Troubles Today?

Are you troubled today? I hate to admit it but I am. There are a few issues I am dealing with that weigh heavily upon me. I’m not sure which way to turn.

The good news is, I don’t walk down this road alone. I can always find comfort in the Word of God.

⁴ Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.  ⁵ For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  –Psalm 30:4-5

 ¹⁰ Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!”        
 ¹¹ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, ¹² To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever. –Psalm 30:10-12

Praise God from whom all blessings flow~

Brushfork Baptist Church

I highly recommend listening to these sermons.
Jim Drake is a great preacher/teacher.

http://sermon.net/brushforkbaptist/sermonid/2633580

Lead Me On Lord

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. –Psalm 119:105

Have you ever thought about this verse? For years I just brushed over it thinking it had a nice ring, but never really considering what it meant.

Imagine walking in an unfamiliar field at night. There is no light; it is absolute darkness. You can’t see one foot in front of your face. There are rocks and bumps, jagged places and trees, even cliffs. There are wild animals and who knows what else. Close your eyes and consider this for a moment…

I have been in this position many times in my life and it is not comfortable.

Now think about the verse. How welcome would a light be?

A small light, just enough to see where you are stepping, is a great comfort. You can’t see the end of the road, but you can see your next step.

Does life seem to be like walking in the dark? It does to me. God’s word is that light that gets you to the next step. It may not show you the end of the path, but it will keep you on the safe path. That path may take you on the edge of a cliff, but as long as you have the light and stay on that path, you will make it.

Our Lord doesn’t promise easy; He promises direction. I encourage you to spend time in His word. If you don’t, you are fumbling your way in the darkness.

Choices

Yesterday, our sermon was on “Choices.” Bro. Billy Austin incorporated George Jones song “Choices” into the message and gave a bio on how the song became first on the cd. Mr. Jones wrecked his suv (DUI) shortly after recording this cd and was lying on his back in a hospital bed. His people (I guess manager etc.) wanted to move the track to number one in light of this event, and he agreed. Obviously he had made a very bad choice.

As I considered choices I have made in my life, I can’t help but have much regret.

One thing that jumps out at me is this; every regret I have are for the choices that I made from selfish, or “me” motivated desires.

I am not saying every decision made for self were bad, but all the bad decisions were self motivated.

I cannot recall one bad decision that was made concerning Christ, or decisions made while trying to honor Him. Maybe if I had made every decision based on God’s will, or in view of what would please Him, I wouldn’t have so many regrets. I know this may sound disparaging, but there is great news. News so good I have to share it.

Our God is not a God who dwells on our past, He is a God who cares more about our future.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. –Jeremiah 29:11

What a God we serve! He doesn’t care about our past failures; He cares about “our future.” Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t hold others past against them? What if every time someone apologized, we could just forget it; wipe it completely from our mind? If we are genuinely repentant for our sins, God does just that.

Satan loves to bring up our past. He loves to expose our failures. He seeks to attack our weakness and destroy us. Don’t let him! When he reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.

There is an old hym that sums up pretty well how I feel right now.

Standing On The Promises

Standing on the promises of Christ my King, 

through eternal ages let his praises ring; 

glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, 

standing on the promises of God. 

Refrain:

Standing, standing, 

standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 

standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God. 

Standing on the promises that cannot fail, 

when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, 

by the living Word of God I shall prevail, 

standing on the promises of God. 

(Refrain) 

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, 

bound to him eternally by love's strong cord, 

overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword, 

standing on the promises of God. 

(Refrain) 

Standing on the promises I cannot fall, 

listening every moment to the Spirit's call, 

resting in my Savior as my all in all, 

standing on the promises of God. 

(Refrain) 

Text and music by: R. Kelso Carter, 1849-1926

Is God Our Passion? Part VII

¹² But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: ¹⁶ The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

  
¹⁹ For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³ For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. ²⁴ Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. ²⁵ And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, ²⁶ that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

  
²⁷ Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. ²⁹ For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, ³⁰ having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. -Philippians 1:12-30

Paul was beaten, stoned, chained, incarcerated, spat on, slapped, falsely accused, and rejected by those he had lived among. He had been a well respected member of Jewish society. He had enjoyed the fruits of his labors and then he met Jesus. He abandoned everything that he had enjoyed to follow the Messiah. In verse 21 of  this passage, Paul simply states his attitude;  “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

The question we have to ask ourselves, “is God my passion?” We can look at our own lives and get a good idea. I heard a man say that he could tell what you cared about most by looking at your checkbook. If we pray, and ask God to show us, He will.

1st John is a good place to read how we can judge ourselves, whether we love God or whether we deceive ourselves. I believe most of us are so consumed with “us,” that we rarely think about where God fits in our lives. We may believe because we sacrifice Sunday that we are worshipping Him. If that is our attitude, I can safely say we have missed the mark. We should gladly gather together to worship our Creator and Savior.

We should gladly share Him with others. We should anxiously seek time in prayer and the reading of His word. We should demonstrate the love for others that He has for us.

Dear friend, I do not speak in judgment, but rather in love. Please spend time talking to God about this. My earnest prayer is that our Lord would be our passion.    

Is God Our Passion? Part VI

¹ Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, ² being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³ And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

  
⁵ And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, ⁶ as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 

⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ⁹ If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, ¹⁰ let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” 

¹⁸ So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” ²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. ²² For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

  
²³ And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

      ‘ Why did the nations rage,
      And the people plot vain things?
       ²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand,
      And the rulers were gathered together
      Against the LORD and against His Christ.’^[ Psalm 2:1, 2 <sup>]

27</sup> “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” -Acts 4:1-30

Here, Peter and John are arrested. They are put on trial and told to stop preaching.

Peter, who before had sworn he didn’t know Jesus when confronted, not only professes Jesus, but boldly tells the religious leaders that he will not stop preaching Christ. Peter went on to preach for the remainder of his life, and was finally put to death. Tradition states that he was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die as his Savior.

With the exception of John, who died an old man in exile (and Judas who hung himself), all of the apostles were martyred (killed for their faith). They willingly died for their Lord.

Is God Our Passion? Part V

³⁸ Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” ⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” –Luke 10:38-42

Where to start; there are many lessons to learn from these few verses, but we will look at Mary for the purpose of this study. Jesus had come into the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and was reclining and talking. I’m sure Lazarus and the disciples were there, and then there sat Mary at Jesus feet; hanging onto every word He said. I do not believe Mary was lazy or trying to neglect helping her sister. Nothing here would indicate that, In fact, what Jesus says affirms this.

Mary loved Jesus. She longed to sit at His feet and adore Him.

Do we adore Him? Do we long to sit at His feet and listen to Him and Worship Him?

³⁶ Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 

⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss

My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”    –Luke 7:36-50

I really can’t think of anything to add here. This woman’s actions are so clear. She was aware of her sins and knew she was lost. She truly repented of her sins and recognized that Jesus was her only hope.

Are we ashamed to weep and fall to our knees before His throne of grace?

Are we afraid of what others will think?

If we are truly repentant, we won’t care who sees us or what they think.

There is one door between us and heaven, it is Jesus. I beg of you, open that door today.

Is God Our Passion? Part IV

²⁶ Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” ²⁹ For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. ³⁰ Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
³² Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. ³³ Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
³⁴ When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵ Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ³⁶ They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. ³⁷ Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
³⁸ Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. -Luke 8:26-39

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.

This verse tugs at my heart. I feel that same strong desire to be in the presence of my King. Not because I am a good person, but because I am consumed with gratitude for what Christ has done for me. Like this man, Christ has told me to go and tell others what great things He has done for me.

Is God Our Passion? Part III

⁵ So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. ⁶ Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” ⁸ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
¹¹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? ¹² Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”
¹³ Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
¹⁵ The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
¹⁷ The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
¹⁹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” ²⁵ The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” ²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

²⁷ And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
²⁸ The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ²⁹ “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” ³⁰ Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
³¹ In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
³² But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
³³ Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. ³⁵ Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! ³⁶ And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷ For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ ³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

³⁹ And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹ And many more believed because of His own word.
⁴² Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”-John 4:5-42

The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,  “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Consider this; this woman was an adultress. In those days adultery was punishable by stoning. She had probably come to draw water in the heat of the day because she was not welcomed to draw when the other women would be at the well. No doubt the men had little use for her as well. But she put her shame aside to go and tell the men in her town about Jesus.

News this good cannot be held to one’s self.

Is God Our Passion? Part II

³ Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, ⁴ young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. ⁵ And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. ⁶ Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ⁷ To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
⁸ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. ⁹ Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. ¹⁰ And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”
¹¹ So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹² “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” -Daniel 1:3-13

⁸ Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. ⁹ They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; ¹¹ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 

¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”-Daniel 3:8-18

⁴ So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
⁶ So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
¹¹ Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. ¹² And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 

¹³ So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” -Daniel 6:4-13

The Babylonians were to be feared greatly. They were not known to have mercy on anyone, much less some Jewish slaves who disrespected their king- Nebuchadnezzer.

However, these four youths determined in their heart that they would serve the Lord, even to the point of death.

It seems Daniel had to take a stand for his God most of his life.

Is God Our Passion? Part I

Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”                      -I Samuel 17:26

³² Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ³³ And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, ³⁵ I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” -I Samuel 32-37

David’s confidence was born out of the experience of the Lord’s previous deliverances on his behalf. Further, since God would not allow His reputation to be damaged by this Philistine, David was certain that God would again deliver him in this trial by conflict. 

David had a great passion for God even though he was so young.

¹² Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. ¹³ And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. ¹⁴ Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. ¹⁶ Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. ¹⁸ And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.  -II Samuel 6:12-18

The moving of the ark was accompanied by sacrifices, pomp, and great rejoicing. David’s dancing or whirling about was expression of spiritual joy. 

 ¹ LORD, remember David and all his afflictions; ² How he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:  ³ “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed; ⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,  ⁵ until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”  ⁶ Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the fields of the woods. ⁷ Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool. ⁸ Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. ⁹ Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy.  -Psalm 132:1-18

Are we this excited about worshipping and being in the presence of God? Do we rejoice at the thought of praying, and reading His word? My sincere prayer is that we would find delight in the thought of meeting with God.

What’s In Bed With You?

When I was in the Marines, my first permanent duty station was in the Philippines. My company guarded the naval magazine (where bombs, torpedo’s etc. were stored) which covered a vast expanse of mountainous jungle. We would go into the “mag” as we called it, for a week and would come out for a week. It was a continual rotation for the duration of this assignment. Believe it or not, we would get bored. A bored Marine is not a good thing. There were lizards longer than me, snakes that could eat a man, bats with wingspans over six feet (I am not kidding), wild boars, and monkeys.

One of my fondest memories (it’s bad I know) was when we would find a dead monkey; okay, no hate mail, they were already dead. We never killed any monkeys to my knowledge. Anyway, we would take the dead monkey back to the guard house and put it in the bunk of a sleeping Marine(s). You can only imagine the result. I must confess it was hilarious. Obviously no one ever carried out their death threat for these acts as I am still here.

When you lay down in bed at night, what are you taking to bed with you?

If you fill your head with television programs, pornography, drugs, alcohol, bitterness, envy, hate, or any other un-godly thing, you have set the course for that thing to fester in your mind while you sleep. The last thing you do, or think about before going to bed, will become engrained in your mind.

I believe many bad dreams are the result of the final thoughts before sleep. I also believe this can add a great deal of stress, and directly affect your tomorrow. It will no doubt relate to your walk with Christ. The Devil loves to play in and with the mind. 

² Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,
³ so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. ⁴ When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. -Job 7:2-4 

For the last several years, I have made it my habit to pray while lying in bed. Sure I pray at other times, but I pray whenever I am awake and lying in bed. You would be amazed at how well I tend to sleep.

 ⁶ On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
⁷ Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. ⁸ I cling to you; -Psalm 63:6-8

Ravi Zacharias many religions claiming to be the true path

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFpumlcvbFA&feature=related

Ravi on How do you know there is a God?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgJmsK2s0uI

Who Is This Jesus? Part VIII

In Part VII, we looked at some of Nietzsche’s writing. If Nietzsche didn’t believe

In God, why would he write such things? How much time do we devote to something we don’t believe in? I confess I have not written anything on the Loch ness Monster, aliens, or Big Foot. Why, because I don’t believe in these things.

Another question I have is why did he (Nietzsche) subscribe “morality” to/with God? I know he was battling the morality of Christendom, but regardless of what culture you come from, isn’t obeying and honoring your parents a good thing? What about faithfulness to your spouse, or murder? In what society is theft accepted?

I believe Nietzsche had to battle “moral law” to battle the author of it -God. I believe Nietzsche had an intense hatred for God rather than disbelief. His only weapon was (the same as Satan’s) to attack God by his rejection of God’s existence, and to encourage others to abandon God’s moral law.

I make the argument that God has placed within each and everyone of us an inherent knowledge of good and evil; or “moral law” if you will (ex. murder is wrong). If there is such a thing as moral law, there has to be a moral law “giver.” This is where most people (throughout time and place) vary. Depending upon their personal beliefs, who this moral law giver is, is different.  

I also believe He has placed a God shaped hole within each of us. Throughout time, man has been in search of God, or gods. Why? Because deep down inside man knows that there has to be something or someone bigger than himself that controls things. Why do plants grow? How does the sun stay in place? Where did the sun come from? Why are there seasons? Where did man come from? All of these questions have to have valid answers.

If we study the Bible for ourselves and truly seek “truth”, I believe we will find it written in the pages of the Bible. C. S. Lewis and Lee Strobel were two of many that studied the scriptures to disprove them. Both came to saving faith in the God that they tried to say didn’t exist.  

You may be asking “but what about Jesus? Maybe God does exist but how do I know Jesus was/is the Son of God?” -See parts I-V of this study.

Now that we have looked at various Bible passages, quotes, and writings (Parts I-VII), we are either convinced, curious, or still reject this Jesus. Whether we accept Him, or deny Him, He is still Lord.

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “ As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:10-11 (see also Isaiah 45:23)

Friends, I urge you to look into this matter. Your eternity hangs in the balance. Even if you are not completely convinced at this time, I beg of you, consider these things and look for the truth.

Who Is This Jesus? Part VII

What non-Christians have to say; continued

The Gay Science;  Friedrich Nietzsche  Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market-place, and cried incessantly: "I am looking for God! I am looking for God!"
  As many of those who did not believe in God were standing together there, he excited considerable laughter. Have you lost him, then? said one. Did he lose his way like a child? said another. Or is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage? or emigrated? Thus they shouted and laughed. The madman sprang into their midst and pierced them with his glances.

  "Where has God gone?" he cried. "I shall tell you. We have killed him - you and I. We are his murderers. But how have we done this? How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What did we do when we unchained the earth from its sun? Whither is it moving now? Whither are we moving now? Away from all suns? Are we not perpetually falling? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there any up or down left? Are we not straying as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is it not more and more night coming on all the time? Must not lanterns be lit in the morning? Do we not hear anything yet of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? Do we not smell anything yet of God's decomposition? Gods too decompose. God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, murderers of all murderers, console ourselves? That which was the holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet possessed has bled to death under our knives. Who will wipe this blood off us? With what water could we purify ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we need to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we not ourselves become gods simply to be worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and whosoever shall be born after us - for the sake of this deed he shall be part of a higher history than all history hitherto."

  Here the madman fell silent and again regarded his listeners; and they too were silent and stared at him in astonishment. At last he threw his lantern to the ground, and it broke and went out. "I have come too early," he said then; "my time has not come yet. The tremendous event is still on its way, still travelling - it has not yet reached the ears of men. Lightning and thunder require time, the light of the stars requires time, deeds require time even after they are done, before they can be seen and heard. This deed is still more distant from them than the distant stars - and yet they have done it themselves."

  It has been further related that on that same day the madman entered divers churches and there sang a requiem. Led out and quietened, he is said to have retorted each time: "what are these churches now if they are not the tombs and sepulchres of God?"                -Nietzsche

An explanation has been given that Friedrich Nietzsche wasn’t talking about God (Jehovah of the Bible or any god), but the death of morality. His ravings lead me to believe that he had a hatred for God, despite his claims that he did not believe in God.   

In Daybreak Nietzsche begins his "Campaign against Morality". He calls himself an "immoralist" and harshly criticizes the prominent moral schemes of his day: Christianity, Kantianism, and utilitarianism. In Ecce Homo Nietzsche called the establishment of moral systems based on a dichotomy of good and evil a "calamitous error", and wished to initiate a re-evaluation of the values of the Judeo-Christian world. He indicates his desire to bring about a new, more naturalistic source of value in the vital impulses of life itself.

On January 3, 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental collapse. Two policemen approached him after he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What actually happened remains unknown, but an often-repeated tale states that Nietzsche witnessed the whipping of a horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms up around its neck to protect the horse, and then collapsed to the ground.
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnbriefe ("Madness Letters")—to a number of friends (including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt). To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also, last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and all anti-Semites abolished." Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be shot, and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche

I have heard that on his death bed, as his mother sat by his bedside, he quoted scripture from the Bible.

Who Is This Jesus? Part VI

What do non-Christians have to say?

 

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. -Gandhi

 

The Quran:  "So her Lord accepted her with gracious acceptance and caused her to grow an excellent growth and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah visited her in the chamber, he found with her provisions. He said, 'O Mary whence hast thou this ?' She replied, 'It is from ALLAH.' Surely ALLAH gives to whomsoever HE pleases without measure.

Then and there did Zachariah pray to his Lord, saying, 'My Lord grant me from Thyself pure offspring; surely thou art the Hearer of Prayer.'
And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the chamber, 'ALLAH gives thee glad tidings of Yahya, who shall testify to the truth of a word from ALLAH - noble and chaste and a Prophet, from among the righteous.
He said 'My Lord, how shall I have a son, when old age has overtaken me already, and my wife is barren?' He answered, 'Such is the way of ALLAH; HE does what HE pleases,'
He said 'My Lord, give me a commandment.' He replied, 'The commandment for thee is that thou shalt not speak to men for three days except by signs.
And remember thy Lord much and glorify HIM in the evening and in the early morning.' And remember when the angels said, 'ALLAH has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above all women of the time.
'O Mary, be obedient to thy Lord and prostrate thyself and worship the one God with those who worship HIM.'
This is of the tidings of things unseen which WE reveal to thee. And thou was not with them when they cast their arrows, as to which of them should be the guardian of Mary, nor was thou with them when they disputed with one another.
When the angels said, 'O Mary, ALLAH gives thee glad tidings of a son through a word from HIM; his name shall be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honoured in this world and in the next, and of those who are granted nearness to God;
'And he shall speak to the people in the cradle, and when of middle age, and he shall be of the righteous.
She said, 'My Lord, how shall I have a son, when no man has touched me? He said, 'Such is the way of ALLAH. HE creates what HE pleases. When HE decrees a thing HE says to it 'Be,' and it is;"—Qur'an, Surah 3:38-48
Muhammad also speaks of the resurrection of Jesus:

"Thereupon she pointed to him. They said, 'How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' Jesus said, 'I am a servant of ALLAH. HE has given me the Book, and has made me a Prophet; 'And HE has made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and has enjoined upon me Prayer and almsgiving so long as I live; 'And HE has made me dutiful towards my mother, and has not made me arrogant and graceless; 'And peace was on me the day I was born, and peace will be on me the day I shall die, and the day I shall be raised up to life again.' That was Jesus, son of Mary. This is a statement of the truth concerning which they entertain doubt."—Qur'an, Surah 19:30-35

Who Is This Jesus Part V

“let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”” - Acts 4:10,12

Old Testament Prophecy

Today we will look specifically at passages in the Old Testament that point to Christ. In actuality, everything in the Old Testament points to Christ. There are quite a few passages here, and this is not even a complete list. I pray that you will read this in it’s entirety and see that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophesied Messiah.

¹ Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? ² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, ³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” ⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.  ⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:  ⁶ “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”
⁷ “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.  ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’” ¹⁰ Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.  ¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.  -Psalm 2

Below are O.T. passages (printed) and the N.T. passages (Book, chapter and verse) that address fulfillment.  (taken from the Thomas Nelson King James Study Bible)                                                                        I apologize for some of the skips and spaces, mainly in regards to the Chapters and NT references. I could not get the text to set right. 

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” –Genesis 3:15    N.T. fulfillment: Galatians 4:4
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. -Genesis 49:10                    N.T. fulfillment: Luke 3:33

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
-Isaiah 9:7                                                                                                                                                       N.T. fulfillment: Luke 1:32,33

“ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” –Micah 5:2                                                                                                                   N.T. fulfillment: Luke 2:4, 5, 7

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. –Isaiah 7:14                                                                                         N.T. fulfillment: Luke 1:26, 27, 30, 31

 “I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. _Psalm 2:7“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. –Hosea 11:1                                                                                                                                                            N.T. fulfillment: Matthew 2:14-15             

¹ Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first He lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. ² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. –Isaiah 9:1-2                                                                                                           N.T. fulfillment: Matthew 4:13-16

¹ “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, -Isaiah 61:1-2                    N.T. fulfillment: Luke 4:18-19

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isaiah 53:3                                                                                                                                                                 N.T. fulfillment: John 1:11;Luke 23:18

“ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. -Zechariah 9:9                                                                                                                      N.T. fulfillment: Mark 11:7, 9, 11

Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. –Zechariah 11:12                                                   N.T. fulfillment: Matthew 26:14-15

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. –Isaiah 53:7                                                                                                                                                      N.T. fulfillment: Mark 15:4-5

I gave My back to those who struck Me,and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. -Isaiah 50:6                                                                  N.T. fulfillment: Matthew 26:67

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12                                                                                                                                                   N.T. fulfillment: Mark 15:27-28

¹⁷ I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. ¹⁸ They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. -Psalm 22:17-18                                                              N.T. fulfillment: Matthew 27:35-36

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? Psalm 2:1                                                                                               N.T. fulfillment: Matthew 27:46

Please consider these things and continue to look closely at Jesus.   
                         
 If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact me. If you prefer to remain anonymous, I will not post your comment. You may also leave your email address and I will contact you. No personal information will be posted or used to for any other purpose than to reply to your question(s).

May God bless you and give you spiritual eyes to see His truth.