Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: God

• Don’t Count Yourself Out!

  Posted at 3:38 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 21, 2020

  “2 Chronicles 32:8 -With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. NKJV

  As I mentioned in my previous post, a lot is going on in this battle. I have already mentioned that Hezekiah was a righteous king, doing all that he could to restore the statutes of the Lord in Israel. He tore down everything that was contrary to the Lord, and rebuilt all that was destroyed in an attempt to stomp Him out.

  I like what verse 1 in this chapter of the Bible let’s us know. “After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah…” I wrote about this in my last post, but here we see in the word that the attack came after his righteous stand. Just like it does with us today! And at first he compromises with the enemy to try and get him to back off from the battle, but verse two lets us know that Sennacherib had come with a purpose to make war against Jerusalem.

  Each telling of the battle has some really interesting points, but tonight I want to deal with what happened after the compromise. According to verses 3-8, Hezekiah came up with a plan. That plan was not to give in and let Sennacherib totally destroy all that he had accomplished, but to prepare for battle!

  First, Hezekiah realizes that the Assyrians came to battle and he consults with his leaders and commanders. Can I stop for a moment and say that Hezekiah was wise enough to know that he didn’t know everything, or that he could accomplish far more with his team alongside him? Too many leaders in the church and in the world have a complex about what greatness looks like. For some reason they feel that because they are the leader, they know better than anybody else what to do. They need to go back to the school of feet washing so that they can understand that in His kingdom we are to be servants first. I have known a lot of bad leaders and only a few really good leaders. I tip my hat to them! Can I also point out that he recognized that the Assyrians came to battle. It’s time we recognize that every time the devil shows up, he comes prepared to do so battle. So we need to make sure that we are prepared, also.

  Together they decided three things: to shut off the water supply, to rebuild the walls, and to rebuild and equip their forces. There were springs near Jerusalem and a brook that ran nearby. All of this was stopped up to keep the Assyrians from having an ample water supply. They rebuilt the walls, and even built an extra wall outside of that one. Archaeologists have discovered a portion of wall that they think is from this time frame that was strong enough to withstand the battering rams and enclosed a reservoir of water. And lastly, they made weapons and shields to fight the battle.

  But the most important thing that happened was that Hezekiah took courage and talked to his military commanders. He encouraged them to be strong and courageous; to not be afraid, nor to be discouraged. Then he reminds them that the One who was with them, was greater than the one coming against them, and that He would be with them.

  Now how does this help us in the battles of life? After you compromise with the devil, the enemy wants you to think that it’s over for you. You gave up on God, or trusted in your flesh, or your money, or whatever, and now you are on your own. But Hezekiah realized that he was about to face a serious battle and he needed help from God! And so will you!

  One thing that you can do to get ready for war is to get over yourself. You messed up, now get up, repent and prepare for battle!

  Then, you shut off anything that will aid the enemy’s attack on you. That could be an ungodly relationship, or unforgiveness, or idolatry, hatred or selfish ambitions, or drunkenness to name a few. Just shut the door to those things, that the enemy will not have a place to get comfortable and habitat in your life.

  Rebuild the walls. Fix whatever is broken. Get things in order. Repent and recommit your life to Jesus. Get re-established in your church. Let go of ungodly soul ties. Restore godly relationships! Move in the direction that encourages a healthy life in Christ!

  Lastly, get those weapons ready! You have weapons of warfare that are mighty in God (2 Corinthians 4:10)! Those weapons include praise, the name of Jesus, the Blood of the Lamb, the living word of God, and prayer. You will not win this in the flesh. That’s what Hezekiah said that Sennacherib had, the arm of the flesh, but he and Judah had the Lord! So do you!! So see yourself as a winner, and not as a loser.

  And after you have done all of that, you stand! Stand knowing that greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world! (1 John 4:4) Stand knowing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it. (Philippians 1:6). Stand because the word said, and having done all, you stand! (Ephesians 6:13). Don’t let the devil ever convince you that it is impossible to regain your place with God. In some cases, things could actually get better because you could actually be more committed than you were before having gone through a bad experience. Keep your head up and don’t count yourself out! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Battle plans, Believers, Christian, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Hezekiah, Judah, Prayer, Sennacherib, Spiritual warfare, Victorious Living, victory

• Torn Between Two Worlds-Part 2

  Posted at 1:00 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on January 28, 2020

  Romans 7:15 – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

  Paul begins his discourse in chapter 7 referencing the jurisdiction of the law over a person for as long as he lives. He uses the example of a wife’s commitment to her husband until his departure as an example of the legal binding of the law. He continues by reminding the readers that if a wife was to become involved with a man while her husband is alive, she will be an adulteress. This principle is still in affect today!

  In verse 4, Paul tells the believers in the Roman church that they died to the Law through the crucified body of Christ, so that they might belong to Him and bear fruit for God. In verse 5, Paul tells them that when we were living in the flesh, (not our physical bodies, but our spiritually dead state), we were trapped in sinful passions, a fact that the Law made known to us. And because we were in that state, we were separated from God and our sinful ways led to our being spiritually dead.

  When we read verse 6, Paul reminds the Roman believers that we have been released from the Law and the penalty of the Law, to which we had been held captive, so that we could now serve God in the newness of the Spirit. Paul is warming up to his subject. He is getting ready to make a point, and in doing so, he is laying the ground work. Since he is probably talking to Jewish converts, (because he mentioned that they knew the Law) he is using that which they already understand, to help them to understand something equally as important. Their freedom in Christ Jesus!

  Looking at verse 7, Paul asks the question, “Is the Law sin?” Then, he answers it by stating, “Certainly not!” Paul goes on to tell the Roman believers that without the Law we wouldn’t know what sin is. In the Law we learned coveting was sin, because the Law told us not to covet that which belongs to another. In the law we learned that we are not to lie, to steal, or commit murder because it is sin, and therefore, when we do these things we sin. The Law taught us this! However, Paul states, that sin found an opportunity to make itself known by stirring up every sinful desire that the Law spoke against. Before the Law was given, we didn’t even know or recognize sin because it was dead to us; but once we understood the law, we died to it because it became alive in us.

  In verse 10, Paul again writes and says that the Law which was intended to bring life, actually proved to bring us death. Still, in answering his question, “Is the Law sin?,” Paul lets us know that the Law is holy, righteous and good! And that through the Law sin is revealed as sinful! Paul is making the point that he is not trying to say that Law is sinful, because it is not, but that the Law revealed that mankind by nature, is sinful.

  Now let’s just stop a minute and think about all of this. In order for any of us to become saved, redeemed, born again, or a child of God (pick your term), we must come to grips with the nature of sin that is within all of us before Christ. In verses 1-13, Paul is just breaking down for us the nature of sin as revealed through the Law. We understand that the Law is God’s word to mankind and as such is holy, righteous, and good. Yet, we also understand that before He gave the law and revealed what sin was, there was no accountability between man and God for that sin.

  Through the Law, God established a system, whereby His people were now made accountable of the things that they did or did not do. When they wronged another it was sin. When they lied, it was sinned. When they worked on the Sabbath, it was sin. When they worshipped another God, again, it was sin. Even today, before we can lead anyone to the cross for salvation, we have to help them to understand that their life prior to God was a life filled with sin. That God Himself declared that it was a life a sin, separated from Him, and that if we died in this sin, we would live a Christ-less eternity. All of this that Paul is teaching, would be a lesson or sermon taught to even new believers to help them to understand theologically their salvation.

  And with all of this revelation of what sin was came an understanding that we must pay for sin. God’s judgment is that the payment was death! Something or someone was to shed blood to cover the sin. Therefore, in the Law, where God revealed sin, He also revealed the method of dealing with sin. If you murdered someone, you had to die. If you stole, you had to repay. If you sinned against Him, you had to provide a sacrifice. All of this teaching that Paul is giving to the Roman believers is leading to a point. Join me next time, as I bring the point home. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, God, Romans 7:15, Sin, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, consequences, God, holy, Jesus, John 15:7, Salvation, Sin, word of God

• A Royal Priesthood!

  Posted at 2:41 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 19, 2019

  1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

  What does it mean to be a royal priesthood? Most of us sing about it and even quote this scripture, but we don’t really give it much thought. I’d like to explore it a little bit with you today.

  Let’s look at the term royal. The Hebrew word “basileios” is rendered “a king” in this verse and is not the word “basilikos” which means “belonging to a king, or royal”. So it is more fitting to say that Peter was saying that we are “a kingly priesthood” or a priesthood made of kings. In Revelation, John said that He made us “kings and priests…” Both had a revelation from God the Father of the marvelous truths of what became our inheritance in Christ! This is deeper than I have time or space to cover. Just wetting your appetite!

  Then there is priesthood! Without going too much into historical detail, Aaron began the priesthood. He and his descendants served as priests in Israel, ministering in the Tabernacle of the Wilderness until the first temple was constructed. Their primary function was to serve as mediators between God and man, and to offer up offerings and sacrifices to God. Are you getting excited yet?

  As believers we actually can go to God and be mediators for others. When you lead someone to the Lord, you are a mediator between the sinner and the Father. Of course, we know and understand that Jesus is the Ultimate Mediator for all of us, but He allows us to mediate on others behalf. When we pray for others, our intercession is an act of mediation. We are given the awesome responsibility of going to God and asking Him to move in the life, situation, or circumstance of another individual. And because we are priests, we don’t have to go to a priest, pastor, prophet or anyone else to get God’s attention! I am not knocking the wonderful men and women of God who stand in the ministry gifts, I’ve been truly blessed by many of them, but I don’t have to have them go to God for me, because I have access to go on my own. And so do you! But then, I am pretty sure you understand that already!

  Then there is the responsibility of sacrifices. What kinds of sacrifices are we responsible for as priests. A few come immediately to my mind. First, we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him, holy and acceptable (Romans 12:1)! And then there is the sacrifice of praise that we are to offer to Him (Hebrews 13:15). Another sacrifice is offerings to the Lord! Did you know sacrifice and offerings are paired together frequently in the Word, especially in the Old Testament? We are to give offerings to the Lord as part of our priestly duties. Have you ever made the connection before between offerings, praise, worship, and a life submitted to the Lord as priestly? Well, it is! And if you are already doing these things, keep up the good work!! And if you are not, get busy king-priest, your assignment is waiting for you!

  One last thing about the priesthood. In verse 5 of the same chapter, Peter refers to a holy priesthood. So the priesthood of kings is to be holy before the Lord. As a holy priesthood we offer spiritual sacrifices before the Lord, but as a royal priesthood we show forth the Lord’s excellence. I once heard Joel Osteen share a testimony about a king. He said that a certain king enjoyed playing golf and had invited a celebrity golfer (don’t remember the name) to play golf with him in his kingdom. They played golf together and it was an enjoyable experience for both. Then the king told the golfer he wanted to do something for him. Well, the golfer was thinking that maybe the king would buy him a new set of golf clubs, but the king purchased him an entire golf club! The place, not the sticks!! The point, if we are kings, we need to start thinking like kings!!! Our King is great and greatly to be praised. There is none like Him. He’s no wimp and He doesn’t think small!!

  Both the Old and the New Testaments reveal the position that God desires of His people. We’ve fallen short of who we are, and just like the Israelites we have shunned our position of king priests and allowed others to stand in our place! Shout, “No more, Father! I am willing accept to accept the call to king priesthood!” I know I am! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in 1 Peter 2:9, Christian, Jesus, Victorious Living | 6 Comments | Tagged 1 Peter 2:9, God, Jesus, king, praise, priest, Victorious Living, victory

• The Immutable God!

  Posted at 3:29 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 30, 2019

  Hebrews 13:8- “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

  I have a friend and sister in Christ who loves to talk about our God as the “immutable God.” It thrills her to no end, so I thought tonight I would blog about the immutable God.

  Immutable means “unchanging over time or unable to be changed”. That’s our text in a nutshell. Jesus has not changed and is unable to change. As He was, so is He and always will be. In Malachi, God said, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” In other words, the proof that He does not change is in the truth that Israel is still a nation of people. He’s so amazing!

  Many feel that because we are in the new millennium that the gospel needs to change in order to reach the “millenniums” and the younger generation. The gospel will never change, because of the immutability of the One who the gospel proclaim. The methods may change, but the gospel can never change! Not ever!

  We can’t afford to take this message of Jesus and make it palatable for this generation. There was a time when they took the Blood out of the gospel messages to make it less frightening for children. Then they took hell out of the gospel to make it more tolerable. And we can see how ineffective all of that was!

  What should we take out of the gospel for this generation? The cross? The truth that the soul that sins shall die? Maybe we should remove the absolutes of the word? The truth that homosexuality truly is an abomination to the Lord our God? Or maybe we should remove the truth that we are a to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, set apart for the Master’s use!?

  You see, since God is synonymous with His word, if we try and change any of what His word says to appeal to anyone, then we in fact are trying to change God. And He cannot change and will not adapt to any generation.

  He truly is the same today as He has always been. He still saves the lost, they are precious to Him in every generation. He will run through a troop and leap over a wall to save them, but He won’t change for them.

  He still loves the sinner, but He still hates the sin! Always has, and He always will. There’s no changing that or Him. None of us will escape the penalty of sin if we die in our sins. None of us, although He truly love us!

  He cannot lie! It isn’t in His nature! He still says what He means and means what He says. You can trust Him just as surely as Moses could. You can trust Him just as surely as Abraham did! You can trust Him just as surely as Paul did for He cannot and will not mislead you into believing something that He will not do!!

  This isn’t what I had in mind when I thought of this topic, but this is what has appeared on the blog! Rev. Schambach used to sing it like this, “I know God is God, and God don’t never change! I know God is God and He always will be God!” He hasn’t lost His power! He hasn’t lost His sovereignty, He hasn’t lost control over the devil, or the universe, and He hasn’t forgotten how to be God!

  He still heals! He still delivers! He still sets the captive free! He still makes a way in the wilderness! He is still the Great I Am! He is still the Alpha and the Omega! He is still the Prince of Peace! He is still Almighty! He is still the only true God! There is still no one like Him! There is no other God besides Him!

  He was sufficient for the children of Israel! He was sufficient to handle Pharaoh! He was sufficient to handle King Nebuchadnezzar! He was sufficient to handle the devil! He was sufficient to handle every single thing in the past and He is capable of handling every single thing in the present and that which is yet to come!

  He is the immutable God. Incapable of changing over time, and incapable of being changed! This generation, my generation, your generation and our children’s generation all have to humble themselves before the One who doesn’t change. Each and every one of us have to line up to Him and His way, not Him to us! He has nothing to prove and nothing to lose! Stop fooling yourself or allowing the devil to tell you that this generation needs something different than we needed. Sin is sin! Salvation is salvation! Holiness is holiness! God is God! Always has been and always will be! Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, encouragement, God, Jesus, milleniums, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, God, immutable, Jesus, millenniums

• Search for:

• Recent Posts

  • Don’t Count Yourself Out!
  • Don’t Compromise With the Enemy!
  • I’m Melting, I’m Melting!
  • The Shout of Victory!
  • The Battle For Family!

• Categories

  • Victorious Living (90)
  • Christian (47)
  • Believers (37)
  • Faith (29)
  • encouragement (26)
  • Jesus (20)
  • testimony (19)
  • Uncategorized (16)
  • Healing (12)
  • the Word of God (11)