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The Real Gospel...
Our understanding of who God is and who we are drastically affects our understanding of who Christ is and why we need him, For example, if God is only a loving Father who wants to help his people, then we will see Christ as a mere example of that love. We will view the Cross as just a demonstration of God’s love in which he allowed Roman soldiers to crucify his Son so that sinful man would know how much he loves us.
But this picture of Christ and the Cross is woefully inadequate, missing the entire point of the gospel. We are not saved from our sins because Jesus was tried by Jewish and Roman officials and sentenced by Pilate to die. Neither are we saved because Roman persecutors thrust nails into the hands and feet of Christ and hung him on a cross.
Do we really think that the false judgment of men heaped upon Christ would pay the debt for all humankind’s sin? Do we really think that a crown of thorns and whips and nails and a wooden cross and all the other facets of the crucifixion that we glamorize are powerful enough to save us?
Picture Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. As he kneels before his Father, drops of sweat and blood fall together from his head. Why is he in such agony and pain? The answer is not because he is afraid of crucifixion. He is not trembling because of what the Roman soldiers are about to do to him.
Since that day countless men and woman in the history of Christianity have died for their faith. Some of them were not just hung on crosses; they were burned there. Many of them went to their crosses singing.
One Christian in India, while being skinned alive, looked at his persecutors and said, “I thank you for this. Tear off my old garment, for I will soon put on Christ’s garment of righteousness.”
As he prepared to head to his execution, Christopher Love wrote a note to his wife, saying, “Today they will sever me from my physical head, but they cannot sever me from my spiritual head, Christ.” As he walked to his death, his wife applauded while he sang of glory.
Did these men and women in Christian history have more courage than Christ himself? Why was he trembling in that garden, weeping and full of anguish? We can rest assured that he was not a coward about to face Roman soldiers. Instead he was a Savior about to endure divine wrath.
Listen to his words: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” The “cup” is not a reference to a wooden cross; it is a reference to divine judgment. It is the cup of God’s wrath.
This is what Jesus is recoiling from in the garden. All God’s holy wrath and hatred toward sinners, stored up since the beginning of the world, is about to be poured out on him, and he is sweating blood at the thought of it.
What happened at the Cross was not primarily about nails being thrust into Jesus’ hands and feet but about the wrath due your sin and my sin being thrust upon his soul. In that holy moment, all the righteous wrath and justice of God due us came rushing down like a torrent on Christ himself. Some say, “God looked down and could not bear to see the suffering that the soldiers were inflicting on Jesus, so he turned away.” But this is not true. God turned away because he could not bear to see your sin and my sin on his Son.
One preacher described it as if you and I were standing a short hundred yards away from a dam of water ten thousand miles high and ten thousand miles wide. All of a sudden that dam was breached, and a torrential flood of water came crashing toward us. Right before it reached out feet, the ground in front of us opened up and swallowed it all. At the Cross, Christ drank the full cup of the wrath of God, and when he had downed the last drop, he turned the cup over and cried out, “It is finished.”
This is the gospel. The just and loving Creator of the universe has looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent his Son, God in the flesh, to bear his wrath against sin on the cross and to show his power over sin in the Resurrection so that all who trust in him will be reconciled to God forever.
AMEN!
Excerpted from the book Radical - Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
But this picture of Christ and the Cross is woefully inadequate, missing the entire point of the gospel. We are not saved from our sins because Jesus was tried by Jewish and Roman officials and sentenced by Pilate to die. Neither are we saved because Roman persecutors thrust nails into the hands and feet of Christ and hung him on a cross.
Do we really think that the false judgment of men heaped upon Christ would pay the debt for all humankind’s sin? Do we really think that a crown of thorns and whips and nails and a wooden cross and all the other facets of the crucifixion that we glamorize are powerful enough to save us?
Picture Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. As he kneels before his Father, drops of sweat and blood fall together from his head. Why is he in such agony and pain? The answer is not because he is afraid of crucifixion. He is not trembling because of what the Roman soldiers are about to do to him.
Since that day countless men and woman in the history of Christianity have died for their faith. Some of them were not just hung on crosses; they were burned there. Many of them went to their crosses singing.
One Christian in India, while being skinned alive, looked at his persecutors and said, “I thank you for this. Tear off my old garment, for I will soon put on Christ’s garment of righteousness.”
As he prepared to head to his execution, Christopher Love wrote a note to his wife, saying, “Today they will sever me from my physical head, but they cannot sever me from my spiritual head, Christ.” As he walked to his death, his wife applauded while he sang of glory.
Did these men and women in Christian history have more courage than Christ himself? Why was he trembling in that garden, weeping and full of anguish? We can rest assured that he was not a coward about to face Roman soldiers. Instead he was a Savior about to endure divine wrath.
Listen to his words: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” The “cup” is not a reference to a wooden cross; it is a reference to divine judgment. It is the cup of God’s wrath.
This is what Jesus is recoiling from in the garden. All God’s holy wrath and hatred toward sinners, stored up since the beginning of the world, is about to be poured out on him, and he is sweating blood at the thought of it.
What happened at the Cross was not primarily about nails being thrust into Jesus’ hands and feet but about the wrath due your sin and my sin being thrust upon his soul. In that holy moment, all the righteous wrath and justice of God due us came rushing down like a torrent on Christ himself. Some say, “God looked down and could not bear to see the suffering that the soldiers were inflicting on Jesus, so he turned away.” But this is not true. God turned away because he could not bear to see your sin and my sin on his Son.
One preacher described it as if you and I were standing a short hundred yards away from a dam of water ten thousand miles high and ten thousand miles wide. All of a sudden that dam was breached, and a torrential flood of water came crashing toward us. Right before it reached out feet, the ground in front of us opened up and swallowed it all. At the Cross, Christ drank the full cup of the wrath of God, and when he had downed the last drop, he turned the cup over and cried out, “It is finished.”
This is the gospel. The just and loving Creator of the universe has looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent his Son, God in the flesh, to bear his wrath against sin on the cross and to show his power over sin in the Resurrection so that all who trust in him will be reconciled to God forever.
AMEN!
Excerpted from the book Radical - Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
Powerful Reading...
I was reading today in Malachi and thought I would share a passage that struck me hard. I do not know if will have the same impact on you as on me, but I will share it anyway. It makes me think of our nation and society as a whole. We are so immersed in and jaded by the world that we do not even flinch or weep over what we see occurring in the lives of our coworkers, fiends, neighbors, and even our brethren. Our TV's and movie theaters only reinforce this world view; so much so that we do not even notice it anymore.
I pray the Lord will soften our hearts and make them sensitive to his desires, His direction, and His purposes.
And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. "For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"
Malachi 2:13-17 ESV (English Standard Version)
I pray the Lord will soften our hearts and make them sensitive to his desires, His direction, and His purposes.
And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. "For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"
Malachi 2:13-17 ESV (English Standard Version)
Fear...
When God called Moses to a summit meeting, the people panicked like henless chicks…. The scurvy of fear infected everyone in the camp. They crafted a metal cow and talked to it…. More than three thousand years removed, we understand God’s frustration. Turn to a statue for help? How stupid. Face your fears by facing a cow? Udderly foolish! We opt for more sophisticated therapies: belly-stretching food binges or budget-busting shopping sprees. We bow before a whiskey bottle or lose ourselves in an eighty-hour work week. Progress? Hardly. We still face fears without facing God…. Rather than turn to God, we turn from him, hardening our hearts. The result. Cow-worshiping folly.
Max Lucado – 3:16
Max Lucado – 3:16
What Am I?
I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half of the things you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly. I am easily managed - you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men; and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a man. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin - it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am a habit!
I am the servant of all great men; and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a man. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin - it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am a habit!
Detroit and America - A Barometer
From the Oak Initiative and Rick Joyner:
Just a few days ago Detroit was called not only the most dangerous city in America, but the most dangerous city in the world. Since I was there, I wanted to understand how this could happen to such a great American city. This is especially important because many of the same policies and the style of leadership that has led Detroit for decades is now being imposed on the whole nation.
Detroit does not just look like a war zone in many areas—it is one. The population within the city has fallen from around 2 million to about 800,000. Real unemployment is over 20%, and as one observer recently said, the only people left in Detroit are the very poor who had nowhere to go and the criminals. Then many of the poor have had to become criminals to survive. In many areas it is borderline anarchy.
Think about what your city would be like if in just a short period of time over half the people left. There are not just empty houses on virtually every block, there are whole neighborhoods that are empty, and deteriorating fast the way property does when not occupied. There seemed to be more boarded up buildings and businesses than open ones. The cloud of depression is possibly even thicker than you might find in Haiti right now, because in Haiti they at least know their catastrophe has gotten the attention of the world and there is hope. In Detroit, hope for the future is hard to find.
Just a few days ago Detroit was called not only the most dangerous city in America, but the most dangerous city in the world. Since I was there, I wanted to understand how this could happen to such a great American city. This is especially important because many of the same policies and the style of leadership that has led Detroit for decades is now being imposed on the whole nation.
Detroit does not just look like a war zone in many areas—it is one. The population within the city has fallen from around 2 million to about 800,000. Real unemployment is over 20%, and as one observer recently said, the only people left in Detroit are the very poor who had nowhere to go and the criminals. Then many of the poor have had to become criminals to survive. In many areas it is borderline anarchy.
Think about what your city would be like if in just a short period of time over half the people left. There are not just empty houses on virtually every block, there are whole neighborhoods that are empty, and deteriorating fast the way property does when not occupied. There seemed to be more boarded up buildings and businesses than open ones. The cloud of depression is possibly even thicker than you might find in Haiti right now, because in Haiti they at least know their catastrophe has gotten the attention of the world and there is hope. In Detroit, hope for the future is hard to find.
10 Ways to be the Best Husband Possible for My Wife
10 Ways to be the Best Husband Possible for My Wife
1. Love my wife first and for her sake. - She is who she is and I am who I
am. I will make the decision to honor her and distinguish her for who
she is. She will be my princess.
2. Be an honest mentor and guide to my wife and children. - I will provide
guidance when needed, space when necessary, and direction always.
3. With my wife and family, be constantly engaged in church life. - With
me, my wife and family will be fully integrated and active in the Lord's
church. We will participate and give time and energy together to the
church before anything else.
4. Pray for and with my wife. - My wife needs my prayers and I need to
hear her prayers.
5. Talk about spiritual matters with my wife as often as possible. - All is
not about managing earthly affairs. I will talk with and listen to my
wife about matters of the spiritual nature. I will encourage and be
encouraged spiritually by my wife.
6. Live a healthy, sober, and balanced life. - For my wife's sake, I will
provide for her by taking care of myself both to sustain her but to also
be an example for her and my family.
7. Make informed and decisive decisions in behalf of my wife and family.
- I will, to the best of my ability, make decisions if and when
necessary for the good of my wife and family.
8. Read the Bible and know how to make application for me and
my family. - I will spend time in Scripture and be able to apply it to the
relationship and responsibilities I have with my wife, family, and
church.
9. Prepare my children for life and release them, with my wife, when it
is time. - I understand my time with my children is to be used to
prepare them for life. With my wife, we will intentionally and
prayerfully prepare our children for life beyond our home.
10. Listen. - I will listen as much as I can for God and to my wife. I need
to know what they have to tell me.
"Dear Father. You have given me nothing more special than my wife. In times of stress, help me to be calm. In times of need, help me to give. In times of joy, help me to share. May I always cherish, love, and protect her with all my might. Grant me the understanding that my wife is both a physical and spiritual blessing to me that makes me whole. Amen."
1. Love my wife first and for her sake. - She is who she is and I am who I
am. I will make the decision to honor her and distinguish her for who
she is. She will be my princess.
2. Be an honest mentor and guide to my wife and children. - I will provide
guidance when needed, space when necessary, and direction always.
3. With my wife and family, be constantly engaged in church life. - With
me, my wife and family will be fully integrated and active in the Lord's
church. We will participate and give time and energy together to the
church before anything else.
4. Pray for and with my wife. - My wife needs my prayers and I need to
hear her prayers.
5. Talk about spiritual matters with my wife as often as possible. - All is
not about managing earthly affairs. I will talk with and listen to my
wife about matters of the spiritual nature. I will encourage and be
encouraged spiritually by my wife.
6. Live a healthy, sober, and balanced life. - For my wife's sake, I will
provide for her by taking care of myself both to sustain her but to also
be an example for her and my family.
7. Make informed and decisive decisions in behalf of my wife and family.
- I will, to the best of my ability, make decisions if and when
necessary for the good of my wife and family.
8. Read the Bible and know how to make application for me and
my family. - I will spend time in Scripture and be able to apply it to the
relationship and responsibilities I have with my wife, family, and
church.
9. Prepare my children for life and release them, with my wife, when it
is time. - I understand my time with my children is to be used to
prepare them for life. With my wife, we will intentionally and
prayerfully prepare our children for life beyond our home.
10. Listen. - I will listen as much as I can for God and to my wife. I need
to know what they have to tell me.
"Dear Father. You have given me nothing more special than my wife. In times of stress, help me to be calm. In times of need, help me to give. In times of joy, help me to share. May I always cherish, love, and protect her with all my might. Grant me the understanding that my wife is both a physical and spiritual blessing to me that makes me whole. Amen."
10 Ways to be the Best Wife Possible for My Husband
10 Ways to be the Best Wife Possible for My Husband
1. Let my husband be a man. - Men do things their way sometimes.
He needs to exercise his manly being sometimes. I support him in that.
2. Spend more time working on my inner self than my outer self. - My
husband will appreciate me more if I glow of inner beauty. Outer beauty
is fleeting and flaccid.
3. I have needs - so does my husband. - I will do what I am able and
appropriate to keep my husband happy because I love him.
4. Don't put my children before my husband. - I will love my husband first.
In doing this, my children will feel loved and will see love.
5. Actively be a participant, with my family, in church life. -
My family is but a subset of the church family. My church's family life
will always include my personal family.
6. Spend time in Scripture by myself and with my husband. - I need wisdom
from God. I want to talk about Spiritual matters with my husband.
7. Share in and listen to my husband's prayers. - I want to know what my
husband is thinking about him, me, our family, and our world.
8. Camp out! - I don't like bugs. But sometimes for him, I will go where he
goes. And he might even think I am enjoying it!
9. Care and rear my children in the ways of God. After all, they are His.
- My children are God's. I will, with my husband, raise them with this in
mind. And when it is time to let them go, I will do so trusting in God and
his providence. May I be a wonderful mom to my children.
10. Love my man as if he were a king. - He is my earthly king. I will stand
by him as best I can through thick and thin.
"Dear God. I love my husband more than anything in this life. Give me strength and wisdom to support him, give him guidance when needed, and stand by him when he needs me. I thank you for having given me a wonderful husband. Amen."
1. Let my husband be a man. - Men do things their way sometimes.
He needs to exercise his manly being sometimes. I support him in that.
2. Spend more time working on my inner self than my outer self. - My
husband will appreciate me more if I glow of inner beauty. Outer beauty
is fleeting and flaccid.
3. I have needs - so does my husband. - I will do what I am able and
appropriate to keep my husband happy because I love him.
4. Don't put my children before my husband. - I will love my husband first.
In doing this, my children will feel loved and will see love.
5. Actively be a participant, with my family, in church life. -
My family is but a subset of the church family. My church's family life
will always include my personal family.
6. Spend time in Scripture by myself and with my husband. - I need wisdom
from God. I want to talk about Spiritual matters with my husband.
7. Share in and listen to my husband's prayers. - I want to know what my
husband is thinking about him, me, our family, and our world.
8. Camp out! - I don't like bugs. But sometimes for him, I will go where he
goes. And he might even think I am enjoying it!
9. Care and rear my children in the ways of God. After all, they are His.
- My children are God's. I will, with my husband, raise them with this in
mind. And when it is time to let them go, I will do so trusting in God and
his providence. May I be a wonderful mom to my children.
10. Love my man as if he were a king. - He is my earthly king. I will stand
by him as best I can through thick and thin.
"Dear God. I love my husband more than anything in this life. Give me strength and wisdom to support him, give him guidance when needed, and stand by him when he needs me. I thank you for having given me a wonderful husband. Amen."
A Different Perspective On Government
From Romans:
13 Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, a for there is no authority except from God, b and those that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror c to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do good and you will have its approval. 4 For government is God’s servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger d that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. e 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the ⌊authorities⌋ are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks. f 7 Pay your obligations g to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, h tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, i and honor to those you owe honor.
Hardship...
We like to think times of health, wealth, and tension-free relationships are the norm. In such a world cars never break down. The worst health problem we face is an occasional headache. And the biggest fight is over who forgot to take out the trash. Like children who believe in fairy tales, we cling to the illusion that prosperity, peace, and good health are the norm.
I'm convinced we would do better with life if we realized that life is tough. It's hard. There are seasons of life that seem unbearable. All too often we see champions of the faith and think they have avoided such hardship. But they haven't. They've embraced it, as every athlete embraces the pain of rigorous training. They refuse to allow setbacks to shape their identity.
Bill Perkins - Six Battles every Man Must Win
I'm convinced we would do better with life if we realized that life is tough. It's hard. There are seasons of life that seem unbearable. All too often we see champions of the faith and think they have avoided such hardship. But they haven't. They've embraced it, as every athlete embraces the pain of rigorous training. They refuse to allow setbacks to shape their identity.
Bill Perkins - Six Battles every Man Must Win
Disservice...
God promises he will never leave us or forsake us. We are the ones who take our eyes off of him, for his eyes never leave his own. When we do, we do both him and ourselves a great disservice. We do disservice to him because all glory, honor, and praise are due him for who he is. We do disservice to ourselves because he is the only one who can make a straight path for us and make us who we are destined to become.
A song from my youth comes to mind - The Lily of the Valley:
I have found a friend in Jesus,
he's everything to me,
he's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
the Lily of the Valley, in him alone I see
all I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow he's my comfort, in trouble he's my stay,
he tells me every care on him to roll.
A song from my youth comes to mind - The Lily of the Valley:
I have found a friend in Jesus,
he's everything to me,
he's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
the Lily of the Valley, in him alone I see
all I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow he's my comfort, in trouble he's my stay,
he tells me every care on him to roll.
Daniel's Gloves
Someone thought enough of me to share this. In keeping with that same spirit, I pass it on to you...
I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off
the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both especially
good that day.
As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There,
walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods
on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, 'I will work for
food.' My heart sank.
I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us
had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and
disbelief.
The Tiny Book of Jude...
I was listening to 66/40 this week and last and it happens to be on the book of Jude. I thought I would share some commentary on the book of the Bible by my favorite author, Chuck Missler. The following excerpt is taken from his Learn the Bible in 24 Hours Book.
The epistle of Jude is just one chapter, but is full of surprises!
Jude was the half brother of Jesus. He also was an unbeliever while Christ was alive, but became a believer after the ressurection.
In this letter, Jude attacked apostasy and argued for his readers to contend for the faith because some people would fall away. He argued against subtle perversions which included at least two basic denials: denying grace by turning it to lasciviousness (just because we have liberty in Christ does not give us a right to sin); and denying our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
Apostasy will lead to certain doom, and he used three examples: Egypt, the angels in Genesis 6 (see previous post on this), and Sodom. He also pointed to three apostates by using the examples of Cain, Balaam, and Korah; and then emphasized the utter falsity of these teachers by using six awful metaphors.
The epistle of Jude is just one chapter, but is full of surprises!
Jude was the half brother of Jesus. He also was an unbeliever while Christ was alive, but became a believer after the ressurection.
In this letter, Jude attacked apostasy and argued for his readers to contend for the faith because some people would fall away. He argued against subtle perversions which included at least two basic denials: denying grace by turning it to lasciviousness (just because we have liberty in Christ does not give us a right to sin); and denying our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
Apostasy will lead to certain doom, and he used three examples: Egypt, the angels in Genesis 6 (see previous post on this), and Sodom. He also pointed to three apostates by using the examples of Cain, Balaam, and Korah; and then emphasized the utter falsity of these teachers by using six awful metaphors.
The Awe Factor of God...
I just started reading a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I'll let you know about it when I'm finished, but I wanted to share a video he refers to in the book called "The Awe Factor of God." I've posed it below, but you can see a clearer version of it at the book website's video section. Enjoy!
Blessings!
Blessings!
Hidden Messages in Genesis 5
Excerpted from the book Learn the Bible in 24 Hours by Dr. Chuck Missler:
This section will begin with a riddle: Methusaleh is well known to be the oldest man in the Bible, yet he died before his father. How can that be?
Enoch, Methusaleh's father, didn't die; he was transferred directly to heaven without passing through death ("raptured," as some would say). It is interesting that the oldest prophecy in the Bible was uttered by Enoch before the flood of Noah and concerned the Second Coming of Christ. (It is not found here in Genesis but in the next-to-last book of the Bible, Jude).
This section will begin with a riddle: Methusaleh is well known to be the oldest man in the Bible, yet he died before his father. How can that be?
Enoch, Methusaleh's father, didn't die; he was transferred directly to heaven without passing through death ("raptured," as some would say). It is interesting that the oldest prophecy in the Bible was uttered by Enoch before the flood of Noah and concerned the Second Coming of Christ. (It is not found here in Genesis but in the next-to-last book of the Bible, Jude).
Words and Music...
Well-spoken words can impart a certain depth of meaning to the hearer. Likewise, music can evoke passion in the heart of the one receiving the melodic notes. However, when music and words are combined, and the Holy Spirit breathes on them...well, there are just no words to express that feeling!
So, it is in this mindset that I share the following song. This is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest praise songs I have ever heard or had the pleasure and honor of singing. I hope you enjoy as I did! The chills are still running down my spine as the final notes linger in the air... I give you Total Praise:
Blessings!
So, it is in this mindset that I share the following song. This is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest praise songs I have ever heard or had the pleasure and honor of singing. I hope you enjoy as I did! The chills are still running down my spine as the final notes linger in the air... I give you Total Praise:
Blessings!
You Reap What You Sow...
Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.
The man slowly looked up.
This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.
His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. "Leave me alone," he growled....
To his amazement, the woman continued standing.
She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."
The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.
"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.
Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..
The man slowly looked up.
This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.
His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. "Leave me alone," he growled....
To his amazement, the woman continued standing.
She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."
The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.
"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.
Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..
Speak the Word!
Speak the Word!
Revised 1983 Edition
Copyright © 1982 by Marilyn Hickey
Revised 1983 Edition
Copyright © 1982 by Marilyn Hickey
Your tongue is the most powerful weapon and force of your life. Proverbs states that the tongue has the power of life and death in it. In James 3, James states that you can control your whole body by that small member you have, called the tongue. As a rudder guides a ship and a bit in the horse’s mouth cause him to go the right direction, so also your tongue can guide your thoughts, your emotions, and your body into paths of prosperity and success and be a tremendous power for good.
But on the negative side, your tongue can be used to damage and destroy your physical body, your thought life, and your emotional reactions. Corrupt words can destroy those about us, for the Psalmist states that words are like the piercing of swords. You set on fire the course of nature by what you speak because hell acts on your words. Eve had to speak wrong words before Satan could act. Hell can act only on your words, so every negative word you speak sets hell into activity. This is why God spoke to Joshua (Joshua 1:8) and said,
“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way
prosperous and then you will have success.” (NASV)
This little verse in Joshua is the key to all prosperity and success. In fact, this is the only place the word success is found in the Bible. Speaking God’s Word can make you successful in every area of your life.
What about those words spoken against us and our loved ones? Will those negative confessions set hell into activity in our lives? As always God’s Word has an answer. It is found in Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me.” Condemn wrong words spoken against you and yours in the name of Jesus. Never condemn the person who speaks, only the words spoken against you. Then these negative word weapons cannot harm you.
Defeat the enemy today. Speak the following words of Life every day. In harassing time, speak them three times a day. God’s Word works. Try it – you’ll love it! Speaking aloud causes your spirit man to hear. This is the way to grow strong in spirit. Make your faith effective. Say the Word, say the Word, say the Word. “Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in your sight today, O Lord.”
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