Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: God

• The Acts of the Holy Spirit!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 21, 2020

  Acts 4:33 – And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. NKJV

  

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  Traditionally, the book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Apostles. I’m not trying to rewrite biblical theology, but I am suggesting that this book, is more than the Acts of the Apostles, but it reveals the Acts of the Holy Spirit!

  From His great entrance in Acts 2, throughout the remainder of Luke’s writing, we see many scriptures filled with examples about what the Holy Spirit came to the earth for. It’s not surprising that we feel the apostles were the ones with power, who went about doing these greats things, because they did. However, the Holy Spirit had filled them full of Himself, distributing His power through gifts, to accomplish His will in the earth!

  Peter explained to Cornelius and his family how Jesus was able to do the wonderful miracles He did:

  Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” NKJV

  This is the same method that the Holy Spirit used in the book of Acts. He was with the the disciples, allowing the power of God to flow through them, that they may be used by God to expand the kingdom of God, and He is doing the same thing for us! Let’s look at some things the Holy Spirit enabled some of the people in Acts to accomplish:

  • Peter’s first message, after receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit resulted in a great conviction coming upon the people and three thousand souls were added to the church. (Acts 2:41)
  • Peter and John went to the temple and a man who was lame from birth was miraculously healed when He looked upon Peter. Yes, the glory goes to the power of the Name of Jesus, but it was the Spirit of God who did the healing through the disciples. (Acts 3)
  • Peter gives another powerful message (because he was filled with the Holy Spirit) and was noted as having great boldness. (Acts 4) Remember, this is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, and then went fishing after the resurrection. Now he’s boldly proclaiming His name, being that witness with power!
  • The disciples gather, after Peter and John’s arrest, and pray for boldness and that miracles will happen when He stretch out His hand. How? By the power of the Spirit through them. And He filled them again! (Acts 4:31)
  • Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter about how much they sold their property for, and Peter said that they had lied to Holy Ghost. They dropped dead at that proclamation! (Acts 5)
  • These disciples were walking in so much power of the Holy Spirit that people brought the sick into the streets that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them so they might be healed. (Acts 5)
  • Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people! (Acts 6)
  • Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to do many miracles, including casting out demons and seeing the lame walk. (Acts 8)
  • The Holy Spirit told Philip to overtake the chariot that the eunuch of Ethiopia was in. After he completed his assignment, the Holy Spirit translated him to Azotus. (Acts 8). The commentators don’t agree on the distance, claiming it to be anywhere from 34 miles to 400, but however far apart they were, he was miraculously translated from one place to a different location.
  • Paul was miraculously converted and commissioned by Jesus to take the message to the Gentiles, but not before he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And Paul received a miraculous removal of the scales falling off his eyes.
  • Aeneas was healed of paralysis after being sick in bed for eight years. (Acts 9)
  • Peter was used to raise Dorcas from the dead. (Acts 9)
  • Handkerchiefs from Paul’s body were sent to others and they were healed, and evil spirits left them. (Acts 19:12)
  • Prison doors were opened, crippled people were able to walk, the dead was raised, demons were cast out, and a host of other things happened through the apostles, but by the work of the Holy Spirit!

  The point of the matter is this: that the disciples, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit became bolder in their life for Christ; and began to do the same things He did as the Holy Spirit moved upon them. This Holy Spirit is still alive and available to the Church today!

  I have personally seen the Holy Spirit do miraculous things. I have heard powerful testimonies of so much more. God is real! Jesus is real! The Holy Spirit is real!

  The whole reason for my blogs on the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to remind us that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. What He required of the apostles and prophets in the Early Church, He is requiring of us in the last days Church. That we be filled with the power from on high! We can deny this is truth, but can we deny our continual inability to see a miracle because we don’t believe this? We can deny the tongue, but can we deny the supernatural testimonies of those who speak in tongues?What I suggest is this, let’s join Him in what He wants to do in these last days and believe for a great outpouring of His power upon all flesh! It’s time to see miracles! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, miracle, supernatural, speaking in tongues | 2 Comments | Tagged Jesus, Salvation, Healing, testimony, Kingdom of God, miraculous, Holy Spirit, supernatural, God, speaking in tongues

• And They Spoke With Tongues!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 16, 2020

  Acts 2:4- “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” NKJV

  

  Photo from Unsplash

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  My last post found me with too much to say and too little space to say it in. Needless to say, this is a love topic for me. Today, I want to actually talk about speaking in tongues.

  It was the day of Pentecost. The disciples had remained in Jerusalem, as instructed by Jesus. It’s been almost 50 days since their last human contact with Him, but He was very specific to them: remain in Jerusalem until you receive power from on high. So they did.

  During this time, they chose someone to take Judas’ place, in order to have 12 apostles. They spent time in prayer and supplication. There were 120 disciples, men and women, in the place. They had a spirit of oneness among them as they sought the power the Lord had told them about. And when the power came, they knew it!

  Luke wrote, that when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were still all on one accord and in one place. Suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and the whole house was filled. Many tend to think this was a little quiet prayer meeting, but last night when the wind was blowing, I thought we were in the midst of a rain storm. Wind is powerful, and I believe this rushing mighty wind, came with force, blowing things and possibly, people around.

  Luke goes on to inform us about this event by saying, that there appeared to them, divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. There were 120 people, and 120 tongues, that appeared like fire. When this happened, Luke wrote, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

  We can’t stop there in the recount of what happened. Luke doesn’t! He informed us that there were all kinds of people in Jerusalem that day, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound happened, they all heard their own language. All the people in the house spoke the same natural language, yet now, they are all speaking supernaturally, all kinds of languages that they have not learned. The people who hear them are truly amazed at this strange event, wondering what did this mean?

  They didn’t have to wait long to gain insight to what was happening. Peter stood up and preached a powerful message that caused great fear to come upon every soul, resulting in many signs and wonders. They had come into contact with power from on high, just as Jesus had said. Peter’s key text, as we call it today was:

  “And it shall come to pass afterward
  That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
  Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
  Your old men shall dream dreams,
  Your young men shall see visions.
  ²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
  I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29 NKJV

  Peter was basically saying, this day, this scripture is fulfilled in our midst!

  The fire is an important aspect of this baptism, because John the Baptist told the people that he baptized with water, but Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire! (Matthew 3:11) On this Day of Pentecost, He did just that! The baptism was so great, that after they were heard speaking with tongues, they became a different group of disciples. After the crucifixion they were fearful. After the resurrection they had joy mixed with apprehension. But after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with tongues of fire, they became a mighty force against the kingdom of darkness. They were transformed!

  Today, tongues have become, just that, speaking in tongues. Not many speak of the baptism with the evidence of tongues and fire. But the fire was as much a part of the baptism as the tongues.

  Tongues were mentioned by Jesus before He left. In His great commission He said:

  ¹⁵ “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18 NKJV

  Notice that He said that one of the signs that would follow those who believe is “they will speak with new tongues”.

  When Peter was sent to Cornelius’ home to share the gospel, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles as they listened to the gospel. Some argue that this baptism was only for the apostles, but not only were they not apostles, they weren’t even Jews. Yet, they heard the gospel, received it, and spoke in tongues! (Acts 10:44-46)

  There are many other examples of individuals receiving the Holy Spirit with tongues. Paul was such an individual. He even said that he not only spoke in tongues a lot, but he wished everyone spoke in tongues.

  The argument today, is that tongues has ceased. The same argument that says miracles have ceased because we are so advanced in medicine and don’t need miracles. That is a topic for another day and another blog. But just as I believe in miracles, I believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost, accompanied with tongues, fire, and signs and wonders!

  I am thinking that I will have to continue this in another blog. However, let me make this point: If the twelve needed this baptism, and Paul needed this baptism, then we also need it. It makes you stop and wonder if this lack of receptivity to speaking in tongues is why we have to work so hard to do the great commission? Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, Jesus, speaking in tongues, supernatural | 2 Comments | Tagged Believer, Cornelius, God, great commission, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Joel 2:28, miraculous, signs and wonders, speaking in tongues, supernatural

• But You Shall Receive Power!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 14, 2020

  Acts 1:8 – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. KJV

  

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  In Luke 24:49, Jesus told His disciples:

  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

  The Holy Spirit executes the power of God. Jesus knew this! He also knew that the assignment He had given to the disciples, to preach the kingdom of God, would require that they walk in power. Therefore, His last instructions to them were to remain in Jerusalem until they received power from on high!

  Many people, mistakenly believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is all about speaking in tongues. Well, it isn’t! Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of having received the Holy Spirit, but it is not the whole picture. The whole picture is that tongues is evidence of the presence of Holy Ghost power! My wedding ring is not my marriage, but it is the evidence of my marriage! (That may be too simplistic for something so amazing!)

  In the book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit was released, wasn’t His introduction to the world. The Holy Spirit has been present, since Genesis, where He hovered over the waters; to produce God’s will upon the creation of the earth. The Holy Spirit was at hand when the Red Sea was parted. The Holy Spirit was present at the conception and resurrection of our Lord. And the Holy Spirit was present on the day of Pentecost. The difference being that when He came on Pentecost, He remained on earth to assist Jesus’ Church in the work of the ministry!

  This time in which we are living is the appointed time, the chairos time, of the Holy Spirit. You can live a godly life in Christ and not be filled with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Your life will be blessed and you will meet Jesus in eternity. I’m not one who believes less of a person because they don’t speak in tongues or more of a person, because they do. I have, unfortunately, noticed in the Body of Christ, that there are many who believe that those of us who speak in tongues are of the devil. I think that is not only wrong, but it is shameful! That’s how the Pharisees acted towards Jesus!

  In order to be a Christian, we must accept the truth of the gospel. Simply stated, we must believe that through the blood of Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we are cleansed. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, come in the flesh and that He is God. And we must believe there is no other way by which we can be saved. That’s it! Whether we speak in tongues or not, when we meet that first criteria and give our heart to the Lord, we are born again. For any Christian to look upon another Blood bought individual, and to accuse them of belonging to the devil, is pure nonsense!

  As I mentioned already, Jesus felt it necessary that the disciples, who had walked with Him, be filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. If they weren’t of the devil, then neither are the people who are filled today! The disciples were told to tarry, or wait; but after that, there are no other mentions of tarrying for the Holy Spirit. Although, many have tarried and made it a requirement for receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, it is not; we just receive Him by faith!

  On the day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after the resurrection of our Lord, the disciples, 120 of them, were together in the Upper Room, praying, worshipping, and waiting for power from on high! As they sat in the meeting, the Holy Spirit came in the room, upon each of them. That’s for the next blog!

  Jesus told them that when they received this power from on high, they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

  When we think of being a witness, we think of the simplicity of sharing the gospel. It is typically how this verse is read and preached, and it isn’t necessarily incorrect. It just isn’t the whole picture! When Jesus was referring to us being His witnesses, He was also referring to us expanding the kingdom in the same way that He did it, by bringing heaven to earth in the lives of the people.

  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 – NKJV

  He was a witness that God was real, and that He is the Son of God. As He went about the villages teaching, preaching, healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead, He demonstrated His power over everything in the earth realm.

  Paul said that he didn’t operate in just great preaching and being able to persuade people to his point of view, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)!

  So what witness was Jesus referring to?

  And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33 – NKJV

  Jesus knew that His disciples would have to operate just as He did, in order to witness to the truth that He is alive. Jesus had received the Holy Ghost on the day of His water baptism and the Holy Ghost never left Him. He was man, operating as God, by the power of the Holy Ghost! And so must we!

  The apostles couldn’t get a young man free from demons when Jesus was alive, without His authority. After the Holy Spirit came upon them, they operated in great power.

  And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people…And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women… Acts 5:12-16 – NKJV

  Now that’s some power! Throughout the New Testament, tongues was understood as evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but it was the power that gave greater proof and great witness about Jesus!

  Since I have been baptized in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues, it has been a great pleasure, and an honor to experience God’s power. It has been an ever greater blessing to realize that the Holy Spirit is alive and well, and is still moving through countless believers, in countless situations, to bring witness to the resurrected Savior and the kingdom of God. Next time, I’ll talk more about the actual baptism of the Holy Spirit! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Baptism, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 2 Comments | Tagged Believer, God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Kingdom of God, resurrection, Salvation, Sin, the Blood of Jesus, the devil, trust in God

• Planted By Rivers of Waters

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 9, 2020

  Psalm 1:3 – “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” NKJV

  

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  When I saw this picture, it certainly reminded me of our text for today! Waters flowing, greenery on both sides of the river, and a call to the soul of anyone who loves the great outdoors! Unfortunately, that isn’t me! I can enjoy a beautiful scenery like this, or in a movie; but when it comes to this type of nature, let’s just say, I’ll pass! Having said that, I can see the imagery that the psalmist was painting when he said that a blessed man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.

  I pick up with verse 3 today, but I must revisit verse 2. We’ve already discussed that a blessed man loves God’s law. In our case, that would be the Bible. A godly man, who loves the Word, is a man who is planted, rooted and grounded in the Word. He draws his spiritual strength and nourishment from God’s word, much as a tree draws water and nutrients from a river, which is necessary for sustaining life and growth!

  The prophet Jeremiah, used similar words to describe the man who is blessed:

  Jeremiah 17:7-8 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord . For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” NKJV

  Jeremiah confirms that a man who is blessed, is a man with roots! Roots are important to the tree, but they are also important to the soil. Roots give stability to the tree and provide it with nutrients, but it also keeps the soil from eroding. Stable people have a way of keeping those around them, from falling apart. Their strength is easily transferable to those who may be in need, being a blessing because they are blessed.

  The psalmist tells us three important things about this tree that is planted, which we understand symbolizes a blessed man:

  First, it brings forth its fruit in its season. This sounds a lot like dependability. As a kid I ate a lot of fruit from the trees in the neighborhood: pears, plums, and figs, to name a few. We knew in the summer that we would be able to play outside all day without the need to go in for lunch, because we were surrounded by fruit bearing trees. Some neighbors would ask us to help them harvest the trees and would allow us to have access to them when we wanted them. And honestly, sometimes we would just go and take what we wanted! We depended on those trees in the summer time. When Jesus went to the fig tree and found no fruit, I can well imagine His disappointment in that tree! A godly man is expected to have good fruit in his season, just as we expect fruit to be on fruit bearing trees in their season!

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

  This blessed man, is an attractive man. I already shared my husband’s way with our girls, but let me tell you, I’m his number one girl. When we met, I saw the fruit of the spirit in his life, and was drawn to him. Are you looking for a husband? Make sure he is bearing fruit of godliness and not just talking it. Talk is real cheap, when you are thinking of committing yourself in a marital relationship! Look for the real deal!

  Second, its leaf shall not wither. Jeremiah helps us to understand this a little better. He writes that the leaf will be green and will not be anxious in a drought. He’s planted by waters. Photosynthesis is always happening within a tree that is well watered and filled with nutrients from that water. Therefore, the leaves are healthy, vibrant, and green. Even in a drought, because it doesn’t affect the tree by the waters. Blessed people are not concerned in times of famine or drought because they are planted near the flow of life; a river whose stream makes glad! The Word is a great source of nourishment in a drought. This pandemic has created a drought for many, but those planted in the Word, are still flourishing! Their leaves are still green and healthy! Does that mean that they don’t experience hardship? Not at all! But when things settle down, the blessed will be found standing!

  Lastly, whatever he does shall prosper. That’s what God told Joshua!

  Joshua 1:8 – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” NKJV

  The word of God causes us to prosper and to have good success! God said it several times and in several ways. The blessed man will be successful and prosperous! It doesn’t get any plainer than that! If you are a carpenter, then God will cause your carpentry to prosper and to be successful. If you are a teacher, like I am, then God can cause you to be successful and to prosper. What ever the arena, wherever you go, your way will prosper and you will have good success!

  Let me stop here and say what Jesus said many times, “Be it done to you according to your faith!” If you believe this is only about your spiritual well-being, then that’s where you will prosper and have good success. If you believer this applies to your finances and life, again, that’s what you will have. But if you believe it applies to everything that God has for you, including, “every spiritual blessing”, and every natural benefit, yep, that’s what you will receive.

  I just sensed that sometimes, we don’t feel like we are blessed because of a lack material things, or the trials we go through, or the fact that we are still single, or childless, or jobless. These things can mark the blessed person’s life. But what I wanted to help you to understand, is what God has helped me to understand: the most blessed person in the world, is the person who is living their life with God by His standards! And when you get these other things, they won’t pull you off because you know they are the benefits of you being blessed and not the things that make you blessed! Hope that makes sense! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged blessings, encouragement, fruit of the spirit, God, hard times, pandemic, planted, psalm, relationships, waters, word of God

• Blessed People Love the Word!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 7, 2020

  Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. NKJV

  

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  If you read my previous blog, you will remember that I have already looked at the first verse of this psalm that refers to the things that a blessed man shouldn’t be associated with. In this blog, I want to continue looking at the qualities of a blessed man.

  Verse two is a continuation of the thought from verse one. The psalmist told us that a blessed man doesn’t seek counsel from the ungodly, doesn’t hinder the sinner, and doesn’t look at people with contempt. In this verse, the psalmist basically compares the godly to the ungodly! Now, we want to look at what the psalmist has to say that the blessed man will do!

  First, his delight is in the law of the Lord. To delight in the law is to be happy about it, to get excited about it; whether you are reading, studying, or hearing someone expound on it! This scripture let’s us know that when you delight in the law, God calls you blessed! Blessed people, fulfilled people, delight in the word of God!

  I’ve been reading the Word of God for decades. I wish I could say to you that as a daily reader of the Word, I have memorized the Bible; but I cannot, because I have not! However, I love God’s word! There are times when I approach it with more excitement than other times, but I hold it in high esteem. The New Testament is my favorite part of the Bible, but I have learned to truly love the Old Testament! I’m still working on the books with all of the tribes, laws, and rituals; yet the more I read them, the more I am able to see some special things about God.

  For example, during the earlier part of the pandemic, I read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, in about three months. During that reading, I was just amazed at the God who thinks in such detail. When I read about the tabernacle and how the tribes were to surround the tabernacle at rest, I saw some things I hadn’t seen before. God thinks of everything! He is such a detail oriented God, that it should bring us great peace to realize He knows the details of our life! Sometimes it takes us a while to appreciate certain portions of the word, but stick with it, because it will begin to open up to you!

  In Psalm 119, the Word is mentioned frequently by many terms: statues, commandments, law, testimonies, precepts, and judgments. The psalmist obviously loved the word, as this psalm is the longest chapter in the Bible, and it is about the word!

  I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. Psalm 119:14 – NKJV

  Can you imagine being more excited about God’s word than about riches? Somebody is probably saying, “I haven’t got there yet!” When I have to teach or preach, I have to tell the Holy Spirit that I need to go to sleep. The Word can have me so excited that I have difficulty settling down. Scriptures are floating through my mind, as the Spirit brings points, thoughts, and illustrations that will help me to make the word plain!

  I can spend hours studying the word, and I can honestly say that I delight in the Word! There are other times, when I read something in the word, and I have to talk about it to everyone who will listen! That’s why blogging is so perfect for me. I get to talk about the word, and share what the Holy Spirit says to me, without apology!

  I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:16 – NKJV

  I heard that Jewish boys are taught the Law, verbatim. I’m impressed! My secret prayer to the Lord has been that I would be given a photographic memory that I might know the word. Years ago, someone said to me that they could quote more of the Word than I could. My response was, but can you live it? I’m not going to tell you about how much of the Word you should put to your memory, just that memorizing scripture is important. As a matter of fact, I think the psalmist is saying that he delights in the Word, and as he goes about his day, he won’t forget what the word said! Which may have nothing to do with memorizing scripture! I think it more accurately means that when you delight in the word, there’s no forgetting it. It becomes so important to you that you find yourself thinking about it at “odd” times, because you enjoy it so much!

  This leads us to the next point! Not only does the blessed man delights in the Word of God, but he meditates in it day and night! I wish the psalmist hadn’t said day and night! I wish he had said day or night, because the night time is my favorite time to get in the Word.

  God told Joshua:

  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 – NKJV

  I believe Joshua followed God’s command to him! And here’s the thing that I want to point out to you: meditating on the word of God, is really meditating on God! As we think about Him day and night, and night and day, we can’t help but be blessed!

  I think of all the years I wasted worrying over the fear of backsliding. Once I asked the Lord if so-and-so backslid, how could I make it? He said the devil seeks whom he can to devour, just don’t be the one! As I began to meditate on God, the fear of backsliding left me. Am I perfect? Certainly not! However, my meditation is on the Word, on God, and not on failing! I think that is an important key!

  When we think of being blessed, we think in terms of material things. And that’s okay! However, it is an absolute blessing to know God, and delighting in His word, means you are delighting in Him. Meditating on His Word, means you are meditating on Him! This is an amazing opportunity for every believer to be blessed. It is something that we can all do! You don’t need an invitation, a degree, or even the right connections! All you need is a copy of the Word of God and a desire!

  I encourage you today, to see the word differently. I challenge you to ask God to open His word to you, and to help you to delight in it! You won’t be sorry! He’s worth the time, and so is His Word! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 1 Comment | Tagged blessed man, blessings, God, laws, meditating on the word, memorizing scripture, precepts, Psalm 119, statues, testimonies, word of God

• His Name is All That!

  Posted at 4:31 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on October 3, 2020

  Isaiah 9:6 – “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” NKJV

  

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  Years ago, Donnie McClurkin sang a song, “I Call You Faithful”. It was a hit with the church and the world alike. In the song, he called Jesus holy, righteous, awesome, faithful, healer, and savior. And then he summed it all up by singing:

  I call You All That, Your name is All That
  You have been all that to me
  I call You All That, Your name is All That
  All that You are and all that You’ll be
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

  As I was thinking of how to end this week, while staying on the same message, I thought of this song again. So I will end it with this, His Name is All That!

  I’m sure I mentioned this in another blog, and it bears repeating, that names, from the biblical perspective meant something. It either disclosed something about the state of God’s people, the identity of God, or the hope for the child. In the case of Jesus, His Name not only speaks of who He is, but of God’s hope for His people, and the state of mankind. That’s truly a name that is All That!

  Jesus means “to deliver, to rescue,” in the Hebrew. His name tells us that He is the deliverer, letting us know “who” He is. As deliverer, His Name tells us that God’s hope for His people is that we are delivered from the bondage of sin. His Name deliverer tells us that mankind was in a place where the Deliverer was needed to provide a rescue! Glory, Hallelujah! That’s powerful!

  As Deliverer, Jesus most certainly had to be All That! In order for Him to be the deliverer for God, He had to be holy, a Lamb without blemish. His Blood was needed to settle God’s requirement for sin. No other blood would do! One song said, “His blood was not just blood of another spotless lamb, but His Blood was precious Blood, for it washed the sins of man”!

  As Deliverer, Jesus not only had to be holy, but He had to be prepared to meet the needs of those who were delivered! I read Christian military fiction. Every time there is a rescue, the deliverers prepare for every contingency. They make preparations to extract the individual as efficiently as possible. They have medical supplies in case the person is sick or wounded. They have food, in case the individual has been starved. They have clothing in case the individual is not properly dressed. And lastly, they have the weaponry needed, to withstand the enemy during the extraction. In other words, they plan for the “worst case scenario” and hope for the best!

  Our Deliverer is even better than that! He is the preparation for every contingency. Whatever we need, He doesn’t have to find it and bring it along, He is it! He’s efficient in what He does, because He only had to die on the cross, one time, for the sins of the entire world, from Adam til He returns. He doesn’t have to gather medical supplies because at His Word, by His Blood, through faith, we are healed! He’s not worried about food, because He can multiply whatever is around, turn water into wine, or just cause the stones to be made bread! He clothes us in righteousness, making us presentable for the Father! And lastly, He defeated the enemy, and the devil is under His feet! He is the perfect Deliverer!

  You haven’t come up with a need that Jesus cannot meet. I received a comment this week calling Him, Everything! He truly is! The latest song about who He is, calls Him:

  Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness,
  My God! That is who you are!

  This is Jesus! This is who we call Lord, Savior, Messiah, Master, King of kings, Lord of lords! This is who He is! It is an honor to know Him. An honor to be in a relationship with Him. An honor to be known by Him. He is the greatest person to ever live! He has the highest throne! He has the most followers! He answers to no other person! He doesn’t need us for anything, He just wants to love us and love on us!

  No enemy can withstand Him! Not cancer, not coronavirus, not poverty, not lack, not inferiority, not superiority! Sin doesn’t overcome Him! Trouble isn’t too much for Him! Your past isn’t too much for Him! Your failures doesn’t overwhelm Him! Your challenges, don’t challenge Him! Your victories don’t outshine Him! His Name is the still the Name above every Name! He is still awesome, amazing, God!

  I can’t even begin to recall all of the times Jesus has shown up for me. Maybe today you can say the same thing! The list would really be long! The most important thing I want you to think about is that, these Names have become who He is in the lives of so many people. I don’t just read about Jesus the Healer, I have experienced Him time and again. I don’t just read and dream about Jesus the Provider, I have experienced Him on many occasions. I don’t just sing about Jesus, my Deliverer, I have been delivered and kept from much!

  When I was teaching the youth many years ago, I challenged them to ask Jesus to be real to them. I challenged them to experience Him for themselves so that no one need ever to convince them that He is real. They are adults today. Many of them have solid relationships with the Lord. Why? Because He walked out of the pages of the Bible and straight into their hearts. And guess what? He’ll do the same for you!

  It’s time out for just singing about how wonderful Jesus is! It’s time to experience Him! It’s time out for declaring He is a healer, to embracing Him as your healer! It’s time out for religious platitudes and cliches, it’s time to know God through the Person of Jesus, the Christ! He is All That! He’s whatever you need! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in His Name, Jesus, the Name of Jesus | 2 Comments | Tagged All That, Faith, Forgiveness, God, Healing, holy, hope, Jesus, protection, provision, Salvation, testimony, the Blood of Jesus, trust in God, Waymaker

• Change Your World!

  Posted at 10:58 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on September 20, 2020

  Hebrews 11:3 -Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. KJV

  

  * When I posted this yesterday, somehow it posted for earlier this month and I had to search for it. My apologies for the late posting!

  change-your-world_.mp3

  Have you ever had a situation in life that you didn’t understand? Well, if you haven’t, I have had enough of them to share some with you! It is doing those times of difficulties and confusion that we find it hard to believe God; however, if you remain true to Him during those times, you will find that He is truly God, and that He can change your world!

  Years ago, I was reading something Rick Renner wrote in regards to this verse, that has stuck with me. Rick said that when we look at this verse, we think about creation being formed by the word of God, where He caused something to appear out of nothing. He went on to explain, and you may need to read it from him to really get it, that it means something totally different. Basically, he stated that the Hall of Faith is written about people who changed their world, by faith in the word of God. I think that is not only an interesting point of view, but a biblical sound point of view.

  There was Abraham, the father of faith, and the patriarch of Israel. At God’s word, he left Ur and went into a land that he didn’t know. As he obeyed the word that God gave him, a whole nation of people were born, changing the world as he knew it. Out of a barren woman, came forth a nation that is still in existence today! Abraham chose to believe God, and the world was changed because of it.

  Take Joseph. God gave Joseph two dreams. In the dreams, his family bowed to him. Even being in slavery didn’t stop Joseph from trusting God’s plan for his life. Not only did his dream come to pass, but Joseph ended up saving his family, and thus the nation of Israel. But here’s something that jumped out at me, his brothers sold him into slavery, and his brother’s families were in slavery for over 400 years! God’s word to a young man literally changed his world, causing him to be the head and not the tail, in the land of his enslavement. And it changed the world in which he lived!

  My all time favorite world changer is Jesus. He’s still changing the world today! However, I will use my next favorite person to seal the deal. Paul! Paul didn’t start out with a love for Jesus, or His message. As a matter of fact, he persecuted the believers. But one day he was literally knocked to his knees by an encounter with the Savior. As a result, his world was changed, the church world was changed, and the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. God gave him a word, and that word changed everything about his life and in his life!

  World changers are people who are not encumbered with their past, or their present, but only in what they believe. Here are a few people from our immediate history I am sure you remember:

  George Washington Carver, born a slave, wasn’t moved by the fact that Black people were considered less than human, illiterate, and incapable of thinking for themselves. He was moved by his love for agriculture and his faith that he could help his people make a living. In the process, he changed the agricultural world. The records show that he was a man of faith who trusted God with even his scientific discoveries. Did he experience challenges and setbacks? You bet he did! But he changed his world, with a word from God!

  Harriet Tubman learned to hear the voice of God. One day God told her to run! As she obeyed His voice, she found her way up North, and freedom from slavery. His same voice, led her back South, enabling her to free over 300 others, never getting caught. She changed her world, their world, and eventually the world in which she lived. How? By a word from God!

  These individuals didn’t have an easy life. They didn’t have anything to start with. They didn’t even start out as world changers. They went through great challenges and setbacks, but they had a word from God. Inside each of us, is definitely the ability to change our world, and the possibility of changing the world for others. We just need a word from God.

  Faith, is about trust. It isn’t blind faith, but it is faith in the character and the word of the person you have placed your trust in. You will never experience a relationship with anyone who is more faithful to his word, then God! His favor doesn’t require a payback, or a scratch on the back! He just requires that you trust Him no matter what!

  I am truly training my heart and my words to understand that what I don’t understand in this life, I choose to understand by faith in a wonderful God! Faith in a loving God! Faith in a good God! I don’t know what you are going through today, or what you went through yesterday, but Jesus is the same! His promise to us remains the same, He is with us!

  You may not feel like, and it may not seem like it, but you are a world changer. If not the whole world, definitely yours. All you need is a word from the word of God to hold on to, to trust in! As you face the challenges of your life, put the word on it and begin to watch your world change. It’s time for us to realize that anybody can have faith when the going is good; but having faith when the going gets tough? That’s true faith! That’s overcoming faith! That’s Hebrews 11 faith! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, God, hard times | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, Faith, George Washington Carver, God, hard times, Harriet Tubman, trust in God, word of God

• Pray Without Ceasing!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 10, 2020

  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” NKJV

  

  pray-without-ceasing_.mp3

  Praying without ceasing! I was a member of a Baptist Church when I first learned this scripture. Over the years, I have tried to be this person who pray without ceasing. I’m pretty sure that I haven’t arrived yet, but I believe sincerely in the discipline of praying without ceasing.

  There used to be a time in my life when I would get some really bad news and I would say, “All I can do is pray” as if every possible avenue had been tried and I was now left with trying prayer. I truly believe this attitude of, I guess I now have to pray, is the root behind many unanswered prayer.

  I spend a lot of time reading and studying about prayer, people who pray, and the impact of a life of prayer. I want to pray more effectively, I want to see my prayers answered instantly, I want to see God move in people lives and situations, and sometimes, I just want to deepen my communion with the Father!

  The phrase, “praying without ceasing” causes me to infer some things about prayer that will break through our traditions on how to pray: our posture, our voice, our place.

  If I am truly to pray without ceasing, then the posture of prayer doesn’t matter to God. Some people think that prayers must be prayed on bended knees, because it demonstrates humility, and it does. Some people think standing is the position of prayer, because Jesus said “when you stand praying”! These are certainly postures of prayer. However, you can also pray sitting in a chair, riding in your car, walking down the street (I love to prayer walk), or laying out before the Lord, just to name a few! And whichever posture you happen to be in when you pray, God will hear you!

  Lightfoot, a well-known commentator to many theologians, wrote that it’s not possible for us to spend all of our time with words of prayer on our lips; but, we can remain in the spirit of prayer, recognizing that we are dependent on God for everything! This leads to my second point. Some believe you are not praying, if you are not opening your mouth, for when Jesus taught the disciples to pray He said, “And when you pray, say…” While using your words are an important part of praying, your heart’s cry or desire, can get the job done! After all, if you go about praying out loud all day, you’ll look like a crazy person! I have prayed many prayers in my heart that I have seen God answer! Do I pray out loud? Most definitely! But, there have been times that words could not express what was in my heart, or I wasn’t where I could pray them, and yet God heard, understood, and responded!

  Praying without ceasing keeps us from being locked down to a location. My sister-in-law, Pastor Caren, teaches on “The Secret Place”. Whenever she does, it causes me to want to pray even more. Even still, you don’t have to be confined to praying in one place. Jesus’ instructions to us to pray in the secret place is vital in developing a personal prayer life. However, if that was the only place we could pray, we could not pray always. The car, the church, the bank, the restaurant, the shower, the garden, the beach, are all great locations for prayer. Any place, is a great place, to talk with God. Enjoy the secret place, but if you find yourself in the bathroom and someone is crying their heart out, it’s okay to stop and pray. God is in the bathroom!

  Smith Wigglesworth, an evangelist in the early part of the 20th century, walked in supernatural miracles which included the raising of the dead, and creative miracles of body parts being restored. Once he was asked how long did he pray? Here’s the discourse from a book written about him:

  “Tell us, how long do you pray every day?  “Well, the apostle replied, “I don’t ever pray any longer than twenty minutes.” What?” his questioners exclaimed. After pausing for effect, Smith Wigglesworth continued, “Yes, but I never go twenty minutes without praying”.

  I think we can all agree that Wigglesworth was a man who prayed without ceasing! It is even said, about his prayer life, that people couldn’t take being in the room with him when he prayed, because of the presence of God! That’s powerful!

  We should get to a place where we are talking to God about everything that is happening in our day. He wants to be involved in every part of our lives. Some say, it would be ridiculous to ask God what to wear! I have heard more than one testimony of someone asking, of Him answering, and of it being a benefit in more ways than one. But it’s not necessary to ask Him what to wear, He gives us free choice. However, throughout the day, there will be many times when talking softly to the Lord will make things go so much better!

  Is there a reason to pray continuously?

  • Luke 18:1-Jesus Himself said that if we are always praying, we won’t faint! That means constant communication with God, through prayer, gives us the strength to make it through the tough times in life!
  • Luke 21:36- Jesus says that we should not allow our hearts to be weighed down with the cares of this life to the point that we will miss His return! However, if we are praying continuously, we will not be drinking and carousing, but watching for His return and will not be caught unaware!
  • Ephesians 6:18 -Paul talked about the armor of God, then he said that we are to pray with all kinds of prayer! It is a strategic weapon against our enemy and his attacks, and praying always enables us to be watchful for all the saints! Have you ever been praying about one thing, when God interrupts your prayer, bring someone to your heart or mind, and you begin to pray? Then you find out that it was at a crucial moment that had a major impact on their life? Wow!

  I know some prayer warriors. They can be in the middle of a celebration, hear of a need, and go into serious combative prayer. My mother-in-law wouldn’t let you out of her sight without her praying for you. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many people in your life who can pray at the drop of a hat, because they live a life of prayer. I thank God for them! The word of God tells us to pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God concerning us! Let’s get started today! Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Bitterness, Prayer, will of God | 4 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, God, Jesus, miraculous, pray without ceasing, Prayer, Smith Wigglesworth, Spiritual warfare, supernatural, testimony, the devil

• God’s Requirements – Part 3

  Posted at 2:03 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 5, 2020

  Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

  

  gods-requirements-part-3.mp3

  I have truly enjoyed studying this verse. Micah is not typically a book of the Bible that I spend time “deep diving” into, but I may have to change that! Micah wrote that God has shown us what is good, letting us know that He is our example. He went on to share what God requires of us. We’ve already looked at the first two: to act justly and to love mercy. In this blog, I will address the last phrase of this verse, “and to walk humbly with your God”.

  In the Message Bible, this portion of the verse is rendered, “and don’t take yourself too seriously-take God seriously!” As I was meditating on this verse, preparing to write this last blog, God brought King Nebuchadnezzar to my mind. King Nebuchadnezzar was a king that took himself too seriously.

  In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar had two dreams. In the first dream God revealed to the king that his kingdom would be a strong and prosperous kingdom. God used the imagery of a statue, and the king was represented by a golden head. Somewhere in the course of his days, he thought it a great idea to build a gold statue of himself for everyone to bow down to. When the Hebrew boys refused to bow, the king had the furnace heated up and then had them thrown into it. However, God stepped in and saved the young men, causing Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge that He is the Most High God!

  The next dream we read about, the king himself wrote, in a letter. He had a dream about a tree that reached to the heavens and covered the world. Then one day, holy beings cut the tree down, leaving a stump, while the tree turns into an animal for 7 seasons. When Daniel was called to interpret the dream, Daniel didn’t want to tell the king that this tree represented him, and that God would cut him down, he would lose his mind, and he would live like an animal for a season of times. But Daniel told him and tried to encourage him to turn from his prideful ways. However, the king did not. And so, the dream came to pass. At the end of the letter, it is obvious that the king has been restored to his right mind, and has come to understand that there is no God like the Most High God. You should read the book to understand the depth of his pride, but suffice it to say, with all that God had done for him, he thought that he had done it; and his pride got him in trouble with God.

  Nebuchadnezzar had this to say about the true and living God:

  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. Daniel 4:37 NKJV

  When God said that He requires of us to walk humbly before Him, that’s what He meant! Unfortunately for the king, he had to lose his mind before he could truly understand that because of his pride, God had to take him down a few notches. Is that what you or I need to realize that we are to walk humbly before our God? I certainly hope not!

  In the book of psalms, it is written:

  The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. Psalm 10:4

  How plain is that? When pride enters our heart, we feel we have no need for God, His word, or His counsel. He is not a part of our thinking, even to the point that we feel above the need to have to seek Him. What a sad state of affairs for an individual to find himself in!

  A well known proverb about pride states:

  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

  Isn’t that what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar? Before his destruction, we saw his pride! First, with the golden statue and the decree to throw people in the fiery furnace if they didn’t bow at the sound of the music. And then, we saw it with the warning of the tree. Although warned to deal with the pride in his life, or face being humiliated before his people, Nebuchadnezzar hung on to his pride!

  When pride comes, then come shame… Proverbs 11:2a

  Nebuchadnezzar had to learn this lesson the hard way! But not just King Nebuchadnezzar, many men and women have to learn this lesson the hard way. My mama used to say, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall!” Isn’t that so true? The greater the power a person has, the harder their fall, the greater their humiliation! We see it on a regular basis these days. Politicians, corporate leaders, pastors, church leaders, CEOs, celebrities, principals, billionaires, millionaires, and the common person too! Success, money, and power, in every arena of life, causes that demonic spirit to rise on the attack! And if it isn’t dealt with in private, it will humiliate and bring shame in the public!

  Here’s what God has to say about the humble:

  The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. Psalm 25:9

  It’s quite obvious that the prideful person can’t hear from God, because he doesn’t seek God. Yet, God guides the humble person in justice. He’s there to assist the humble person in “acting justly”. And He teaches the humble person how to walk and live in His way! What a comfort and a blessing to know! The word also tells us this:

  The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground. Psalm 147:6

  We don’t have to get ahead in life by mistreating people and forgetting God. He clearly lifts up the humble person, and he clearly casts down the wicked. Someone might say, “It doesn’t look like it”! Well, as believers, we don’t walk by what we see, but by what we believe. And if we learn to trust God and His word, we will see the humble lifted, and the wicked cast down to the ground! Didn’t Jesus say that He saw Lucifer cast down from heaven? Lucifer’s pride got in his way! Didn’t the same word of God say that Jesus, who humbled Himself, was given a name above all names, and was highly exalted? We must begin to accept God’s word as the truth that it is!

  I leave you with this word, from the word:

  A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. Proverbs 29:23

  It’s been a real blessing to look closely at this verse. I want to live a life that honors God, and this verse has helped to identify some ways in which I can do that! Act justly-do the right thing where people are concerned; love mercy-stop hating, forgiving one another, and demonstrate kindness to others; and walk humbly before our God-understanding that He exalts the humble and brings down the proud! Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in God, God’s Requirements, Humility, Pride | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, encouragement, exalted, Forgiveness, God, Humility, Jesus, Justice, king Nebuchadnezzar, love, Mercy, miraculous, obedience, Pride, the devil, Victorious Living, word of God

• God’s Requirements!- Part 2

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 3, 2020

  Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” NKJV

  

  gods-requirements-2-1.mp3

  In my previous post, I left out a very important insight. Micah starts this verse by writing, “He has shown you, O man, what is good”. This is really key and should not have been overlooked. I apologize. For the thing that God is requiring of us, He has already demonstrated it to us. My last post referenced how God requires that we act justly. The thing I forgot to mention is that He requires it because He is a just God. He gave us laws, judgements, testimonies, statutes, or whatever you choose to call them; in which we are to live by. He added blessings and consequences to those. He demonstrated how He is just, and then He required it of us. That brings us to tonight!

  His second requirement is that we are “to love mercy”! This is pretty easy to receive, but often times harder to give. Yet, He, being our first example, is the God of mercy. I like the song Alvin Slaughter sang years ago, “Mercy Refused”, written by David Baroni. In the song it states:

  Justice demanded satisfaction, the law had been broken again and again. Judgement required immediate action, death wanted payment for sin. Mercy refused, and love took my place; there on the cross, where justice met grace. Mercy refused to let me die, Jesus the Lamb was crucified, though rightfully, death wanted me, Mercy refused!

  How adequate the words of this song describes the mercy of God towards mankind! In explaining the difference between grace and mercy to my children, or in a Bible class, I like to say that “grace is getting what we don’t deserve, while mercy is not getting what we do deserve”.

  Just recently, someone called me from her job. She had forgotten to pay the meter and had been at work for almost the entire shift when she realized it. As she went between worry over a ticket and praying she didn’t get one, I just came in agreement with her that she wouldn’t get it. I stayed on the phone with her as she walked back to her car. When she arrived at the car, the ticket that should have been on it, wasn’t there! Was she ever grateful and excited! God’s mercy! It could have even been His mercy through an individual. Nonetheless, that person, by law, deserved a ticket, but received mercy instead!

  As I laid in bed the other night, thinking about the first blog on God’s requirement, the Spirit whispered this word to me, “chesed”. I am not a student of the Hebrew or the Greek language, but I knew that was the word for mercy. It was as if He was approving my topic, and leading me. The word “chesed” is not only translated to mean mercy, but it also means steadfast love, kindness, faithfulness, and loyalty. God makes it plain to us that He requires that we demonstrate kindness, mercy, steadfast love, faithfulness, and loyalty one to another.

  In the book of Zechariah 7:9, it is written,

  “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion, everyone to his brother.”

  This verse is similar to Micah, in that it mentions both justice and mercy are to be shown to everyone. In the Message Bible it reads like this:

  “Well, the message hasn’t changed. God -of-the-Angel-Armies said then and says now: “‘Treat one another justly. Love your neighbors. Be compassionate with each other. Don’t take advantage of widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor. Don’t plot and scheme against one another—that’s evil.’

  Isn’t that it in a nutshell? We are not to take advantage of one another, we are not to scheme against one another, it’s not right! It’s not godly! It doesn’t get any plainer than that! We are to treat one another right! We are to treat one another with love and demonstrate compassion. In our present climate in America, it won’t always be easy, but it is the right thing to do, because God requires it of us!

  I couldn’t help but think of David and Saul. In 1 Samuel 24, David is in a cave with his men when Saul goes in to relieve himself. David’s men tell him that God had delivered his enemy, Saul, into his hands. David cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe, and then he gets a check in his spirit, that let’s him know he is not to touch Saul, nor allow his men to touch Saul. After Saul leaves the cave, David comes out of the cave and let’s Saul know that if he wanted to kill him, as some said, he had the perfect opportunity to do so. David would have been justified in killing Saul, since Saul pursued him so diligently for that same reason. But the case of justice and mercy once again clashed. While it may have been okay to kill Saul, since “all is fair in war”, so to speak; it wasn’t God’s heart. God required of David, to extend mercy. Was it easy? Maybe not! Yet, in doing so, David pleased God!

  Proverbs 3:3-4 – Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. NKJV

  Are you looking for favor and high esteem? The Bible tells us not to forsake mercy and truth. As a matter of fact, we are to wrap it around our neck and write them in our heart. In other words, they are to be important to us! Living God’s truth and walking in mercy pays greater dividends, then trying to please man. That’s what David did. He had hidden the truth of God’s word in his heart and knew mercy was required of him. Just because we have a right to be angry, or a right to get somebody back, doesn’t mean we should. Do what God requires by extending mercy, and He will give you both favor and high esteem with Him and with man!

  One last important verse on mercy that I just have to share:

  He who follows righteousness and mercy, finds life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21 NKJV

  Wow! Isn’t that something to ponder on? When we are kind and show mercy as a way of life, we find life, right standing with God, and honor! We shouldn’t just be following facebook, Twitter and Instagram! We should be following righteousness and mercy! Then we will find life! I don’t know about you, but I am going to do a better job with acting justly and showing mercy. In one scripture, the Bible says that it is good for us! Aren’t you ready for some good in your life? I just told you how to get! Fall in love with demonstrating mercy to others! Stay tuned for what God has to say to us about this last requirement! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, Justice, love, Mercy | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, blessings, consequences, encouragemnt, esteem, favor, God, kindness, love, Mercy, Micah, obedience, righteousness, will of God

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