Unmoveable

I remember always picturing in my mind that before God made everything He was alone. But He  was never alone. John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  This just made me happy.

 Also I used to picture it as dark in the beginning, before the stars were created. But that is not right either!

I John 1:5 tells us, “ This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 

These things just made me happy to realize. But then I got to thinking that for a child of God how impossible it is for us to be alone. When I was a little girl God used my fear of being alone to call on Him for salvation.

There is something else that has always existed, and will always be around.  I Corinthians 13:8-13 says, “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. . . .For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Jesus said in John 14:31 “But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.” He also said of His Father, “for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17.24).

 I John 4:18  says, “[F]or God is love.”

Love was from the beginning, and the Lord will never stop loving those that are His. And He will never leave us alone (Heb. 13.5).

Another thing that will never change is that God is on His throne! 

“The Lord is King for ever and ever . . . “ (Ps. 10.16).  He is in charge. He is in control.

He is in control of today. 

“ This is the day which the Lord hath made . . .” (Ps. 118:24). And He is  for sure in charge of tomorrow!

He has power to help us live for Him today. And He has strength for us to live for Him tomorrow.

“[A]nd as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deuteronomy 33:25

Psalm 1:2-3 says,

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” 

The more we seek Jesus the more strength we have. I was just listening to a Bible program, and it was talking about how we need to get in touch with Christ and not a middle man. And a lady wrote in and talked about how she was going through a hard time, but then it just got harder and how it was the most difficult time of her life.  And she talked about how she just kept reading the Bible and listening to the Bible program and how the Lord used that and got her through.

On hard days I’ve not always turned to the Lord. But He has never let me fall when I turned to Him. (And He chased me down when I wasn’t turning to Him, and got me to stop dragging my feet).  But as I was meditating on all these good things that will never change, I remembered I Corinthians 15:58. He has done so much good for us, we ought to pray to serve Him. We ought to be stedfast in His service.

These have been just a few thoughts.

God bless!

Somebody Needs to Hear This

“ 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

A Scripture for Today, January 15th, 2024

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” I Peter 1:3-4

It’s All about Jesus, A Study on I Peter 2-3

Philippians 2:5-11 tells us,

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Without Jesus being the perfect Son and submitting to His Father in every single thing, there would be no work of redemption on Calvary. The Bible makes it clear that being a follower of Christ requires submission.

Here we learn some of the characteristics of our Saviour. Jesus was humble. He was made in the likeness of men and took on the form of a servant.  And He was obedient to death.

What would be easier, calling 10,000 angels to destroy the world or being obedient even until the death of the cross? There would be no redemptive work if Jesus Christ did not submit. He could have stayed in Heaven, but instead He came to this earth and submitted Himself to the law, to authorities, and to men.

I Peter 2 tells us,

“ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; . . . be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

Then Peter begins thevery next verse, “Likewise”. Like Jesus did . . . what?

“Likewise, ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;” I Peter 3:1

To save souls it requires submission, whether male or female. The Bible actually tells us that a woman’s submission will win souls.

“[I]f any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear [or reverence]. . .” I Peter 3:1-2

Although God set up government to show Himself, there have been many in government who were not good leaders. In 1160 Henry II commanded everyone to not give Baptists shelter or food, and they were to be publicly whipped (Moore, Earlier and Later Nonconformity in Oxford, p. 12.). But that does not change that God instituted government. That does not change that we are to “honor the king” (I Pt. 2.17). It may not be possible in some circumstances to follow through with orders. But as in government, God did also place the husband in charge of the family.

Now Ecclesiastes 7:20 reads, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Just because we can find fault in a persons life, it doesn’t mean we can just cast off the commandments of God. George Washington may have lied at one point. It wouldn’t make it right being in the militia to ignore his orders. That doesn’t mean that those in authority are without responsibility, or that they will not give account for how they treat a child of God. Husbands have a great responsibility of protecting and providing for the household (I Tim. 5.8). And the household will give account how they treat him.

Men and woman were both created in the image of God ( Gen. 1.27). Both were created to show Jesus (Col.1.16-18). But they have different roles. The Lord told us women to honor God through submission. Woman are like the angels in some ways. I Corinthians 11:10 reads, “For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.” The Lord’s angels always brought glory and honor to Him. They didn’t put the focus on themselves.

The commandment is clear. The question is just who are you going to serve and honor?

Who are we going to show? Jesus Christ the Son of God? Or are we going to end up showing Satan by ignoring authority? “ [Y]e shall be as gods . . .” Gen. 3.4

A Scripture for Today, October 4th, 2023

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

A Scripture for Today, June 7th, 2023

“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

Power! Power! Wonder Working Power!

A few Sundays ago in Church we read about the  impotent man in John chapter seven, who couldn’t get to the water, where he needed to go to be healed. But Jesus came to him and asked him if he wanted to be healed. And when he expressed desire, Jesus healed him.

The word impotent means “without power”. Romans tells us, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

When we were without strength, or when we didn’t have any power to save ourselves, Christ died for us.

We cannot save ourselves. We do not have the power. We cannot work our way to heaven.But Jesus has the power to save us. Jesus said, “ . . . I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” John 11:25-26

Jesus said that he is the resurrection and the life. If we believe him that we are sinners, and that we need a Saviour, and that He is the Saviour,  like the impotent man we can ask him to help us. If we put our trust in him to save us, he will. 

Jesus said, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:17-18

Jesus has the power over hell and death.

Job 26:2-3 reads,“How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?” 

The Lord does has power and helps them that are without power. He helps those who have no knowledge.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

The Lord has power and is willing to help His people with their problems after they are saved as well.

“For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?” Psalm 56:13

The Lord helped David to defeat Goliath!

“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” I Samuel 17:45

The children of Israel relying on their own strength didn’t have the power to fight even the little city of Ai (Josh. 7). But the Lord got them the victory over the fortified city of Jericho. He made the walls to fall down before them (Josh. 6) .

The Lord helped Israel when they were overwhelmed by the enemy and could not help themselves. “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.” II Chronicles 20:17

Psalm 68:25 reads, “O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.” 

 “God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.”  II Samuel 22:33

I hope these verses encourage you as they did me.

God bless.

A Scripture for Today, May 14th, 2023

“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37:24-25

“Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?” Psalm 56:12-13

A Scripture for Today, March 30th, 2023

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30-31

A Scripture for Today, May 22nd, 2023

“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

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect . . .” Hebrews 12:22-23

Jesus prayed in John 17, that God’s people would be where He is. God’s people are all those that believe in Jesus (See John 17). In Hebrews we see that there are spirits of men in heaven. These verses show that when we die we don’t just go into the ground.

These are good verses among others to point to if someone rejects this.