What is Your Foundation?

I was reading the Bible today, and the following verses encouraged me.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” Psalm 61:2-3 I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed this week. There were many years that I have read this Psalm before I got the full blessing out of this verse. Notice what the verse says. It  says “the rock”. It does not say “a rock”.

Jesus Christ is the rock!

I Corinthians 10:4 speaking of the children of Israel tells us,“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

In life rocks crumble, circumstances change, and the seemingly unmovable staples in our lives fail. But Jesus Christ never changes (Heb. 13.8)! He is always true and dependable (Rev. 19.11)!

Proverbs 30 tells us that the conies (or rabbits) are wise. It tells us that “ The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;” (30.26). We as humans are also fragile creatures, and if we are wise we will make Jesus our habitation.

Psalm 71:3 reads, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” When we build our lives on Jesus and what He tells us (Col. 3.16), then we are wise, then we are building our house on the rock!

Thoughts about Church:

Peter, the Apostle Peter, tells us about the Lord’s house, the Lord’s Church, “ Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, . . .Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”( I Pt.1.5-6).

He writes, “ye also” or “you also” are built up a spiritual house. This is the Lord’s Church. What is the Lord’s Church built on? It is the chief cornerstone. Who is the chief cornerstone? “ . . . Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”(Eph. 2.20).

What did Jesus build His house on? He didn’t build his house on anything that would crumble! He told Peter, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16.18).

Jesus didn’t tell Peter that he was “the rock”. Peter was a little stone (for that is what his name means). Jesus told Peter that His Church was built on Christ, (Who Peter mentioned in verse 16) and that the gates of Hell will not prevail against what He would build. And this is also encouraging. Jesus promised that there would always be a light in this world through one of His Churches.
Hope you are all having a blessed this week. If you would like please also read further testimony of Peter of Who the Church is built on as I have highlighted it here: https://whenravenscry.wordpress.com/2020/12/14/who-did-jesus-build-his-church-on/

(Peter also writes that the Lord’s Church is also made of little stones built on Jesus, the chief cornerstone I Peter 1:5-6.)

“The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; . . . The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.” II Samuel 22:3;47

What is Your Foundation?

I was reading the Bible today, and the following verses encouraged me.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” Psalm 61:2-3 I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed this week. There were many years that I have read this Psalm before I got the full blessing out of this verse. Notice what the verse says. It  says “the rock”. It does not say “a rock”.

Jesus Christ is the rock!

I Corinthians 10:4 speaking of the children of Israel tells us,“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

In life rocks crumble, circumstances change, and the seemingly unmovable staples in our lives fail. But Jesus Christ never changes (Heb. 13.8)! He is always true and dependable (Rev. 19.11)!

Proverbs 30 tells us that the conies (or rabbits) are wise. It tells us that “ The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;” (30.26). We as humans are also fragile creatures, and if we are wise we will make Jesus our habitation.

Psalm 71:3 reads, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” When we build our lives on Jesus and what He tells us (Col. 3.16), then we are wise, then we are building our house on the rock!

Thoughts about Church:

Peter, the Apostle Peter, tells us about the Lord’s house, the Lord’s Church, “ Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, . . .Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”( I Pt.1.5-6).

He writes, “ye also” or “you also” are built up a spiritual house. This is the Lord’s Church. What is the Lord’s Church built on? It is the chief cornerstone. Who is the chief cornerstone? “ . . . Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”(Eph. 2.20).

What did Jesus build His house on? He didn’t build his house on anything that would crumble! He told Peter, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16.18).

Jesus didn’t tell Peter that he was “the rock”. Peter was a little stone (for that is what his name means). Jesus told Peter that His Church was built on Christ, (Who Peter mentioned in verse 16) and that the gates of Hell will not prevail against what He would build. And this is also encouraging. Jesus promised that there would always be a light in this world through one of His Churches.
Hope you are all having a blessed this week. If you would like please also read further testimony of Peter of Who the Church is built on as I have highlighted it here: https://whenravenscry.wordpress.com/2020/12/14/who-did-jesus-build-his-church-on/

(Peter also writes that the Lord’s Church is also made of little stones built on Jesus, the chief cornerstone I Peter 1:5-6.)

“The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; . . . The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.” II Samuel 22:3;47

A Scripture for Today, September 27th, 2021

“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts 5:42

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

Where Do Babies Go When They Die? Do they need to be Baptized? What does the Bible say?

Matthew 18:10  reads, ^“ Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” 

Why do people die?

People die because of sin and the curse. The Bible tells us that it is because of one man’s sin that death entered into the world. (Rom. 5.12). Ever since the first man, Adam sinned, each of us will die. We are born with a sin nature, and will sin eventually. And because of sin we earn death.

But Romans 5:14 speaks of those that did not sin after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression . . .” Romans 5:14

God also in Psalm 106:38 and Jeremiah 19:4-5 calls  little children “innocents”. 

Even though Adam’s sin brought a curse and death, the Bible tells us that Jesus’ obedience brought grace and life. And it tells us that the grace of God goes farther than the curse of sin.

^“But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” Romans 5:15

David knew that he would be with his son again.

When his infant son died, he knew he would see his son again.

In II Samuel 12:23, we read,  “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”  When his son died, David no longer mourned and fasted. He knew that prayer and fasting would no longer effect his son. And he knew he would see his son again.

Do babies need to be baptized in order to get into heaven?

Baptism doesn’t bring salvation to anyone.  Please consider these Scriptures (link). Nevertheless there is a false teaching that children need to be baptized in order to get into heaven. And I would like to address it here. This teaching states (among other things) that babies ought to be baptized in order to go to heaven, because children (male not female) were required to be circumcised in the Old Testament. But we can from Scripture prove that this is untrue for two reasons. First circumcision is not necessary to be declared righteous before God.

Romans tells us specifically that Abraham was declared righteous before he was circumcised. It tells us that God would not write down or “impute” sin to Abraham.

“ And he received . . .the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:” Romans 4:11

“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Romans 4:6-9

By these verses we understand that God does not write down or impute sins to some people. And circumcision is not a requirement for Him to do that.

 And secondly David’s son, was not circumcised. 

David’s child went home to be with the Lord on the seventh day. (II Sam. 12.18) Yet male children were to be circumcised the eighth day (Lev. 12.2-3, Luke 1.59). Yet David knew he was going to be with his son again!

God can be just and not write down the sins of people because of the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

Children are precious to God, even in the womb.

John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother’s womb. “For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” Luke 1:43

Does the teaching that babies don’t go to Heaven originate from God or men?

God’s people like Moses’ mother, thought  that babies were precious.  They were not precious to Pharaoh, Herod, and the Baal worshippers.

I wanted to include here Virigil’s description of the underworld.   Immediately as Aeneas crossed the river into the underworld we read, “ A wailing of thin voices came to their ears, the souls of infants crying, Those whom the day of darkness took from the breast before their share of living. And there were many.” The Aeneid, book 6, lines 451-456.

In the Aeneid, the Pagan national epic of ancient Rome, babies went to a part of the underworld . They  were in the first part, just as you crossed the river. They were in “Limbo”.  “Limbo” comes from the Latin. It is the ablative singular of limbus “edge, border”. 

 I remember reading this in literature, and  I just couldn’t imagine something so horrible. All those babies alone forever crying. God Himself in His word calls little children innocents. Even knowing the Holiness of God, I could never imagine Him doing this. Knowing  His great love I cannot imagine Him letting this happen.  This does not match up with the Bible.

What do you think?

“[W]hat think ye?” Matthew 21:28

God bless.

D.N. Jackson: Salvation Before Water Baptism II (Day 7)

Hello Everyone. Today I am  sharing with you the final part of the  transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism.

Continue Transcript:

The fact that one believes on, that is in the Christ, shows he enters Christ, before baptism, as belief precedes baptism.

Paul says one in Christ Jesus is to be baptized. Galatians 3:26,27. He actually believes in the Christ and then he is symbolically baptized into him. Being in Christ by faith, one shows it forth outwardly by baptism. Note these verses of Scripture if you please: John 3:16. Belief in, that is into him e-i-s. John 3:18. Believeth on. That is into him. John 6:40: Believeth on, into him. And the same is also true of verses, John 6:47, John 11:25-26.

Now we find also that there are special blessings that come to the person that believes.

As we read, “He is passed from death unto life”. The person that believes before baptism, therefore he is passed from death into life before baptism. John 5:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” He hears the word: that’s present tense. He believes: present tense. He has everlasting life: present tense. He shall not come into condemnation. He is passed from death unto life. This alone should be sufficient to convince anyone that a person is out from under condemnation before he is baptized. John 3:18: The believer is not condemned. “ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

The believer is justified and has peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”(Rom. 5.1).

The believer is justified before God. To justify, meaning, of course to pronounce righteous, to make or declare right. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . .To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. 3.24,26).

The believer has peace with God. “[I]n me ye might have peace. . . .” (John 16.33). What kind of peace? “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4.7). The justification is through redemption in Christ, and the peace is in Christ. Therefore the believer is justified by the grace of God, and has peace in Christ. And as he believes before baptism, blessings come to him before baptism. He is redeemed, justified, and has peace.

The believer has a pure heart in the sight of God. Acts 15:9, “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” The original word means “to make clean”, “to cleanse”, “to purify”. This taking place before baptism, believer then has the promise,  “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5.8). The believer has the witness of the Spirit “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself . . .”(I John 5.10). The witness testifies that the believer is, not “will be” in baptism a child of God. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”(Rom. 8.16). “ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. . .”(Rom. 8.17). The witness testifies that the believer is sealed. II Corinthians 1:22: “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” The believer rejoices in God. I Peter 1:8. And Luke 10:20 says, this last verse says one should rejoice because his name is written in heaven. As he believes before baptism, his name is written in heaven before baptism. The believer has both his hunger and thirst satisfied, believing before baptism. This blessing is his before baptism. See, read, if you please John 6:35.

Who then can doubt that a penitent believer is saved before water baptism? And in Acts 16:30 there’s the plain question that was asked by the Philippian jailer, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved”. And the answer came back, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Here’s a plain question. Here’s a plain answer. And it’s the answer that is sustained by all the Scriptures. Not one single example in the Word of God showing that you must be baptized in order to be saved. The person who is saved should be baptized. And if you are saved, do not hesitate to follow your Lord in baptism.

Dear Lord, we pray a blessing upon all who have listened. May these words be accepted because they are thy words. Bless every home. Save the lost. For Christ’s sake we pray. Amen.

End transcript.

D.N. Jackson: Salvation Before Water Baptism II (Day 6)

Hello Everyone. Today I am continuing sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. As I stated before I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.

Continue Transcript:

In the next place the fact that John the Baptist demanded proof meet for repentance before baptism shows that salvation comes before baptism.
“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:” Matthew 3:8. But to bear fruit for Christ one must be in Christ. The branch cannot bear fruit of itself. “I am the vine, ye are the branches . . .” John 15:4,5 Therefore one must be in Christ before he is baptized, because he is commanded to bear fruit, bring forth fruit before he is baptized.

In the next place the fact that there are New Testament cases of people being saved apart from baptism, shows that baptism is not essential to salvation.

The woman in Simon’s house is a clear cut case. Luke 7:48,50 , Christ said unto her, “Thy sins are forgiven. . . And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Her sins were forgiven or remitted. Yes they were remitted, the same word that’s employed in Acts 2:38. Her sins are remitted. While she obtained salvation she had peace. There were blessing that came to her, and not a word said about her baptism. And then it avails nothing to say that she was under the law of Moses! It matters not if she were. Or if she were, or if she were not! The fact is she came to Christ, not the law for blessing.
Then the thief on the cross is a good example: Luke 23:42,43. The woman at Jacob’s well: John 4:10,15. Zacchaeus: Luke 19:9. And then the blind man: Luke 18:42.

D.N. Jackson: Salvation Before Water Baptism II (Day 5)

Hello Everyone. Today I am continuing sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. As I stated before I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.

Continue Transcript:

In the sixth place the fact that a true confession which is made before baptism signifies the presence of God in the confessor shows that salvation is before baptism.

“And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Acts 8:37

This shows the indwelling of the Spirit before baptism. No one can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. That is truly so as we read in I Corinthians 12:3. It reveals therefore that the Eunuch was a son of God before baptism.

Romans 8:14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

It also reveals the indwelling of God in the Eunuch before baptism.

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” That is positive. Here is a man that says I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This he made as a confession before he went down into the water, and I John 4:15 says “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” Therefore God was in this man, and he was in God (spiritually speaking of course) before he went down into the water.

In the seventh place the fact the Apostle Paul testifies that he begat, that is brought into life people without baptism.

Administered by himself shows that salvation does not depend on the act of baptism. Paul says I Corinthians 4:15, “ . . . in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” Begotten is from the original word which means “to bring into life”. Again Paul said, “ I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius . . .  And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.”( I Cor. 1.14,16). Therefore Paul brought the Corinthians into life without baptism.

And having been brought into life without or before baptism, here are some blessings they received before baptism.

Note first the believer is begotten or brought into life: I John 5:1. This is done before baptism, as one believes before baptism.

Second the believer or the one begotten, brought into life is freed from sin: I John 3:9. He is freed from sin before baptism, as he is begotten before baptism.

In the third place he overcomes the world. Who is the man that overcomes the world? I John 5:4. It is the one that believes. He’s the one that is born again. He’s the one that is begotten of God. This is done before baptism.

And then he is out of Satan’s control before baptism: I John 5:18. That’s the one that is born again, begotten of God, brought into life. And these are the blessing that come before baptism!

D.N. Jackson: Salvation Before Water Baptism II (Day 4)

Hello Everyone. Today I am continuing sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. As I stated before I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.
Continue Transcript:

In the fourth place salvation is obtained before for the reason we are freed from condemnation before baptism.

I read Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

If Baptism stands between the law and Christ, and one is saved when he is baptized then baptism and not Christ becomes the end of the law. But John 3:18 says, “ He that believeth on him is not condemned . . .”

In the fifth place salvation is before baptism for the reason one comes under the blood before baptism.

It is blood before water. This is shown typically in the example of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The Israelites came under the blood of the Paschal Lamb (Ex.12.12-13), before they came under the baptism at the Red Sea as we read in I Corinthians 10:1-2. As the lamb is a type of Christ, the blood on the houses is a type of Christ’s blood of redemption.

“ . . .For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:”(I Cor. 5.7).

“[W]hen I see the blood,“ put the emphasis on the blood, not the Red Sea, “I will pass over you”. This shows that the Lord was looking at the blood, not the water for the redemption of the nation.

Coming therefore to the blood before water, here are some benefits one obtains before baptism.

First, Peace. Colossians 1:2

Second, Redemption and forgiveness. Colossians 1:14: Ephesians 1:7

Third, Justification and Salvation. Romans 5:9.

Propitiation. Romans 4:25.

And then a cleansing. I John 1:7

Again washing from sins. Revelation 1:5.

And a purging from dead works. Hebrews 9:14

These are all blessings that come to the person that is under the blood of Christ, and we come to the blood before we come to the water of baptism. With all these blessings before baptism, who can deny one is saved before baptism?

The Israelites came under the blood the night of the Passover in Egypt, not at the Red Sea. “ . . .It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. . .” When did He deliver “the houses”? The night of the Passover. Read it in Exodus, Exodus 12:27. The Passover event was memorialized and observed by the Israelites in after years not their baptism at the Red Sea. Read Exodus 12:41;43. The deliverance effected at the Red Sea, Exodus 14:30, was not from bondage, but from the pursuing Egyptians. From the night of the Passover, the Israelites, were never in bondage to the Egyptians one moment of time. Therefore they went from the Passover to the Red Sea they delivered free people. While they were bodily still in Egypt they were not of Egypt. This is like the Lord’s people who while they were in the world, were not of the world. See John 18:15-16 [John 17:15-16] for the proof of this statement. Jesus told his disciples you’re in the world, but you’re not of the world. And the Israelites while they were in Egypt, before crossing the Red Sea, they were not of Egypt. They had been delivered from the bondage of Egypt. And not one moment after the time of the Passover were the people under bondage to the Egyptians. Not one moment. They were a free people. Free from that very night. From the time they came under the blood of the Paschal Lamb.

Thus two different groups went to the Red Sea. One under the blood. And the other without the blood. Only those under the blood were protected at the sea. Believers go to baptism under the blood of Christ. And therefore have all the benefits named before they reach the water. Therefore it is a picture of the fact that we are delivered from the bondage of sin before we come to the baptism in water.

D.N. JACKSON: Salvation Before Baptism II (Day 2)

Hello Everyone. Today I am continuing sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. As I stated before I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.
Continue Transcript:

In the second place the testimony of the prophets proves that salvation is obtained before baptism.

And I read Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Now that was spoken by the Apostle Peter in the household of Cornelius. And the Bible says when he heard this, these words . . . “what”? The words pertaining to eternal life, salvation, how to be saved, when he heard that, then of course the spirit came to him because he believed those words. Now in the eleventh chapter of the Acts for it says, as Peter began to speak the spirit came. And that is true because that was in the first part of his message, because Cornelius and his household heard Acts 10:43. And it doesn’t take very long to hear that. Now take your watches and read Acts 10:43 and see how long it takes you to read it. And see if that is not in the very beginning of Peter’s message. And he told him what to do to be saved: “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” He believed this, he was saved, and the spirit came to him in the fullness of the Spirit’s presence. And then of course after the Spirit came to him, in this particular manner, he and his household were baptized.

The Spirit then before water baptism. Liberty, life, joy, peace. Now of course Cornelius back in the Bible times was able to praise God in speaking in other tongues. But the gift of tongues is not ours today, but it was given to those who were children of God in the New Testament times. “[S]hall receive remission of sins” is used in connection with “belief” and is nowhere found in the Scriptures in connection with baptism. The prophets said nothing about baptism for in order to obtain the remission of sins. And the Apostle Paul preached nothing for salvation, but what the prophets preached. Baptism is not a New Testament requirement in order to be saved. Whoever or everyone who believes in Christ said the prophets “shall receive the remission of sins”. This cannot be true if baptism is necessary, because there were some who believed who were never baptized so far as the divine record shows. Belief in Christ means deliverance. A rejection means condemnation.

What is Your Foundation?

I was reading the Bible today, and the following verses encouraged me.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” Psalm 61:2-3 I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed this week. There were many years that I have read this Psalm before I got the full blessing out of this verse. Notice what the verse says. It  says “the rock”. It does not say “a rock”.

Jesus is the rock!

I Corinthians 10:4 speaking of the children of Israel tells us,“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

In life rocks crumble, circumstances change, and the seemingly unmovable staples in our lives fail. But Jesus Christ never changes (Heb. 13.8)! He is always true and dependable (Rev. 19.11)!

Proverbs 30 tells us that the conies (or rabbits) are wise. It tells us that “ The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;” (30.26). We as humans are also fragile creatures, and if we are wise we will make Jesus our habitation.

Psalm 71:3 reads, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” When we build our lives on Jesus and what He tells us (Col. 3.16), then we wise, then we are building our house on the rock!

Thoughts about Church:

Peter, the Apostle Peter, tells us about the Lord’s house, the Lord’s Church, “ Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, . . .Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”( I Pt.1.5-6).

He writes, “ye also” or “you also” are built up a spiritual house. This is the Lord’s Church. What is the Lord’s Church built on? It is the chief cornerstone. Who is the chief cornerstone? “ . . . Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”(Eph. 2.20).

What did Jesus build His house on? He didn’t build his house on anything that would crumble! He told Peter, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16.18).

Jesus didn’t tell Peter that he was “the rock”. Peter was a little stone (for that is what his name means). Jesus told Peter that His Church was built on Christ, (Who Peter mentioned in verse 16) and that the gates of Hell will not prevail against what He would build. And this is also encouraging. Jesus promised that there would always be a light in this world through one of His Churches.
Hope you are all having a blessed this week. If you would like please also read further testimony of Peter of Who the Church is built on as I have highlighted it here: https://whenravenscry.wordpress.com/2020/12/14/who-did-jesus-build-his-church-on/

“The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; . . . The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.” II Samuel 22:3;47