A Scripture for Today, June 16th, 2022

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” I Corinthians 15:51-54

Why God Takes Away

Romans 8:28 tells us,

”And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God tells us in His word that whatever He does in our lives, it is for our ultimate good. Sometimes He takes away things. And although we don’t always see it, this is for our good too.

Sometimes God takes away the bad to make us better.

Proverbs 25:4  “Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.”

Sometimes he takes away things in our lives that our bad for us.

Deuteronomy 8:3  tells us, “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”
When God takes away or doesn’t give us an abundance of material possessions He might be saving us from a lot of trouble.

Abundance has played a part in the downfall of many nations and people.

”Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” (Ez. 16.49)

Historians have said that “bread and circuses” caused the downfall of the Roman Empire.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses)

 

God might be trying to teach us to rely on Him more.

“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” Proverbs 30:8-9

Riches are vain.

Psalm 62:9-10 has this to tell us: “Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.”

It is because of the Lord that we are rewarded for our work. It is not because we are of high degree, or we have a degree, or that we don’t have one. It is the Lord that takes care of us.

“And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 8:17-18

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31

“There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;” Psalm 33:16-18

 

When the Lord takes those we love Home

Sometimes the Lord takes the godly home, and spares them from seeing trouble.

 

Proverbs 11:8  tells us, “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.”

In Isaiah 38, the Lord granted Hezekiah’s request for longer life. I do notice that some bad things happened in those years that were added to his life. Even though parting from those we love is painful, God just might be delivering them from pain and sorrow in this world. And sometimes there is no other way to bring about good and change. If God’s Son didn’t die, if Jesus did submit to His father’s will and go to the cross, all of us would be headed straight to a burning Hell. God can use a person’s death to bring about good, and changes in people’s lives that we may never know of. We do not  always know why, but the Lord is working for our good, and He wants us all to be together again.

 

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

 

And for all those that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they will be together again.

 

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” I Thessalonians 4:16-18

 

These have been just a few thoughts. May God bless.

Reality is not determined by what makes us feel good.

Reality is not determined by what makes us feel good.

Circumstances in life aren’t decided by what is most agreeable to me. My bank account balance isn’t decided by what is most agreeable to me.

Math and Science aren’t determined by what makes me feel good.

Truth is not determined by what makes us feel good.

Furthermore, what makes us feel good can no more determine what is true in spiritual matters than it can in any other area of life.

When something makes me uncomfortable, I usually avoid it. One topic often avoided is Hell. But God, Who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness, also gave mankind a light to walk by. He gave His Word. And He gave us a written record in the Bible.

Rather than avoiding the topic, Hell is something God spoke extensively on.

In the Bible Jesus said,“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:” Mark 9:43

God told us to avoid Hell by any means necessary.

Another important thing He  told us is, “[T]here is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecclesiastes 7:20

He also said, “For all have . . . come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

He told us that not a single one of us is perfect, and all of us have done something evil. And none of us measures up to his standard of righteousness.

God also recorded for us some important details of human history. It is recorded in the first book of the Bible, that in the beginning the first man (Adam) disobeyed Him, and because of that every person who is born has a fallen nature and will commit evil.

And it is because of this each of us has a sinful nature, and will eventually choose not to do what is right.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8

But God didn’t just tell us this just to point out that we are wrong. He did it to get us better. And He told us this so we can escape Hell.

God tells us how to escape Hell.  But, first He informs us, “For the wages of sin is death . ..”  Romans 6:23

What does this mean? Sin is the evil we do. And the wage of sin is death. A wage is what we earn. A wage is our paycheck. And as a Holy and Just God, He will reward us for our sins. And the payment or reward for sins is death.

And death does not just involve our physical bodies. It also involves going to the Hell that Jesus told us to avoid.

In God’s book, He recorded the Way of escape.

This might be also something we don’t want to hear. But what makes us feel good can’t determine our future.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

No matter what we feel, God told us the way that will get us into Heaven.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Even though according to the Word of God each of us deserves death, God offers the free gift of eternal life to all who ask for it. This Holy and Just God made the payment of sin for us. He became a man: Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life as a man. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and God. He was 100% God, and 100% man. And He laid down His life for the sins of the world. Being God, He overcame death, and rose again bodily three days later. And He bodily ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of His Father.

And whoever asks Him to forgive them of their sins and save them, God says will have everlasting life and a home in Heaven.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” II Corinthians 5:21

This is the way God provided to get us to Heaven. His way is the only way.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

There are a lot of things in life that don’t make us feel good, but we can’t pass them over or it will cost us greatly. It might cost our lives. God has given you a way of escape, don’t let it slip by.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation . . .?” Hebrews 2:3-4

 

 

 

This is the Day-A Scripture for July 22nd

 

 

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

 Whom I shsall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 21:25-27

The very best days of my life by far were days  days spent in God’s house. I often wish people a wonderful Lord’s day, and  I really do mean it.

But, I theere is more reason than this, why I do this.

A few years ago, I  found something interesting that Matthew Henry wrote: “The scripture tells us not expressly what day of the year Christ rose (as Moses told the Israelites what day of the year they were brought out of Egypt, that they might remember it yearly), but very particularly what day of the week it was, plainly intimating that, as the more valuable deliverance, and of greater importance, it should be remembered weekly. Remember it, for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out.” (Commentary on Exodus 13).

The Greatest Event so far in all of human history, happened on the first day of the week. Jesus Christ rose from the dead! He proved that He is the Son of God, and that death could not hold Him. He defeated death. And whoever believes in Him, He will raise up in the last day.

Matthew Henry also wrote, “[A] yoke heavier than that of Egypt was broken from off our necks, and a land better than that of Canaan set before us. That was a temporal deliverance to be celebrated in their generation; this is an eternal redemption to be celebrated…world without end.” (Commentary on Exodus 12)

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”Psalm 118:24

 

 

 

 

There is Coming a Day

Last spring I was assigned a writing assignment listing lessons that I have learned in life. I was encouraged to share it here.

On July 22, 2013 my  brother Jeffery, passed away shortly following an unexpected  diagnosis of terminal cancer. That year I realized that this world is fallen and broken. But, I realized that it wasn’t God who made it this way.

The Bible tells us that it was the  Devil and sin that brought death and a curse. But, God is the one who gave us life in the first place. God also gave us everlasting life, and a way to be together again. He says in His Word:

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”(John 10.10)

I have learned that because of this curse we will experience some sorrow each day of our life. “[I]n sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” (Gen. 3.17).  It might not be the same amount, but because of the curse there will be some sorrow every day in this life.

I also learned that no day is exempt. The verse says there will be sorrow “all the days” of our life.  Sorrow can sneak up on you on the day you least expect it, but, it doesn’t have to overtake you. If there is anything I would wish to tell you, is always keep your eyes on Jesus.  With His help we can make it through.

I also learned that “There is coming a day”.  In recent years, I found some interesting information. I was introduced to an old book by my HistoryProfessor, “Annals of the World” by Bishop James Ussher. In his book he writes,”[T]he Jews used to start their year in the autumn…Also the biblical pattern of “evening and morning” seems to apply to year as well as days. First the dark months of autumn and winter and then the bright months of spring and summer. This also fits the biblical pattern in spiritual matters too. For the saint, his worst lot in life comes first followed by an eternal day of happiness in Christ. The best wine comes last. Joh 2: 10…”

Immediately I thought of the Bible verse:“ But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Malachi 4:2

To see so plainly this concept in the Bible brought me great joy. But I understood this concept years before, following my brother’s service.

For most of his life, my brother,  Jeffery, loved to play the guitar. In recent years he taught a young man named “Mark” to play as well. The day of my brother’s funeral, that young man got up and played the old hymn  “There is coming a day”. I don’t remember much from that day. But, whenever I was hurting the Lord never failed, to use that to make that tune and those and those words to come into my mind. It is a beautiful song, if you have never heard it. The words read,

“There is coming a day,
When no heart aches shall come,
No more clouds in the sky,
No more tears to dim the eye,
All is peace forever more,
On that happy golden shore,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There’ll be no sorrow there,
No more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain,
No more parting over there;
And forever I will be,
With the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be”

Even today, these words  still come into my mind. I’ll never forget Mark doing that. And,  I like all the children of God, am waiting for that day!

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 22:4-5

“And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” Revelation 21:25

“[W]eeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5