. Once pronounced cleansed, he was to offer the gift that Moses commanded (Leviticus 13:2-46; 14:2-32). Once saved, those saved by Christ are obedient unto God. We love the Lord with all our hearts!

The Centurion Came To The Right Place

Matthew 8:5-7 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

As I explained earlier, the Centurion was an important man, a Roman, a powerful Roman. Though he had up to 100 mighty warriors under his command, the Centurion came to Jesus “beseeching Him”. The word translated “beseeching” is the Greek παρακαλέω parakaléō, (pronounced par-ak-al-eh’-o), which means “to call alongside, to beg or implore for assistance”. The man had a “servant” which is the Greek παῖς paîs, (pronounced paheece). The word could be referring to a soldier in his command, or a servant or child that he had authority over.

Romans 2:11 … there is no respect of persons with God.

Jesus will bless whosoever will come to Him in faith and humility. Our Lord did not delay. He said:

I will come and heal him

This Centurion was not lifted up with pride. Notice how this man speaks to our Lord. He tells Jesus:

Matthew 8:8-9 … Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When the Centurion said “I am not worthy”, that’s not exactly what he said. His exact words were ou hikanós, “I am not much”.

“I am not much!”

The Centurion knew he was powerful in comparison to other men, but in comparison to God the Son he was “not much”. The Centurion understood Who Jesus was. He said,

speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed

The Centurion knew the scope of HIS power, and knew the immensity of Christ’s power. He did not set himself up as god, but came to the Son of God in faith. He had great faith. The Bible defines “faith” this way:

Hebrews 11:6, … without faith it is impossible to please {God}: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The Centurion “believed that Christ IS”. He believed that Jesus was able, so much so that he didn’t require Jesus to go to his home. When he said this to Jesus our Lord said:

Matthew 8:10-12 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus called Israel “the children of the Kingdom” because God promised Abraham blessings in Israel first. The Bible tells us that Jesus,

John 1:11 … came unto His own, and His own received him not.

Those to whom the promise of Heaven and earthly blessing does not come by blood, but by faith. Israel, the nation for Whom Christ came first, largely rejected the Messiah. But those who come from east and west believing will receive the promise of salvation. Those who reject Christ are cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Do you know Him? Do you know my Jesus? Jesus told the centurion:

Matthew 8:13 … Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Jesus has the power to heal. He has the power to save. We must trust in Him. During this somewhat frightening time let us look unto Jesus, and make sure our faith is in Him. He will bless. He will protect. And Jesus will save whosoever comes to Him by faith.

May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit! Amen!

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Who Are You Following? (Red Letters #19)

Posted on April 5, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Matthew 8:14-19 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by {Isaiah} the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

As I sat working on this Sunday morning message on the Tuesday before Palm Sunday (April 5 2020 is Palm Sunday) I had just read and reviewed Executive Order 22 by the Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee. Many had pushed for our Governor to mandate a stay at home order to all in the state. Though the Executive Order urges Tennesseans that it’s “Safer at Home”, it is not a statewide lock down. Many criticized the Governor – among those the Mayor of Columbia and a few of our Representatives – for not going further and ordering residents to stay at home. Beloved, that is not far from Socialism! I applaud our Governor for his restraint and calm during this time of national testing. As citizens of what I believe is the greatest nation on earth (and I served the bulk of my adult life protecting our freedoms in the U.S. Air Force) I abhor any attempt to communize or politically socialize this country. When the government begins to remove the freedoms of its citizens even if such removal is “for our own good” it is not long before tyranny and oppression takes over. We must all tread lightly when it comes to tampering with the human will.

God has given us will to choose, and will to live. The Gospel is based on “whosoever will”.

What we are witnessing in our nation in the physical realm is a Covid-19 pandemic. But what we are witnessing in our nation in the spiritual realm is a testing, a trying, a trial allowed by our Heavenly Father to test our will. Will we follow Jesus during this time, or will we follow panic and pandemonium? Will we follow after and love the Lord Jesus Who came to save us, or will we allow fear and foolishness to drive us like cattle to Lucifer’s slaughterhouse?

God Is In Control Of Sickness

As we continue in our Red Letters series tonight we’ll talk about Jesus healing a leper and a Centurion‘s servant. Jesus healed both of these men because they asked Him to do so. But notice as Jesus comes into Peter’s home in Capernaum we read:

Matthew 8:14-15 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, {Jesus} saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

We see several things that are very interesting in this text.

First, Peter had a wife. We are told that Jesus saw his {Peter’s} wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. We don’t know her name because the Bible doesn’t give the name to us. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:5 that Cephas (Peter) had a wife who accompanied him when he went on missionary outreaches. I thank God daily for my precious wife Sherry. Without her my ministry would be much more difficult, because she is my love, my helper, my confidant, and my encourager. Peter obviously was very close with his wife, especially as it seems that his mother in law – also unnamed – lived within his home.

Second, Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law without being asked to do so. Jesus saw suffering and a person in need and just touched her hand – and she was healed. The healing was instant. {Jesus} touched her hand, and the fever left her. God has the power to heal any sickness, any disease. To emphasize that Jesus Christ is God Among us, God in human flesh, we read that right after Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law:

Matthew 8:16-17 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by {Isaiah} the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Jesus healed those possessed with devils, those who were in spiritual bondage. Jesus cast out spirits with His word. He did not use medicines or potions. Jesus commanded the spirits to leave, and they left. We are told that Jesus healed ALL that were sick. The Bible says that Jesus healed all that the Prophecy of Isaiah would be fulfilled He took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Matthew is quoting:

Isaiah 53:4 Surely {the Messiah} hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

When the Messiah came His ministry would be evidenced by healing us from sickness. Sickness – like this Covid-19 pandemic – is a byproduct of sin which entered the world through Adam. Prior to Adam’s sin against God man lived in a literal paradise. There was no sickness, no disease, no suffering, no death. God told Adam:

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam could eat of any tree. But the tree of knowledge of good and evil, this fruit was forbidden. God told Adam that when you eat of it you SHALL SURELY DIE. Prior to Adam’s disobedience there was no death, nor even any fear.

In a sermon Brother Charles Stanley preached last Sunday he noted that not only did thorns and thistles, sweat and suffering along with death entered the world by sin (Genesis 3:18-19), but also fear entered the world with sin. What did Adam say to God after his sin?

Genesis 3:9-10 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; and I hid myself.

Sickness entered the world because of sin. The Corona-virus is in the world because sin is in the world. People say, “But why does God allow this – why doesn’t God stop this virus?!” God will, in time I believe. But we – like Adam – have hidden ourselves from God. We have not heeded His call. We have refused to thank Him for His blessings on us all. Every day God bestows great blessing upon us, and every day we draw farther and farther from God.

But God reaches out to us. Our God is able. He is able to heal. He is able to bring us from enslavement to sin and into His glorious Kingdom. But we are given a choice. Will we heed God?

Will I Serve The Lord When He Touches Me?

Matthew 8:14-15 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And {Jesus} touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

When Peter’s mother-in-law was healed what did she do? She immediately rose up and ministered to those around her. She waited on Jesus. She waited on Jesus’ followers. She put God first. She put others first. Notice something about this mother-in-law. To this day we do not know her name. People have tried to put a name to her, but there is none. Some only want to follow Jesus when “there’s something in it for me”. This woman did not seek the limelight. She didn’t thrust her name forward. She had been blessed of God, and so she served as the God Who loved her called her to serve.

If you are a Christian indeed, then you are called to follow the royal law of the family. What is this royal law? James, the stepbrother of Jesus, wrote of this royal law. He said:

James 2:8-20 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

If you are indeed a Christian you are:

1 Peter 2:9 … a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

You belong to God, dear Christian. You are to love the Lord your God:

Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Mark 12:30-31 {Jesus said} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. 31 And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

If you love the God Who saved you, you will serve the God Who saved you and those whom God has put in your periphery. You will, like Peter’s mother-in-law, rise from the touch of Christ to serve Him and others. You will not be greedy, putting yourself first and foremost. You will put yourself last.

The wonderful thing about trials and sickness like Covid-19 is that it makes us stop and re-evaluate our lives. Am I genuinely a Christian? Am I ready to meet the Lord in eternity? Do I know Christ as my Lord and Savior, or am I really a pretender to the family? Imagine a child walking along with his Father. As they are walking along a path the Father sees a tree root sticking up. “Son, be careful where you’re stepping. See that root. You’ll trip and fall if you’re not careful”. The child, however, is not listening to the Father. He is looking at a butterfly flitting by. Sure enough, the child catches the root on his toe, and down he goes. “Father, why did You let me fall! It’s YOUR fault I fell. YOUR fault, not mine! You didn’t look after me”. This is what we as humans have done with God our Father. He has told us what is right, and told us what is wrong. He has said what is good, and what is bad. Our Heavenly Father has told us “Don’t walk there. Don’t do this. Don’t live this way, but live the way I have said. I know what is good and bad, righteous and evil. Heed Me. Hear My Word. You will be blessed.” Then we do what God our Creator tells us not to do, and reject the Christ that He sent to us. When we fall we blame God.

It is not God’s fault. It is ours. The Bible says:

Psalm 138:6-7 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

Pride pushes God away from us, but humility brings us into His Presence.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

God cares for YOU!

James 4:6 But {God} giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Imagine the same scenario I just gave you. The child is walking beside his Father, and the Father warns him of a tripping hazard. The child doesn’t hear the Father as he watches the butterfly flit about. The child trips, stumbles, and falls. Now the child doesn’t blame the Father, nor curse the Father, but with tear stained face looks upward. “Father, I didn’t listen to You. I should have, but I didn’t. Father, I repent. I’m sorry. Father, help me up!”. Do you know what God will do? I know what He will do. He already told us in Jesus what He would do. Jesus said:

Matthew 11:27-30 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

When you fall and look up, God is waiting. Jesus Christ is waiting to lift you up, to bless you, to bring you into His Kingdom. If we will be blessed we must humble ourselves and come to Him. Jesus will give you rest. We must “take Christ’s yoke upon us – serve and follow Him”. The “yoke” is placed on an animal so that it could serve it’s master. Jesus is our Master, dear Christian, He is our Lord. His “yoke is easy, and His burden light”. Following Jesus is not hard. We just love Him, and do as He says. When we do so we will be blessed. There is nothing more blessed than the life that follows Christ.

Do you know Him? Beloved, if you are a Christian then you are to follow Him Who saved you. Are you? Are you following Jesus? Or are you following the crowd?

I Will Follow Jesus Wherever He Leads

Matthew 8:18-20 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

As Jesus healed the people great multitudes came to Him. Great multitudes always seek out God when they want something. I have heard more people call on the name of God in the hospital than I have heard them call for Him in a restaurant, or at a carnival.

When God waits on us we throng around Him. But let Him sit on His throne and there are few in attendance.

As Jesus saw the “multitudes” gathered around Him He gave the commandment to depart to the other side. Why did Jesus choose to move? I think it was to show us that He is Lord, and we are to follow Him.

Notice that a Scribe tells Jesus:

Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest

Those are wonderful words. They remind me of a song we often sing as we close our services at Riverview:

I can hear my Savior calling,

I can hear my Savior calling,

I can hear my Savior calling,

“Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.”

Where He leads me I will follow,

Where He leads me I will follow,

Where He leads me I will follow,

I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

Is that true? We sing this, but do we mean it? The Scribe said “Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest“. This is commendable. But I believe that Jesus looked into this man’s heart, for the Lord said:

The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

A lot of people want to follow Jesus to good health, or good wealth, or good times, or great accommodations. But are you willing to follow Jesus where He lives. Jesus didn’t own any property while He walked on this earth. He had no wallet. Jesus, the Son of God, God Incarnate, lowered Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant. He was made in the likeness of man, and humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of he Cross (Philippians 2:7-8). When Christ calls you to His side to follow Him, He bids you follow Him wherever He leads, good or bad. Will you follow Him even if you get the Covid-19? Will you follow Him even if it leads to poverty, or being shunned by your peers, or being jailed for your faith? Will you follow Him in reaching out the the poor, the sick, the lame? Or will you just follow Him while He leads you to good health?

The follower of Jesus loves Him, and follows Him even through distasteful things. We follow Jesus by …

…loving others as Christ loved us (John 13:34; 15:12).

… loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27).

… walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).

… walking in the Light with Him, not in sin (John 8:12).

Matthew 8:21-22 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, {allow} me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

You are called, dear one, to put God first in your life. He is to be the One you follow above all others. You are to love the Lord more than anything or anyone else. Jesus said:

Luke 14:26-27 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Jesus used hyperbole or exaggeration to emphasize to us that our Lord must always be first in our lives. When we put Christ first, our families will be better loved by us. When we put Christ first, our businesses will be blessed. When Christ is with us, we will be able to weather the storms of life better – for Christ will never let us go.

To emphasize this point we have one final illustration in our text.

Matthew 8:23-27 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

I ask you the same question that Jesus asked. Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? If you are following Jesus, if you are in the boat with Him, then trust Him. The boat will not sink while the Creator of the winds and the seas is in it. Is Christ in your lives? Have you received Him as Lord and Savior? If you have, trust Him. He is bigger than Covid-19. He is bigger than anything you can imagine. Let Him have all of you.

May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen!

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Battle For The Mind

Posted on April 1, 2020 by bibleteacherorg

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Philippians 4:6-9 Be careful1 for nothing2; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. {7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep3 your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. {8} Finally, brethren, whatsoever10 things are true4, whatsoever10 things are honest5, whatsoever10 things are just6, whatsoever10 things are pure7, whatsoever10 things are lovely8, whatsoever10 things are of good report9; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. {9} Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Humans, though we live in the physical, are truly controlled by what we think. The Philippians Church was a loving assembly of believers, all doing what God wanted them to do. When you do what God tells you Satan rears his ugly head. Satan loves to confuse, to spread fear and uncertainty, and to divide. This is not the state that God wants the Christian in. We are to live in such a way that …

vs 7 the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep3 your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

the peace of God will guard (φρουρέω phrouréō, {pronounced froo-reh’-o}) our hearts and minds – our emotions and intellect – from evil. The word translated “keep” is the Greek phrouréō, {pronounced froo-reh’-o} which means “to mount a guard or a garrison over so as to protect”. God does NOT want His children – saved by faith in Christ – to become part of the chaos that is this fallen world.

The Normal Christian Life Is Supposed To Be Filled With Intellectual And Emotional PEACE

The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7 (my paraphrase)

As you think in your heart, so you are!

What is in your heart and mind – your emotions and your intellect – will control whether you ACT or you REACT. An animal REACTS. A Christian is not an animal. We are God’s Children. We are not supposed to REACT, but to ACT. We are called to be at peace in our lives. How do we reach this peace? Again, focus on our text:

vs 7 the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep3 your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

There is no peace when you fill your souls with worldliness. When you think like worldlings, you will act like worldlings. When you think like the lost, you will act like the lost. We achieve the peace of God THROUGH Christ Jesus.

Notice how the name of Jesus is written. He is in this text Christ Jesus. Sometimes in Scripture Jesus is called “Jesus Christ”, and other times Jesus is called “Christ Jesus”. The name that comes first is an indicator as to how the Scripture should be applied. The name “Christ” coming before “Jesus” emphasizes that our Savior is the Messiah, the One Who died for us so that we might live. The word “Christ” emphasizes that, though Jesus died for our sins, He defeated death and rose from the grave on the third day. The Apostle Paul confidently stated:

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 … I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen …

Christ died for MY sins. He is my Messiah, my Savior. Jesus is the “only Begotten Son of God” (John 3:16) and the “Beloved Son, in Whom God the Father is well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The Father loved the Son with an infinite love, and yet sent Jesus to die for us, for ME. He died in agony and misery, bearing my evils, but rose again to lead me. God paid a great price for us in Christ Jesus. If He paid a great price for us, our Father will not abandon those He paid so dearly for. The Apostle says:

Romans 5:1-6 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

God paid an infinite price for my salvation and for your salvation. We who are Christians are at peace with God. God is our Father, and knows us by name. God numbers the very hairs of our head (Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7). If this is all true then we are not to worry. Jesus told us:

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In Christ we have peace. In the world we have tribulation. If my heart and mind is filled with worldliness then I will have tribulation. If my heart and mind are filled with Christ and His Words then I will have peace.

Worry does not come from God. Our God is the Lord of PEACE. Not of worry.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 … Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.

Isaiah 26:3-4 3 Thou {O Lord} wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

Are your minds centered on Christ Jesus, or are you filling your minds with the pandemonium of the world? Dr. David Jeremiah – a preacher I love to listen to – writes:

“There are four powerful evidences of a centered life in Jesus Christ: You are gladly identified with Christ. You recognize Jesus as the authority in your life. You have a deep sense of spiritual and personal security. And you rest in Christ, knowing that He is the master of your destiny. In Christ you live a brand new life in a brand new way. When everything else is out of control, set your affections on the One who is in control. Everything you put your hope in other than Jesus will fail. Jesus Christ alone is faithful and changeless, and will never fail you!”

To Achieve Peace In The Midst Of Turmoil You Must SET YOUR MIND On Christ Jesus

Back to our text. Look at the first four words of what we read today:

Philippians 4:6 Be careful1 for nothing2

These words are the Greek verb merimnao1 {pronounced mer-im-nah’-o} combined with the adjective medeis2 {pronounced may-dice’}. A much better translation of these words is:

quit worrying about things

When you worry about the things that are going on around you, all you are doing is filling your soul with negative emotions. Someone told me that “we may see the worst of this coronavirus pandemic in the next two weeks – much worse!” My reply to that person was “so what? What is worrying about it going to do?” Will your worries about it somehow avert the problem? Will the dead come back to life because your worried about it? When the Apostle said “quit worrying about things” this is a COMMAND.

Worry sickens us.
Worry robs us of our joy.
Worry fills us with darkness.
Worry does no good whatsoever.

Jesus put it this way:

Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I say unto you, {Do not worry} for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by {worrying} can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why {do you worry about clothing}? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore {stop worrying}, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do {unbelievers} seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 {Do not worry} for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The network news loves to broadcast the bad, never the good. These networks are not endorsed by Jesus Christ – not even FOX. You are told the bad news so that you will tune in, and they can sell more commercial time to businesses. Worrying does nothing for you. It subtracts from the quality of your life.

Rather than worry, the Apostle says:

Philippians 4:6  {Stop worrying about it} but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

The solution for the Christian is to draw closer to God, to communicate your concerns to Him – to draw closer to our source of power. In this mighty angelic conflict, where the forces of evil and the forces of God collide, the solution to the conditions of America and the world is undying allegiance to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

There’s an old Mel Gibson movie I love called “The Patriot”. In that movie at the last battle the American Militia is fighting the somewhat superior and elegantly dressed British Army. The battle begins to go against the Americans, and the Americans begin to turn and rapidly run away. Mel – [playing the Patriot] sees the American Militia withdrawing. He runs forward, grabs the American flag, and yelling loudly waves it over his head while running TOWARD the enemy. The American Militia sees this and responds, turning from their confused retreat, and runs back to the fight.

Britain lost the battle, and sued for peace.

Christians, we must not allow the enemy to run us scared. We must follow the colors, follow Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian you are citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom, and Jesus Christ is your King. We are not of this world …. Jesus was very clear on this. He stated:

(John 17:14-17 KJV) I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil {literally, the Evil One}. {16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17} Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

We are told in the Scripture that the battle going on around us is not physical, but it is spiritual. Who do I wrestle against? Who wants my demise, my failure, my loss? Who wants to see my children cursed, my wife harmed, my life set in disarray? No earthly foe desires this, but the Scripture says:

(Ephesians 6:12 KJV) For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, but AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS in high places.

NOT flesh and blood, BUT principalities. NOT flesh and blood, BUT powers. NOT flesh and blood, BUT rulers of the darkness. NOT flesh and blood, BUT spiritual wickedness in high places. Listen Beloved: the war we fight may outwardly look physical, but it is truly a matter of the thought life.

Draw near to God in prayer and in obedience, draw near to the Colors, to Jesus Christ, and He will post guard on your hearts and minds.

Philippians 4:6-9 {Stop worrying} but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

We draw near to God. The world in panic draws near to NOT God, but the Christian draws near to God. We use:

Prayer
Supplication
Thanksgiving

The more weird things grow, the more we should pray. Billy Graham wrote in his book Answers to Life’s Problems:

“Is prayer a central part of your life? Pray for your own needs. Pray for the needs of others. Praise God in prayer, and pray for His guidance in your life. “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2). Remember, Christ prayed repeatedly, and if He – the sinless Son of God – needed to pray, how much more should we learn to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17).”

We need to pray for our national, state, and local leadership.
We need to pray for our churches.
We need to pray for our communities, our neighbors.

But as we pray we also need to be thankful. We need to thank God for the blessings that we have. He has given us so very much. We need to thank God for the opportunities and open doors that this time of trouble will bring to the Church. What better time to share the confidence we have in Jesus with others than right now!

Take Control Of Your Thought-Life

After telling us to stop worrying and start praying and thanking God, the Apostle now tells us to take control of what goes into our minds and hearts. We read:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever10 things are true4, whatsoever10 things are honest5, whatsoever10 things are just6, whatsoever10 things are pure7, whatsoever10 things are lovely8, whatsoever10 things are of good report9; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

When I was a little boy I used to try and get mamma to buy the breakfast cereal that had a little prize in it. You know, a decoder ring, or some other piece of plastic junk that today I wouldn’t even look at twice. I have never found anything at the bottom of a box of cereal that wasn’t cheap, easily breakable, and literally useless. If you want the peace of God you need to quit feeding your souls the drivel of tv.

You need to turn to the Word of God. You need to fill your minds with His Words.

Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament says of this verse:

“Whatsoever (hosa). Thus he introduces six adjectives picturing Christian ideals, old-fashioned and familiar words … They are pertinent now when so much filth is flaunted before the world in books, magazines and moving pictures under the name of realism (the slime of the gutter and the cess-pool).”

What are “Things that are TRUE”? When Jesus prayed for His Church before He was crucified, Jesus prayed:

John 17:12-17 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

God’s Word is truth. When Jesus stood before Pilate just before He was crucified, Jesus said:

John 18:37-38 … To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

The world, like Pilate, views “truth” as fluid, determined by whatever a person “feels”. The Christian views “truth” as certain as gravity. We believe God’s Word to be “truth”. Absolute truth. Timeless truth. So I often people tell me,

“Brother David, that Bible is an old book. It was written back then, and times have changed. It’s obsolete.”

To which I say, HOGWASH! A pound was a pound 10 years ago, it was a pound 50 years ago, it was a pound a million years ago. Gravity doesn’t change. Neither does God’s Word. As Christians we are to “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-4). The Bible was written by God through faithful men. The sum of God’s Word is TRUTH (Psalm 119:160). God’s Words are TRUTH (2 Samuel 7:28). The Apostle said:

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We need to get back to the Bible. We need to feed our souls the Word of God daily. Not CNN, ABC, CBS, or even FOX. The Bible. What God has said. We must take control of our minds. Rest in Jesus, dear Christian. Read and rest in His Word. Use this wonderful opportunity before us – staying at home – to pick up and read God’s Word, and to pray.

And if you are not a Christian, may I invite you to turn your lives over to Him Who loves you? Do it today. The Scripture promises:

Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen! Amen!

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