To Save That Which Was Lost

Luke 19:10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who takes care of the sheep. I know how lost I was. I was wandering across this nation when God used circumstances to "herd me into a corner," so to speak: He brought me home to my mother's house. There He found me. I had been searching for the Truth, but I didn't know that Jesus is the Truth. So when God showed me Jesus, hanging on that Cross, I knew He didn't deserve that death at all, I did. I had been living my life totally against all His rules, and Jesus took my full, eternal debt to God and paid it in full, as the Sacrificial Lamb of God, and set me free from the bondage that had held me fast. Praise God for His mercy and grace to me!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Jesus' Human And Regal Genealogy

Jesus was a Jew of the Tribe of Judah. He received His human nature from Mary, whose genealogy we find in Luke 3:23-31. His legal father, Joseph, was also descended from King David, through the royal line, through Solomon and the whole dynasty of kings of Israel and Judah, as recorded in Matthew 1:6-16. But the last king of Judah, Jehoiachin, was so wicked that he was cursed, in that none from his bloodline would ever again assume the Throne of David, in Jeremiah 22:30. So Joseph was not eligible to be the king, even though he was of the bloodline, because he was directly descended from Jehoiachin. But Mary's line came through King David's son Nathan, the brother of Solomon, who received the crown. So, Jesus inherited the Royal authority to the Kingship legally through Joseph, and directly through the bloodline of His mother Mary. Jesus alone could reign on David's throne.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Don't Let The Baton Drop

Judges 2:10, 19

 

After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord not what He had done for Israel. ... They refused to give up [doing their own things] their evil practices and stubborn ways.

It only takes one generation to drop the baton. We who know the Lord must be sure to teach our own children and grandchildren who God is, what He is like, and what He has done and promised to do. We must give them the only hope there is for this world. Even if our own children neglect to practice or believe, then we must teach our grandchildren, and even their children, should we remain here to see them. We cannot allow our own families to sink into the pit of evil and wickedness, hopelessness and misery.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Surely He Will Rescue You

Psalm 91:3-8

Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe it with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

This will literally come to pass during the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation, spoken of by John in the book of Revelation. God's own children who will be alive at that time will escape all of the devastation that the Trumpets and the Bowls will announce/make happen. Just as God saved Hanania (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azaria (Abed-Nego) from the fiery furnace, even though they were in the midst of the fire; and Daniel (Belteshazzar) from the lions in their den (see Daniel 3 & 6), He will also save us from all the terrors, pestilences, plagues, snares, arrows and everything else He uses to punish the wicked during that time. Even though He will allow them to behead His martyrs, even as they (the wicked) will be suffering and seeking a death they will not find. We will only observe it with our eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. None of it will come near us: God's wrath on us was poured out on Jesus while He was on the Cross.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Job's Redeemer, And Ours

Job 19:25-27

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the Earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes--I and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Job knew that Jesus would walk this Earth--that He would have a human body. And we now know that when Jesus returns to rule, we will be raised to rule with Him. All of His who have died will be raised with a glorified body, and all of His who remain alive until that day will be changed. Job didn't know how it would all happen, but he had his basic facts down.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Good Grief

Matthew 14

This chapter records the death of John the Baptist, the feeding of the 5,000, and Peter walking on the water with Jesus.

When Jesus heard about John's beheading, He needed to grieve His cousin's death, so He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the people heard where He was going and raced there on foot. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. His compassion put off His grieving. Only after He sent His disciples ahead of Him and dismissed the crowd, did He finally have a few hours alone, and could process His grief, in prayer. Then He looked out during the 4th watch, 3-6 am, and saw the little boat on the sea and walked out to it. Even Jesus found time to grieve.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Be Strong And Very Courageous

Joshua 1:6-9

Be strong and courageous, ... be strong and very courageous. --

My strength is in the Lord Jesus, who gives me strength. My courage is the result of my faith, trusting in God's presence and promises.

Be careful to obey all the Law; ... do not turn from it to the right or to the left, --

Knowing God's rules for living, I am to be careful to not go to the right, by making them too strict and confining, or to the left, by loosening their hold on me, considering them not that essential.

That you may be successful wherever you go. --

Obeying my Maker's instructions for living will result in my success in whatever I am to accomplish.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. --

I am to know God's Word so well, and think about it all the time, to be aware of what it says about how I am to respond to whatever circumstances I may find myself in.

Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Following the Maker's instructions will allow my life to run as He designed it to run, and I will succeed in what He planned for me to accomplish; and that will result in prosperity in that which I am to have in order to be generous with those who have not; this will be a testimony of how good God is.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. --

God will always enable me to do what He commands me to do.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, --

I never need to give in to fear or cowardice; I am to be strong in Him.

For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. --

God promised Joshua that He would continue to be with him, just as He was with Moses before him; and Jesus promises me that He would never leave or forsake me.

No matter what I may face in life, good or bad, joyful or grief-filled, I can always count on God to keep His promises to me. I will be able to trust His love, wisdom and strength to bring His good out of everything that I do or happens to me. And I can rest in that.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!