Category Archives: Faithful is He that has Promised!

Eyes On Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #100

23 Friday Jun 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Blessed by God, Encouragement, Faith, Faithful, Faithful Father--heavenly and earthly, Faithful Follower, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, Father's Way!

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Eyes On Jesus???        A Word from THE WORD!!! #100

 

Life happens–trials come and go–difficulties distract us–people annoy us–demands are hovering over our head–dishes to wash–grass to mow–wheeling, dealing, and feelings, all weigh on us seemingly continually–so what do we do?  God’s Word always gives me the answer; and while I don’t always want to hear it and obey; The Word of God IS all I need. For believe me, my friends, JESUS IS The Word of God!  He is the living Word, and the breath of the written Word, and it never fails, if I will but heed its love, wisdom, and provision.

So, let’s receive a bit of advice from God’s Word this morning…..

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher

of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:1-2

This amazing passage gives us great advise about God’s work in our lives, but it’s built on chapter 11, which we often call the hall of “faith”, and while people seem to focus on the first 2/3 of the chapter with Abraham (a rich man), Moses (a powerful man), we often overlook the last part of the book, which reveals the hard truth that real faith often suffers for standing true.  It’s not the ‘name and claim it’ mentality, it’s very far from the ‘prosperity’ teaching of many, but God calls us, you and me, to a life of faith in Jesus, NOT our circumstances; for it is God to whom we will give an account, and the standard will be HIS WORD not the world’s/man’s words or ideas!

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest in his sight:

but all things are

naked

and opened unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:12-13

When our faith is in God not our circumstances we can stand fast in trials, tests, and difficulties as well as times of visible blessings. So, for our consideration today, let’s look at the “other” part of Hebrews 11, those who endured grievous trials–the “others” of faith; for our sufferings aren’t just God’s working “IN” us but it is also HIS provision for those affected by our faithfulness to what we say we believe, and “in whom” our faith is placed–JESUS!

“And others

had trial of cruel mockings

and scourgings,

yea, moreover

of bonds

and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned,

they were sawn asunder,

were tempted,

were slain with the sword:

they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins;

being destitute,

afflicted,

tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:)

they wandered in deserts,

and in mountains,

and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all,

having obtained a good report through faith,

received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing

for us,

that they without us

should not be made perfect.”  Hebrews 11:36-40

No matter which path God leads me/us on, I pray that I/we will be as faithful as they were?  That’s the meaning of chapter 12:1-2; we are to remember the faithfulness of others, not a stadium of people cheering us on, but a “great …cloud of witnesses” who have found GOD faithful, no matter their circumstances.  Where is your faith standing?  Is it in the Redeemer of your soul, or your circumstances!  Do you welcome the accolades, but reject the suffering?  Yes, we can stand on the promises of God, but God never promised us a life of ease, rather Jesus warned us that if we are following Him and His will there will be trials and opposition!  WILL–not–MAYBE!

“These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

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.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him that sent me.”   John 15:17-21

Our power, praise, provision, and hope is in The One who died for us and redeems us unto HIMSELF!  I belong to Jesus, so my past is forgiven, my present is secure in HIM, and my future is with THE ONE who is coming soon–‘that where HE is we will be”, blessings beyond measure and more than we can “think or imagine”!  All because of JESUS’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for ME–for YOU!  Looking unto Jesus!  If you know HIM, follow Him closely, if you don’t, call upon HIM today, He will deliver YOU!

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted

like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16

I pray that this will lift you up today, for we all have down days–but we have the victorious, glorious, King of the universe who loves us, so run to Jesus!

“Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

As Jesus said so long ago:

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man

hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.

21 To him that overcometh

will I grant to sit with me

in my throne,

even as I also overcame,

and am set down with my Father

in his throne.”  Revelation 3:20-21

Amen and Amen!!!

PS–This was for me today as much as for you!  Prayers for your day and the coming week, may God bless you as you pursue HIM!

Are You Vexed By The World??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #97

11 Sunday Jun 2023

Posted by in A Form of godliness?, Faithful Follower, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, False Lives, Let You Light So Shine, Liars, Lies, Lies That Defeat Us, Life or Death?, Vexation, Victory IN Jesus!

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Are You Vexed By The World??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #97

Vexed: irritated, annoyed… much discussed or disputed….tossed about, as waves….

I know ‘vexed’ is an old and seldom used word today, but it fits the thoughts of my heart today; and scripture is replete with lessons about being vexed–both good and bad, so let’s see what we can learn and discern from God’s Word today.

Job is the picture that we often refer to when we think of suffering, yet we find so much truth in the book of Job, as we see this man of integrity stand for righteousness, truth, and his Savior-Redeemer, we can learn so much; and one of the things that encourages me so is Job’s so-called friends, ever telling Job if ‘he hadn’t sinned’ then none of these things would have happened, and calling him to confess and repent.  All the while Job declares his confidence in his GOD and his integrity before HIM!

“As God liveth,

who hath taken away my judgment;

and the Almighty,

who hath vexed my soul;

3 All the while

my breath

is in me,

and the spirit of God

is in my nostrils;

4 My lips

shall not speak wickedness,

nor my tongue

utter deceit.

5 God forbid that I should justify you:

till I die

I will not remove mine integrity from me.

6 My righteousness

I hold fast,

and will not let it go:

my heart

 shall not reproach me so long as I live.”   Job 27:2-6

Job wasn’t bragging on himself, but rather bragging on his God–the Almighty God of the universe–the One in whom he believed and trusted for salvation and deliverance.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand at the latter day

upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body,

yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself,

and mine eyes shall behold,

and not another;

though my reins be consumed within me.”  Job 19:25-27

And again:

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.

16 He also shall be my salvation:

for an hypocrite

shall not come before him.”  Job 13:15-16

Unlike Job, we often let our friends and acquaintances influence our walk with God and our outlook on our circumstances–we must make sure that like Job, our faith is in God and His Word–Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, knowing that whatever may come our way or come around us, we can truly say with Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him”!  What does all this have to do with ‘vexation’?  Well that’s a good question, for much like Job’s friends, who had a skewed view of God, many around us have that same skewed view of God and worse.  We have come to be a culture that treats God’s Word, God’s ways, and God’s people with disdain, and like another man of faith who lost his influence due to the culture he chose to be in (and he had a choice, just like we do).  It breaks my heart that our once godly, Christian nation now boldly, blatantly clings to the things of the enemy of our souls.

But, my friends, this is nothing new, just as Solomon once wrote, “there is no new thing under the sun” (See Ecclesiastes 1:9); and while we are taken aback by all the ‘new’ things absorbing our culture–it’s not new at all!  It goes back to Eden, where man chose sin instead of God!  Same story, just new titles, and names!  Peter in his second recorded letter makes this abundantly clear, for there have always been false teachers–liars, betrayers, deceivers–and we must choose whether we will dig into The Word of God and know truth or be deceived by those who desire to steal our soul, our life, our children, and our culture.  I AM VEXED!!!  When will we wake up and measure our own lives by God’s standard rather than man’s?  Lot chose to get accustomed to the sin, filth, and degradation around him, and it cost him his family; his testimony had become worthless to those around him because he had chosen to “go along to get along”!  How about you and me?  What comes out of our mouth is from the heart; what’s in your heart?  What does the world see in your lifestyle; kindness with no truth, vile and filthy language to get along because we allow ourselves to absorb the filth around us?  I’ll let Peter make the case.

“But there were false prophets

also among the people,

even as there shall be false teachers

among you,

who privily shall bring in

damnable heresies,

even denying the Lord that bought them,

and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways;

by reason of whom the way of truth

shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness

shall they with feigned words

make merchandise of you:

whose judgment now of a long time

lingereth not,

and their damnation slumbereth not.

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned,

but cast them down to hell,

and delivered them into chains of darkness,

to be reserved unto judgment;

5 And spared not the old world,

but saved Noah the eighth person,

a preacher of righteousness,

bringing in the flood

upon the world of the ungodly;

6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha

into ashes condemned them with an overthrow,

making them an ensample

unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot,

vexed with the filthy conversation

of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man

dwelling among them,

in seeing

and hearing,

vexed his righteous soul

from day to day

with their unlawful deeds😉

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly

out of temptations,

and to reserve the unjust

unto the day of judgment

to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh

in the lust of uncleanness,

and despise government.

Presumptuous are they,

selfwilled,

they are not afraid

to speak evil of dignities.”  2 Peter 2:1-10

My friends, judgment is coming–for believers and unbelievers–the judgment seat of Jesus (as described in Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10) for believers, those who have been born again by the blood of The Lamb, where all will “give an account of himself to God”!  The lost (those who have failed/refused to bow before Jesus in repentance and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin–your sin and mine– for “all have sinned”!) will stand before God at the Great White Throne with no recourse or payment for their sin, but to be cast into the “lake of fire” (Rev. 20)!  You can live the way you want; you can talk the way you want, you can accept and promote immorality, wickedness, and the vile things of this world, and while it vexes my heart and soul to ‘see and hear’ it, everyone will give an account to God!  I pray that you will hear the voice of the savior if you don’t know Him yet and come to His cross for salvation.  If you are a believer who has compromised, I pray that you will come to that same cross in repentance and call on your Master Jesus for forgiveness, cleansing and restoration–HE is still changing hearts and lives.

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

 

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Amen and Amen!!!

Immovable Or Unmovable??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #94

28 Sunday May 2023

Posted by in A Form of godliness?, Abiding In The Vine, Abundant Life In Jesus, Faithful Follower, Faithful is He that has Promised!, The Word

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Immovable or Unmovable??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #94

Immovable: incapable of being moved…fixed…stationary…

Unmovable: impossible to move…unyielding in purpose…

I have just a few things to share with you all today, and as my arm is still not well, I can’t type as I normally do, but I do want to share a few words that I pray will help us examine our hearts and lives to see if we are obstinately “immovable” in “our own ways” or if we are truly “unyielding in purpose”, particularly to God’s Word, ways, and purposes (as HE has revealed to us in HIS WORD!).

There are two passages from Paul’s writings that I think put these in a ‘nutshell’ for us today, and I pray that we will all take time to hear and heed the work of the Holy Spirit in all things.  Even as Jesus promised the resource of His Holy Spirit.

“Howbeit when he,

the Spirit of truth, is come,

he will guide you into all truth:

for he shall not speak of himself;

but whatsoever he shall hear,

that shall he speak:

and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me:

for he shall receive of mine,

and shall shew it unto you.”  John 16:13-14

Paul gives us a great picture of the contrast of our call and our stand!  Who called you/me?  What is HE calling you and me to?  We are so blessed by our Lord, yet we are also called to commit ourselves to Jesus and not our own ways!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

3 For I say,

through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself

more highly than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt

to every man

the measure of faith.”   Romans 12:1-3

To God be the glory–for all the provision is from HIM.  Even as Jesus said in John 15:5, “…without me ye can do nothing…”!

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding

in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain

in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen and Amen!!!

Grateful For God’s Mercy??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #79

23 Thursday Mar 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Faithful Follower, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God's Mercies Are New every morning..., Jeremiah's call, Jeremiah's faithfulness, Search me O God?

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Grateful For God’s Mercy???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #79

Jeremiah is one of my favorite Old Testament prophets, and while his message is severe, often harsh, and ‘in-your-face’, it was the calling that God placed on his heart and life, and we must never shrink from the call of God on our lives–even when it may mean that we spend some time in the mud.

“Thou therefore

gird up thy loins,

and arise,

and speak unto them

all that I command thee:

be not dismayed

at their faces,

lest I confound thee

before them.

18 For, behold,

I have made thee this day

a defenced city,

and an iron pillar,

and brasen walls

against the whole land,

against the kings of Judah,

against the princes thereof,

against the priests thereof,

and against the people of the land.

19 And they shall fight against thee;

but they shall not prevail against thee;

for I am with thee,

saith the LORD,

to deliver thee.”  Jeremiah 1:17-19

Jeremiah was called to a difficult task, and he is often called the weeping prophet, for his message was a call to repent and not well-received, but he preached on because of God’s call, and his love for his people, Israel; even when he felt like quitting, he made it clear that God was his focus, his source, and his call!

“Then I said,

I will not make mention of him,

nor speak any more in his name.

But his word was in mine heart

as a burning fire

shut up in my bones,

and I was weary with forbearing,

and I could not stay.”  Jeremiah 20:9

Understand that “not stay” doesn’t mean he quit, but that he couldn’t stop (stay meaning stop or stand still)!  God’s message was in his heart and soul, no matter the cost–and for Jeremiah it was often a high price.  Yet, his message is one that we need to heed today. And in the beginning of his call, God made it clear what the problem was in what I believe to be a most concise and precise statement in chapter 2.

“For my people

have committed two evils;

they have forsaken me

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed them out cisterns,

broken cisterns,

that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13

And while this message fits our present condition in this United States of America (and most of the rest of the world–yet our heritage calls us to a higher standard!) of doing it our way, God is still calling people to repent, both the saved and the lost, and while it is a hard message to hear it is one that if ignored will produce a grievous result–much of which we are seeing today.  What are you drinking out of?  The fountain of living waters or a broken cistern?

Through some forty years of preaching, Jeremiah finally saw the fall of his precious Jerusalem, and his people taken into Babylonian captivity, because they wouldn’t heed God’s call to repent; yet he still proclaimed a message in his grief and sorrow. So, I want us to consider an additional message today–a message that I praise God for!  May we take an honest look at our lives, our homes, our standards, our vocabulary, because we do have a God-given influence on those following in our steps.  May we praise God for HIS mercy and follow in HIS steps for those behind us!

“And I said,

My strength and my hope is perished

from the LORD:

19 Remembering

mine affliction

and my misery,

the wormwood

and the gall.

20 My soul hath them still in remembrance,

and is humbled in me.

21 This I recall to my mind,

therefore have I hope.

22 It is of the LORD’S mercies

that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul;

therefore will I hope in him.

25 The LORD is good unto them

that wait for him,

to the soul

that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should

both hope

and quietly wait

for the salvation

of the LORD.”  Lamentations 3:18-26

I leave us with the call of the Psalmist:

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

 Amen and Amen!!!

Where’s Home??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #76

15 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, Children, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God Who Sees, God's Faithfulness, God's got you and me!, God's love, God's provision, Prodigal Son, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Wait on the Lord, Wait upon the Lord

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Where’s Home???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #76

I have a word for those of us who are aching for those that we love who are wrestling with battles of their own making.  Many of us love those who are bound in chains of one kind or another and so often don’t know what to do.  Some have tried for years to “fix it”, yet we can’t fix what another person doesn’t want fixed yet!  I simply want to share a few comments on a story of a “pig pen”!

I heard a story many years ago of a devoted Christian farm hand who worked for a proud and arrogant farmer.  One day the farmer came and asked his worker why he was always so pleasant and talked about Jesus like he was his best friend.  The worker responded that Jesus “is my best friend”, to which the farmer said how do I get what you have?  The worker simply told the man you have to go down and get in that pig pen; well, the farmer got in a huff and said, ‘no way’, and walked off.  This happened several times, and the farmer always walked away with ‘no way’!   Time passed and one day the farmer in desperation came to the worker and said, “I’m ready to get in that pig pen, what then?”, to which the worker replied, you don’t have to get in that pig pen, you just had to be willing to do whatever it took to humble yourself before Jesus, the One who died for you!  And of course, the man found Jesus on his knees in repentance and faith in Jesus substitutionary, atoning sacrifice!

Well, I want us to look at the biblical story from the other side of the ‘pig pen’ fence (so to speak)!  A story most have heard from Jesus himself.

“And he said,

A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father,

Father, give me the portion of goods

that falleth to me.

And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son

gathered all together,

and took his journey into a far country,

and there wasted his substance

with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all,

there arose a mighty famine in that land;

and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself

to a citizen of that country;

and he sent him into his fields

to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly

with the husks that the swine did eat:

and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said,

How many hired servants of my father’s

have bread enough and to spare,

and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father,

and will say unto him,

Father, I have sinned

against heaven,

and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy

to be called thy son:

make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father.

But when he was yet a great way off,

his father saw him,

and had compassion,

and ran,

and fell on his neck,

and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him,

Father, I have sinned

against heaven,

and in thy sight,

and am no more worthy

to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants,

Bring forth the best robe,

and put it on him;

and put a ring on his hand,

 and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf,

and kill it;

and let us eat,

and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead,

and is alive again;

he was lost,

and is found.

And they began to be merry.”  Luke 15:11-24

I know this is a lengthy passage, so I’ll only make a few comments and trust God to help you see the truth that HE has for you today.  Here we have a son who wanted to do his ‘own thing’ on his father’s “dime”, and the father consented, and watched his son walk away into the world (Knowing that the world wanted to “steal…to kill…and to destroy” this child whom the father loved!), and sure enough the story reveals that when the son ran out of resources to share with his “friends–so called” they evaporated, and when trouble came he found himself feeding pigs!  What are you ‘feeding’ today to get by.  What are you watching someone you love ‘feed’?

We see this father didn’t run after his son, he didn’t send out runners to find him and bring him home, he didn’t pay his fine and bring him home, he didn’t move physically, but we can know that he moved heaven with his prayers.

We’re not told how long the boy was gone, or how long the father waited; but we are told that however long it took, the circumstances had to bring this young man to see his own situation and recognize that he was in the “pig pen”!  And my friends, until our loved one (our you yourself) see that you are in the pig pen, they/you will never get out.  And sadly we can’t “see” the pig pen for anyone but ourselves, and your loved one must “see” the pig pen for what it is before they can truly seek help–help which only God can provide through Jesus!  Until we see the ‘pig pen’ AS a ‘pig pen’ why would we want to get out; but like this father we can wait, pray, watch, and run to our beloved when we see them coming, and lead them to the cross, welcoming their humility and confession of sin!

We can’t pay their debt, only Jesus can.  Will you stop trying to be the solution, and just be the lover of their soul, seeking God’s wisdom, grace, and comfort for those long days of watching from the porch for their return.  God loves them more than you or I can!  Will you trust God to do the work that only HE can do–the work of conviction and the drawing of HIS Holy Spirit.

“No man can come to me,

except the Father which hath sent me

draw him:

and I will raise him up

at the last day.”  John 6:44

Are we willing to pray and wait for God to work HIS work of conviction, repentance, and restoration, or are we running ourselves ragged trying to “be GOD” and save our loved ones?  It’s your choice, but look what God did in this young man’s heart:

“I will arise and go to my father,

and will say unto him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven,

and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy

to be called thy son:

make me as one of thy hired servants.”

If you’re the one who needs to come, will you hear the voice of the Lord Jesus today, and come to HIM.  If you’re the one loving a “prodigal”, won’t you release them to Jesus, for only His Spirit can convict and draw them to the cross, and remember HE loves them more than you or I can!  I pray that you will find the peace that only God’s grace and love can provide, for I know the heart of the “waiting one” just like you!  Are you willing to do “whatever” it takes?  Even if that means releasing, waiting, and trusting as you pray on?  Will you stand beside me with Job’s words on our lips, declaring our confidence in our Lord and our God?

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.”  Job 13:15

“If we believe not,

yet he abideth faithful:

he cannot deny himself.”  2 Timothy 2:13

Amen and Amen!!!