Are You Wise?

For over fifty years Billy Graham spoke to large gatherings of people, all over the world. He spoke of sin and repenting and turning to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.  Many who thought they were smart and powerful  did not respond to Billy Grahams  call. Many did not respond to Jesus when he was with them.  

Mat 11:20  Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 

Mat 11:25  At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 

Mat 11:26  yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 

Yes, coming to Jesus requires a humble heart willing to obey God. It isn't too late. Put off the weight you carry on your shoulders, the bitterness of hurts and unforgiveness, and come to Jesus as a child.  He will not forsake you.

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

The truly wise trust in Jesus.

Sing Praises to God

One of my favorite hymns that we play in our brass ensemble is "Crown Him With Many Crowns."  It begins with a trumpet fanfare. The LORD is exalted with the sound of trumpets and horns. The horns are the low sounding Tuba, the beautiful sounds of euphoniums and the trombone. My desire is to continue playing the horn in heaven in the worship of our King.

Psa 47:5  The LORD God goes up to his throne at the sound of the trumpet and horn. 

Psa 47:6  Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! 

Psa 47:7  God is the King of the whole world. Sing songs of praise! 

Psa 47:8  God sits on his holy throne; he rules all the nations. 

Psa 47:9  The leaders of the nations have come together with the people of the God of Abraham. All the rulers of the world belong to God. He is over them all! 

Psa 72:11  May all kings bow down to our king. May all nations serve him. 

Psa 72:12  Our king helps the poor who cry out to him— those in need who have no one to help them. 

Psa 72:13  He feels sorry for all who are weak and poor. He protects their lives. 

Psa 72:14  He saves them from the cruel people who try to hurt them. Their lives are important to him. 

All Have Sinned

We like to think that we are good people, but the truth is that all have sinned, disobeyed God.  He will not have sin in his presence.  His love for us sent Jesus to pay for our sins. This satisfied his justice. The sins had to be judged. His grace sent Jesus and we must believe in him to be forgiven of our sins. 

Rom 3:23  All have sinned and are not good enough to share God's divine greatness. 

Rom 3:24  They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 

Rom 3:25  God gave Jesus as a way to forgive people's sins through their faith in him. God can forgive them because the blood sacrifice of Jesus pays for their sins. God gave Jesus to show that he always does what is right and fair. He was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And in our own time he still does what is right. God worked all this out in a way that allows him to judge people fairly and still make right any person who has faith in Jesus. 

Rom 3:27  So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law. 

The spirit of the age likes to delude people into thinking they are gods and goddesses. Actually this is demonic and not true. See clearly the way to become the adopted children of God through faith in the one that God sent to atone for our sins. This is no time for foolishness. Come to Jesus and walk in truth.

Rejection

The Christian follower of Jesus has been given a responsibility to share the good news with others. When Jesus sent the seventy disciples out, two by two, they were given his authority.  Some were ready to receive their message while others did not want to hear and they rejected their witness.  Those sent by Jesus know that he is Lord, the son of God.

Luke 10:16  "When anyone listens to you my followers, they are really listening to me. But when anyone refuses to accept you, they are really refusing to accept me. And when anyone refuses to accept me, they are refusing to accept the one who sent me." 

If anyone refuses to accept Jesus as who he is, then they also reject Almighty God who sent Him. God sent his son to be the way to be saved from his wrath.  We cannot come to God without the forgiveness of sins provided through Jesus. Faith in God alone will not get you to heaven. We must believe through faith in His son.

John 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 

John 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 

The way of truth and life will be opposed by those who serve the devil.  They will not be with God, it is a choice to reject him. I choose Jesus and eternal life with the people of God.

EXCUSES

If God is calling you to follow his son, we are not to make excuses for not doing so.  We can get set in our ways. Often we know what we should do, but will not do what we know to do.  Jesus spoke to several people, all had reasonable excuses, but they did not follow, so they were not chosen of him.

Luk 9:57  As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 

Luk 9:58  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 

Luk 9:59  To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 

Luk 9:60  And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 

Luk 9:61  Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 

Luk 9:62  Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

Once we have come in faith to Jesus, he will give you the Holy Spirit enabling you to fulfill your journey with him.  The gospel (good news) that they spoke was of a coming kingdom where Jesus will reign on earth for a thousand years, with satan cast into the bottomless pit, the abyss. The gospel that we preach is that Jesus gave his life to atone for our sins and He is risen to everlasting life.  By receiving and following Jesus we will be in the Millennial kingdom and then in the heaven called New Jerusalem.  

Rev 3:10  Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 

Rev 3:11  I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 

Rev 3:12  The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 

Simple faithfulness is required; keep going.

Faith and Authority

One of the ills of our society is a disrespect for authority.  In the story of the Roman Centurion we see authority and faith in action.

Luke 7:7.... But just say the word, and let my servant be healed, 

Luke 7:8  because I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one 'Go' and he goes, to another 'Come' and he comes, and to my servant 'Do this' and he does it." 

Luke 7:9  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!" 

Luke 7:10  Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant in perfect health. 

God, the Father, gave all of his authority to Jesus his son.

John 5:20  For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 

John 5:21  For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 

John 5:22  For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 

John 5:23  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 

Joh 5:24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 

Joh 5:25  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 

Joh 5:26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 

You can put your faith in Jesus.

Come To Me

In a nation with the most opportunities and with an abundance of food and possessions, still for many it is not enough.  They are empty and life to them seems meaningless. Their trust in others has failed them and they can't forgive, Inside they are miserable and filled with problems. Listen to the words of Jesus.

Luk 6:47  The people who come to me, who listen to my teachings and obey them—I will show you what they are like: 

Luk 6:48  They are like a man building a house. He digs deep and builds his house on rock. The floods come, and the water crashes against the house. But the flood cannot move the house, because it was built well. 

Luk 6:49  "But the people who hear my words and do not obey are like a man who builds a house without preparing a foundation. When the floods come, the house falls down easily and is completely destroyed."

There is a newer home built by the river in my city. The year that we had an abundance of rain caused the river to rise and the sides of the home were under the swift river water. It stood, having been built on a firm foundation with sturdy materials.  

Come to Jesus, the rock. Build your life on the foundation of God's true word.

Mat 11:28  "Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest. 

Mat 11:29  Place my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls, 

Mat 11:30  because my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light."

Authority and Glory

The end justifies the means? Some people will do anything to gain power and riches. Once they have acheived it then it is not enough. Truth is, this world is not the end and there is one who justifies us, Jesus, and we serve him in spirit and in truth. The devil tried to tempt Jesus a second time, as he will try to tempt you and I. See how Jesus responsed to him.

 Luk 4:5  And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 

Luk 4:6  and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 

Luk 4:7  If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 

Luk 4:8  And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

Our life beginning on earth and through all of eternity is to worship and to serve God. It does matter how we acheive goals. We are to do everything as unto our LORD. He enables us to accomplish things and all this by his will and purpose for us.

Rom 8:33  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 

Rom 8:34  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Not Bread Alone

The gate was open to our backyard and I was pruning a grape vine on a ladder. I came down from the ladder and at my feet was a pretty Rhode Island Red hen. Searching the neighborhood I could not find any chickens, so I have had "Clucky" for three years now. I feed her every day, but sometimes food is not enough. She likes my being around, scratching and digging by me as I rake leaves.  Our Bible passage is when Jesus was being tempted by the devil after a forty day fast.

Luke 4:1  And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 

Luke 4:2  for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 

Luke 4:3  The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 

Luke 4:4  And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 

Jesus, being the Son of God could have turned the stone into bread. Later he would miraculously feed the five thousand. But this was the devil trying to tell Jesus what to do.  He was not to serve the evil one.  Jesus said "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone."  Eating together with friends is satisfying the soul that needs fellowship with others, but not with evil. One thing that Covid has done is to isolate people. We need good fellowship, loving one another. We are to avoid evil.

Eph 5:15  So be very careful how you live. Live wisely, not like fools. 

Eph 5:16  I mean that you should use every opportunity you have for doing good, because these are evil times.

Food alone is not enough. We are body, soul and spirit. The spirit hungers for the things of God. The soul and spirit continue after the death of the body.  We are to trust Jesus for eternal life with him.  He came to seek and to save that which was lost.  Saving souls from the devil was the spiritual food that Jesus had.  Later he would explain to the Samaritan woman:

John 4:24  God is spirit. So the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 

John 4:25  The woman said, "I know that the Messiah is coming." (He is the one called Christ.) "When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 

Joh 4:26  Then Jesus said, "He is talking to you now—I am the Messiah." 

When his disciples brought him food he explained about his spiritual food.

John 4:32  But Jesus answered, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 

John 4:33  So the followers asked themselves, "Did someone already bring him some food?" 

John 4:34  Jesus said, "My food is to do what the one who sent me wants me to do. My food is to finish the work that he gave me to do. 

The soul and spirit seek the love that only God can give.  He has given a purpose for us to do.

 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 

Great Is The LORD

I am truly blessed.  In spite of myself, God has given me  many blessings.  For those of you who are in the midst of an illness or who are facing treatments for cancer, just be thankful.  Are you forgetting things, loosing teeth, eyesight and hearing? All these things come with age, or maturity. Seek God and thank him for all the blessings that we have received for many years.

Psa 40:16  But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD!” 

Have you come to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins?  He came to give you life, everlasting life with God. We are to share this amazing truth, so that many will find salvation. I love and rejoice in your salvation. Great is the LORD and gratefully we praise him.  Come rejoice and be glad in the LORD.

How Great Is Our God

It Is Wednesday

It is Wednesday and I am over the Covid Omicron virus. I had the vaccinations, but not yet the booster shot. I am so thankful that I am over it and back to my Wednesday schedule. This is the day that I exercise what I see as my calling for now. At noon, six of us meet in the library of our local Senior Center for Bible study and fellowship. Both are so needed in this time of fear and unbelief. We are starting to study the book of Jude.

Jud 1:3  Dear friends, I wanted very much to write to you about the salvation we all share together. But I felt the need to write to you about something else: I want to encourage you to fight hard for the faith that God gave his holy people. God gave this faith once, and it is good for all time. 

Jude began his epistle with the purpose of sharing the faith, but then his purpose was to warn the church of false teachers and to fight hard against those who were out to destroy the truth of God. Those were workers for the devil who came among us, but were not of us.

 In the evening on Wednesday our brass ensemble gathers at a church to rehearse Christian music.  I have been blessed to do some arranging of the old hymns for the group of horn players and still am playing the trombone. Hearing the word of God builds faith and worship keeps our heart and mind in praise and worship. These things are eternally important. Do not fear the things coming on the world. It is all the plan of God for the end times. Be thankful that you have a place in his plan.

Steadfast Love

David was the chosen one of God to be king over Israel. The LORD God spoke of him as being after his own heart with the evidence of His Holy Spirit with him. David, being also a sinner stole a mans wife and had her husband, a soldier,  secretly killed in battle.  When Nathan the prophet accused David he had great remorse and above all did not want to lose his connection to God through the Holy Spirit. Nothing is so miserable then being separated from God. Psalm 51 records his repentance.

Psa 51:7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Psa 51:8  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 

Psa 51:9  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 

Psa 51:12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 

Psa 51:13  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 

Psa 36:5  Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 

Psa 36:6  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. 

Psa 36:7  How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 

Psa 36:8  They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 

Psa 36:9  For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. 

Psa 36:10  Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! 

The steadfast love of God comes through our trust in Jesus who gives us the Holy Spirit, our assurance that God loves us forever. Trust in God through his son who came to restore our connection to Almighty God. Thank you Jesus for your salvation. I repent of my sins and trust in you.

Search Me, O God

Guardian Angel

The Bible mentions angels who protect God's covenant people. The LORD sent an angel to lead Israel into the promise land. Fear in the people was caused by hearing the report of unbelieving men. If they had have believed God they would have entered the promise land on their journey from Egypt. Unbelief caused them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until the unbelieving generation had died out.

Exo 23:20  “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 

Exo 23:21  Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. 

Exo 23:22  “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 

Angels are sent to minister to the people of the New Covenant as well. the Messiah Jesus is not an angel.

Heb 1:13  And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 

Heb 1:14  Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 

Perhaps a guardian angel has protected you at one time.  A word of caution. Do not pray to angels nor invite them into your heart. The devil has fallen angels , demons.  Be careful about empty meditations, you may attract a demonic angel. Trust in Jesus.