Category Archives: Salvation

Get It? Got It? Holding To It??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #238

12 Friday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Eternal Consequences, Eternal Treasures, Every Knee Shall Bow, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Laying up treasure in heaven, Leading Or Mis-Leading?, Living For Jesus, Nothing New, Now is the time...., Order my steps, Salvation, The Word, Trendy Or Truth, Worship Him!

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Get It? Got it? Holding To It???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #238

We continually wrestle with the draw of the world, the call of the bling, the ads, promos, and enticement to get the newest, fastest, most fashionable things of some celebrity; all the while not realizing that these things will pass away.  We will pass away; and when we do, we will face Jesus as our Lord and Savior and give an account of our life; or we will stand before Jesus The Judge and pay for our own sin!  It’s not about stuff, it’s about peace, joy and loving Jesus more than the world.  And even more subtle, the people and things that offer to make us healthier, wealthier and smarter by using, promoting and making money off of some new thing.  Solomon said it best.

“All things are full of labour;

man cannot utter it:

the eye is not satisfied

with seeing,

nor the ear

filled with hearing.

9 The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done

is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said,

See, this is new?

it hath been already of old time,

which was before us.”  Ecclesiastes 1:8-10

We lost two people in our circle this week, one knew Jesus intimately and went right into the presence of Jesus (See 2 Corinthians 5:6-8.); the other may or may not have met Jesus, I don’t know.  But one thing I do know, each of them carried nothing with them but the life they lived, and everything they had collected, they left behind.  What are you collecting?  What did you get that you had to have, and now you’re ready to put it in a garage safe?  Even the priceless treasures that we may value greatly can’t be held onto when we die and face eternity.  What have we invested in that is of eternal value.  First and foremost to be born again, secondly (in my opinion) is to have sent on treasures to heaven that are of true eternal value.  As I heard someone once say, the only thing we can take to heaven with us is love and those we have helped to come to salvation in Jesus!  It has merit!  While I don’t find anywhere is scripture that we are bound to take a vow of poverty, we are called throughout scripture to hold the value of riches loosely and not hoard them to ourselves, but to use them to bless others as we have opportunity.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,

where moth and rust doth corrupt,

and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,

and where thieves do not break through

nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also…

…24 No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat,

or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

Is not the life more than meat,

and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air:

for they sow not,

neither do they reap,

nor gather into barns;

yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?…

…33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:

for the morrow shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Portions of Matthew 6:19-34

Peter also reminded the early believers that riches are not eternal, but Jesus and His Word is!  May we not lose sight of the things that are truly eternal, important, and of real value!

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,

as some men count slackness;

but is longsuffering to us-ward,

not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come

as a thief in the night;

in the which the heavens shall pass away

with a great noise,

and the elements shall melt

with fervent heat,

the earth also

and the works that are therein

shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,

what manner of persons ought ye to be

in all holy conversation

and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting

unto the coming of the day of God,

wherein the heavens being on fire

shall be dissolved,

and the elements shall melt

with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we,

according to his promise,

look for new heavens

and a new earth,

wherein dwelleth righteousness.”                            Portions of 2 Peter 3:9-13

So, my friends, the question comes to us, “What will we spend our life on?”  Will we spend our lives accumulating things or pursuing the Kingdom of God and sending our real, eternal treasures on before us.  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.  May we ask God to search our heart and reveal to us the true state of our affairs?  James has a stern word to those claiming the name of Jesus; will we take heed?

“Ye ask, and receive not,

because ye ask amiss,

that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses,

know ye not that the friendship of the world

is enmity with God?

whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world

is the enemy of God.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,

The spirit that dwelleth in us

lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore

to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

 ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.”  James 4:3-8

May we get it!  May we ever keep it in our heart!  May we ever hold to JESUS in true love and devotion, as we “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil…”!

Amen and Amen!!!

By Grace Through Faith??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #237

09 Tuesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Idolatry, Jesus Is The Only Way!, No man can serve two masters!, Obedient or NOT?, One Day Too Late?, Only Jesus, Only One Way, Our God Reigns, Overcoming By His Blood, Salvation, The Word

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By Grace Through Faith???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #237

 

“For by grace are ye saved

through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

which God hath before ordained

that we should walk in them.”   Ephesians 2:8-10

How do you plan on getting to heaven?  Just as Jesus said in John 14:6, there is only one way—and HE IS the “way…the truth…and the life…”—the only way.  I know there is a lot being purported today as ways to heaven: be good, give to this preacher, do this thing, follow this leader, think positive, follow and accept pantheistic activities of all kinds (check out the origins of what you are participating in?)—such as many of the martial arts, yoga, meditation, Zen, and I could go on, I simply ask you to check out what you are following.  If its origin isn’t based in the Gospel, you might want to consider where it came from and what its ultimate goal is.  If it came out of idolatry, where do think it’s wanting to lead you?  If your chosen activities are not to draw you closer to Jesus, then you might want to reconsider.  And one thing that we are misled by most often is the worldly draw of media—movies, music, TV, apps, games….  If you watch much TV, you’d think that the romance movies invented Christmas; even when they throw in Jesus’ name every now and then, the idea is that you can succeed on your own with a bit of luck, fate, or chance, or Christmas magic.

As believers in and followers of Jesus, we need to keep our focus on His death, burial and resurrection for our sin!  When was the last time you heard that word mentioned by anyone on TV?  Well, my friends, sin IS the issue; and ready or not Jesus is coming for His own, and He also will judge those who have ignored Him, disregarded Him, or just plain rejected Him.  What have you done about Jesus’ claims to be the only way through repentance of our own sin, and trust/faith in His substitutionary (in your place), atoning (making restitution for my sin and yours), sacrifice (He became the payment for our sin—the only payment God will accept!)!  That is grace my friend, no cost except faith in what Jesus did at Calvary, the blood bought salvation of the Bible.

“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.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:5-10

Paul makes it clear that it is all about Jesus, and without forgiveness of sin, we have no hope.

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14

We can praise God because of grace, for we merit nothing, but God has given all that we need in Jesus.  It is all about what He has done not what we have done or ever could do.  I pray that you will receive this word from my heart and God’s Holy Bible, and examine your heart, listening for the voice of The Holy Spirit speaking to you.  God has never failed me yet—and He won’t today!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access

by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God…

…. 6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through him.”                       Portions of Romans 5:1-9

I’m praying for you!

Amen and Amen!!!

I Love Jesus, But…??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #236

05 Friday Jul 2024

Posted by in A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Believe God?, Believe IN Jesus, Biblical Boundaries Matter!, Blessed by God, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Flesh-vs-Spirit, Following Jesus or the World?, Fruit of the Spirit, Full Of what?, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, Serving God or Using God?, Sowing and Reaping, Speaking The Truth In Love, Spiritual Hacking???, The Word, Who's Listening?, Who's Your Father?, Whose Sheep are You?, Whose Side Are You On?, Wisdom, Wise As Serpents, Wolves in sheep's clothing!

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I Love Jesus, But…??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #236

Sometimes what we say, doesn’t’ match what we live; so today I’d like to challenge us to examine our lives and consider what God’s Word says.  Then decide if we really love Jesus, or someone or something else more than Him?  Are we His child?  His sheep?  Or are we dressed up to look like a sheep?  It’s your call, and I pray we will each hear from Jesus!

“Jesus saith unto them,

Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land

full of great fishes,

an hundred and fifty and three:

and for all there were so many,

yet was not the net broken.

12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou?

knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus then cometh,

and taketh bread,

and giveth them,

and fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself

to his disciples,

after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me

more than these?       

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord; thou knowest

 that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord; thou knowest

that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him

the third time,

Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.”  John 21:10-17

While many Bible scholars, teachers, and preachers comment on what “more than these” might mean, for our purposes we’re going to try to apply it to our lives!  Now, for Peter, Jesus could have been talking about the ‘going fishing’, or the ‘other disciples’, or the ‘weakness’ that he displayed when he denied his master, Lord and Messiah’!  But the important thing is that we let Jesus’ words sink into our hearts and ask God to search us and be sure that we really do belong to Jesus.  Are we one of HIS sheep or are we just wearing a sheep costume and going around saying the right ‘Bah…Bah…Bah”.  Truthfully, I was one of the fake sheep until Jesus came and spoke right to my heart, “You are not mine!”  And after much wrestling and arguing with Jesus, I fell on my face, repented of the sin in my heart and life (even though I had tried so hard to hide my sin and imitate a genuine believer—but Jesus knew, and that day so did I, finally) and asked Jesus to forgive my sin and save me!  And He did—gloriously He did!

The question that we each must hear from God is, are you mine?  And no matter who else we may fool, God knows, and He will save us if we will but face our sin, repent and trust in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice to save!  Yet even when we do that, we may stumble like Peter did, but Jesus will never leave His own in failure, rebellion and self-will for long.  He will discipline His own.  What do you love more than Jesus?  Do you know the pleasure of His sweet presence or are you running as fast as you can to not hear His voice.  Has the hand of discipline fallen into your life?  Stop running and receive the restoration into the sweet fellowship of our Lord; even as Peter was forgiven, restored and in a few weeks, would be filled with The Holy Spirit to preach with a bold power that he had never known.  We can know and walk in that same power—not in the same way as Peter, but in the way that God wants to use us—to HIS glory not our own!

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father

chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.”  Hebrews 12:6-8

Are you a true son?  Are you walking in the power of Jesus’ precious gift of The Holy Spirit?  Or are you loving something else more?  Are you a fake sheep trying to fool God and man? Have you lived your own way, and never known the discipline of Jesus? You can fool man, for a while, but Jesus proclaimed that the tree would bring forth the fruit of its nature in Matthew 7 (check it out, read all of Matthew 7, it may surprise you!). Jesus promised that The Holy Spirit is the evidence that we belong to Him, and His fruit (no ‘s’) will show to one degree or another. Are you hearing His voice?  What’s He saying?  Will you heed and obey?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely there is a test, with eternal consequences.

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.”  Romans 8:8-10

How can this be?  Paul makes it clear for us; have you come to Jesus and received His gift of salvation and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Whose Spirit does your life reflect; Jesus or the world (Satan’s)?

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 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.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Are you that “new creature”?  Have you been born again by the power of the cross?  Only you can answer that question; so, rather than making a long list for you to compare your life to, I’ll simply let Paul do that, and ask that each of us will lay our hearts open before God to do the restorative work in us that He did in Peter; or if you’ve never come to Jesus, that He will convict your heart and bring you to the cross.

“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

Jesus is not only the great physician, He is also the great restorer of His own sheep, even if He has to discipline us to ‘get our attention’, so to speak.  Don’t waste time serving the enemy of not only your soul, but the souls of all those whom you/we love.  Who is watching you?  Will you lead them to Jesus or lead them to the enemies’ bus stop!  What fruit is your tree yielding? Remember that what you sow, you will reap; and as the old saying says, “You’ll reap more than you sowed, later than you sowed, costing you more than you wanted to pay!”  And often that cost in seen in the lives of those we love the most! (And if you don’t know the meaning of some of these words, look them up, you may be alarmed!)

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,

and the Spirit against the flesh:

 and these are contrary the one to the other:

so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit,

ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,

which are these;

Adultery,

fornication,

uncleanness,

lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry,

witchcraft,

hatred,

variance,

emulations,

wrath,

strife,

seditions,

heresies,      

21 Envyings,

murders,

drunkenness,

revellings,

and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love,

joy,

peace,

longsuffering,

gentleness,

goodness,

faith,

23 Meekness,

temperance:

against such there is no law.”  Galatians 5:16-22

I pray that you find this post helpful, enlightening and life changing by the power of The Holy Spirit and The Word of God!  I’ll simply close with Jesus’ own words given to His disciples just before His death.  They are still true for us; and we never have to walk alone or in doubt if we will but listen to His voice—it’s all about Jesus, not me/you!

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,

that will I do,

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name,

I will do it.

15 If ye love me,

keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father,

and he shall give you another Comforter,

that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth;

whom the world cannot receive,

because it seeth him not,

neither knoweth him:

but ye know him;

for he dwelleth with you,

and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless:

I will come to you.”  John 14:13-18

 Amen and Amen!!!

When Are You Singing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #235

03 Wednesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Free Indeed?, Freedom To Or From?, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Preach Christ and HIM crucified!, Preaching Jesus, Preaching truth about SIN, Salvation, The Song in the night!

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When Are You Singing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #235

Here in the USA we will celebrate “Independence Day”—The Fourth of July—a day when freedom from tyranny was proclaimed throughout the land.  We did accomplish that independence with God’s grace and many lives of devoted, committed men and women to the cause of freedom.  But my question today is, “Are you free?”  “Are you singing the songs of joy in The Lord, or the songs of death and despair?”   Jesus offers true freedom to those who come to Him in repentance of sin, and faith/belief/trust in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for my sin and yours!

“And ye shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free…

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free,

ye shall be free indeed.”  John 8:32 & 36

Jesus makes us free—free from sin, free from the power of the enemy, free from despair—for we belong to The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords and He puts a song in our hearts.  I simply want to share with you a picture of that “joy” even in the midst of trials, suffering or persecution.

“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness

in the daytime,

and in the night his song shall be with me,

and my prayer unto the God of my life.”  Psalm 42:8

Paul and Silas’ had a song in the night.  What are you singing where you are?  Are you singing God’s song or your own?  I invite you to consider what Paul and Silas had in their hearts, the marks that were on their bodies—and the outcome of their trial (literally! Read the rest of the chapter!), and God’s amazing grace!

“And the multitude rose up together against them:

and the magistrates

rent off their clothes,

and commanded to beat them.

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them,

they cast them into prison,

charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge,

thrust them into the inner prison,

and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight

Paul and Silas prayed,

and sang praises unto God:

and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations of the prison

were shaken:

and immediately all the doors were opened,

and every one’s bands were loosed.

 27 And the keeper of the prison

awaking out of his sleep,

and seeing the prison doors open,

he drew out his sword,

and would have killed himself,

supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,

Do thyself no harm:

for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light,

and sprang in,

and came trembling,

and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said,

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said,

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him

the word of the Lord,

and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night,

and washed their stripes;

and was baptized,

he and all his,

straightway.

34 And when he had brought them into his house,

he set meat before them,

and rejoiced,

believing in God with all his house.”  Acts 16:22-34

As we celebrate our nation’s Independence/Birthday, may we look up to and depend upon our Lord, and sing songs of praise unto HIM—in the night, in the daytime, and touch the lives of others who need to hear the voice of conviction unto salvation.  May each of us celebrate the freedom that Jesus bought at Calvary!

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him

in whom they have not believed?

and how shall they believe in him

of whom they have not heard?

and how shall they hear

without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach,

except they be sent?

as it is written,

How beautiful are the feet of them

that preach the gospel of peace,

and bring glad tidings

of good things!”  Romans 10:13-15

So, my friends, what are we singing?  May our lives be a song and a testament of the freedom in Jesus Christ our Lord; never license but liberty, freedom from sin, not to sin—keeping our eyes on the prize, Jesus, that others may be drawn to HIM!

“Now the Lord is that Spirit:

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is liberty.

18 But we all, with open face

beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,

are changed into the same image

from glory to glory,

  even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Amen and Amen!!!

Did You See That??? What??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #234

01 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Evil and Adulterous Generation?, Eyes that SEE HIM, Eyes that see not, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Looking up Or around?, Salvation, Speaking The Truth In Love, Spiritual Warfare, The Word, Victorious Living, Wise As Serpents, Witness

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Did You See That???  What??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #234

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

Whom shall I send,

and who will go for us?

Then said I,

Here am I;

send me.

9 And he said,

Go,

and tell this people,

Hear ye indeed,

but understand not;

and see ye indeed,

but perceive not.”  Isaiah 6:8-9

Isaiah was sent to preach to a people who would not heed his message!  We often get discouraged but we need to understand that even Jesus was rejected because He spoke God’s truth, and just like today, every man wants to walk his own way. Even as Solomon recorded, “there is no new thing under the sun…” (See Ecclesiastes 1:9,) we live in a day when even much of the church is rejecting God, His Son, His Word and His ways!  We must not let the unwillingness of others to hear or heed our words change our commitment, we must continue to proclaim the truth.  What are you hearing?  What are you seeing?  Are you allowing the world to dull your senses to the things of God?  Isaiah had even more to say from the Lord in this regard.

“That this is a rebellious people,

lying children,

children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

10 Which say to the seers,

See not;

and to the prophets,

Prophesy not unto us right things,

speak unto us smooth things,

prophesy deceits:

11 Get you out of the way,

turn aside out of the path,

cause the Holy One of Israel

to cease from before us.”  Isaiah 30:9-11

This could have been written to America just as easily as God told Isaiah to prophesy to the people of Judah.  Will we heed his word and open our ears and our eyes and judge with righteous judgment.  Or will we fall to the world’s ideology?  Jeremiah had the same message, just a little later down the road to this same people who had ignored and rejected Isaiah’s warnings; and this precious prophet of God was given the same message, and a warning that while God would protect him, the people would be against him, and for some forty years he proclaimed the warning to God’s people to repent or fall into captivity.  He could have been right here—right now.

“Hear now this,

O foolish people,

and without understanding;

which have eyes,

and see not;

which have ears,

and hear not:” Jeremiah 5:21

I so love the book of Jeremiah, for it is so pertinent to us.  Oh, God, may we hear you?  Oh God, may we see you?  Oh God, may we heed your word?  Is God calling you?  Do you measure with God’s Word or the world’s standard?  Oh, my friends please heed the call.

“But the LORD said unto me,

Say not, I am a child:

for thou shalt go to all

that I shall send thee,

and whatsoever I command thee

thou shalt speak.

8 Be not afraid of their faces:

for I am with thee to deliver thee,

saith the LORD.

9 Then the LORD put forth his hand,

and touched my mouth.

And the LORD said unto me,

Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

10 See, I have this day set thee

over the nations

and over the kingdoms,

to root out,

and to pull down,

and to destroy,

and to throw down,

to build,

and to plant.”  Jeremiah 1:7-10

May we heed the call to share God’s truth as God gives us opportunity; whether it be in the small things, the big things, in our homes—first and foremost–in our churches, in our interaction with others.  And more than anything else may we bathe our hearts and lives with prayer—real Spirit led, heart-felt, earnest prayer for our own path as well as the salvation, holiness, and maturity of God’s own. Remember my friends, if we don’t see the peril we can’t escape it, and we are called to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”, we are to love and be kind, but trust is something that must be proved and earned!  (Just say’n, as the kids say!) The peril is at hand!  Are your eyes trained to see truth?

“This know also,

that in the last days

perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.”  2 Timothy 3:1-5

Don’t be afraid to disagree with untruth!  Don’t be afraid to excuse yourself!  Remember Joseph ran when Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce him—we can follow his example, and run from sin, temptation and lies.  We can stand fast without being rude or unkind—but firm yet gentle!  May God open our eyes and our ears to be in tune with HIS way not man’s.  Do you know the shepherd?  I pray that you do; and if you don’t you can.  If you hear His voice respond in repentance and faith in Jesus’ own substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sin!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.”  John 10:27-28

Amen and Amen!!!