PSALM 103 VERSE 8 - "I AM A FRIEND OF GOD"

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy (Psalm 103:8)

We are given more about all the various attributes, qualities and characteristics of our Heavenly Father in the official prayer book of the Bible – the Psalms than anywhere else in Scripture. Just in the first few verses of this twenty-two verse Psalm, we find so many different blessings to praise God for, it is incredible.  One praise builds on another praise. 

This verse 8, of Psalm 103, though, shows us why God would even put up with people like us, and how we used to live. In fact, some people live close to how they lived BC (before Christ) so much, that you are excused if you and I wonder if they are even saved!

What sort of God would pick a double-crossing, greedy and lustful man to lead His Chosen people (Jacob, who became Israel)?

What kind of God would take a little teenage shepherd boy, make him King, then watch him steal a man’s wife then kill said man (King David)? Then his former shepherd boy repents and not only is he forgiven, but he is restored in right standing before God.

What manner of Divine Being would allow a self-righteous (but brilliant) religious extremist to persecute and kill Christians, then knock him off his horse as he is going to another city to do even worse and makes him the author of over half the New Testament (Apostle Paul)?

What kind of God would look at people like you and me, vile in our sinful life, living amazingly wretched lives, then, would pull us out of the fire, clean us up and set us free?  I will tell you what Kind of God would do all of this – our Father Who art in Heaven! Hallowed, glorious, mighty, worthy and awesome is His Name!! AMEN!

He is the God Who is Merciful, is Who He is. Mercy came running and grabbed us, His prodigal sons and daughters and drew us to Himself.  Mercy means God has the absolute power, potential, and capacity to just annihilate us and who can blame Him? But because of the love, compassion, and forgiveness, He has in His heart – He sent Jesus Christ, God the Son, to be the acceptable sacrifice for our sins. Once we accept Jesus Christ, His finished work on the Cross, and allow Him to be Lord of our lives, God the Father sees us through His eyes. THAT is Mercy. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever.

He is the God Who is Gracious. That means He is kind, benevolent, charitable, considerate, civil, amiable and just all around nice. In short, God is a gentleman. Through the study of the Word and prayer, we are directed by the Holy Spirit to what we need to do or how we should live. If we chose to not do these things, God will not force us to do them. Sure, it would be better if He did as things will get done,  but we have a certain amount of free will to avail ourselves of His grace and goodness. If we decline, for whatever reason, it is on us. If we run with what He says, the joy and the rewards are incredibly fulfilling.

He is the God Who is slow to anger. Thank You, Lord, for this Truth! Unlike those who follow pagan and other non-existent gods, we have a Heavenly Father Who forgives and the bible says, forgets.  If God were to get angry every time we did something inappropriate, and fly off the handle to smack us down as we deserve, we will be in a constant state of punishment and pain. But He is not so. There is coming a day when all humanity who reject God will be punished forever in a place called Hell, but that is of their own choosing. We may not see the recompense of the wicked in our lifetime. On that, we should NOT focus. What the Bible is teaching us, via the Psalms and Proverbs, is our Father is patient, loving and kind with us, even when we deserve none of it. Many times in Scripture God shows how angry and upset with the vile nature of sin and rebellion He really and truly is. Then in the very next breath (and sentence) He would say “return to Me, declares the Lord”….or “come let us REASON together as men, though your sins be scarlet…..” Do you know any other God? If you do, you have no part in the God Who forgives, loves and is full of kindness.

He abounds in mercy. His love knows no end and His Grace is for a lifetime.  Abraham believed God. He is called a friend of God. This is the very same God Who know stands at the door and knocks and opens His Mighty and protective Arms to all. He is my God. He is my King – today, He can be yours as well...and the Best Friend you will ever have! Amen.

Song- I am a friend of God

THE GREATEAST SHOUT-OUT EVER (OR RAPTURE READY!)

This is the main reason why Christians should not be caught up in the culture, corruption and condition of society and why we are called to Holiness, being set apart for a latter day of Glory.  This concept also demands a direct and complete comprehension of General Grace and Goodness of God as well as the Saving Grace He dispenses to those who repent and accept Jesus as Lord.  Just briefly, General Grace is what God gives to all – air to breathe; rain for the crops; a home and a job and even all kinds of wisdom and wealth. 

As for the latter, think of men like Einstein (atheist); or even a libertine like Hugh Hefner: or all those Hollywood and tech billionaires; or the oil sheiks in the Middle East with the golf faucets and private jets. Their fame, wealth and extravagant, immoral living are only for a fleeting time in this life, for which they will be held accountable before the Holy One on the Great Day of the Lord. Now, they may not believe this is coming, but it is. In fact the majority of people in the western world think that those of us who believe in the so-called “Rapture” are touched in the head and off our collective rockers. They even say the word “rapture” is not even in the Bible! They are correct! The word is NOT. Rapture is the English word for the Latin translation the Bible (Jerome’s Vulgate) for being "caught up". 

We read, directly from the LORD to His messenger Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord". 

So there IS going to be a taking out of God's True People.  That also means there is going to be a leaving behind of fake Christians, cultural Christians, professing with their mouths-not-their-hearts "Christians", in fact anyone who does not have sins forgiven and have possession of Jesus Christ as LORD of their lives will be left behind. This is not some extremist wishful thinking or made up story. This is literally - Gospel! Here is the Creator Himself: "....and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.… (Matthew 24:39-41).

People in the mainline liberal protestant and other eastern churches disbelieve that at their own risk.  The main reasons for the declining mainlines churches and the Eastern Orthodox churches for not fully engaged in this Truth revolve around a total lack of knowledge of Full Counsel of God through Scripture, the Deity of Christ and the lack of understanding of what being "born-again"/rejuvenation really means.

This is the church. What about the many billions who refuse the free offer of Grace and the Gospel? What about those from the other "religions" and cults? Surely a Good God would not send them to hell, would He? Surely, some of these people passed laws giving people free housing in projects and public assistance to survive and do so for social justice. Surely, God (if He exists according to the atheists) would give all these and the atheists, and the blasphemers, and the persecutors a pass? 

There is no foundation for that wishful thinking, anywhere and in any theology. We fully expect the unredeemed to speak like that, but increasingly, more and more evangelicals are lining up with the rest of the perishing world and buying that "everybody gets in" fiction. In fact, more and more of them in today's mega-churches - almost 60% according to George Barna - are saying there are other ways to the Jesus Who said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life...no one comes to the Father but through Me".

There is much more to this event of the ages, which is one day closer each day. More qualified people than I have addressed this fully and more in-depth, but this brief analysis is just to give hope to those who feel alienated from their hometowns and states and even the various countries, who read this blog on a regular basis. Whether you are under the boot of the resurgent communist party of Cuba, Russia or China....or secularist persecution in Europe/North America...or those of the moon-god religions of the east, there IS coming a day when the Midnight Cry will ring out from the Holy Angels. 

There is coming a day when the Master and the Commander in Chief of Heaven's Armies - Jesus - will say to His legions: "Go get my children". That day, will be the day, when all this insidious political correctness; all this evil; all this hatred against Christians in Nigeria, Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria, Pakistan, India, China, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and even in so-called "enlightened" countries of the West....that will be the day when Jesus will separate His sheep (us in the church) from the rest and we will be in a state of eternal bliss, all together in the Presence of His Royal Majesty, forever and ever, amen.

(Photo and more on the Rapture @ Now The End Begins)

A WALK THROUGH ROMANS 15 (VERSES 8-12)

FROM BROOKLYN TO THE KINGDOM!

One of my favorite people in the world to read is also the lead pastor of the greatest church on the eastern seaboard of America - the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. That man is Jim Cymbala, whose books Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and Breakthrough Prayer played a major role in the development of the prayer ministry, which God gave me as a lifestyle. His church has given us the world-famous, award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir!

Many think of the Brooklyn Tab as a new mega-church. However it has been around for almost 165 years! Founded in 1847 as the Central Presbyterian Church, when the presbyterians were the major revivalists of America, the church went through many phases! It was destroyed by fire twice and a thunderstorm once. When one of those fires destroyed it in 1894, it had over 6000 members. After that, the Tabernacle floundered and fizzled until the 1980s when Jim and Carol Cymbala were called by God to take over a dying church of 30 people.


Through many hardships; financial difficulties; spiritual warfare attacks and general days of despair, they persevered. They persevered not in their own strength but in the same kind of love we see demonstrated in today's passage. How did they persevere? Prayer, Praise and the Power of Love! 


So much can be said about the Cymbalas and what God has used them to be as His ambassadors in the most secular city in America - New York City! However, that is a story best told by this wonderful couple in their own books! 


The Brooklyn Tabernacle and David Wilkerson's Church on 42nd Street have become NYC bookends to the library God is building for His Kingdom as the Church Ages rapidly heads for the finish line! This will culminate in the completion of God's plan for the Restoration of Mankind, which He began through Abraham - the Father of Many Nations!


We have previously been going verse by verse through Romans 15, but to keep the context of what the Lord intended, today, we must look at Verses 8-12 as a package.


For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name.”
And again it is said,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him.”
And again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.” (Romans 15:8-12 ESV)


This powerful portion of Scripture from Romans 15 lays out beautifully the Plan of God. First, Christ came as the King of the Jews (the "Circumcised) in order to fulfill all the patriarchs (Moses, Abraham, Jacob etc); the prophets and the Writings and to show Him Faithful and True! The Jews rejected Jesus and crucified Him as the Passover Lamb in AD 33. Thus began the Church Age.

(AS A SIDE NOTE - Contrary to incorrect teachings in modern western churches, the church did NOT replace Israel in God's Plan. This heresy is called "Replacement Theology" - RUN FROM IT!)


We, who are Gentiles, have been adopted into the Family of God with the same blessings, benefits and privileges of Joshua; King David; Isaiah; Jeremiah (my favorite prophet) or the Apostle Paul - all Hebrews! For that reason, because we have Christ (if we are truly saved and made right before God), we should praise and rejoice!

We should praise and rejoice because as Verse 12 says "the Root of Jesse" will come...."to rule...in Him will we (the Gentiles) HOPE"!!! That Root of Jesse is Jesus...who is from the House of David (Jesse's son)!


Which brings me back to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church - anyone who has read or seen anything about this church should marvel. The Spirit of God led me to know once that this is exactly what Heaven will look like - this congregation! Almost every nation, every tribe, every tongue is represented in this amazing 10,000 plus person congregation....and that includes some Messianic Jews! This is a true reflection of the New York City melting pot.


I encourage all to listen to the Tabernacle choir music or an online Sunday morning sermon by Pastor Jim Cymbala and you will hear true joy, praise and as the verse above says  about what goes on there "LET ALL THE PEOPLES EXTOL HIM"!!!

Amen - would you worship Him today? He is able! Christ is Able Still to Save!