The Name of the Lord - His Chosen Nation

 

God loves Israel, regardless of their behavior toward Him, because of His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He continually calls Israel to return to Him, to exalt His name and to keep His Word (Psalm 69:35-36).

He never abandoned Israel, even when she was not a nation, because it pleases Him to make them a nation for His great name's sake (Isaiah 12:22). This increases our faith in God's faithfulness.

God redeemed Israel continually through the generations to make a name for Himself, as He did great and mighty things for them. He even divided the waters before them (2 Samuel 7:23, 26).

He restored part of the Promised Land to Israel over and over through their history; and again in 1948, after the great persecution and judgement He sent on them because of their unbelief (2 Kings 21:4, 23:27).

He formerly scattered them among the nations of the earth, as He prophesied that He would; but now He calls them back to Himself for His own name's sake (Nehemiah 1:9; Jeremiah 3:17).

People wonder how God can turn to the Gentiles and shut up His Kingdom to Israel for 2000 years; but He gave Israel 4,000 years to turn their hearts to Him.

Even now, many Jews return to God and find completion through Jesus Christ. For His name's sake, He will use the Great Tribulation to give them yet another chance to take refuge in His name (Jeremiah 23:6, 33:9, 50:34; Micah 5:4; Zephaniah 3:9,12; 13:9).

Some people are blinded to God's true character and provision by Satan's lies and they curse Him, because they see only the trials, which come on us on this earth (Revelation 16:9).

Yet, people from every tribe, tongue and nation of the earth come before Him to worship His name and glorify Him, because of the blessings God pours out on His people (Revelations 15:4).

Prayer:

Father God, you are jealous over your people who glory in Your holy name (Exodus 34:14). Our heart is glad continually over Your provision for us in our life on this earth (1 Chronicles 16:10). We boast in You so that the humble will hear about Your provision in our life and come to You (Psalm 34:2).

There is salvation in no other name or means than Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). As the perfect Lamb, He is the only way, truth and life (John 14:6). Whatever we ask in Your name, in order to perform the works You created us to do for Your glory, You will supply (John 14:13). There is no God like You, and we exalt Your name, which is great in power and might (Jeremiah 10:6).

Thought for the Day:

Jesus, the true King of Israel, is most highly exalted; and God bestowed on Him the name, which is above every other name; so that at His name, everyone who is in Heaven, on the earth and even under the earth will bow their knee to Him. - Philippians 2:9-11

Many thanks to Matt Milligan Photography for the photo.

http://www.mattmilliganphotography.com/

Filled with God's Spirit

I write the posts for my blog between the latest hours of the night and the earliest hours of the morning. By that time, I am usually "three sheets in the wind", as they say.

On a sailboat, if the sheets - the ropes used to secure the sail - are loose, the sail will shake around in the wind, causing the ship to sway, much like a drunk person.

However, I am not drunk with alcohol. I am filled with the presence of God's Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). There are no distractions, no demands on my time, no interruptions with phones or chores. I am al-one with God.

There is nothing mysterious about God's Spirit. Our body is His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and He does the work of God in our life through Christ in us (Hebrews 13:21).

The function of the sail on a boat is to catch the wind, so the craft can move in a stately and confident manner. 

When our "sheets" are tight, we can catch just the right amount of God's Spirit in order to move confidently in God's will. 

The Holy Spirit is described as a rushing, mighty wind on Pentecost, and He moves wherever He pleases (Acts 2:2; John 3:8). We cannot see God's Spirit, but we can see His effects in us. 

The number of sails used on a boat at one time depends on the strength of the wind. The determining factor is to remain balanced and steady as the wind propels the ship through the water.

The stronger the wind of the Holy Spirit moves in our life, the fewer sails we need in order to be guided in the correct direction. We quickly respond to His prompting, because we are in tune with His ways.

We operate in the power of God's Spirit as we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:15-25). We share His Truth with everyone we meet in every city, state and country, in which we travel or live (Acts 1:4-9).

Prayer:

Father God, help us not to trade in our treasure by buying into the lies of the devil. Satan will imitate You and draw us away from following hard after You (Psalm 63:8). Give us discernment to tell the difference between Your Spirit and his.

We thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit within us, giving us both the desire and power to serve You with our whole heart, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). Remind us to cling to Christ, who is the head of His Body, and to be complete in Him (Colossians 2:10, 18).

Thought for the Day:

Through the power of God's Spirit within us we spend our life glorifying God.

A Seed for a Miracle

 


The trials of life are inevitable. Tribulation even comes to those who walk uprightly before the Lord (Matthew 5:45). Paul learned two secrets through the things, which he suffered.

First, he learned to be content whether he had plenty or when he had nothing, when he lived in comfort or when he suffered deprivation, and when he saw the fruit of his ministry or when he simply planted or watered (Philippians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Secondly, he learned to count every trial and tribulation as a joyous event (James 1:2-18). I never understood this insane view of suffering; until the day that I suffered the dissolution of my family.

This was by far the worst thing that could ever happen to me. I can bear physical pain and death, but I was inconsolable from the magnitude of my emotional loss when I was literally cut out of my family circle.

God previously tried through numerous trials to teach me to surrender all to Him, to enter His place of rest and to have faith in His faithfulness (Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 4:10-11).

Yet, through every trail I struggled, often in vain, to use my own human resources to remedy the situation. However, this time there was no repairing the rupture of my family unit through divorce.

This is when I learned the Serenity Prayer. I had no recourse but to hand this devastating trial completely to God to do with as He saw fit. What I learned from this situation changed my life.

Now when I experience a trial, I view it as a sidewalk. If I focus on the details of the journey, I experience fear and insecurity. If I remember that there is a seed for a miracle in every trial, I feel only hope and anticipation.

I look toward the end the trial with the eyes of faith (Hebrews 11:1), expecting to see a miracle just up ahead. I keep my mind focused on God's Kingdom and His will for me in this trial.

I serve at the pleasure of our King Jesus. If He allows a loss or trial or tribulation in my life, it is for His glory and my good (John 9:3; Romans 8:28). I can count on Him, because He is always faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9).

God uses us in times of trial to share the Gospel with someone; to live through this storm as an example of Christ's peace within us; and for God to form His character, the fruit of His Spirit, and Christ's divine nature in us through the things, which we suffer (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:4; Ephesians 2:10).

I count trials as joyful experiences now, as I focus on the eternal consequences and not the temporal aspects of each one. I look forward to the ultimate miracle, which this trial shall birth in my life.

Prayer:

Father God, trials also taught me that as I continually live in Your presence and walk by Your Spirit, I will experience far fewer trials, than if You have to resort to trials to gain my attention.

Satan also uses circumstances to batter us with temptations and trials all throughout our life; but we thank You that Christ in us is greater than the god of this world (Job 2:3; 1 John 4:4). Remind us that Jesus already won the victory for us over every negative aspect of life (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Thought for the Day:

Trust your life to God's capable hands.

Why Bother Witnessing for Christ?

The skeptics of the world refuse to believe the evidence that we present to them. We have infallible proofs that the Bible is true and that the Christ of the Bible is the one and only Savior of the World, but who will believe it? Even when we use several schools of logic to appeal to their reason, they refuse to believe. They replace the truth of God for a lie, and they worship and serve created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

For instance, there are several scientific and logical progressions that prove the existence of God. Everyone knows that change only occurs with an impetus, which causes the change. Therefore, something unchanging had to cause the first change. Matter changes, but is never used up. Something had to create that matter in the first place. Someone had to create the gas that supposedly banged us into existence. I purport that God spoke and His breath created everything into existence. God is the unchanging cause that created all things.  

The order in our vast universe strongly suggests an intelligent designer. The fact that mankind has any intelligence at all is evidence of a higher intelligence, which created us. It stands to reason that our intelligent designer is God. With these facts in mind, we can draw the conclusion that Christ and the Holy Spirit are also God. Some religious denominations, such as the Jehovah Witnesses believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but not equal to God. Contrarily, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is God, who came in the flesh (John 5: 16-23; Revelation 3:14; John 20:28; Colossians 2:8,10).

Salvation through Christ is evident through many Biblical references (Romans 5:2, 3:21-27, 10:9-10; Hebrews 7:25). However, denominations such as Roman Catholics and Mormons believe that our works obtain our salvation for us. If this were true, Jesus would not have needed to live and die, rise again from the dead and ascend into heaven. Satan used this same deceitful tactic in the Garden of Eden, convincing the first couple that God lied to them; and they would be as smart as God, if they would eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:4-5).

Whether or not a person believes the truth we speak, God still commands us to go into the entire world and share the truth (Mark 16:15). Some of our words plant seeds in a person’s heart, some water a seed planted there by someone else, but it is God who ultimately gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). There are dominions and powers of darkness that oppose our efforts to witness (Ephesians 6:10). Significantly, no one can come to Christ unless the Spirit of God draws him/her (John 6:44).

Jesus often spoke in parables. They were mysterious stories to the common person. Jesus told his disciples that only the spiritually minded would understand them (Mark 4:10-13). No amount of reason or logic can convince a person to believe in Christ for Salvation, even though Biblical truth is perfectly credible and plausible. We never know when a neighbor, a person in the grocery line, a waitress at the restaurant or the stranger on the street is ready to hear the Good News of the Gospel of Christ (Matthew 28:19).

It only takes a moment to ask someone, “Do you have a church to attend?” If they say “No”, invite them to yours. Or you can ask, “What do you believe about Jesus?” Then, politely listen to their response before you give them your testimony about what Jesus did for you (Matthew 5:16). We are not in the Kingdom of God to take up space, but to spread the Word to anyone and everyone who will listen (Acts 1:8).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, open the eyes and ears of our finite mind, so we can understand the Words of Life in the scriptures (Luke 24:44-45). We do not want to draw near to You only with our mouth, and honor You only with our lips. We do not want our heart to be far from You. We do not want to worship You in vain or to teach the doctrine of men, rather than Your Truth (Matthew15:8-9). We want to worship You in Spirit and in Truth, and we want to guide all men into Your truth as well (John 4:23-24, 16:13).

Thought for the Day:

Do not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for all to see. - Matthew 5:15