Songs of Innocence (Lessons that I HAD to learn) – Part 1
What’s wrong with ‘The Rapture’? (Debunk)
‘Thanking God For Another Year Of Life Happy Birthday To Me
As I celebrate another year of life today, I’m reminded of what God has done for me. No matter what difficulty I’ve faced over the year, God has drawn me out. Hallelujah! When I felt overwhelmed, God reached out His hand. He wouldn’t let me sink, and He wouldn’t let me slip. He took hold of me and rescued me from the deep waters of opposition that raged against me.
He will do the same for you. Scripture says that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a barrier against him. If you are facing adversity, know that you are not facing it alone. God is with you, and He is for you. He will draw you out!
Today, I say to all of my friends and those that follow me on social media, who over the past year may have been affected by major difficultities of life, know that you have only made it this far because God reached down, held you, rescued you and drew you out. Hallelujah! Today, on the day of my birth, I know that it was God who was working behind the scenes, that has brought me this far and He’ll do the same for you. He will bring us out better and stronger.
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy”¦”
(Psalm 18:16-17, NIV)?
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for Your grace and mercy that has held me together this year. Father, I reach out my hand to You today, knowing that You have been an ever present help in my day of trouble. God, I thank You for another year of life, and in advance for all that You are doing, and for bringing me to a place of peace, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
…
When the rain is still present
“This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; 13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, 15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
(Genesis 9:12-17 NASB)
I’m a bit of a Nature freak and I love to know how everything works and runs. I love the cycles of and Seasons of Nature. So, when I saw an article about rainbows on the internet this morning, I read it. I know that rainbows are created when light shines through water droplets. That’s why I run outside every time it is raining with the Sun out, to see if I can spy one. As I was reading the article, it suddenly struck me that when God put the first rainbow in the sky, it wasn’t raining at all. When we read the story of the Flood and the Promise God made not to flood the earth again, the rain had already stopped.
Now God only puts a Bow in the Sky during our storms, not when the rains have stopped, but while it is still raining. The droplets must be present for the light to shine through and reveal the colors of the rainbow. So, the first appearance of the Rainbow was a bit of a miracle too, it was a dry rainbow because the rain had already ceased.
But now we see rainbows only in the midst of our storms. God doesn’t wait for us to be through our trials and tribulations to remind us of His faithfulness and promises. He reminds us right in the middle of the storms, when the rain is still present.The clouds part and the light of Christ shines through the droplets of tears during the struggles, the losses and brokenness. God is right there during this time with us. He is with us, reminding us of who He is, and just How true He is to His Word and promises to us. Next time you see a rainbow, thank God for showing up to remind us of Himself amid your storms, not just in the aftermath.
A Thorough Knowledge of the Bible Is worth More than a College Education
It [the Word of God] is a light shining in a dark place. As we search its pages of the bible, light enters the heart, illuminating the mind. By this light we see an example of what we ought to be.
We see in the WORD, warnings and promises, with God behind them all. We are invited to search this Word for aid when brought into difficult places. If we do not consult the Guidebook at every step, inquiring, Is this the way of the Lord? our words and acts will be tainted by selfishness. We shall forget God, and walk in paths that He has not chosen for us.
God’s Word is full of precious promises and helpful counsel. It is infallible; for God cannot make a mistake. It has help for every circumstance and condition of life, and God looks on with sadness when His children turn from it to human aid.
He who through the Scriptures holds communion with God will be ennobled and sanctified. As he reads the inspired record of the Saviour’s love, his heart will melt in tenderness and contrition. He will be filled with a desire to be like his Master, to live a life of loving service. By a miracle of His power He has preserved His Written Word through all ages.
The Holy Bible is God’s great director…. It flashes its light ahead, that we may see the path by which we are traveling; and its rays are thrown back on past history, showing the most perfect harmony in that which, to the mind in darkness, appears like error and discord. In that which seems to the worldling an inexplicable mystery, God’s children see light and beauty.
Happy is the man who has discovered for himself that the Word of God is a light to his feet and a lamp to his path – a light shining in a dark place. It is heaven’s directory for men.
Which Template Should I Choose?
Templates have made life easier, but they can rob you of your God-given design and talent, and they make you fit into other people’s ideal for your life. What really matters in the final analysis, is do we fit into God’s design and will for our lives? Too many people live their life trying to fit in, worried about what everyone else thinks, and wondering how they can impress other people. But we have to realise that when we come to the end of life, we’re not going to stand before people to give an account of our lives, we are going to stand before Almighty God.
God is not going to say, “why didn’t you do what brother or sister so-and-so said? Why didn’t you fit into man’s template? Why didn’t you follow their opinion?” No! God is going to ask, “did you become who I created you to be? Did you stay true to what I put in your heart? Were you obedient to my Word?”
Today, think about Saul. He had a massive future. God had great things in store for him, but he was so insecure that he let people squeeze him into their template. He was afraid he was going to disappoint people. He said in 1 Samuel 15:24, “I disobeyed the Lord’s instructions because I was afraid of the people, so I did what they asked.” Saul knew what to do. He admitted it, How sad! He was a people pleaser. He forfeited his destiny in order to fit into other folks’ template. Don’t let that be you! Don’t be a people pleaser, be a God pleaser, because fitting into God’s template is all that really matters when all is said and done!
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
(Hebrews 9:27, NKJV)?
Pray With Me
Yahweh, today I set my heart and mind on following Your template for my life. Father, I need You to Help me break away from the snare of following people and not You. Help me to stand strong against criticism and learn to walk in love. God, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You always, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Don’t Panic, Cos God Ain’t
Listening to a conversation the other day, made me realise that many of us think that God gets surprised, or goes into panic mode when things go wrong. We may be surprised by the unexpected, because we believe just because we’re good or doing the right thing, then we are exempt from trouble. The scripture says, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust.”
When something unexpected happens, or you find yourself facing a crisis, don’t automatically go into “panic mode,” or just fall apart emotionally. Realise that the crisis is no surprise to God. It may be unexpected to you, but God knows the end from the beginning. He has solutions to problems that you haven’t even had yet. He has equipped you for every battle, and He goes before you to make your crooked places straight!
Today, don’t panic about the situation you’ve found yourself in, instead of focusing on your problem, focus on your God. Focus on the fact that He is with you. Remember that He doesn’t panic or get surprised by life’s difficulties. He walks with you, leading and guiding you to a place of peace and victory. No matter what has happened, He will take what the enemy meant for evil, and turn it around for your good. He always leads us into victory. So keep moving forward, knowing that He has already made a way of escape for you! Hallelujah!
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph”¦”
(2 Corinthians 2:14, AMP)?
Pray With Me
Yahweh, I come to You with an open and humble heart. Father, I thank You for the victory that You have in store for me, even when I can’t see it. Please remove panic mode from my life when unexpected trials come. I’m so glad that You don’t panic. Teach me how to stay focused on You, and not get bent out of shape by the unexpected. God, I want to trust You more, knowing that You are always faithful, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
When God Prunes You
In agriculture, pruning is a necessary process. To “prune” means something is cut away, something is removed. In life, we all go through a pruning process. Scripture says, “the Lord takes away”¦.” God will prune our lives so that we can bear much fruit. In other words, maybe a good friend that you counted on moved away, maybe you got laid off your job, maybe your business shut down, or a relationship ended.
God knows what you need in your life in order to grow and flourish. Sometimes when things happen that we don’t understand, we have to just trust the process. He is preparing you for increase, preparing you to go to another level. Don’t put a question mark where God has placed a full stop. Move forward and don’t look back.
Today, you may be going through the pruning process, don’t get bitter. Don’t get down and think it’s the end. Don’t start thinking that you’re a failure. Have the attitude, “God is pruning me, and as hard as it is, I’m going to let it go, knowing that it was only a temporary provision, and what He has in my future will be greater and more powerful than what I’m letting go of.” If you will accept the change and stay in faith, God will open new doors. He will bring new opportunities, new friendships, and take you to another level for His glory!
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.”
(John 15:2, NIV)?
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for loving me enough to work in my life. Father, I release the things I don’t understand into Your hands. Please Lord, give me strength to get through this pruning process. I believe that You are working in my life, and I trust Your unfailing judgement. God, I believe that You have good things in store for my future. I choose to wait on You today and forevermore, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Lift People Up
Driving to camp meeting this morning in North Wales, we had great positive conversations, lifting each other up with testimonies and experiences. We all need somebody to believe in us more than we believe in ourselves. We all need people who will push us up in life. After all, there are enough people trying to push us down. There are enough people telling us what we can’t become, and how we don’t have what it takes. I know in my own life, I wouldn’t be half of who I am if it were not for positive people who spoke so much faith into me. People who called out the potential on the inside of me.
We all have the responsibility to do this for others. Push people up! Look with your eyes of faith and see their potential, and tell them what they can be. If you will be that person for somebody, God will send somebody to be that person for you.
Today, realise everybody has seeds of greatness on the inside. You can cause them to rise to a new level. You can be the catalyst for them to do things they never thought possible. Your words have creative, life-changing power. When you speak vision and purpose into someone’s life, that can be the seed God uses to move them to a new level.
“Two are better than one”¦if either of them falls down, one can help the other up”¦”
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NIV)
Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank you for sending folk into my life to lift me up. Today I commit to lift people up. God, I choose to speak life and call forth the seeds of greatness from within others. Father, thank You for using me to help others fulfil their destiny and divine purpose, in Jesus’ Name! Amen
Unqualified verses Qualified
Has there ever been a time in your life, when it comes to your studies, that you continued to fail? Never got past the halfway mark to qualify. Missed out on crucial points to get you to the next stage. The feeling of failure and realizing that you just ain’t that good at academia. Often basing our worth on what we feel we should be achieving because of our comparisons to our peers, friends, and associates.
I remember being told at one point in my life, that because I did not go to University and did not obtain a proper Degree, that I was less than another person. I was being compared to somebody else and it felt awful. I was being told indirectly that I had no value and there was nothing I could do about it, quite frankly. Feeling like a nobody, I went through life, trying to achieve success and always giving up halfway and allowing their voice in my head, to keep repeating the negatives into my life.
‘ What your doing is not as important as what I am doing’ ‘ You don’t even have a degree ‘.
I gradually worked out understood why it was happening… I noticed when I doubted myself when attempting to do something. I felt that same feeling of worthlessness when I was struggling to learn a new thing. When it came to studies, I shied away from booking the courses that interested me, because I thought I would fail, yet again.
However, when I became a believer, a major breakthrough happened in my life, something that completely turned my life around, in terms of what I thought about myself. God not only revealed to me what I was gifted at. He brought me back to a time in my life as visions, when I would see myself writing, from as young as 13yrs.
Of course! My first thought was, I write because I enjoy it, I did not see it as something special. Though God had a different idea, he revealed he was going to use me with my writing to encourage others, to give them hope. Scripture tells us God does not call the ‘ Qualified ‘ he calls those who are not and for the first time I felt like a somebody and not a nobody, who had not achieved much. When indeed I had been given a gift that I did not have to study for, bust my guts over revision timetables for. No sleepless nights and early morning rises.
When God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, Moses was living a life of obscurity at that time.. He knew Moses had a heart for people and had credible standing at one point in his life and so God decided to use. Moses of course lamented.
‘ I am a nobody God ‘ …’ I am not qualified God’
But God was using Moses for his credibility, not Moses’s. God was using him as an example to those, who did not believe what God could do.
Why Retirement Is The Perfect Time To Build On Your Faith
“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord,” says the words of Leviticus. When it comes to retirement, it’s likely that most people will have more spare time — and money — than ever before. People are retired for longer than ever — but no matter what stage of retirement you’re at, you’re never too old to devote this new-found spare time to Jesus. Many older Americans are already religious, and there’s a 17% spike in religious affiliation among older people compared to those under 40. It’s not uncommon for churches and other religious establishments to be heavily populated by older people. But there’s still plenty for those in retirement to do to devote their time to God: helping in the community is one such way, while studying the Bible is another.
Bible study
Partly, opportunities for religious exploration as a senior are due to demographic trends. Retirement now is longer than it ever has been before: the average life expectancy in the US is now around 80, and many people are not called to Heaven until they are in their nineties — meaning that some spend almost as much time retired as they do in work. Also, there are some that can leave their career early, as they’ve accumulated enough savings to enjoy early retirement. But what’s a useful, and holy, way to spend all of that new-found free time? The option many people choose is Bible study. As you may already know, it’s one of the best ways to fall deeper in love with God’s word, and learn more about His creation. And one very interesting detail about studying the Bible during the golden years is the ability to understand it from an angle that you couldn’t have been able to in a younger age. In other words, with all your past experiences, you get to analyze the scripture with a new perspective, filled with seasoned wisdom that you didn’t have in your 20s and 30s.
Work in the community
For those who are either already conversant with the Bible or who feel that their vocation is something a little more practical, meanwhile, spending your new-found spare retirement time on helping your community is also a sensible choice. “And let us not grow weary of doing good,” says Galatians — and working in the community during retirement is a great way to achieve this end. You may want to volunteer to lead some groups in your church, or perhaps to become a reader at services. If you have specific skills such as fundraising or the law, you may find that you’re in high demand as a practitioner — and that church could be a good way to stay in touch with your workplace skills.
“Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone,” read the words of Deuteronomy 34:7. Retirement may seem like a long way off to you, or perhaps it’s right around the corner as it is for an increasing number of Americans. But no matter what retirement looks like to you, one thing’s for sure: using it to follow in Moses’ path and for holy purposes is a good idea, and it’s one that will stand you in good stead as you move from this life to the next.
Confidence in the Midst of Adversity
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
LORD, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.
Arise, LORD! Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
From the LORD comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people (NIV).
Reflection
When do you most need God?
The answer to that question is easy–when I’m in deep trouble. It’s natural to call out to God when I’m in some great or urgent need. A returning veteran from the First World War said it best, “There are no atheists in the trenches. When the artillery shells start exploding to the right and left even unbelievers discover how to pray.”
The context of Psalm 3 is of great significance. David finds himself in the midst of a life threatening tragedy. He is fleeing from his palace in the nation’s capital, because his son is conspiring to murder him and seize the kingdom from his hands. Here is the great delta–the extreme low point in David’s life.
How does David respond? With utter confidence in God! Yes, he calls out to the LORD for deliverance, but he does so with complete assurance that God will answer. There isn’t the slightest hint of doubtful desperation in his voice. Having prayed to the LORD, he boasts in his ability to sleep, because he knows God will answer.
How could David be so confident–so self-assured? Actually, David’s assurance rested entirely on the LORD, not on himself. David had a wealth of experience with God. In his mind, the LORD was tried, tested, and true through the ups and downs of life.
He knew something we need to know. God will come through. He will bring salvation and deliverance!
Response: LORD God, save me from all my troubles. I put my confidence in you. You reach down to me at the low points in my life. You have never abandoned me. I give you thanks in advance. Amen.
Your Turn: Take a moment to reflect on the goodness of the LORD. Has He saved you from deep trouble in the past?
God’s Social Justice — Amos the Prophet
“No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”
Martin Luther King from Amos 5:24
I recently taught on the book of Amos during a study of the Twelve Minor Prophets. As I studied Amos I was able to see how it fits into the unity of these Twelve Books. There is a pattern within the individual books that make the twelve a cohesive unit. As I studied these prophets I found they all pretty much have the same basic ingredients: first there are warnings of impending judgment because of the nation’s sinfulness; second a description of the sin; third a description of the coming judgment; fourth a call for repentance; and fifth a promise of future deliverance. That is the Gospel message that we understand today.
Amos has perhaps received more critical attention than any other minor prophet. Hardly any aspect of the book remains untouched by extensive commentary. My purpose here is to focus in on one aspect of the Book of Amos. I have no intention to even begin to address the fullness of the nine chapters. Various approaches to Amos’ structure have been put forward. The book is often broken into a three-part framework that divides the book into indictments against neighboring nations, then Judah and Israel (chapters 1-2), sermons on ethical sin (chapters 3-6) and visions of the end (chapters 7-9). Our attention will be on the oracle or indictment of Israel for their callousness toward the poor and needy. The prophet will indict Israel, warn of coming judgment and then call for repentance. This I will follow with visions of the end because there is the promise of future deliverance.
Amos first indicts the leaders of Israel for their callousness toward the poor and needy including their exploitation of them for their own personal gain. “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?’”
The Lord God pleads with Israel through His prophet to “Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
We see a patient God but not an ever patient God. We see a God who has desired through the prophets to warn His people and the nations, not only in ancient times but through all history. He warns all peoples that they will pay for their sins and transgressions if they don’t turn to Him. We see a God whose love is shown through His warnings and patience but we also see the judgment from our God based of the transgressions of the people and His need for justice.
The oppression and injustice Amos found in the Northern Kingdom was evidence that righteousness had been thrown to the ground as something worthless by those who were in power. Righteousness no longer had any meaning for the powerful people of Israel as a requirement of the worship of God.
To Amos, “hating evil and loving good” was a simple yet powerful statement of how to establish justice “in the gate.” In a very simple language, the prophet placed principles of true justice before a group of people who could argue about legal technicalities while tolerating bribery, corruption, and greed.
The gate of the city was fortified in order to protect the city from enemies and to serve as the place where the elders of the city would gather as a legal assembly to decide cases needing adjudication. The gate was the place where the local judiciary met to determine right and wrong in legal disputes, and therefore, to decide who was innocent or guilty. The gate of the city in Israel what just the opposite.
The prophet speaks, first of all, about the behavior of their judges: ‘They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals’ (Amos 8:6). Those who were rich behaved as they wanted to, without being questioned; silver passed hands and the corrupt judges convicted those who were innocent, ‘the righteous’. It was totally different for the poor. The judges were willing to sell a poor man into slavery — even though his debt might have been as small as the cost of a cheap pair of sandals — because the creditor paid the judge part of the money he received from the sale.
We can almost hear the sadness in God’s voice as, through Amos, the Lord speaks out about the lack of compassion shown by the rich people of Israel for the plight of their poor fellow countrymen. The rich and clever in Israel treated the poor like dirt and denied them justice because they were not wealthy enough to bribe the judges.
Amos indicts Israel for the oppression of the poor. The time in which Amos lived was a time of peace and prosperity for Israel. At least it was a time of prosperity in that the rich people became richer, but they became more selfish and heartless too. Originally in Israel each tribe had its own land, and each family its portion of that land, but then the rich got into their hands more and more of the land of those who were poorer. They even caused many of the poor to become their slaves. Poor people might owe a debt of no greater value than a pair of shoes, and they had to be sold as slaves to pay it (Amos 8:4-6 and 2 Kings 4: 1). In many different ways the rich ‘trampled the head of the poor into the dust of the earth’. They only cared to get more money for themselves. They oppressed the poor, taking away both their land and their liberty. This was sin, grievous in God’s sight; and the people knew it but did not care. The word of Amos was that they must answer to God for it. The patience of God, however, was about to expire.
In Amos 8:9-12 the Lord lets it been known to Israel “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.”
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land — not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.”
God warns of judgment but He is a God whose love is shown through His warnings and patience. With every warning of coming judgment there is always a call to repentance, whether specifically spoken, or, as here, merely implied. Isaiah prophesied, ‘Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live’ (Isaiah 55:3). Yet these stubborn people continually refused to listen to the voice of the Lord’s prophets because they did not like what they heard. They did not want to be challenged or shaken out of their comfortable lifestyle. God was not quick to anger hoping that Israel would turn away from their sins. He was not quick to anger but He was not ever patient. His judgment was then cast on an unrepentant nation. The judgment of God is based on the transgressions of the people and His need for justice. In fact, the day of judgment did arrive, and Israel was taken away by the Assyrians, never to be heard of again. The judgment of God will come down on all unrepentant people not just Israel.
What does it mean to have justice established in the gate? I don’t think it means to have a society without distinctions, but a society without oppression or exploitation of the less fortunate, the poor and the needy. The eighth century before Christ was a period during which a privileged few in Israel were enjoying unprecedented prosperity while most Israelites were facing dire poverty. Amos forged an explicit and unbreakable link between justice toward the neighbor and righteousness before God. Amos’ ministry provided an eternal witness of God’s opposition to economic, political, and social injustice for all nations.
Amos spoke to an oppressed society and his concern for the poor and the oppressed made him a prophet for all times. Amos is also a prophet for the 21st century, a time when the worldwide gap between the rich and the poor has never been greater.
The words of Amos can be remembered by many of us today as we remember Martin Luther King, Jr., in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. in August 1963. King brought 20th century meaning to the words of Amos: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).
The sources of oppression and injustice may look different today, but people’s concern for material prosperity reflects the days in which Amos lived. Amos’ message of God’s opposition to injustice, his criticism of the people’s worship of material things, and his witness of God’s special concern for the poor and oppressed, affirm that the worship of God in any age is worthless if social oppression and injustice are ignored.
How evident is this in 21st century America? How evident should this be to God’s people the Church? Were we brought together within the local Church to uphold a different standard of righteousness than ancient Israel? Does the care of the poor and the oppressed end in a voting booth for Christians? Vote, pay taxes and leave it to the government?
I understand that many evangelicals link the so called Social Gospel with those Churches that emphasize that Gospel apart from the teaching of sound doctrine. The attention to feeding people physically but not spiritually. The need for social justice does not preclude attention to feeding people spiritually. Bringing an individual to Christ fills them with a hope that no government or program can ever give them.
God desires to have a church full of people who don’t care if they live in comfort, but who hate evil, love good, and who devote themselves to establish justice at the gate! People who feel grief and indignation not just when their livelihood is threatened, but also when children die of starvation and anyone dies without salvation. Feeding and taking care of the poor and needy of this nation is no different in God’s eyes then it was in the days before the Assyrians came down on the nation of Israel. He is a God of justice and righteousness. He is a God whose character is unchanging, His will is immutable, His love abounding. His patience indicates His love for us but it is not endless. His justice, therefore, is swift if a nation fails to repent. America should understand that, especially with the direction it is now heading.
Think and pray about 21st century America. Think and pray about the Church’s responsibility in bringing about social justice in America. Think, however of a Christian community that fills the bellies of the hungry and also their spiritual need to be saved. Social justice will never be fulfilled on this earth, only in God’s Kingdom to come and in an eternity with Him made possible through the saving blood of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. That does not mean we have the right to turn away those truly in need.
For those who turned away from their sin God offered those Israelites hope. “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this. “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God.” (Amos 9:9-15)
This is the same hope that we have today. This is a hope that no earthly government can ever provide. This is a hope that all who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior already has. As we as God’s people reach out to the truly needy it is a hope that we need to share with them. We need to teach them to pray “Thy Kingdom Come” because it is on that day that we will all see social justice.
Header artwork by Ylli Haruni — used by permission — Please visit his works at.
No Disappointment in Jesus
The Scripture says, “when we put our hope in Him, we will never be disappointed.” Wow! What a powerful promise we have from Almighty God! Of course, that doesn’t mean that things will always go our way. There may be temporary setbacks, but we will never be permanently disappointed. According to the Word, God will cause it to all work out for our good. With God on our side, we will always end in victory! Hallelujah!
What heavy negative weight are you carrying? Are you carrying frustration, worry or aggravation about something? That’s usually a clear sign that you have no hope. If you hope in circumstances, it will deplete you of joy and peace. But when you turn those circumstances over to God, when you refuse to worry, when you refuse to allow the temporary things of this world to dictate your happiness, and trust Him, your crooked places will become straight, and you will mount up with wings like the eagle.
Today, choose to put your hope in l God. You won’t be disappointed. Trust Him explicitly because He is faithful. Find rest, joy and peace for your soul, knowing that He is good, and He has good things in store for you!
“”¦those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” (Isaiah 49:23, NIV)
Pray With Me
Yahweh, today I give You every frustration, every aggravation, every difficulty and all my hopelessness. Father, I release total control into Your loving and capable hands. Speak to my heart and give me Your peace. God, please show me Your love as I place my hope in You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Joe La Biancas’ video
Did Jesus exist before Abraham?
Jesus made many statements recorded in the Gospels that garnered great controversy in His day. He said that He came from heaven (John 3:13), had the authority to forgive sins (Luke 7:48—50), and is the “Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). But perhaps His most surprising assertion was given in response to the Jews in John 8. Amid a heated debate over His identity, Jesus told them, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). This declaration is especially significant given that the phrase I am was used as a title for God (Exodus 3:14).
When analyzing Jesus’ comment, it is important to notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say that “before Abraham existed, I existed.” Or, “Before Abraham was, I was.” Rather, He declared that before Abraham was even born, “I am.” Before Abraham was (past tense), Jesus is (present tense). Jesus was claiming pre-existence.
When Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham, His hearers “picked up stones to stone him” (John 8:59). They knew immediately that Jesus’ statement was tantamount to claiming equality with God, and the penalty for blasphemy under Jewish law was stoning (Leviticus 24:16). Jesus’ opponents were unsuccessful, however. John records that “Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59). Later, in John 13:19, Jesus again applies the divine name I AM to Himself: “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.” The words echo God’s statements in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’” and in Isaiah 41:4, “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.”
One day, “the LORD appeared to Abraham” (Genesis 18:1). Throughout the conversation, the Lord is alternately called a “man” and “the Lord” in (Genesis 2; 13; 16; 17; 22). This is a case of an Old Testament Christophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ). Genesis 18 provides further support for Jesus’ claim that He existed before Abraham. Jesus visited Abraham and Sarah in their tent and ate a meal with them.
Yes, the Bible certainly teaches that Jesus existed before Abraham. Jesus was “with God in the beginning” (John 1:2; John 1:14; Colossians 1:16—17), and that predates Abraham by quite a while. Jesus claimed to be divine on numerous occasions, and one such claim was that He existed prior to Abraham. Not only did Jesus exist prior to Abraham, but Abraham gave Him honor (Genesis 18:2—5).
As Jesus’ resurrection from the dead made clear, Jesus’ divine claims were true! So Jesus’ use of the name “I am” was not blasphemy as the Pharisees had supposed. Such an identification with Yahweh was entirely appropriate given who Jesus is. He is the “Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). He is “God over all” (Romans 9:5) and “the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). He was then and will forever be the great “I AM.”
