"THINK" SERIES: PART 2 - REASON

God, in the form of Jesus Christ - invites us to LITERALLY "“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord: "“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

Can you imagine, GOD, Yahweh, Who can speak universes into existence with the sound of His Voice, Who can destroy great armies with a single word,  Who knows every hair on our heads, Who sees us in our weakness, sickness and sin - yet still loves US...THAT GOD - is inviting sinful, weak, no-account humans to come talk and reason with Him, so that we can not just go to Heaven when we die but that we can do life with Him right now! That Yahweh, that God - He is not only for us, He loves us.

Look at the Lord's choice of word of invitation - come let us REASON. Reason in His original Hebrew is YAKACH. Bible Hub translates and defines "Yakach" as ".... to reprove or correct. It is often used in the context of bringing someone to a point of understanding or conviction, typically through argument or evidence. The term can also imply a form of judgment or decision-making, where clarity and truth are established. In the biblical context, "yakach" is frequently associated with God's correction of His people, as well as the role of prophets and wise individuals in guiding others toward righteousness".***

It is more than encouraging...actually, it is more stunning, to read about the lives of former atheists like Lee Strobel or J. Warner Wallace or the most recent one Josh Timonen. While Josh is not a household name, the man he works for IS. That man is the world's foremost and most well-known living ATHEIST Richard Dawkins! Timonen not only produced videos and documentaries extolling the virtues of "Atheism" where it takes more Faith, to NOT believe in the Creation and God, but he sold merchandise, touted Dawkins, and even got public praise and acknowledgments in books and in person from Richard Dawkins.

But, having grown up in church and walked away, there was always something inside of him. It is inside every human being. That something is called the Law of God written on our hearts, as the Bible says. Dawkins' right hand man - Josh Timonen - began reading the Bible to "reason this thing out". Then he read a book written by another famous former Atheist - Lee Strobel. Lee was the legal correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, who was so offended as an all-out Atheist, when his wife got saved and started attended Willowcreek Church in Barrington, Illinois, that he set out to disprove the Bible.

In the process, Lee Strobel got saved and wrote "THE CASE FOR CHRIST" (Click here to watch this documentary on YouTube). After reading The Case for Christ, Josh himself was radically saved as it confirmed the reasons for Faith in God, through Jesus Christ, that this now former atheist was processing.

Click here for J. Warner Wallace's reasons to believe as well. Wallace is a former LAPD homicide detective and former atheist who used his investigative skills, to prove the reality of God in Christ.

So what happens when a person, in this case, the man who rode shotgun for the biggest living atheist in the world - Josh Timonen, does his independent research, reasons with it, then reasons with God? He comes to Faith in Christ, just like J. Warner and Lee! How about that, huh. God is so good. To wind up this brief discussion on the Almighty and Most Powerful Force in the Universe - our Heavenly Father, I leave you with the words of Josh Timonen, after he began sharing his Conversion to Christ testimony with a man, who has had life-changing impact on me, since I first saw him and Kirk Cameron in town almost 25 years ago - Ray Comfort.

Timonen describes part of his journey like this: "Jesus actually lived, He actually died, and He actually rose....and I have to deal with that. I can’t just push that aside and say, ‘Oh, it’s a myth.’ No, these are real events. Then, I’m asked to do something. It’s a personal thing between Him and me. And that’s where it kind of struck differently...." ****

If you're having trouble with YOUR Faith, with YOUR walk with Christ, go thou and do likewise. Search out J. Warner Wallace's COLD CASE CHRISTIANITY and subscribe, like I did, years ago to his podcasts. I was gloriously born again in July 1988, but the learning never stops and now, I know at least 10% about our wonderful Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. You too can begin to walk victoriously in Him, amen.

Glory to His Name!

CREDITS: 

*** = BIBLE HUB (click here)

**** = Focus on the Family  (click here)

IMAGE (click here)

PRAYER: WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO?

In Your Word, oh Holy One of Israel, we are called to the truth that "if the Foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). However, You have told us, oh Mighty Father, that "the effective and fervent prayer of a righteous man, availeth much" (James 5:16).

So Lord, in these dark days, You have called Your people, we, Your elect, to righteousness and prayer. Therefore, help us oh God, to begin anything - a new day, a new week, a new month, a new plan, a new project, with reverence, review and an introspective look at our former Adamic nature, to ensure certain aspects of it, are not attempting to sully the washed-in-the-Blood saints You have called us to be.

As we begin all these things first of all with complete Gratitude for who we are and for Whose we are.  We did not save ourselves, and no one can. But You did. You rescued us from the pit, the furnace, the deep, the dungeon and the grips of the evil one, when we could do nothing for ourselves. For that we are eternally grateful.

You provide the roof over our heads, our food, our clothing, our health care, our modes of transport....in fact EVERYTHING which is just too numerous to mention. All are constantly provided by Your Mighty, Generous and Magnificent Hand!

There is nothing in this world, which we have or participate in, which did not come from You. We of all people are duty-bound to acknowledge this truth.

So Lord, teach us more of Your Ways that we may grow in the righteousness which You demand of those Who walk as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Search our hearts oh God, and see if there is any wicked way in us, and remove it ...root it out...reject it and release us from the stronghold and grip, that anything has over Your end time saints.

Scorch us with Your Refining Fire, until every tiny portion of dross is removed completely from us, floats to the top and is removed by the cleansing scoop from the Master's Hand.

Saturate our minds, via the Power of the Holy Spirit, that the more we learn about You in this lifetime, even if it is 5% of Who You are, the more we will wish to marinate and soak in the Presence and Knowledge of the Holy.

Sing a new song over us, as we break free from the chains that held us back from living Free and Holy, as You wish ALL Your children to live, so that as we see the day getting more evil by the hour, we can be steadfast in faith, abounding in Grace and overflowing with love, power and a sound mind.

Great Father in Heaven, the Foundations are being destroyed. The spirit of antiChrist is evident not just in communist China, the Middle East, Europe and the Far East, but in this country and throughout the West. But Lord,while sinful men and women have brought unthinkable disasters and evil into everything from family life and church, to schools and businesses at every level of society, You did not and will not give up Your plan, Your purpose and Your protection, until the job is done.

While the Foundations of Family, Faith and Fellowship have been systematically dismantled, today we join with other brothers and sisters in Christ who by our lifestyles, seek after the righteousness and uplifting moral guidance daily, which comes from Christ and His Holy Spirit Who lives in us. Lord hear our prayer. Seal Your Powerful Word in us! Hallelujah.

May we, by our actions, fueled accurately by the Spirit and the Leading of the Lord, grounded in truth and walking right before You, become that effective man, that effective woman of God, of whom it can be said, He has been with Jesus (or she has been with Jesus). Lord, today, right now, we ask and come to You with this powerful pleading and petition, in the Mighty and strong Name of Jesus. Amen.

PRAYER AS WE COMPLETE FIRST HALF OF 2021

Oh Most Holy Father of Heaven and Earth, as we come to a very quick close to the first half of 2021, we are reminded that a thousand days are like a day in Your Sight and still our days are like but a fleeting breath on this earth.

 

In the sad days, in which we live, we see many who are prospering off the conditions of this world, while the majority are left to seek and find their own comfort in things and systems which Your Word did not prescribe. To those who persevered through the storms and the lockdowns and the trauma of losing loved ones to Covid or other unnatural incidents….those who stayed close to You and grounded themselves in Truth while reaching out and loving others, and even those who are seeking Truth and discovering themselves in confusion, Lord – You are Lord of us all.

 

So today, Father, as we look back on our successes and failures of the first six months of this year, we commit our way to You.

We commit our very lives and souls into Your Care.

We pray for those who are seeking but cannot find their way. Lord send Your Holy Spirit to beckon them on to You.

We pray for those who once walked with You, yet used Christian liberty to join in the world’s corruption, stayed  there and need to find a way out before it is too late. Give them a helping Hand and a real mirror from Heaven so they can see who they have become….and turn back to You.

 

We trust You, we who are called by Your Name. We trust ONLY You and there is no other.

We trust that You would act on our behalf when the hounds of hell nip at or hells. We will keep the Faith.

We trust that our Hope is built on nothing else but Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness. We will stand on Your Word.

We trust that when dark clouds overwhelm and the fiery darts fly our way, we will remember our Helmet of Salvation.

 

Lord, may Your righteousness shine like the sun rising on early dawn.

May Your justice reign supreme like the sun on high noon, overhead.

May Your Peace rule our hearts so that no matter what the world throws at us, we remain secure in You.

May Your Son, one day, ride from the split in the Eastern Sky, as He returns to retake that which was His from the beginning.

 

Spread Your faithful love over those who know, love, obey, trust and called You Lord.

Bring Your healing balm into the hearts of those who remain upright and true to You.

Do not let the arrogant, prideful and evil ones come near Your Faithful servants.

We trust in the Lord, abide in You, delight in You, oh Lord, because You have given us the desires of our hearts – the Lord Jesus Christ and it is in His Name we pray, and praise forever and a day, amen and amen.

POWER PRAISE FOR THE KING!

Oh God, our Father Who art in Heaven, Your mercy extends to the Heavens. Your Faithfulness to the skies. Your Righteousness is like the mountain of God and Your judgments are like the greatest depths of the sea. 

You, oh Most Gracious Heavenly Father, preserve both mankind and nature in Your lovingkindness and compassion.  How precious You are dear merciful Abba, our loving Father Who sees all, knows all but still loves us all.

When the hounds of hell nip at our hells, we run to the Cross.

When the trials of the times trip us up, we fall at the foot of the Cross.

When burdens and battles wear us down, we find refuge with King Jesus at the Cross.

At the Cross, we first saw the Light.

At the Cross, He beckoned us to come make it right.

At the Cross, He restored our sight and turned the darkness of night into peels of tremendous joy.

You, oh God, are from everlasting to everlasting. 

You stand at the door and knock.

You run to the prodigal. 

You comfort the broken-hearted.

You bind up the wounded.

You fill empty hearts. 

We stand in perfect awe of You. We who take refuge in the shadow of Your Wings, drink in the abundance of Your Favor. With You, oh God, there is the Fountain of Life, filled with Living Water!

We pray that this hour, this day, this week, this month, this year that Your Righteousness be installed and firmly embedded in the hearts of the faithful.

May Your Holy Righteousness remove all pride, sin and shame and replace them with hope, love, peace, joy and contentment.

May we always be contented to be called Kingdom Children - Your children - saints of the Most High, in Whom we delight and may we always be grateful for that Glorious Day, when You first called us to Yourself, saved us and put a new robe on us, Your new creation. 

We thank You and glory in Your Presence. We magnify, adore and praise You, oh Lord, in the Mighty and strong Name of King Jesus, amen and amen.

PART 3: --> UNDERSTANDING THE FEAR OF THE LORD = LIFE, WISDOM

The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. (Psalm 19:9)

In this short three part series, we have arrived at the point which many believers (and non-believers to be sure) have a little trepidation. It involves the “Fear of the Lord”. We all know that our God is both a consuming fire and greatly to be feared. The demons feared the Lord Jesus on His brief 33 years here on earth as a human, and they recognized Him immediately, when the learned men of the Faith did not. But....Jesus did say to us that we should only fear the One Who has the power to cast both body and soul into Hell.

This is not the fearsome God of Wrath, of which David speaks in here Psalm 19:9.  Under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, He says “the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever”. This kind of “fear” is directly connected to the awesome power, awe, majesty and glory of God Himself.  The Proverbs tell us that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. This is true. The more we are immersed in the purity of The Word of God – the Bible – the wiser we get in His Mighty ways and not only do we come to love and appreciate Him….we come to fear Him in both His power and love and ability to rain down wrath.

His Holiness is what should impress us the most as it then becomes the standard for us, the more we know about Him, from the Word and prayer.

Due to the fact that He is God, from Eternity Past to Eternity Future, all His precepts, commands and decrees reflect His permanent attributes of Holiness, Righteousness, Steadfastness, Purity and Truth. They remain the forever standard in both the Heavens and in our brief lives on earth.

This incredible attributes – Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Ominiscient among them – make His judgments true and right.Psalm 19:9b reflects this truth.  The Word of the Lord mirrors His nature. He cannot be otherwise.

In light of all of this, we, who are called by His Name, are expected to rise to the place where He is. It is not an impossible task. The closer we get to Him, the more realize that 1. He cannot be stopped and 2. Why do we want to stop Him? Let’s join Him where He is.

To so do, we learn from all He has said about Himself, and His Word in the previous verses of Psalm 19:7-8 and what we learned in this three part series. We then embed it in our souls and intentionally live it out. It is requires an intense love for the Lord and His Word, His people and a committed desire to a lasting relationship with the Eternal Truths of Scripture, all the days of our lives.

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 20: "ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH"

Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word (Psalm 103:20)
As we discussed in the examination of Psalm 103:19, there is a noticeable switching of the focus away from verses 1 through 18, where God shows what He does for us humans. Verse 19 is the point where not just show our gratitude for the daily grace and favor He shows but now begins to focus on the Power and Sovereignty of God.

One measure of His absolute power is the existence of the Angels. These created beings are also built for eternity, as is all mankind, who was created a little lower than the angels. Now, there was perfection in Heaven at one point.  Lucifer – the devil – was one of the head angels as well as the worship leader in Heaven. When he attempted to elevate himself above God, whom he was supposed to serve, he did more than think about it. Lucifer and one-third of the angels rebelled were captured and while Lucifer remains free for a little longer, his one-third of fallen angels, is in chains in outer darkness, awaiting the final judgment.

The wonderful thing is that the remaining 2/3rd of the Angelic Hosts are strong, powerful, effective and obedient. The special angels who serve at the very Throne of Almighty God, the Father are a special breed called the Seraphim. Most likely, they have been at the Throne since the existence of Time, in eternity past. They have power granted by God, and as Verse 20 says, they “excel in strength”. Without a direct command from God, they know instinctively the holiness and cleansing He requires and flew into the everlasting flame in the altar, removed one coal with tongs, flew back to Isaiah and touched his mouth with the burning coal.  Strange enough, because it was supernatural coal, his mouth was NOT burnt, but the Holy Fire cleans the vilest sin (iniquity) away from him (Isaiah 6:6-7).

Angels showed their power in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, where the only “righteous” people left were Lot, his wife and two daughters. They also brought Judgment to Israel when King David disobeyed God and did a census, bringing literal death to his people. They showed up many times in the Old Testament culminating with a huge amount of them announcing the Messiah’s Birth, on Shepherd’s Field, in Bethlehem when Jesus was born in a humble, cold cave. 

Since the now dearly departed Billy Graham is now in the news, in celebration of the amazing like that he lived, I recommend his book on ANGELS (Click here) where he gave a great exposition on the biblical history of angels as well as the many up-to-date instances of angelic activity in the protection of God’s people. Many are the stories of angels protecting missionaries and others from sure death and danger to our own personal Guardian angels, who are assigned by God, to watch over us until we come home to Heaven.

A word of caution concerning Angels. They obey the Voice and Commands of God – and no one else. They are respectful and defer to the Almighty.  The great Book of Jude, the half-brother of James and the Lord Jesus, has a verse in there where Michael, one of the two main Arch-Angels of God (Gabriel is the other) was disputing with the Devil (Lucifer the fallen angel) over the body of Moses, who had just died.  Michael, recognizing the Authority of God said “did not bring a reviling accusation against him (Satan), but said ‘The Lord rebuke you’”.


Here is Michael, the warrior angel, having every right to act in the natural, overpower the devil and claim Moses’ body for the Lord. But Angels do not operate in the natural, but the supernatural. They do NOT think like sinful men but are the epitome of the kind of righteousness required by God. They are always in His Presence. They know His Mind. They know His way of thinking and His Ways. They know His Commandments and His Word. They heed His Word, spoken and implied and operate happily under the Mighty Sovereignty of Almighty God.

PSALM 103 VERSE 6 - GOD IS FOR THE OPPRESSED

The Lord performs righteous deeds and judgments for all who are oppressed (Psalm 103:6)
If we are honest, we would admit to think out loudly “how long, Oh Lord, shall the wicked triumph (win, rule, reign)”?  There would actually be nothing wrong with this question, because it is a direct quote from the Bible, namely, Psalm 94:3.

In evil times such as these, where we see our Christian brothers and sisters, their homes, churches and very lives constantly in the crosshairs of one particular religious system or another socialist government, we are hard-pressed to not be concerned.  Even in the so-called “civilized” western world (Europe, the UK and North America), the religious liberty of Christians are under increasing assault to the point of absolute unfairness. Even the crucifix necklace on a British airline stewardess, her own private jewelry, became an issue in recent years.

Still, Psalm 103 verse 6 tells us that the Lord performs righteous deeds and judgments (or justice) for all who are oppressed. All of this is true, even if the timing we look forward to, wish would happen, and God’s OWN Timing, do not sync!

Right off the bat, we must understand that the righteousness or righteous deeds which God does for His people reside in His provision for our Salvation and provision. There is nothing more important.  Faith is the key. The Bible tells us that Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him as “righteousness”. Because Abraham, or you or I believe – God does something amazing – He takes our Faith in Him and makes us in right standing before Him. Do not despise this because on Judgment Day – when the majority of the world will fall into disrepute and the pit, the Standing before God is what will carry us into heaven.

The justice of God, however, can both either be swift and/or delayed for those who are oppressed and/or treated unfairly. In fact, the object or victims of anti-Christian persecution can be assured of one thing – that they belong to God and their destination is heaven.  Some of the judgments against the wicked may be postponed to the after-life, but there are some consequences, in this life, for those who oppressed God’s people in this life.  The sins of the fathers are visited on the sons. This is evident to anyone who looks at these things with objective eyes. The children of the wicked become twice as much children of perdition as their predecessors and usually have more difficult lives than their quirky ancestors. 

As in anything else, if some of these children of the wicked repent, turn to Jesus Christ, ask forgiveness and attempt to make things right, they are absolutely welcome into the kingdom. There is ample evidence of former terrorists who have been radically saved and are now serving Jesus Christ both here and in Israel, as fellow heirs in the Kingdom.  Even a son of Madelyn Murray O'Hair, who got the US Supreme Court to remove the Bible and Prayer from the American public square, is now a pastor. God saves whom He will save. However His justice will never be denied.

Psalm 94 is a great example of Scripture explaining scripture. Psalm 94 is almost like a spotlight on the message of Psalm 103, verse 6. Note the underlined passages, by way of explanation and marvel at how the Lord speaks out in the open, about His Ways and How He plans to deal with things.
Psalm 94:1-15
1  O Lord, God of vengeance,
God of vengeance, shine forth!
2  Rise up, O Judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.
3  How long shall the wicked, O Lord,
How long shall the wicked exult?
4  They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;
All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.
5  They crush Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
6  They slay the widow and the stranger
And murder the orphans.
7  They have said, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.”

8  Pay heed, you senseless among the people;
And when will you understand, stupid ones?
9  He who planted the ear, does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, does He not see?
10 He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,
Even He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are a mere breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord,
And whom You teach out of Your law;
13 That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,
Until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not abandon His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 For judgment will again be righteous, 
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

NEW LIFE - A MONTH OF VERSES: JANUARY 13, 2017

VERSE: "Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?" (Jeremiah 12:1)

FORMULA: If God chooses that some prosper, then let it be of no concern to us.

ACTION: Even in a fallen world, the grace of the Good Lord falls on the Just (Christians) AND the unjust (the majority of the Lost and dying world). From the beginning of time, evil men (and women) have prospered and become even wealthier than the people of Yahweh, who most times scratch and claw for a living. Our role - to accept what God has given us, to strive to do better without sinning against Him and our fellow man and finally to TRUST HIM completely for even the parking spot we lose at the top of the line at the grocery store parking lot.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we know that YOUR ways are not our ways. We know that You work all things to those who love God and follow You, in full trust and obedience. Lord we cannot explain why bad people seem to be the wealthiest, and loudest and even the most obnoxious, but help us to be like the Apostle Paul, our role model. He knew what was like to be hungry, cold, poor and persecuted and at times, he was well fed and warm. In all things, Paul trusted fully in You, seeing the reward ahead and the true riches of Christ which are not of this world.  We know You will deal righteously as Jesus said of the rich man who was in hell while the beggar Lazarus was in paradise. He was not in hell because he was rich, but because he lived his own way all his life, ignoring You. Lord help us to understand this day that the best thing we can do is pay attention to our own souls and those around us, and then let You, our one True God of Heaven and Earth, take care of the rest, in Jesus' Strong Name, amen.

(Clip Art Credit Here)

ZACHARIAS' SONG: JOHN THE BAPTIST IS BORN, PART 1

Over the centuries, much has been made of the great praise song of Jesus’ earthly mother – Mary (or the Magnificat).  However another song/Poem or praise Psalm which is relevant to not just the Christmas story, but the entire prophetic plan of God is not as “famous” (for lack of a better word).

It is Zacharias' Prophesy or Song from Luke chapter 1, verses 67-79.  To recap Zacharias the Priest’s background, he was the great father of John the Baptist and the husband of Elizabeth. Elizabeth was Mary much older relative, who was past her time of natural child bearing. The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to inform Zacharias that Elizabeth would have a son named John, while he was attending to his priestly duties in the Temple. Because  Zacharias did not believe Gabriel’s words of John the Baptist’s birth, as spoken directly from the Throne of God,  Gabriel rendered him literally speechless. Zacharias remained unable to speak until the appointed time of the birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ.

Can you imagine the thoughts going through the priest’s mind, after he was disciplined by God for unbelief, not being able to minister in the Temple?! Here is a man who is supposed to not just do the daily temple duties, but to proclaim Torah, read the prophets and speak of the Messiah, yet when God sent His main angel Gabriel, Zacharias doubted! Before we get too high and mighty and look down on this great man, we should look in the mirror. We should be very careful because we can  not only be doubters like Zacharias when he got the good news, but we have also done the same thing literally dozens and dozens of times.

Zacharias' voice only returned to him after Elizabeth gave birth and he repeated the words of Gabriel, by writing on the tablet “His name is John” (Luke 1:63). This simple action underscored his belief in the words of Gabriel, who was sent directly by God to give him these instructions. Zacharias' ability to speak immediately returned when he showed his obedience to God’s commands. He promptly broke out in effusive praise and worship of the one True God of Heaven.

He said here in part, in Luke 1:67-79:
67             And his father Zacharias' was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74     that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Footnotes:

PART 2: WHAT ZACHARIAS' PROPHESY MEANS

DEEP SEA PRAYING: SESSION 2

JONAH'S EYES ARE OPENED

“For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and your waves passed over me. Then I said, “I have been cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward Your Holy Temple” (Jonah 2:2-4)
After a stunning statement from Jonah that he was in the “abode of the dead” (Sheol), he goes on to give the graphic description of his drowning! Notice Jonah did not say “the sailors on the Tarshish-bound ship who I asked to throw me overboard (Chapter 1, verse 15). Jonah spoke truth – it was GOD Who cast him into the very middle of a roaring turbulent sea! 

There are an entire flood of truths which stand out here. The word “CAST” is very fearful, scary and prophetic.  This is the same “casting” that God Himself does at the Final Judgment with Jesus sitting on the Great White Throne looking at the “Books” of all who have lived.  Revelation 20:14-15 says “…and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” This is God, in the form of Jesus, dispatching the lost and disobedient away from Him for eternity....casting them away, if you will, as it is twice written here.  So how did Jonah survive this?!

The only answer could be that Jonah was a chosen instrument of God to take the Repentance and Salvation message to Nineveh. The thriving Christian community which was destroyed in 2014, by hordes from the religion of peace in the Mosul/Nineveh/Assyrian region has its biblical roots in Jonah’s evangelism and discipleship training there. The fact that they destroyed his tomb to remove any vestige of Judeo-Christian timeless history is all the necessary proof we need. 

Jonah knows he has been weighed in the scales and found wanting, but look at the rest of verse 4 "...yet I will look again toward Your Holy Temple". A couple more noteworthy things here are first, in death, he was aware of his separation from Holy God but secondly, there is a hope within him, which cannot be ignored. This again harkens back to Jesus quoting Jonah about Himself. Jesus Himself suffered a brief separation from the Father on the Cross, when the Almighty turns His Righteous Face from the ugliness of our sin which Christ bore on that Cross. Remember this prompted the Lord to say "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" However, even on in that famous dark moment on Good Friday, Sunday was coming and the same Holy Spirit Who lives in us believers, raised Jesus from the dead to assume His Role in the Holy Temple, as High Priest of heaven!

Here the great, once disobedient (but anointed) prophet knows that though he be in the land of the dead, it is a temporary state as Sunday is coming for him too - he too shall live again to see the abode of the Living - in God's Temple! This is the hope of the Christian, who is passing from this life to the next. Whether it be through persecution in most of the countries of this planet, or through human diseases (cancer, heart failure etc.), death for the follower of Jesus Christ is but a conscious transition to glory. We too have that hope such as Jonah has in these two stunning verses of his prayer.

This fact, of the coming hope of abiding in our future home of God's Temple, in the Presence of the Holy One, is the underlying truth of my life verse for over a decade now from Psalm 27:4 "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. (Emphasis mine).Jonah, in his prayer, and us, through the Word of God in our bibles, now possess this eternal truth, as well.

NEXT: JONAH DELIVERED

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

DAY TWENTY:
VERSES:

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"...

Matthew 6:33-34

PRAYER: (Against Anxiety, Day 2

Heavenly Father,  great is Your Name and You are greatly to be praised! You, Whose Son conquered fear, death and hell sit in the heavenlies over all, so great and mighty are You Lord. By the profound sacrifice on the Cross, which satisfied the eternal blot on humanity and atoned perfectly for all sin, for all time,  You reconciled man unto Yourself and offered Him a road back to eternal fellowship with You. Lord we long for that fellowship because it is the kind which causes us to be able to persevere through these difficult and trying times.

Your Word says here to “not worry about tomorrow”, and You are correct. We have enough in front of us to simply make it through this day. Those in persecuted lands who have had no bread as they lose homes, land, jobs even family and freedom by the hordes, who represent the evil one, do not even know where their next piece of break cometh from.  We are so grateful for all you have given us, in abundance and may we share with those who are less blessed and fortunate.  No one knows what the morrow will bring, but You, and from Your Promises in the Scriptures say, if we trust fully in You, that it shall be well and taken off our plate.

Lord, the anxiety many feel comes from not just the uncertainty of this day, but the scary prospect of tomorrow as evil triumphs over good, for this time only, but nevertheless, still triumphs.  As the public educational systems corrupt Your little ones, thus preparing to answer to You on Judgment Day not knowing about the millstone and the sea….as the weak western church stand a mile wide led by super-rich under-shepherds who sugarcoat the True Gospel to keep numbers paying tithes….as the culture brainwashes with perverted messages and false religions of self-realization and mysticism demonic religions...even so, as our young people see no hope for the future, with massive college debts and no prospects….as all of this happens, confusion reigns; panic arises; hopelessness through the roof and even Your people, who are called by Your Name, feel they have nowhere to turn.

 

But Father, we know they feel this way because most don’t know the Scriptures, they don’t know the Power of the Word or the God Who gave it.  Father, Your equation is simple, straightforward and out in the open for all to see “seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness”….and then we will be able to persevere through anxious times, without the anxiety and all the physical, emotional and spiritual baggage that go with that anxiety.  Father, we pray that Your people start picking up the Scriptures and search for themselves to find out just what the Kingdom of God is and why His true elect are currently living in that eternal peaceful realm, while still on earth in our current form….abiding in Your everlasting Arms! Even if their preachers don’t preach the real Gospel, we pray they seek answers themselves and Your help in understanding Your Word, Your Promise and Your Abode – the kingdom of heaven!  And Lord, by pursuing Your heart, by pressing into know You more, by proclaiming what You are doing in our lives, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we pray that more and more will see Your Holiness, Your Hand in creation and all the events surrounding our lives and more. May they seek and see more of the Righteousness of Christ confirmed in His Word and through the Holy Spirit Who lives in the true believers.  In this manner, oh God, helps all Your people to be anxious for nothing and to see Your Plans perfectly aligned with Your Timing, for our own sake and good,  and help us believe more and thus put all our trust and faith RIGHT NOW, in Jesus Christ, and it is in His Name we pray, believe and achieve this shalom and departure for anxious moments. Amen.

 

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

DAY FIFTEEN:
VERSES:
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead....(Philippians 3:9-11)
PRAYER:

BLESSED ARE YOU LORD GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE, FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS, ALL LIFE, ALL LIBERTY, ALL GOODNESS FLOWS. YOU ARE WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE, ADORATION REVERENCE AND AWE. YOU ARE MAJESTIC AS YOU REIGN, SOVEREIGN AS YOU RULE, RIGHTEOUS AS YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT, HOLY AS YOUR NATURE IS. LET ALL THE PEOPLE SAY AMEN AND GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HIS LOVE NEVER ENDS, LET ALL THE PEOPLE SAY AMEN.

BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS YOUR HOLY NAME. BLESS YOU FOR ALL YOUR BENEFITS HAVE ACCRUED TO ME, THROUGH THE LOVE, SACRIFICE, FINISHED WORK AND BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, CREATOR OF ALL THINGS....FOR WHOM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED FOR AND BY HIM. MAY I NOT JUST BE FOUND IN HIM, DAILY, IF ACCUSED OF BEING A CHRISTIAN, BUT MAY THE EVIDENCE BE SO OVERWHELMING THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST IS EMBEDDED IN THE VERY FIBER OF MY BEING, AND ALL WHO ARE CALLED BY YOUR NAME, THAT THOSE WHO ARE ACCUSE US OF FOLLOWING THE WAY OF YAHWEH, WOULD SAY "HE IS ONE OF THEM...OR SHE IS ONE OF THEM"....THEM BEING - FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, BLESSED TRINITY! OH HALLELUJAH, GLORY TO THE LAMB OF GOD, PRAISE YOUR GREAT NAME!

FATHER GOD, LET THIS LIFE OF CHRIST, FREELY GIVEN LIKE LIVING WATER TO ALL WHO ASK, SO RICHLY DWELL IN ME THAT IT WOULD BE OBVIOUS IT CAME NOT FROM ME, FROM IN ME OR FROM NOTHING ANY OF US HAVE DONE, BUT CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE FAITH YOU IN YOUR LOVE, COMPASSION, MERCY AND LONG SUFFERING GAVE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. LORD, YOU CALLED FOR US NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT TO BE MORPHED, TRANSFORMED, CHANGED TO THE LIKENESS OF IMAGO DEI - THE IMAGE OF GOD, IN WHOSE FASHION YOU FIRST CREATED MAN, THROUGH THE FIRST MAN WHO SINNED, ADAM. THE SECOND AND FINAL ADAM- YAHWEH, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST - NEVER SINNED BUT SUFFERED FOR ALL SIN OF ALL MANKIND FOR ALL TIME.

HE HAS CALLED US TO THAT SAME WITNESS AND THEREFORE SUFFERING IN ORDER THAT WE MAY BE HIS DISCIPLES. MAY WE TAKE UP THE DAILY CROSS AND CRUCIFY OUR BENT AND NATURE TO FOLLOW AFTER THIS WORLD, EVEN IF WE KNOW BETTER, BUT AS WE RISE DAILY, MAY WE PUT TO DEATH THAT TENDENCY TO SIN, TO PERVERT, TO STRAY AND DISTRACT AND MAY WE THEN, THROUGH THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE WE SHOW TO OTHERS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO YOU, IN ALL WE SAY DO AND THINK, BE A REFLECTION OF THE SURRENDER AND OBEDIENCE WHICH YOU EXPECT FROM THOSE OF US, WHO ARE COMPLETELY COMMITTED TO YOU.

FATHER, IT IS ONLY BY THE ACT OF BEING A MARTYR, METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING, BEING A MARTYR AND NOT AN INDULGER OF THE CORRUPT THINGS OF THIS SOON-PERISHING WORLD, WOULD BE BE FOUND WORTHY OF OUR POSITIONAL SALVATION IN YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT TRUTH, THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THE DYNAMIC POWER TO EXECUTE YOUR COMMAND AND EXPECTATIONS IN OUR MOMENT BY MOMENT LIVING. WE LOVE YOU, WE PRAISE YOU, WE WORSHIP AND ADORE YOU, THROUGH CHRIST YOUR SON AND KING, AMEN.