THIRD SET OF KEYS TO THE KINGDOM - FEAR GOD, LOVE PEOPLE

TEXT: 1 Peter 1: 17-24 

PART 2: - PRECEPTS FOR LIFE...THE PEACEFUL, JOYFUL LIFE

In Psalm 19:8, the praise continues with the Psalmist (King David) saying “The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad, the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.”

What are the “precepts of the Lord” and why would they give us peace, joy and contentment in our souls?  

First of all, this is one thing only a truly converted child of God (i.e. born again) can comprehend. The reason is that the empowering and enlightening agent is the Holy Spirit of God.  To understand what the precepts of the Lord are, is the key to a different level of thinking which the unsaved do no possess. The precepts are the statutes, laws, decrees and commands of God. We know what those are.

They are not just the ten commandments but the decrees of the Lord which encompass love, mercy, compassion and living a lifestyle which is both pleasing to the Lord, while not offending others. The bible tells us that while some things may be lawful, as regards food and drink etc. not everything is profitable. If something causes someone else to stumble, that thing is an anathema. Why would be want to diminish our testimony by going into a liquor store, buying a bottle of Jack Daniels and a case of Budweiser just as our next door neighbor is driving by, to whom we are trying to witness?

The precepts of the Lord is more than just those which concern loving God and your fellow man. God gave us these to save us from ourselves, as well as to protect His Glorious Name. Committing adultery not just destroys marriages and families, it has the capability to ruin the health of the participants, the children of those families who are now scared for life, once sin is discovered and lead to drug abuse, sin, and depression. Obeying God’s commands to stay faithful to Him and our spouses, gives us peace and harmony in our homes and brings contentment to the nth degree. Stealing robs not just the victim, but it robs the soul, and tarnishes the Name of the Lord. Lying, cheating, coveting and more....are violations, for sure against other people that can have legal as well as ethical repercussions. Not doing those things is optimum and should never be part of our nature or thinking.

These commands and commandments are not to keep us from having fun. They are keep us from harming ourselves! Read all the decrees in the New Testament from the Apostle Paul, in many places, and see why the Lord put them there. It is for us to have a joyful and as pure a life as we can.

God’s Word is pure! His Commandments are pure because He is as Pure as His Word. When He says in 1 Thessalonians 5:13b and following: “Be at peace among yourselves…..admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all (verse 14). Then He says “do not repay evil with evil….”(15).  “Rejoice always  (16). Pray without ceasing (17). Give thanks in call circumstances (18). Do not quench the Spirit (19). Abstain from every form of evil (22)……He says all of this so that our “whole spirit, soul and body will be kept blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (23).

All of this put together, as Psalm 19:8b says, for “enlightening of the eyes”! In the great big Heart of God, what He saying here, is that the eyes of our own spiritual hearts, will see the beauty, joy and comfort of the Lord in the darkness which exists out there in the unsaved evil world.

What an amazing loving God. He cares so much for us, He gave us what the world sees as rules, but we see as the roadmap, to a truly peaceful and joyful life, while we journey here on earth. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

PSALM 103 VERSE 3 - "TO HEAL AND FORGIVE"

"Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases" (Psalm 103:3)
Iniquities are basically the worst type of offense against the Lord our God. It goes like this: Sin -> Transgressions -> Iniquities. Let us examine the man whom God used to write this Psalm himself – King David. When he first saw Uriah the Hittite’s wife, it was not while he was absent-mindedly walking on the roof.  Uriah was one of the elite 37, called “David’s Mighty Men”.  His beautiful wife, Bathsheba had to have been known by everyone in the palace and societal circles. 

Later on, when the Bible says that “in the Spring when Kings went off to war”…David stayed behind, sin had already formed in his mind. He had allowed the lustful thoughts about Bathsheba to form a nest in his hair and instead of taking it captive, rebuking the temptation and turning from it, he doubled down on his “missing the mark” (the definition of sin).

Then David took his sin a little further into an action plan. He did the recon on the rooftop, saw what he saw and sent for her. He was the king and she obviously has some culpability in this. This is transgression. He had not done anything yet, and could still back out of complete rebellion against God. If anyone of us ever gets that far into sin, to the second tier of rebellion – turning around and fleeing immorality is still the best option. However, David went over the cliff. On purpose, he willingly disregarded God, Whose Holy Spirit lived in David so he could write Scripture and then not just committed adultery but murder to cover up what he did. This last stage of sin is iniquity. 

It is not just King David who has gone as far in open rebellion against God to commit iniquity. All manner of Christians has done either one of these three levels of sin or all three at once. God has, is now and will continue to forgive even the worst violation of His Law and Commandments.  Everyone from pastor to well-known TV evangelists to politicians and regular folk has done it. Most of us never go as far as King David or some three-times divorced fancy pants preacher…. or you name them. Most people just do the everyday sins of losing tempers, swearing or not following through on promises to the Lord.  Sins can also include things like not making proper uses of time, resources and spiritual gifts.  We are all guilty in some way of one or the other of these. The amazing thing is God still loves us, even if the conduct of the sinner stinks to the high heavens! 

This is the kind of sin which God forgives – the foulest and worse. Even the little sins we commit, after being saved, are not kosher with the Lord. He forgives….but there is a caveat here.  We must first stop sinning. Then we must turn away from all the stumbling blocks which have temporarily broken our wonderful fellowship with God. Then, we must repent. Seriously repent and ask forgiveness. Now, we cannot keep committing the same sin and doing what Paul said “should we keep sinning that Grace may abound? May it never be” (Romans 6:1-2)

Here are the kinds of prayers of repentance, as a guide. We must add our own specific circumstance, or where we are in at the time, for which we need forgiveness. From Psalm 51:
9   Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners will be converted to You.

God not only forgives the vilest of sins, but He heals diseases. Even diseases caused by sin – from alcoholism to sexual – can be healed by the Almighty.  Not all disease is caused by sin or circumstances of birth. Remember the incident in the Bible here: "And His (Jesus) disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" John 9:2.

The human body is exceedingly frail in the grand scheme of things, due to the Fall of Man in Genesis chapter 3, but it is also created with certain immune mechanisms to fight off all kinds of plagues and diseases.  Christians were the first to bring hygiene, healthful living and hospitals to the world…and especially the uncivilized world, hundreds of years ago. Conditions for life – air/water and other essential entities- have improved from the Dark  Ages where plaques and other widespread diseases killed millions and millions. But in spite of the best medical technology and advances in medicine in the 21st century, a vast amount of sicknesses still cannot be defeated.

There is still no cure for the common cold or cancer. But there is God. He Who made us and knows every hair on our heads, and every cell He created. He knows how everything works better than 100 teams of doctors at John Hopkins.  He can heal. He heals when He wishes and He does from time to time when we pray and ask.  

Sometimes, He does not heal because there is a lesson to be learned from the ensuing trial and test of our perseverance. Sometimes He does not heal because it is time for the person to leave this earth. But He heals and He touches so many in a miraculous way.  I have seen people healed from lumps in the chest. I have a friend who was healed from Stage 3 colon cancer because the man of God praying about it. I was there when that happened to listen to him pray…and on and on. Our God reigns and our God heals! Bless His Holy Name! 
Amen.

(Image Credit)

SHOULD WE PRAY FOR.....REVIVAL?

Revival has become a buzzword in the prayers and lexicon of many Christians in certain churches, on Christian TV programs or various forms of media.  You can’t go to a conference or church seminar without someone talking about revival. This is great, but what does Revival really look? What is Revival anyway? Websters, in its many definitions of Revival, describe it as "the growth of something or an increase in the activity of something after a long period of no growth or activity".

I have seen a real Revival up close in 2002 and went back night after night for a while to study how it came about, as a student of revival. What it did, was end up changing me and setting me on a course of a repentant lifestyle, where humility and prayer became more important than just doing church work, for its own sake. There is nothing wrong with service in the Kingdom of God. However it is more meaningful if we are truly repentant, seeking the grace and forgiveness of God. This will lead to personal revival which leads to corporate when we seek to get right as the Body of Christ. This kind of "revival" is actually more beneficial to the individual soul than sitting there praying and hoping for a huge spiritual awakening in the West - which may or may never happen!

However, I have not only been permanent touched and affected during the 20 day Life Action ministries revival in Illinois in 2002, but have preached "revival" services and conducted two separate week long open air, summer tent meetings in the state. Each speaker I invited to share, including myself, had to talk about repentance, forgiveness and commitment before Grace, so folks can understand their need for a Savior. There is precedent in the Bible a process which the Lord uses to actually bring revival to a city.

FREE RESOURCE FOR PERSONAL REVIVAL. CLICK HERE FOR ENRICHING BIBLE-BASED PODCASTS AND MORE, FROM LIFE ACTION MINISTRIES.

God sent the Prophet Jonah to preach to the violent extremist heathens ofNineveh as an example to us that even the most vile sinner can be forgiven,through the washing of the Word and repentance. When Jonah preached to the Kingof Nineveh and his people, every one of them repented and was saved. These over 120,000 souls represent  the biggest revival every in history before we got to the First and Second Great Awakening in the United States in both the 17^th and 18^th century.  But if you study how it came about, it was obedience. It was not wishful thinking. It was not “the next big thing”. It was an entire people hearing the Word from the prophet sent by God….and “OBEYING”! Jonah proclaimed the Word from God that the city will be destroyed in 40 days. The people of this awful violent and pagan city, who knew there was a God in Israel. But they saw and heard a man telling the Truth of their coming doom and how to avoid it. They obeyed, repented, fasted and God let them live again.

There is another example in Scripture with King Asa, where the Book of the Law (first five books of our Bible) was found hidden. When Asa commanded the reading of it, hearts and souls were cut to the quick and Judah turned around for that season. Revival in Judah was so country wide, deep and personal that it affected entire families. The king himself - Asa - had his own unsaved grandmother Maacah completely removed because she made detestable obscene pagan rites idols and committed obscenities and evil against the Lord. Today, walking with the Lord as a Christian COULD lead to divisions within families, but while this is not a nice thing, it is more important to follow Christ than even your own parents. God takes precedence at this point in time.

We can continue with various and sundry examples of revival and the moves of God in the lives of mankind, throughout the ages. However the bottom line is this, it is better to get right with God on a deeply personal level. Then inspire others in small groups to do the same and move on to groups and finally your own church and community. This is how God moves - one person at a time.  But if God's people are only into playing church once a week, mouthing words, and then going back into the world to play their worthless games, you and I are wasting our breaths and trivializing the true meaning of revival, if we just become like just about everyone in modern weak evangelicalism. We pray: 

Heavenly Father, You have said (1 Samuel 15:22) that to obey You is better than sacrifice and to pay attention and listen to You is better than the fat of many things used for sacrifice. Lord, help us in our unbelief. Help us to follow Your instructions for life, as laid out in Your Holy Word that we pray first, then receive a revival in our own souls our own lives before we even consider praying for revival in our churches, communities and nations. Forgive us our sins. We repent, as if in sackcloth and ashes and rebuke all our transgressions and the iniquities where we have fallen short of Your expectations in our lives.  

We pray that our own church and ministry leaders will sense this and lead in corporate repentance which leads to obedience to You. We pray for Revival to begin with us, so that it will come to our own churches before it spreads into the community. Help us as a people to realize in our own soul-searching, how far we have strayed from You and restore us in standing before You, holy and righteous as a people, that we may serve You as You have commanded, in Jesus’ Holy and Mighty Name amen.

THY WILL BE DONE..."HOW DO I KNOW WHEN GOD ANSWER MY PRAYER"

During a Bible Conference a couple years ago, I asked Phil Johnson, the president of Dr. John MacArthur's broadcast ministry (Grace to You) the following question, in essence: "how do we know when  God has answered our prayers and how do we proceed from there". His general answer was, to paraphrase, that we should pray about it and trust the Lord and then take the appropriate course of action. This is a great answer but it also assumes a high level of spiritual maturity and discernment. Another small risk in that, is we can listen to our own voice and make a mistake outside the will of God.

For most Christians, it is not that easy because of the lack of spiritual maturity, with only 9 (NINE!!) percent of Americans with any Biblical Worldview at all!!! God has told us what His Will is for our lives and it is thus "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 - please watch my video at the end of this page for a fuller explanation of this verse). God's Will for us is basically walking in Holiness so we can be more like Him, hence the reason He saved us and set us apart.

Now, the responsibility of the Christian is say "Thy Will be done on earth as You, oh God, have willed it in Romans 12:2 and I refuse to conform, compromise, sell out and trade my testimony and worse, my soul, with the world, just to be considered to be one of them"! Our prayer should be "Heavenly Father, most gracious kind, long-suffering, patient and merciful God, I surrender my entire will, my being, my life and my all to you. I take every thought captive and align it more with Thy Word. I accept Your true Will for my life which is obedience and walking in the Light of the Lord my Savior Jesus Christ, and I seek to follow Him in word, action and will. Lord, I seek Thy guidance in all matters. I want Your thoughts to be my thoughts. I desire Your strength to uphold me, Thy Spirit to direct, mold, move, reveal and not conceal but that You, oh Most High God would keep me close, because I am weak and need You, that I may truly discern what Your purposes, plans and paths are for me to follow, through Christ our Lord, my God and my King, amen".

A prayer of submission along those lines is what is needed. We also have to believe in Him for the answer, and that He will reveal it to us. I am cessionist only to the point where there is nothing more written, and revealed from God than His Holy Word, to all the peoples of all times and that means, one can add NOTHING to Scripture than the 66 books of the Bible. I also know PERSONALLY, that God speaks to us, when He wants and HOW He wants, because He is sovereign and we ain't!  The Bible has "Thus sayeth the Lord", in your own prayer life and if you're following and obeying Him (or should be) He will call, guide and/or rebuke in an audible voice, when necessary, as I know He has to me on three separate occasions in my life, in the last two decades. 

The key in praying to God about an important matter such as whom you should marry, or which job you should take or even which roads you should travel on a snowy, wintry day is this: listening! I cannot begin to tell you how many times He has rescued be because the Holy Spirit immediately prompted me to a sudden course of action here or there. I pulled off the interstate on an off-ramp one new year's eve on heading out for a 3 hour drive to family for a New Year's party, swung around and headed back home.  The Holy Spirit did not loudly say "get off this highway NOW" - He just moved and I obeyed immediately. He has also shown me opportunities which I missed because I decided NOT to move! This opportunity was in a flash second.
There is much more we can discuss to seek answers to prayer and that will be addressed in the next post....and then expand on "when God answers prayer"

THIRTY ONE DAYS OF PRAYER AND THE WORD:JANUARY 1-31, 2015 THEME: "ABIDE"

DAY THIRTY:

VERSE:

" We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"....2 Corinthians 10:5

PRAYER

Oh Most High God, Creator and Sustainer of Heaven and earth, we lift Your Name above all else as we grow into the better knowledge of Your Might, Your Majesty, Your Mind and Your mission and purpose in drawing all unto Yourself, for the furtherance of the Gospel of Light and Love.  Today, Oh most heavenly Father, and it begins today, that we throw off all man-made notions, traditions and concocted ideas of Who You are, What You require and Where You wish us to go and leave all of that behind to seek the Pure Truth which is given to us in Your Holy Bible, the infallible and inerrant Word of God.

We have no need for wasting time in meaningless chantings and irreverent music, brought into Your sanctuary from a filthy world and appropriating the Name of Jesus on it. We have nothing to gain in Your sight, from the mindless mysticism of some of these prayer movements who are no different from some of the false prophets who fed lies to Jehoakin when the weeping prophet Jeremiah was Your only true messenger. We must repent and seek the Cleansing of the Blood of Christ to remove every false doctrine, every made up philosophy and even every idea about You, which we, as formerly lost sheep came up with in our own minds, before Christ set us free, as captives in our own prisons of sin and improper teaching.

Father, we willingly set those aside. I cast off all that that was brainwashed into me and seek Your Word, Your Truth and Your Statutes. Lord, Your precepts and commands are so simple and clear, even a child can understand and believe and yet, their riches are unfathomable. My thoughts are like filthy rags which are to be discarded in the landfill of corrupt humanity as I seek and put on the white robes of the True knowledge of Christ. This is the only way that we, Your people, can even approach You in Your Holiness, Splendor and Righteousness. Oh God, that the world may know that Obedience to the One True God, and His Son Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to resting in You, to rejoicing in You, to being revived in You!

Lord, I purpose, we purpose to obey You that we may walk in Your Peace and Your Will all the days of our lives, and even sooner - every minute of every one of the coming days and weeks and months ahead. We trust and obey because there is no other way to dwell in Your Presence. If the Savior and Creator of the World, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, did not consider equality with You, Father, a thing to be grasped and if He, In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He [d]was heard because of His piety (Hebrews 5:7), then we too, can take every filthy thought, every ungodly thought and man-made philosophy...we can take everything that distracts and directs us away from You - captive - because Your Holy Spirit lives in us and has given us the power to execute that extraction that we may finally and completely turn to the Word and Ways of Christ, Who gave us the example for living eternal life in the Now, as we live daily, under the anointed direction of the Spirit of the Living God, who guides us, Your saved and Your servants through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. Lord give us Your Shalom, Lord give us Your rest, Lord give revive us again. Amen.

THIRTY ONE DAYS OF PRAYER AND THE WORD:JANUARY 1-31, 2015 THEME: "ABIDE"

DAY ONE:

Beginning anything with Prayer and Praise, in gratitude for what God has done for us, is imperative. It is also always wise, in the Sight of the Lord, to begin each new calendar year humbly submitted to the Father, Who always existed and is always gracious to us, His Children.

The theme which the Lord gave me for this first month's focus - whether it is prayer, fasting, praise and sometimes, all three is ABIDE. The literal meaning of ABIDE in the New Covenant (or Testament) with Christ is "to remain in; to dwell and to live in Christ until death"! Christ is literally called the Branch in Prophesy (Zechariah 3:8 and others). There is no other way but to remain in Christ. He said that NO ONE can snatch HIS sheep out of His Hands, So eternity is secure to the born-again, converted and regenerated forer son/daughter of perdition. 

But just like the vine must remain connected to the Source to produce fruit. We must also remain connected with the Spirit of God. We know when we are saved that the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of the Branch - indwells us until death. Therefore, to live the full life, we must allow the Source of Everything to work in and through us. There is no other way - to be happy in Jesus - but to trust, obey and pray.

To start 2015 off as we should and in order to get to where we can function with an unction, this January, the focus is abiding in the Word with a verse and a prayer...and when the Spirit guides - a song. So here is Day 1 of 31:

VERSE: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. (John 15:4).

PRAYER: Father God, Abba, Almighty God, Ruler of the Universe and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we thank Thee for all You are. We thank Thee for giving life, sustaining life and being the Author of Eternal Life. This is Life, that we may know You, that we may know Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith, Who for the Joy set before Him endured the Cross, even unto death, that we may be saved. 

Father we accept, I accept, that glorious gift and accept Your Sovereignty, Your Majesty, Your Kingdom Authority, Your Power and Your Passion for Holiness which You exude in everything sent from Heaven, via Your Word. Your Word is confirmed by Your Holy Spirit Who lives in Your children. Father I attest to that Truth and pledge my days, the days and minutes of this new year, of this new paradigm, of this new season, to living in that Truth, to loving in that Truth, to triumphing in Your Testing, to persevering in the trials that come my way and to declaring Your Goodness.

Lord, You are MY GOD- You are MY KING, You are my Source, You are all that I need, all that I seek, all that I desire, all that I live for, all that I work for in the long run. I abide in the shadow of Your Mighty Wings, I dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, I rest in the Blessed Assurance that Jesus is mine, oh what a foretaste of Your divine glory, majesty, worthiness, excellence, purity and amazing awesomeness. I depend solely on You for my sustenance, in the spirit man and in the temporal. You are my all in all and I worship You, Abba Father.  Thank You for opening the portals of Heaven that we may seek and come before Thy Mighty Throne minute by minute if we so desire, and You listen. Lord, what manner of God is this - that You know my name....that of the billions, You know ALL Your creation to the smallest detail...that the Eyes of the Lord runneth to and fro and seeketh those whose hearts are set on Thee! Thank You for taking me as I was, so I can be like the Great I am, Your Son - YHWH - Who spake to Moses through the Burning Bush and led Israel through the Pillar of Fire and the Cloud.

Your Shalom is more precious than anything ever created, now and in the future and I rest and abide in this as we begin 31 days of precious, anointed, humble and submitted worship to You, oh Glorious King and Commander in Chief of the Universe, through Christ our Lord, amen.  

MILLSTONE NECKTIE COMPANY STOCKS RISE - JESUS STILL CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

 

A statement we hear a lot of, in these uncertain days, is “nothing seems to work anymore” (or any variation thereof).  We have an entire generation growing up (the post-millennials) who have no point of reference to the Truth. Truth for them and the generation which preceded them is relative. This leads to, well, “everyone doing what is right in their own eyes”, because there is no fixed point of reference. That fixed point of reference used to be called Absolute Truth. 

For instance:
It is absolutely true that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. 
It is absolutely true that if you walk in front of  a moving bus, it will be disastrous.
It is absolutely true that salmon swim upstream and bad stuff flows downstream.
But somehow, when the eternal soul is involved, people – from the very well-educated to the average Josephine – punt and put off thinking about it, hoping it would go away. This is the same “philosophy” as saying “everything will work out in the end”….or “I’m o.k. You’re O.K.”….or “a loving God would not send anyone to hell”.

This doctrine of man is from the pit of hell. This is the same lie told by a serpent in the Garden of Eden which precipitated the Fall of all Mankind. Apart from the horrible spectacle of someone taking advice from a stinking serpent, the lie he fed Eve which conned her is the same lie bought and sold, to infinity, today. The devil statement - “did God really say” – has led to a moral and spiritual relativism which is confusing millions, trapping billions, and condemning most to eternal separation from God. 

To let this be the foundation of one’s life (re:…”did God really say”) is to first call the LORD a liar and therefore, secondly leave oneself open for anything which the god of this world – the cunning evil one – repackages as candy and throws one’s way, like cheap candy at a parade. It is exchanging the absolute reliability of the Word and Promises of the Creator for the cheap imitation  of the created, who thinks he’s God.

As we look on at a world gone mad, where grown men with a crazy religion decapitate children and starve others. 
As we look on a a public school system where teaching reading, writing and math have has been replaced by a common core of political correctness to the extreme.
As we look on and see the ruin of the family while not even the top court in the Land will listen to the constitution they swore to protect,  on a Bible.
As we look on where pastors in Alabama are passing on deadly STD's by sleeping around on their congregations and God.
As we look on as the stocks of the millstone wearing necktie company go through the roof, as politicians, media, entertainers, educators and even some parents surrender to the corruption of the age......as we look at all of this, what can the righteous do?

The Righteous turn to the only place which we know of - the Word of God. This Word of God is not just a Book with 66 different books which tell the same story, even though it was written over 1500 by over 40 authors - most of whom did not know each other.  The Word of God is a Person - Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfector of Our Faith, Who for the Joy set before Him, endured the Cross. That's our King. That's our Commander in Chief. That's our Hope.

He has won the battle, even though we are in a spiritual war against sin, the devil and the flesh.
He has defeated death, even though we are surrounded by evil, darkness and debt.
He has shown us the sign and blazed the trail with light even though we are swimming upstream against the currents of corruption.
He has given us His Word that He will never leave nor forsake us, so trust completely and fully in His promises and never let go. 

So even though it seems that a shroud of sin has darkened the atmosphere and all around people are led astray by future millstone necktie wearers, on the inside, to those who love Christ and obey Him, He is still Chairman of the Board! He sits on the Throne of the Universe, and one day - He is coming soon! Glory Hallelujah! 

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 10/12 - OBEY THE WORD

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:

PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:

2 Peter 1:12-21

12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”—18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 5/12 - HONOR AUTHORITY

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:

PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:

1 Peter 2 (NASB)

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God,honor the king.

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 3

3 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For,

“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 “He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

THIRTY DAY PRAYER CHALLENGE - DAY 21

PRAY THE NAMES OF GOD

DAY 21

GOD IS WISE

The Bible says that God has chosen the foolish things of this world, to confound the “wise”.  The prophet Isaiah recorded the fall of the Lucifer, the most beautiful angel ever created and how he tried to elevate himself above the Creator. The full account can be read HERE. As a result, Man in his arrogance has assumed the position of knowing more than Almighty God Who created him!

This happened long before God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1. Therefore, when Satan the serpent, approached Eve in Genesis 3 and tricked her into eating the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree, from which God has warned then to partake, there was already trouble in paradise. God had already sworn that He would destroy the wisdom of the wise and frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent (1 Corinthians 1: 18-19)!

What God has ordained, said and preached in Heaven, Jesus confirmed –  it will NEVER be broken. God is not a man and cannot lie. His Word is established in the Heavens. He has already said that “His Ways are not our ways”.

God is Wise. His Wisdom cannot be fathomed.  If we wish to be in on what He is doing, in these last days, there is a simple requirement – THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS BEGINNING OF WISDOM. We shall discuss more on the Fear of the Lord on a different day.

The Wisdom of God is far superior to all the riches and intelligence of man. All the Harvards, Princetons and MITs of this world could come close to an inkling of the Imagination and the Infinite Wisdom of the One True God. All the books; movies; theories; educators; politicians and scientists of this world have a fraction of true wisdom, compared to the amazing Mind Who created, for example, the Human Body or the life support system we have all around us.

We take it all for granted. We talk endlessly about our accomplishments. We boast about our "power". We even oppressed fellow citizens to hold on to that power. But the Lord has a Word for all of this, from His Psalm 2:

Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,

“Let us burst their bonds apart

and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord holds them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

“As for me, I have set my King

on Zion, my holy hill.”  (Psalm 2:1-6 ESV)

He proves by His Eternal and Unbroken Word that He is watching, He is wise and He will judge. He will judge those who are not of the King, Jesus. But He also gives even evil rulers and subjects another chance at eternal Life, if we will just obey and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. From the same Psalm 2, God says: 

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son,

lest He be angry, and you perish in the way,

for His wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him....(Psalm 2:10-12 ESV)

Two things to notice about our Only Wise God:

1. He wants us to have the wisdom of Heaven.

2. He wants us...and all mankind...to be on the alert, that if we do not "Kiss the Son", fear and seek salvation from Him, the Wrath of God will be the result and all these geniuses and elites from Academia, Media and politics will be cast straight into hell!

Note, when God says "Kiss the Son" in Psalm 2:12 above, the actual Hebrew word "nashaq" means to "fasten" or "attach" oneself to the Son - the Lord Jesus!

Father in the Name of the Son, I thank You that You made the offer here in Psalm 2:12, in Your everlasting and eternal Wisdom and Grace, for all mankind to Kiss the Son. You made that offer when You sent the Lord Jesus to die on the Cross outside Jerusalem in 33 AD for all the sins of mankind, for all time.

Lord, in Your Infinite Wisdom, You looked down the road at our helpless estate, from the fall of Adam and Eve, felt pity on us and then provided the Way, in Truth, back to Life in You!

Father God, right now, I attach myself, I fasten myself to the Son, the Lord Jesus. Lord, nothing in this world I bring, only to Thy Cross I cling.  I love You and worship and praise and adore and magnify Your Name above all the earth.

You have taken the foolish things of this world to confound the "wise".
You see the entire forest and not the trees or the busy body things which perishing and lost souls chase after in their folly.

You see the beginning to the end, and observe the evil plots and designs of mortal men.

You scoff at them in Your True Wisdom.

Lord, I bow down before You. I seek to be like You. I seek to have as close to the Mind of Christ as I can as any mortal man can and live, because I wish to see with His Eyes. 

I wish to love with His Heart. 

I wish to act as He does. 

I can only do that, Father, if I completely committed and sold out to the Person and the Lordship of the Son, to Whom I belong.

Thank You, that in my sin and lost state, You looked down from Heaven and pulled me out of the quicksand and gave me Your Spirit, that I may discern and begin on the Road to the Authentic Wisdom of Heaven. I thank You and sing Glory to You forever more, in the Name of the Son and King of Heaven - the Lord Jesus Christ Who is coming to rule one day from Mt. Zion. Amen and amen.

TOMORROW:  GOD IS FAITHFUL