Luke 24:47
It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His Name to all the Nations (all People Groups), beginning in Jerusalem: "There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent."
I think the key word here is "repent." Forgiveness comes after the payment has been paid. Now that Jesus has died, taking upon Himself our very sin-nature on the Cross in payment for each one of us; now whenever we realize that we personally deserve death for our sins, and that Jesus is the One Who died our death, that is the "repentance" that is referred to here. One needs more than to just ask Jesus to save them, they must realize their lost state, and their inability to do anything in their flesh that God can accept, and let Jesus take their place in death. That's when God will place His own Holy Spirit in them, causing their dead spirit to be alive and capable of communicating with God, Who is Spirit.
Everyone in the whole world, in every Nation, every People Group, every dialect of every language, can now turn to Jesus to redeem them from the slavery of sin. By His Divine Blood shed at Calvary Jesus purchased the whole world, the whole universe. So we all now belong to Him by both Creation and by purchase, we are His property. And when He becomes our Savior, we also are His by Redemption, cleansed and purified to spend Eternity with Him.
Jesus has sent us out into the World to proclaim this Good News (Gospel) to everyone we meet, wherever we find ourselves in the world. We must each start in our own Jerusalem, our own families and neighborhoods, then our own state or province, and on to the whole world.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Grief And Suffering
Job 2:13
Then [Job's friends] sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. And no one said a word, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
God is with us in our grief and suffering. Let us also be with others in their need, and when there are no words let us keep silent. "Each heart knows its own bitterness" (Proverbs 14:10). Let our hearts break with the brokenhearted, let us weep with those who weep; and also let us rejoice with those who rejoice in the Lord, that He may be honored and magnified, and receive all the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Then [Job's friends] sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. And no one said a word, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
God is with us in our grief and suffering. Let us also be with others in their need, and when there are no words let us keep silent. "Each heart knows its own bitterness" (Proverbs 14:10). Let our hearts break with the brokenhearted, let us weep with those who weep; and also let us rejoice with those who rejoice in the Lord, that He may be honored and magnified, and receive all the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, November 11, 2016
Confidence
Judges 6:11
Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
Luke 22:61-62
At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me." And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
Both Gideon and Peter had no confidence in themselves. But God's plans for them were not anything they would have tried on their own. Gideon became a mighty warrior who led Israel to great military victories; and Peter became one of the most outspoken and powerful of the Lord's witnesses and was a pillar of the early church.
How often do we think we can do something great for God, but it falls flat. God doesn't want us to be useful for Him, He wants us to be devoted to Him. Only when we recognize our inability to accomplish anything will God show His power in us to do what we would never even imagine.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
Luke 22:61-62
At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me." And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
Both Gideon and Peter had no confidence in themselves. But God's plans for them were not anything they would have tried on their own. Gideon became a mighty warrior who led Israel to great military victories; and Peter became one of the most outspoken and powerful of the Lord's witnesses and was a pillar of the early church.
How often do we think we can do something great for God, but it falls flat. God doesn't want us to be useful for Him, He wants us to be devoted to Him. Only when we recognize our inability to accomplish anything will God show His power in us to do what we would never even imagine.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The Mind Of Christ
I Corinthians 2:15-16
But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For, Who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? (Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.
We "have the mind of Christ," which enables us to understand and evaluate all things of this World accurately. But the "natural man" has not "known the mind of the Lord," this "mind of Christ," Who is the Lord; so the natural man cannot understand the spiritual man.
More and more I have observed in this World system, that those who do not know the Lord, in not being able to understand spiritual realities, tend to be afraid of what they do not understand; and this fear is bringing more and more anger toward God's people.
Anger is increasing, and being promoted by our Enemy and those who are subject to our Enemy's influence. He knows his time is short, so is furiously working hard to not only kill, steal and destroy, but also to eliminate God's influence by negating His Word and persecuting His people. I expect this to continue to increase, as God has told us in His Word. But I also pray for my land, my country, that God's righteousness would return to our Government, leading my people toward God and His ways, before the end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For, Who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? (Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.
We "have the mind of Christ," which enables us to understand and evaluate all things of this World accurately. But the "natural man" has not "known the mind of the Lord," this "mind of Christ," Who is the Lord; so the natural man cannot understand the spiritual man.
More and more I have observed in this World system, that those who do not know the Lord, in not being able to understand spiritual realities, tend to be afraid of what they do not understand; and this fear is bringing more and more anger toward God's people.
Anger is increasing, and being promoted by our Enemy and those who are subject to our Enemy's influence. He knows his time is short, so is furiously working hard to not only kill, steal and destroy, but also to eliminate God's influence by negating His Word and persecuting His people. I expect this to continue to increase, as God has told us in His Word. But I also pray for my land, my country, that God's righteousness would return to our Government, leading my people toward God and His ways, before the end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
A Human Point Of View
Mark 8:33
"Get away from Me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Jesus' words here to Peter reveal that there are two opposing viewpoints, human and God's. Peter was thinking only on the human level, the reasonable thinking processes that wanted to defend Jesus from being taken and executed. Common sense would demand this. But God's view was that Jesus came to this Earth, becoming human, in order to be His sacrificial Lamb to die in payment of our sins.
We know that Jesus was tempted in every way we can be tempted, and His strong language here to Peter indicate that He was strongly tempted to let Peter fight for Him, to deliver Him from this consequence. His prayer in the Garden, repeated three times, shows us that, in His flesh, when it really came down to it, He really didn't want to have to go through this horrendous, grisly, painful process of dying for us, but He knew that there was no other way to redeem us. Only this would have the power and authority to remove the sins and the state of sin that separates us from God. Only this would allow us to be with Him for all eternity. So He prayed, "Not my [human] will, but Yours [ours from all eternity] be done." That's how much He loves us!
May we endeavor to think God's thoughts, through the Spirit Who lives in us, instead of succumbing to the reasonable, common sense, worldly way of thinking.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"Get away from Me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Jesus' words here to Peter reveal that there are two opposing viewpoints, human and God's. Peter was thinking only on the human level, the reasonable thinking processes that wanted to defend Jesus from being taken and executed. Common sense would demand this. But God's view was that Jesus came to this Earth, becoming human, in order to be His sacrificial Lamb to die in payment of our sins.
We know that Jesus was tempted in every way we can be tempted, and His strong language here to Peter indicate that He was strongly tempted to let Peter fight for Him, to deliver Him from this consequence. His prayer in the Garden, repeated three times, shows us that, in His flesh, when it really came down to it, He really didn't want to have to go through this horrendous, grisly, painful process of dying for us, but He knew that there was no other way to redeem us. Only this would have the power and authority to remove the sins and the state of sin that separates us from God. Only this would allow us to be with Him for all eternity. So He prayed, "Not my [human] will, but Yours [ours from all eternity] be done." That's how much He loves us!
May we endeavor to think God's thoughts, through the Spirit Who lives in us, instead of succumbing to the reasonable, common sense, worldly way of thinking.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Old Age In The Lord
Psalm 92: 12-15
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, "The Lord is just! He's my Rock! There is no evil in Him!"
These are wonderful promises for those who are getting "up in years." To flourish and grow strong, and still produce fruit after many years, vital and green. Trees can live hundreds of years, growing ever larger and more beautiful. I pray that I will continue to grow in the Lord, that I will never give in to "old age," always seeking a deeper understanding of God's Word. And to be able to share God's Truth with an ever wider audience, who will participate with me in this profitable and fruitful study.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, "The Lord is just! He's my Rock! There is no evil in Him!"
These are wonderful promises for those who are getting "up in years." To flourish and grow strong, and still produce fruit after many years, vital and green. Trees can live hundreds of years, growing ever larger and more beautiful. I pray that I will continue to grow in the Lord, that I will never give in to "old age," always seeking a deeper understanding of God's Word. And to be able to share God's Truth with an ever wider audience, who will participate with me in this profitable and fruitful study.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, November 7, 2016
Number Our Days
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days (Teach us to realize the brevity of life).
O my Father, teach me to be constantly aware of how precious each moment is that you grant me to live. Help me to consider each day as an irretrievable gift from You to spend--not waste--doing the things You have planned beforetime for me to do, to accomplish Your plans for my life, plans for my good, that further Your great Plan of the Ages, and will bring glory to Your Name.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Teach us to number our days (Teach us to realize the brevity of life).
O my Father, teach me to be constantly aware of how precious each moment is that you grant me to live. Help me to consider each day as an irretrievable gift from You to spend--not waste--doing the things You have planned beforetime for me to do, to accomplish Your plans for my life, plans for my good, that further Your great Plan of the Ages, and will bring glory to Your Name.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
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