The sky shall unfold Preparing His entrance The stars shall applaud Him With thunders of praise
The sweet light in His eyes Shall enhance those awaiting And we shall behold Him Then face to face
O, we shall behold Him We shall behold Him Face to face in all of His glory
O, we shall behold Him Yes, we shall behold Him Face to face, our Savior and Lord
The angel shall sound The shout of His coming And the sleeping shall rise From their slumbering place
And those who remain Shall be changed in a moment And we shall behold Him Then face to face
We shall behold Him O yes we shall behold Him Face to face in all of His glory
We shall behold Him Yes, we shall behold Him Face to face
Our Savior and Lord And we shall behold Him Our Savior and Lord Savior and Lord
Southern Gospel legend Dottie Rambo died on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2008 when her tour bus ran off the highway and struck an embankment in Missouri. Dottie was on her way to North Richland Hills, Texas to perform a Mother’s Day show with Lulu Roman & Naomi Sego. Dottie was 74 at the time of her death and had spent 62 years of her life writing music and singing about her Savior.
Seven other people on the bus, including her manager Larry Ferguson and his wife and two children, were injured in the accident. They were hospitalized in Springfield, Missouri with moderate to severe injuries, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol. Representatives from her recording label confirmed that Dottie was asleep at the time of the accident.
Dottie Rambo, born Joyce Reba Lutrell in Madison, Kentucky on March 2, 1934, started writing songs at the age of 8 while sitting by a creek near her family home. By age 10 she was playing guitar and singing on local country radio. Her father dreamed of the day that young Dottie become a singer on Nashville’s WSM Grand Ole Opry. When Dottie gave her life to Christ at the age of 12, changing her path from country music to gospel, her father did not agree with the decision, fearing that she would spend her life singing in backwood churches for little or no pay. He gave her an ultimatum; either stop the Christian singing or leave his house. Dottie chose the path that Christ had laid in front of her and was taken to the bus stop by her mother with all of her belongings in a cardboard suitcase and her name and address on a tag around her neck in case she got lost.
By the 1950s she had married Buck Rambo and had her daughter, Reba. Dottie and Buck traveled across the region singing her songs in small churches. Other gospel groups, like the Happy Goodman Family, heard her songs and started singing them. The then- governor of Louisiana, Jimmy Davis, heard her music and flew her and her family to the governor’s mansion so that she could sing her songs for him. Governor Davis paid Dottie to publish her songs and soon after, Warner Brothers Records signed Dottie and her group, The Gospel Echoes, to a two-record deal. When they wanted Dottie and her group to move to folk and start singing Rhythm and Blues, Dottie declined.
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them:
Hmm. Easier said than done – right? Not really. Of course, it is nigh impossible if one relies on their own righteousness, but the Bible implicitly states in many places, that only God is righteous, and that we, miserable sinners that we are, may receive His righteousness through faith in the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His perfect righteousness is given to us, by Grace.
And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
We are delivered from death and judgment only by recognizing and accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. He saves us from eternal death in the Lake of Fire, and promises us an eternity with Him.
but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
Just as naughty children never think they will be found out – the sinner in rebellion refuses to acknowledge what needs to be done. They willfully choose the darkness of this world, and the Proverb states they will be taken in their own naughtiness. Not the misdeeds of another – but their very own misdeeds. Sinners in rebellion will not be able to blame anyone (as is the popular trend today) because the Word says the blame will be squarely laid at their own feet.
In the universities and satanically controlled media, herculean effort is made to convince the lost that their condition is not sin and damnation, but that their misery is caused by others. Hence, the creation of the blame game. The evil one does not want man to repent, and he will do everything in his considerable power to cause the sinner to either kill themselves before they can get saved – or contrive to bedazzle the sinner with psychology and fleshly enticements. But God, in His mercy, has given us a narrow pathway of escape. . .
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, no turning back.
Though I may wonder, I still will follow; Though I may wonder, I still will follow; Though I may wonder, I still will follow; No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow; Though none go with me, still I will follow; Though none go with me, still I will follow; No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow Jesus? No turning back, no turning back.
Singh was raised a member of the Sikh religion. Prior to his conversion, Sundar attended a primary school run by the American Presbyterian Mission where the New Testament was read daily as a “textbook.” Sundar “refused to read the Bible at the daily lessons…To some extent the teaching of the Gospel on the love of God attracted me, but I still thought it was false.”
In the midst of such confusion and while only fourteen years old, his mother died, and Sundar underwent a crisis of faith. His mother was a loving saintly woman and they were very close. In his anger, Sundar burned a copy of one of the Gospels in public. Within three days Sundar Singh could bear his misery no longer. Late one night in December 1903, he rose from bed and prayed that God reveal himself to him if he really existed. Otherwise — “I planned to throw myself in front of the train which passed by our house.” For seven hours Sundar Singh prayed. “O God, if there is a God, reveal thyself to me tonight.” The next train was due at five o’clock in the morning. The hours passed. Suddenly the room filled with a glow. A man appeared before him. Sundar Singh heard a voice say, “How long will you deny me? I died for you; I have given my life for you.” He saw the man’s hands, pierced by nails.
Amazed that his vision had taken the unexpected form of Jesus, Sundar was convinced in his heart that Jesus was the true Savior, and that He was alive. Sundar fell on his knees before Him and experienced an astonishing peacefulness which he had never felt before. The vision disappeared, but peace and joy lingered within him.
Despite his family’s pleas, bribes, and threats, Sundar wanted to be baptized in the Christian faith. After his father spoke words of official rejection over him, Sundar became an outcast from his people. He cut off the hair he had worn long like every Sikh man. Against great opposition, he was baptized on his birthday in 1905, in an English church in Simla.
Conventional Indian churches were willing to grant him a pulpit, but their rules were foreign to his spirit. Indeed, he felt that a key reason the gospel was not accepted in India was because it came in a garb foreign to Indians. He decided to become a sadhu, so that he could dedicate himself to the Lord Jesus. He was convinced that this was the best way to introduce the Gospel to his people since it was the only way which his people were accustomed to. As a sadhu, he wore a yellow robe, lived on the charity of others, abandoned all possession and maintained celibacy. In this lifestyle, he was free to devote himself to the Lord. Dressed in his thin yellow robe, Sundar Singh took to the road and began a life of spreading the simple message of love and peace and rebirth through Jesus. He carried no money or other possessions, only a New Testament.
Sundar journeyed much. He traveled all over India and Ceylon. Between 1918-1919, he visited Malaysia, Japan and China. Between 1920-1922 he went to Western Europe, Australia and Israel. He preached in many cities; Jerusalem, Lima, Berlin and Amsterdam among others. Despite his growing fame, Sundar retained a modest nature, desiring only to follow Jesus’ example: to repay evil with kindness and to win over his enemies by love.
He was quite independent of outward Church authority in all his religious life, thought, and work. He dropped out of a Christian seminary that he briefly attended. Neither did he attach much importance to public worship because in his experience the heart prays better in solitude than in a congregation.
He traveled in India and Tibet, as well as the rest of the world, with the message that the modern interpretation of Jesus was sadly watered down. Sundar visited Tibet every summer and in 1929, he visited there and was never seen again.
The story of the song is covered in the Book by Dr. P.P. Job and Indian preacher in His book “Why God Why”
An excerpt from the book is given below:About 150 years ago, there was a great revival in Wales, England. As a result of this, many missionaries came from England and Germany to North-East India to spread the Gospel. At the time, north-east India was not divided into many states as it is today. The region was known as Assam and comprised hundreds of tribes. The tribal communities were quite primitive and aggressive by nature. The tribals were also called head-hunters because of a social custom which required the male members of the community to collect as many heads as possible. A man’s strength and ability to protect his wife was assessed by the number of heads he had collected. Therefore, a youth of marriageable age would try and collect as many heads as possible and hang them on the walls of his house. The more heads a man had, the more eligible he was considered. Into this hostile and aggressive community, came a group of Welsh missionaries spreading the message of love, peace and hope of Jesus Christ. Naturally, they were not welcomed. One Welsh missionary succeeded in converting a man, his wife, and two children. This man’s faith proved contagious and many villagers began to accept Christianity. Angry, the village chief summoned all the villagers. He then called the family who had first converted to renounce their faith in public or face execution. Moved by the Holy Spirit, the man instantly composed a song which became famous down the years. He sang:
I have decided to follow Jesus. (3 times) No turning back, no turning back.
Enraged at the refusal of the man, the chief ordered his archers to arrow down the two children. As both boys lay twitching on the floor, the chief asked, “Will you deny your faith? You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife too.”
But the man sang these words in reply:
Though no one joins me, still I will follow. (3 times) No turning back, no turning back.
The chief was beside himself with fury and ordered his wife to be arrowed down. In a moment she joined her two children in death. Now he asked for the last time, “I will give you one more opportunity to deny your faith and live.”
In the face of death the man sang the final memorable lines:
The cross before me, the world behind me. (3 times) No turning back, no turning back.
He was shot dead like the rest of his family. But with their deaths, a miracle took place. The chief who had ordered the killings was moved by the faith of the man. He wondered, “Why should this man, his wife and two children die for a Man who lived in a far-away land on another continent some 2,000 years ago? There must be some supernatural power behind the family, and I too want that supernatural power.”
In a spontaneous confession of faith, he declared, “I too belong to Jesus Christ!” When the crowd heard this from the mouth of their chief, the whole village accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. This is the power of [God in] demonstration.
John 12:26
If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.
A great many articles are written about the underground bunkers of the elites and super-rich. These fortresses amount to vast underground cities, with every comfort known to man. Even the not-so-rich, have succumbed to the notion, that they can “ride-out” Armageddon. Bible believers should know, that those who are truly born again – will not need to “hide out,” because they won’t be here. Not only that – but it would be impossible to do so. This is not to say that you should not be prepared for natural disasters, and not so natural ones like losing your job. What is being discussed here is the Day of Wrath.
Revelation 6:16-17
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Zephaniah 1:18
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord‘s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
but righteousness delivereth from death.
It is of utmost importance to understand, that you have no righteousness of your own. ZERO. When you are born again – you can possess His righteousness, and it is overflowing and enough! The good works and deeds you do after being saved, will gain you rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. And that is a wonderful thing to work for.
Philippians 3:9
And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Revelation 16:7
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments.
James 5:1-8
5 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.
Refrain
Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.
Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell; I know that the light of His presence With me doth continually dwell.
Refrain
I think of my blessèd Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long: I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.
Refrain
I know there’s a crown that is waiting, In yonder bright mansion for me, And soon, with the spirits made perfect, At home with the Lord I shall be.
Refrain
“Oh, what a happy child I am,
although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world,
contented I will be!”
Fanny Crosby, (March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915)
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Are you fortunate enough to live among trees? The Word of God is replete with references to trees – in the histories and prophecies. I often think of the old adage – “he can’t see the forest for the trees,” when faced with the obstinate refusal of sinners to see the sin that they are mired in. As they are in the midst of it – they fail to see how immense sin truly is. The Lord made all trees and plants on the third day of creation – and He made them very, very good. . . not just good for food, shelter, clothing, and outright beauty. . .but good for our souls.
Trees Really Are ‘Pleasant to the Sight’
by Brian Thomas, M.S. *
Genesis 2:9 records one of the Lord’s original intentions for creating trees, saying, “Out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” A new study has quantified just how pleasant to the sight trees can be, inadvertently confirming the truthfulness of this ancient biblical passage.
Professor William Sullivan and lecturer Bin Jiang of the University of Illinois’ department of landscape architecture measured stress levels in participants who watched six-minute-long 3D panoramic videos of neighborhoods. The amount of tree canopy coverage in the various neighborhoods ranged from 2 to 62 percent.1
The researchers used three tactics to gauge stress: measuring salivary cortisol levels, detecting skin conductance, and conducting self-reports. Adrenal glands secrete cortisol hormone in response to stress, and sweaty skin—another response to stress—conducts electricity more efficiently than dry skin.
Their analysis revealed that those participants exposed to 62 percent tree coverage experienced a 60 percent reduction in stress.
Their results also showed that 41 percent of participants showed no change in stress levels when only a quarter or less of the neighborhood canopies had trees. However, according to University of Illinois news, “when the percentage of tree canopy increased to 36 percent, more than 90 percent of viewers reported feeling calm or relaxed while watching the videos.”1
These findings support the idea that urban planners and landscape architects who incorporate green spaces into their plans could help foster a healthier, calmer populace.
How could the calming sense of pleasure that comes from looking at trees have evolved? Did it somehow help mankind out-compete some ancient and unfeeling animals from which we supposedly emerged?
Rather, God built trees to meet humanity’s God-given ability to appreciate them and thus their Maker. What better disposition from which to appreciate the Lord than one of simple pleasure? Viewed from a biblical perspective, the positive effect of merely looking at tree canopies confirms the words of Genesis that God made certain trees—not just the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—to be pleasant to the eyes.
* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer at the Institute for Creation Research.
Deuteronomy 20:18-20
18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.
19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege:
20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
Revelation 22:1-3
22 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him
Please enjoy this lovely rendition of Joyce Kilmer’s/Oscar Rasbach’s “Trees,” sung by Bob McGrath, in classical Irish tenor style...
The next time you are outside, stop and take a whiff of the oxygen and fragrance that trees provide. Really pause, and look up at their branches moving in the wind. Thank our Creator for giving us such beautiful, wonderful things, things that we so often overlook in our busy lives.
Verse1: Far dearer than all that the world can impart Was the message came to my heart. How that Jesus alone for my sin did atone, And Calvary covers it all.
Calvary covers it all, My past with its sin and stain; My guilt and despair Jesus took on Him there, And Calvary covers it all.
Verse 2: The stripes that He bore and the thorns that He wore Told His mercy and lover evermore And my heart bowed in shame as I called on His name, And Calvary covers it all.
Calvary covers it all, My past with its sin and stain; My guilt and despair Jesus took on Him there, And Calvary covers it all.
Verse 3: How matchless the grace, when I looked in the face Of this Jesus, my crucified Lord; My redemption complete I then found at His feet, And Calvary covers it all.
Calvary covers it all, My past with its sin and stain; My guilt and despair Jesus took on Him there, And Calvary covers it all.
Verse 4: How blessed the thought, that my soul by Him bought, Shall be His in the glory on high; Where with gladness and song, I’ll be one of the throng And Calvary covers it all.
Calvary covers it all, My past with its sin and stain; My guilt and despair Jesus took on Him there, And Calvary covers it all.
Note: There is little information available on this fine song, written in 1934, or its author, but it’s worthy of consideration both for how it came to be written, and for the aptness of its message. The full story is found in Al Smith’s Hymn Histories (pp. 125-127).
The song relates to a dancer named Walter “Happy Mac” MacDonald, whom comedian Eddie Cantor said had the fastest feet in the world. Mac was talented, but he was also in bondage to sin, and addicted to alcohol. One night in the early 1930′s he stumbled into a meeting in the Pacific Garden Mission, in Chicago. When an invitation was given for those present to trust in Christ as Saviour, Mac did not respond. But, as he returned, night after night, workers gradually came to know more about him.
Directing the mission in those days (1918-1936) were Walter Grand Taylor and his wife Ethelwyn, affectionately known as Pa and Ma Taylor. Ethel Taylor watched Mac, and her heart went out to him. She prayed, “Dear Lord, please help us say and do the right things, so that we may win Mac to Thee.” Finally, MacDonald did seek counseling, and Ma Taylor listened as he struggled with his past. “You don’t understand,” he prayed. “You don’t know how bad I am, Lord. Really I’m the worst man in the world. You can’t save me; I’m too bad.”
Mrs. Taylor recalled a message she had heard weeks before. Evangelist Percy Crawford had been a rebel in his youth. But one day he accepted Christ as his Saviour. The theme of Crawford’s testimony was, “Calvary covers it all,” and Ethel Taylor shared those words with MacDonald.
He asked her to repeat them, and suddenly the light dawned. “Oh! Mrs. Taylor, I’m so glad it’s true, and you told me. Calvary does cover it all! My whole past of sin and shame.” The former entertainer trusted in the Saviour that night in 1934, and lived to become an outstanding servant of Christ.
This magnificent old hymn is pure praise from start to finish, and is chock full of solid doctrine. Turn up your speakers and see His glory. The chord progressions are spectacular.
All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell; Come ye before Him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed; Without our aid He did us make; We are His folk, He doth us feed, And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise; Approach with joy His courts unto; Praise, laud, and bless His Name always, For it is seemly so to do.
For why? the Lord our God is good; His mercy is for ever sure; His truth at all times firmly stood, And shall from age to age endure.
To Father, Son and Holy Ghost, The God Whom Heaven and earth adore, From men and from the angel host Be praise and glory evermore.
Hymn Story
All People That on Earth Do Dwell
In the Reformation, there was a difference of opinion between Luther and Calvin concerning music for congregational singing. Luther advocated the use of hymns and carols, and even wrote a number of those. Calvin was concerned that hymns not clearly based on scripture might introduce false doctrine into the church, and so he advocated the singing of Psalms. He said that there were “no better songs nor more appropriate to the purpose (of congregational singing) than the Psalms of David which the Holy Spirit made and spoke through him.”
Calvin, of course, was based in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1551, a Psalter was published in Geneva that included a song based on Psalm 134 and set to a tune by Louis Bourgeois. In 1561, the Anglo-Genevan Psalter (an English-language Psalter) was published in Geneva that included “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” set to that earlier tune by Bourgeois.
The words to “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” were written by William Kethe, a Scottish clergyman who had fled the persecutions of Queen Mary. His exile took him first to Frankfurt, Germany and thence to Geneva. Kethe helped with the translation of the Geneva Bible in 1560 and contributed 25 psalms to the Anglo-Genevan Psalter.
Kethe left Geneva for England in 1561, and took a copy of the Anglo-Genevan Psalter with him –– thereby introducing this music to the English. A number of his psalms found their way into the English Psalter of 1562, which was published by Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins. All of his psalms were included in the Scottish Psalter two years later.
“All People That on Earth Do Dwell” is based on Psalm 100. That Psalm is five verses in length, and the song is four verses. The first verse of the song is based on verses 1 and 2 of the psalm, and each of the subsequent verses of the song is based on one verse of the psalm. It is probably the oldest hymn in common use today.
The tune by Bourgeois is known today as “Old Hundredth,” and is one of the best-known tunes in modern hymnals –– in large measure because it is also sung to the Doxology, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.”
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.
sage
p.s. I post this as part of my continuous effort to point up the dangers of CCM, and hope and pray that God’s people will wake up to the serpent in the singing. Can you see what is being lost as the old hymns are cast aside for simple lyrics and rhythmic melodies? CCM is now firmly in IFB churches everywhere.
It is a fact – the bigger they are – the harder they fall. The Pharisee in the illustration was full of himself, totally unaware that he was doomed. We also, as believers, can fall to this sort of pride.
One pastor of a large and beautiful church, was a very confident man. He had a beautiful family, and was well received by his congregation. He was a learned man, and gifted teacher. This continued on for some time, and his pride grew along with his successes. One day, his teenaged daughter ran away from home. They had no idea where she was. Then his church began to splinter as he attempted to accommodate both progressives and conservatives within his congregation. The “blended” church service ensued, which was followed by uprisings within the sheepfold. Half the congregation left to join a contemporary worship church, while another half left to join a traditional church. His church went bankrupt, whereupon he was fired by the board.
How about us? Are we foolish and prideful enough to think we can accommodate the world in our hearts? The pastor in the story, is the story of each and everyone of us. He allowed his daughter to closely associate with worldly teenagers. He allowed young and fleshly people to hold sway in his congregation. We all try in varying degrees to accommodate the world. Perhaps our teenaged daughter has not run away from home, but put in perspective – we all have our own kind of “runaways,” don’t we? Take your pick – job? marriage? favorite sin? addiction? Do you know where they are?
but with the lowly is wisdom.
Daily, minute by minute, moment by moment, we must strive to keep the world, the flesh, and the devil under complete subjection. Any compromise or accommodation will lead to our shame. If we think we can master the devil without copious prayer and Bible study – we give the evil one mastery over us because we are accommodating him. Don’t think for one second that you can outfox the fox on your own. Humble yourself, and rely only on God’s wisdom and knowledge. Never attempting to put your own thinking or understanding into what you think God thinks. The only wisdom in this world is in God’s Holy Word – the Bible.
The prevailing trend is to put animals on the same level as man – making continual referrals to our “closest relative” – the chimpanzee. We see many well produced, heart-tugging, and expensive commercials for the Humane Society, or the ASPCA. All the while, crisis pregnancy centers struggle to keep their doors open, and private property owners are forced to surrender everything to an endangered animal.
Man is not an animal, man is God’s jewel of Creation
God. . .breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Genesis 2: 7
Man is special to God
God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion . . .upon the earth. Genesis 1: 26
Man is positionally important to God
Thou wast precious in My sight. . .and I have loved thee. . .Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Isaiah 43: 4, 7
Our God is a Triune God
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is One Lord. . .Deuteronomy 6: 4
Man was created a triune being
I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5: 23
The New Age Religion seeks to spread the blasphemy, that not only is man one with nature – but God is also one with everything.
“Swami Vivekkananda, a Hindu guru widely thought of in America, taught that because the Mother-Goddess Kali is all, all in one, and all is cyclical, God is both good and evil:
‘Who can say that God does not manifest Himself as Evil as well as Good? But only the Hindu dares to worship him in the evil. . .How few have dared to worship death, or Kali? Let us worship death!’
Likewise, Lucifer is said to be neither evil nor good. He simply is. Formerly a destroyer, Lucifer now becomes a god – perhaps the God – chosen to shepherd mankind into the brightness of a New Age.
He is the Shiva and Kali of the New Age.” (Dark Secrets of the New Age,p. 87, Texe Marrs)
When young boys and girls are told repeatedly in school that the human embryo is no different than a chicken embryo in the early days of development – this sets the stage for abortion later on. After all – we eat chickens – don’t we?
14 I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139: 14-16
If you – or someone you know – is faced with an unplanned pregnancy – think about this one thing. . .ending the life that is growing, will not solve anything. Please, choose the miracle of life. Choose God’s way, not Satan’s way. God loves you so much, and you are so precious to Him, that He gave His life, so that you could live – you and your unborn child.
There are lovely and caring women, just waiting to help you, at crisis pregnancy centers all over America. Just look in the yellow pages. You will not be judged, you will be loved. You – and your child.
The reward of heeding wisdom, is God Himself. He is our reward! This is in direct contrast to what the prosperity ministries teach. If we seek after Him with the same intensity as a carnal person would seek after buried treasure – He will reveal Himself to us.
We continue on the same theme. This time finding out exactly what happens when we receive this Godly wisdom.
10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
12 To deliver thee from the way of the
evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
This “evil man” can come in the guise of a co-worker, a friend, TV personality, a worldly book or magazine, employer, family member, class mate, neighbor, internet, or even a passing acquaintance.
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Of course, the “strange woman” could be any woman. She could be the neighbor that dresses immodestly in front of your husband, the girl at work, the editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, one of the female false prophets on TV, your hairstylist, or even your kid’s Bible study teacher!
20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Proverbs 2: 10-22
And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. . . ye shall be as gods. . .
Genesis 3:4
James Hughes Ph.D., the Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, is a bioethicist and sociologist at Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut where he teaches health policy and serves as Director of Institutional Research and Planning. He holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of Chicago, where he also taught bioethics at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. Dr. Hughes is author of Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future , and is working on a second book tentatively titled Cyborg Buddha. Since 1999 he has produced a syndicated weekly radio program, Changesurfer Radio.
As transhuman possibilities increasingly develop, the compatibilities of metaphysics, theodicy, soteriology and eschatology between the transhumanist and religious worldviews will be built upon to create new “trans-spiritualities.” In this future religious landscape there will be bioconservative and transhumanist wings within all the world’s faiths, and probably new religious traditions inspired by the transhumanist project. We will create new religious rituals and meanings around biotechnological and cybernetic and cybernetic capabilities, just as we did around fire, the wheel, healing plants, and the book.
James J. Hughes, The Compatibility of Religious and Transhumanism Views of Metaphysics, Suffering, Virtue, and Transcendence in an Enhanced Future
In the Caltech experiments, the researchers stripped an HIV virus of its disease-causing elements and used it to virally infect single-cell embryos of mice with a gene from a jellyfish.
Any number of different genes could have been selected. For the purpose of the studies, the researchers chose a specific jellyfish gene that could serve as a “marker” to indicate whether the gene transfer was successful. The gene produces a protein that gives the jellyfish a green fluorescence.
When the mice were born, they carried the jellyfish gene in their own genes. Under fluorescent light, all their major tissues and organs—including skin, bones, muscles, lungs, liver, kidney, stomach, brain, and retina—emitted a green glow.
The trait became a permanent feature of the mice genome and was passed along to many of their offspring. (National Geographic)
This has gone much, much farther than glow mice. This description of the fearsome locusts in Revelation 9: 6-12 does not sound all that incredible in light of this.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. Revelation 9:6-12
Often the secular world will accuse Christians of being exclusionary – “Jesus can’t be the only way.” (Oprah Winfrey) What about that? Is He the only way?
Yes !
In reality, there have always been two Books. The Bible, and Creation. Creation has been around for 2,500 years before the Bible was given.
The outdoor book speaks to man about God through natural revelation. Every person born on this earth, is witness to God’s eternal power and Godhead, through nature. Common sense tells man that there is beauty, order, intelligence, and design.
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth. Isaiah 40:26
Are the heathen accountable? Yes.
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1: 19-21
If the individual responds positively to the truth that is revealed in nature, God, who knows our very thoughts, will raise up a missionary to give that person the truth in the written Word.
For example, when Paul and Silas wanted to go to a certain area in Asia, they were “forbidden of the Holy Ghost” – Acts 16:6,7.
Instead, God sent them to Western Europe, where He knew they were waiting to receive the Word. If people do not respond to the outdoor Book – they are still responsible for rejecting it – even if they never hear the Written Word.
Rejecting the truth of Creation will eventually cause individuals, as well as entire nations to become perverted. It makes no difference if the person is living in a hut in a third world country, or a penthouse in a fabulous city – it still applies.
1 O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.
2 O light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee; my heart restores its borrowed ray, that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day may brighter, fairer be.
3 O joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain that morn shall tearless be.
4 O cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee; I lay in dust life’s glory dead, and from the ground there blossoms red life that shall endless be.
Lyrics: George Matheson 1842-1906
Music: Albert L. Peace
“Stabilizing lines, especially for those in darkness.
Do you know the story behind it?
At age 20 George Matheson (1842-1906) was engaged to be married but began going blind. When he broke the news to his fiancee, she decided she could not go through life with a blind husband. She left him. Before losing his sight he had written two books of theology and some feel that if he had retained his sight he could have been the greatest leader of the church of Scotland in his day.
A special providence was that George’s sister offered to care for him. With her help, George left the world of academia for pastoral ministry and wound up preaching to 1500 each week–blind.
The day came, however, in 1882, when his sister fell in love and prepared for marriage herself. The evening before the wedding, George’s whole family had left to get ready for the next day’s celebration. He was alone and facing the prospect of living the rest of his life without the one person who had come through for him. On top of this, he was doubtless reflecting on his own aborted wedding day twenty years earlier. It is not hard to imagine the fresh waves of grief washing over him that night.
In the darkness of that moment George Matheson wrote this hymn. He remarked afterward that it took him five minutes and that it was the only hymn he ever wrote that required no editing.
O love that will not let me go. Heartening hope for you and me.”
One way researchers are finding out is by studying coprolites, or fossilized dinosaur dung. And as it turns out, some dinosaurs ate rice plants. But if flowering plants like rice did not evolve until millions of years after dinosaurs lived—as evolution maintains—how could dinosaurs have eaten them?
Some coprolites contain phytoliths, which are uniquely shaped microscopic crystals manufactured by various plant tissues. Most phytoliths are made of silicon dioxide, the same chemical that comprises sand. Scientists examining these tiny grains can often discern from which plant they came.
For example, in 2005, researchers found phytoliths from grass, palm trees, conifers, and other flowering plants in (probably sauropod) dinosaur coprolites from India.1 “It was very unexpected….We will have to rewrite our understanding of its evolution….We may have to add grass to the dioramas of dinosaurs we see in museums,” palaeobotanist Caroline Strömberg told Nature News at the time.2
Recently, Strömberg and two of her co-authors from the 2005 study described coprolite-encased phytoliths that are so similar to those made by certain modern rice plants that those found in dinosaur rocks “can be assigned to the rice tribe, Oryzeae, of grass subfamily Ehrhartoideae.”3 They collected these samples from the same Indian rock layers, the Lameta Formation, that contained their 2005 finds.
This find joins others that have shown that rice, grass, palm trees, and conifers from dinosaur rocks were essentially the same as their living counterparts. It’s as though millions of years of plant evolution never occurred.
The Lameta formation includes sedimentary layers interbedded with volcanic rock layers. It is huge, covering a large area of India.4 The Flood described in the book of Genesis is the best explanation for this scale of upheaval, showing that the fossils found there resulted from the Flood.
Thus, these coprolites show that rice plants existed before the Flood. Either rice had diversified from an originally created grass that was common to many other grasses, like wheat and bamboo, or God created rice grasses separately from other grass kinds. Studies show that rice grasses do not hybridize with other grasses.5 These dinosaur-eaten phytoliths add weight to the idea that rice was a distinct creation from the beginning.
According to Scripture, God created all the grasses, plants, and grazing mammals, along with any grazing dinosaurs like sauropods, by the sixth day of the creation week. As far as what the fossils have shown, Scripture is right.
15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. 16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. 17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. 18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. 19 He is the chief of the ways of God: He that made him can make His sword to approach unto him. 20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. 21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. 23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares. Job 40: 15-24
Oh – those loud, attention seekers. They speak without thinking, and put their proverbial feet in their mouths at every opportunity. Well, as annoying as they may be – the jabber mouths will not go on forever. The ones who take delight in mocking and ridiculing the Lord and His people will not get the last laugh!
Proverbs 10:31-32
31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
Recalling that only those who are under the Blood of Christ are considered “just” by God – it does not bode well for those who have a froward tongue!
adjective: froward
(of a person) difficult to deal with; contrary.
In point of fact – our blessed Redeemer made mention of this very thing, while He was here in the flesh:
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.
How do we know what is “acceptable?” By reading, studying, and memorizing the Word of God. Being a Christian does not automatically cause you to speak with wisdom! This kind of righteousness comes only with having the mind of Christ, and making His thoughts and Words a part of you. And to prove that our own words can not count as wisdom, we look to our Savior once again, and see how He responded to the Devil during the temptation.
Matthew 4:3-10
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Notice that the Lord ONLY used Scripture to respond to the Devil. This is especially important for those Christians who somehow think the Old Testament no longer has meaning or importance to the Church! If the Living Christ thought it was important enough to quote – how are Christians confident in not doing so as well? Are we responding to temptation with our own logic and reason? Are we foolish enough to think that our own resources can outfox the Fox? The Devil? The Tempter? This one thing – failing to use the Word of God against temptation – is the greatest weakness of the Church.
Don’t get bogged down in debate with the evil one and his minions – you can’t possibly win against a supernatural intelligence like that using your own abilities. Use the Word of God as the sword of Truth! Memorize it, inhale it, study it, devour it. The wicked will flee. . .
Come, ye sinners, lost and hopeless, Jesus’ blood can make you free; For He saved the worst among you, When He saved a wretch like me.
Refrain:And I know, yes, I knowJesus’ blood can make the vilest sinner clean,And I know, yes, I knowJesus’ blood can make the vilest sinner clean.
To the faint He giveth power,Through the mountains makes a way;Findeth water in the desert,Turns the night to golden day.
In temptation He is near thee,Holds the pow’rs of hell at bay;Guides you to the path of safety,Gives you grace for every day.
He will keep thee while the agesRoll throughout eternity;Though earth hinders and hell rages,All must work for good to thee.
We only know that the wonderful words and music to this hymn were written by a lady name Anna W. Waterman, in 1920. . .
From a home with one brother and one sister, Charles Waterman’s urge was to see the country. This took him to hitchhiking on the railroad to California. He was influenced by the worldly crowd and gave himself to become an alcoholic. Even as such, he worked his way up to become an engineer on the steam locomotive. He married Anna, who had a Christian background and did what she could to keep the testimony before him. Anna was discouraged at the path her husband followed because it was causing him to miss work on some of his hangovers. So she asked a lady in her town in California to meet with her and help her pray for Charles to be saved. His wild life went on for three or more years and one night he became frightened while under the influence and when he finally arrived at home, he told Anna he wanted to be saved. She immediately called her friend who came over to their home and they led him to the Lord. He begged the Lord for forgiveness and to clean up his life, which the Lord did. The happiness that followed caused Anna to write this song. A book with over 30 other songs was collected and published. They visited in Lodi, Fountain County, Indiana, and at the Baptist Church, later named Waterman Baptist Church. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/y/e/s/yesiknow.htm
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
Once again, the Proverbs make a clear demarcation between the saved and the lost. The pagan world is stymied when Christians repeatedly stand tall in the face of adversity. They would prefer, if when faced with calamity, that we collapse and fall into the abyss of sinful behaviors that they are mired in. But – the Proverb states that the Lord is our strength. We do not need to resort to the world’s accepted methods – we have the Word of God. Nothing more is required to see us through life’s darkest hours.
Psalm 1:6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Proverbs 10:30
The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
That’s right all you Mother Earth worshipers, you do NOT inherit the earth. No matter how much you do to “save the planet,” it won’t help – because it’s not yours to save. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it – and He will give it to whom He chooses. It will not be given to the unrepentant, that is a fact.
Psalm 37:29
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
Revelation 21:6-8
6 And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Proverbs 10:27
While the Word of God does not guarantee a long earthly life to truly born again believers, it does follow reason that those who fear Him, and forsake sinful lifestyles will have better health and greater joy in life. While we are in our flesh – we long to be with Him, and having the knowledge of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence will prevent us from taking a detour into the dark side.
Living the Holy Spirit filled life is a matter of surrendering our wills to His will. It is a matter of getting rid of our household gods and fleshly desires, and allowing the Holy Spirit to completely fill us. And while it seems that the wicked are holding sway at this moment in time – remember – that to God – there is no time! Time only exists here on earth – it is not a part of the heavenly realm.
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
Proverbs 10:28
Yes – we must fear our Creator – but we must also hope in Him. One need only see the hard, brittle, look in the eyes of the abrasive atheists when they are attacking the Bible and Bible believers. It is a cold, dead expression – void of hope. And if the eyes truly are the window to the soul – what does that tell us? There is death where there is no hope – spiritual death. And then in the not so far off future – eternal death in the Lake of Fire.
We can be truly glad of heart, and take joy in the fact that our futures are already secure, and written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life. There is no reason to fret over evil doers – because their future is already determined if they remain unrepentant. What a terrible thought.
The next time you hear news of murders, corruptions, and all the sundry evils that satan has in his arsenal, it would be wise to think where your hope is. It is not here! not in America, not in anything other than our blessed savior – Jesus Christ.
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
[Forgive me. I so wanted to post a video with the classic hymn – “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand,” but was unable to find one without a sensuous back-beat.]
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole; I want Thee forever to live in my soul. Break down every idol, cast out every foe; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow. Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain, Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain; To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego— Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies, And help me to make a complete sacrifice. I give up myself, and whatever I know, Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat, I wait, blessèd Lord, at Thy crucified feet. By faith, for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow, Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait, Come now, and within me a new heart create; To those who have sought Thee, Thou never saidst No, Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
The blessing by faith, I receive from above; O glory! my soul is made perfect in love; My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know, The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.
Refrain
This hymn was written in 1872 by James Nicholson, who lived in Washington D. C. He was a dedicated Christian and was active in the Wharton Street Methodist Episcopal Church as a Sunday school and evangelistic worker.
The tune was written by Philadelphia musician named William Gustavus Fischer who was a popular song leader for revival meetings. He also composed the tune for “I love to tell the story”.
The hymn is based on Ps51:7 – “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
This beautiful hymn tells the salvation story from start to finish. It contains all three elements of true repentance:
change of mind
change of heart
change of will
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, now is the time to get right with the Lord. In all sincerity – there is no better time than right now.
24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
Those that are unsaved and living for the world system, fear death to the point they will do almost anything to avoid it. Because they have no hope for the future, and no concept of an eternity – they cling with fervor to this earthly realm. Being completely self centered, they think nothing of killing the unborn, or using their body parts to extend their own lives.
25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
As believers, we know that our future is already sealed. That is our hope – something the wicked couldn’t possibly understand. With Jesus Christ as our Righteous and Everlasting foundation, we are known by name, are built onto – and permanently attached to Him. Once we are in heaven with the Lord, the wicked will no more come to our minds. Or to the Lord’s mind! And how grateful we should be for that! Not to think about what the evil are up to anymore – that sounds like heaven to me.
Isaiah 65:11-17
11 But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before Mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, My servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto My chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call His servants by another name:
16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from Mine eyes.
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Like a chameleon, John Kerry, our Secretary of State, has now interpreted Scripture – first for a Muslim audience at the State Department’s “Iftar” dinner, where he said:
“For many of us, respect for God’s creation in almost every scripture really demands and translates into a duty to protect and sustain God’s first creation,” said Kerry. “Our response to climate change ought to be rooted in a fundamental sense of shared stewardship of the earth that emerges from that tradition.”
Mr. Kerry/Kohen – when you say “God” – to whom are you referring? Allah is not YHWH! Allah=Baal. And you dare to place the Word of God – the Holy Bible, on the same footing as the Koran?
And for the pseudo Christians at the State Department’s Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives (code for Agenda 21) he offered this meandering tripe:
“I’m convinced that all of you will agree,” said Kerry, “that one of the toughest challenges that we face in terms of global diplomacy and relationships around the world between peoples nowadays, from sectarian strife to the challenges of many intractable, frozen conflicts, to the challenges of simply understanding people–one people to another–or even monumental challenges like the sectarian strife that we see tearing countries and regions apart, as well as the enormous challenges of things like global climate change, which really is a challenge to our responsibilities as the guardians–safe guarders of God’s creation.”
If you’re old enough to remember when fear of Communism was the proferred method of intimidating and controlling the masses, you should be able to recognize the latest instruments of “correction.” Since the Berlin wall came down in 1989, the PTB were forced to come up with an all new mechanism for mastery. Or is it new?
Now the yoke of “climate control,” is placed on our proverbial necks, headed up by luminaries from every Christian denomination – http://christiansandclimate.org/signatories/and I suggest to you – that it is not different – Communism and Climate Control are ideologically the same. Ingenious, really, but considering who (his name starts with L.) is behind it, one could hardly be surprised. It truly is the perfect crime – wherein the victims (us) are led to believe that the perpetrators are doing us a favor, through the wholesale destruction of industrialization and capitalism under the glossy, plumped-up image of saving the environment. Lovely.
Guess who is public enemy #1 now? Humanity. In the view of the elites, the useless eaters are destroying their beautiful world. How Mr. Kerry must tingle inside when he speaks of caring for “God’s creation.” In his view, God only created trees and oceans, etc. God did not create the unborn that are being sacrificed on the altar of Baal as I write this.
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If you are feeling anxious about things that are happening in the world today, the Lord wants you to know, that all these things are a sign of His soon return. Those that have trusted their futures to Him, do not have any of those kinds of worries, because He has promised them a better, brighter future. A future where there is no war, poverty, or strife.
Jesus said, “I tell you. . .except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3,5 Repentance is an act of deep sorrow for one’s sins, of turning from your sin – towards Jesus.
From your heart, call out to Him. Tell him – “I know I’m a sinner. Please, please forgive me. I believe, Jesus, that You took all the punishment for everything I’ve done, everything. I believe that You died for me. Please, Jesus, please come into my heart. I thank You and praise You for this wonderful gift of salvation. Thank You. Amen.”
The words themselves are not a magical formula. If you are truly repentant, and with all sincerity, from the bottom of your soul, you desire Jesus, God will save you today!
Under His wings I am safely abiding, Though the night deepens and tempests are wild, Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me, He has redeemed me, and I am His child.
Refrain
Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever? Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever.
Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow! How the heart yearningly turns to His rest! Often when earth has no balm for my healing, There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.
Refrain
Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment! There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er; Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me, Resting in Jesus, I’m safe evermore.
Refrain
If $100,000 was your whole life savings, would you give every penny of it to someone in need? William O. Cushing did something like that. In the nineteenth century, when $1,000 was a lot of money, he gave his entire life savings to pay for the education of a blind girl.
That is not what he is remembered for, however. His fame is as a hymnwriter. One of his earliest hymns was the song, “When He Cometh,” which compared Christians to jewels whom Christ would gather when he came. Other notable hymns were written after he had experienced great grief and loss. But that is getting ahead of the story.
William Orcutt Cushing was born in Hingham, Massachusetts on this date, December 31, 1823. His parents raised him as a Universalist, but by reading the Bible for himself as a teenager, he became an orthodox believer. At eighteen he was convinced the Lord wanted him to become a minister and he trained for it.
His first pastorate was at Searsburg, New York. There he met and married Rena Proper in 1854 (which was also the year he wrote “When He Cometh”). After that he served in Auburn, Brooklyn, Buffalo and Sparta, New York. With the decline of his wife’s health, William returned with her to Searsburg where she died in 1870.
After that, “creeping paralysis” stole his voice and prevented him from preaching any longer. He pleaded with the Lord to allow him to continue to serve in some capacity.
His prayer was granted. He wrote over 300 hymns. Some of these are still beloved by the church. “Follow on” was written in 1878 to a tune by Robert Lowry. “Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus; anywhere, everywhere…” it promises. “Under His Wings,” printed and sung by Ira Sankey, sprang out of Cushing’s personal suffering and was suggested by Psalm 17:8, “Hide me under the shadow of your wings.” Another of his famous hymns “Ring the Bells of Heaven” was written before his deep troubles had descended upon him. Composer George F. Root had sent him the tune. Cushing felt it needed joyful words and mused on it all day before the words came to him.
In keeping with the theme of service and stewardship from the Friday Proverb and Bible Study, this hymn is dedicated to surrendering our wills to the service and glory of our Savior.
It may not be on the mountain’s height, or over the stormy sea; It may not be at the battle’s front my Lord will have need of me; But if by a still, small voice He calls to paths I do not know, I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Yours, I’ll go where You want me to go.
Refrain
I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, O’er mountain, or plain, or sea; I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, I’ll be what You want me to be.
Perhaps today there are loving words which Jesus would have me speak; There may be now, in the paths of sin, some wand’rer whom I should seek. O Savior, if You will be my Guide, though dark and rugged the way, My voice shall echo the message sweet, I’ll say what You want me to say.
Refrain
There’s surely somewhere a lowly place in earth’s harvest fields so wide, Where I may labor through life’s short day for Jesus, the Crucified. So, trusting my all unto Your care, I know You always love me! I’ll do Your will with a heart sincere, I’ll be what You want me to be.
Refrain
Words: Mary Brown, in Our Best Endeavor (Silver Burdett & Company: 1892) (verse 1), and Charles E. Prior (verses 2-3). The original title was “Go Stand and Speak,” with music by Prior.
This well-known missionary and consecration hymn was adopted by a class of over a hundred missionary nurses at the Battle Creek (Michigan) Sanitarium as their class hymn. Every Sunday afternoon they would gather for a social meeting and always sing [it]…In this class were students from nearly every State of the Union, from Australia, South Africa, South America, Bulgaria, Armenia, and nearly all the European countries. At the close of the course they agreed that after they had parted and gone to their different fields, they would sing this hymn every Sunday as they had done during their happy class-days.
I’m sure we’ve all seen it – one or two people actually working – while the vast majority are standing or sitting around doing nothing. While it has always been sinful human nature to be lazy – certainly the death of the famous Protestant Work Ethic has elevated sluggishness to a lifestyle – perhaps even an art form.
Proverbs 10:26
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
Bitter and burning – that is what the sluggard is to employers and those in authority. And the taste of vinegar is long lasting and memorable – as is smoke in the eyes. Never will the sluggard be looked on in any other way, than as a sluggard or potential sluggard.
So is the sluggard to them that send him.
Do we really want the world to see believers that way? Think about that word – sluggard. Not at all a pleasant image to think about. And it is also unpleasant to recognize, that the sluggard does not only hurt himself and the image of the church – he leaves a slime trail.
Which means that though the sluggard is being self indulgent, he really is leaving a sticky trap behind him for others to see where he’s been, where he is going, and where to follow. . .
There are so many behaviors that qualify as sluggish, in the church, it would be impossible to list them all here. We could fully embrace the Lord’s perfection, and even recognize such sins as adultery and gluttony as sluggishness. For example, the lazy spouse will seek outside relationships, or even internet pornography, rather than working on their marriage. A sluggish body will eat copious amounts of easily obtained foods, rather than prepare healthy foods to eat – because the preparation (planning, shopping, cooking) requires effort and – work.
We are to blame for the situations we find ourselves in. Bad decisions are one thing – and sluggishness is its evil twin. Let us strive to put our best foot forward – and show to the sinful, fallen world, the radiance of a Holy Spirit filled life, and reflect outwards – the Light of the Son.
Last Friday, the wise counsel was to walk in wisdom – that walking with the LORD and feeding on His Word is life and health – both physical and spiritual. Today, the enticements of the flesh are shown for what they are – death.
1My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
2That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
As the young man in the illustration demonstrates – nothing is hidden. The person he is deceiving is unaware, but the LORD sees everything. He may think he’s not hurting anyone – but the Proverb goes on to explain that the hurt is endless.
5Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
6Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
7Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Here Solomon is saying – why risk it? Why throw caution to the wind for something that is so unstable? Adultery and fornication are not part of God’s plan for us – and every sexual disease known to man is certainly not the result of stable, Godly marriages.
8Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thylaboursbe in the house of a stranger;
11And thou mourn at the last, when thy
flesh and thy body are consumed,
12And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
Giving your honor, wealth, and labors to others??? How about everyone (including your boss, pastor, and parents) knowing about what you’ve done? How about losing everything in a divorce settlement? How about another man living in your home, with your ex-wife, and raising your children?
Flesh and body consumed? Well, that could happen in a variety of ways. Financial ruin and divorce take a tremendous toll on one’s health. Then there is the more direct type of flesh consumption- http://realtruth.org/articles/090303-005-health.html
14I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Proverbs 5:1-14
If you think I’m just directing this at men – I’m not. Thanks to the satanic women’s movement – the “ladies” are now making significant advancement into adultery and fornication – an area that was formerly dominated by men. And the results are just what the evil one intended: the breakdown of the family, less personal wealth for all income levels, abortion, declining birth rates, women’s bodies being prostituted in every form of media, and general moral decay.
We can make up all kinds of excuses for the things we do. My parents neglected/abused me. My marriage is lousy. I’m under a lot of pressure. I never really wanted to be married in the first place. This marriage isn’t what I wanted. My wife/husband doesn’t understand me. I’m lonely. . . .
My, me, my, I, I, I, my, I . . . . the Word says there simply is no excuse. Sin, is sin, is sin.
James 4:4
King James Version (KJV)
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
In our last Friday Proverb, we learned that the best way to avoid wickedness is to flee from it. As the old saying goes – “Run like the very devil is after you!” (Because he is) It was also stressed that the wicked cannot rest or even sleep until they cause others to fall. That is a very important fact to remember when the sinful temptations are being sold to you.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Again, the Proverbs are stressing that God’s Words must be kept deep within our hearts, providing life and health to our bodies. Understand that this is more than prose. Ample (if resentful) secular evidence exists to support what is written in this Proverb. It stymies the “scientific” community as to why church goers, and those who regularly pray and study the Bible, live longer. They continuously try to explain it away with brain scans and Freudian analysis. Aren’t we blessed not to have to worry about the why? And just addressing the logical side of the question – it stands to reason that the truly faithful Christians avoid much of the behavior that makes people sick, as well as dangerous situations and lifestyles.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
From the Hebrew “keep” =
natsar: to watch, guard, keep
Original Word: נָצַר Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: natsar Phonetic Spelling: (naw-tsar’)
Guarding your heart is not the same thing as “hardening” your heart. Keeping it with “all diligence,” protects your heart from being damaged by sin. Leaving it exposed like a target is considered foolishness in the Proverbs. If left exposed, sin does its damage, so that even if sins are repented of, the sins that were swept away still leaves scars. And like all scar tissue – it is hard – and can even be seen in the eyes of the repentant sinner. How much better it is to guard your heart to begin with, and not have to suffer and bear the scars for the rest of your earthly walk.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Hmmm, let’s think about wisely holding our tongues and thinking it through before we speak in anger, spite, or in a gossiping manner. “Perverse lips” means that the speaker gets pleasure from evil dialogue, such as locker room talk, or “talking dirty.” Not only should we not do these things – but we are instructed to put the people that do them far away from us. If we participate in the gossip, or in the locker room talk, we become as they are.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Further admonishment to keep our eyes where they should be – focused on heaven – not the world and its trappings.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Look where you are going, think about where you are going, determine where you are going.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. Proverbs 4: 20-27
Do not veer from the path of righteousness. If we are like Lot’s wife, and are constantly looking longingly back, or to the side – we do not belong to the Lord! In the words of John Bunyan –
Beware of this By-path Meadow; it is on the left-hand. O! how many are walking securely, confidently, and comfortably, in it; while every step they take endangers their destruction. The transition into it is easy; for it lies close to the right way; only you must go over a stile: that is, you must quit Christ’s imputed righteousness, and trust in your inherent righteousness; and you are in By Path Meadow directly.
Pilgrim’s Progress, p. 129, John Bunyan
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Lots of excitement over the fact that pop-Christian films are being produced with a fervor lately. Of special note, was the Easter weekend release of “Heaven is for Real.”
This story is about a 4 year old boy who had a near death experience which has been made into a movie. Christian media is giddy with excitement over the fact that it made more money than pagan Johnny Depp’s latest sci-fi flick.
Let me just state that the father is a fool if he truly does not believe that a 4 year old can pick up enough information to provide the kind of testimony he did. But all that aside – the really important part begins at around the 6:00 mark – where the young man states positively that you only need to love Jesus and follow Him to go to heaven. No repentance required. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses – and even some Muslims love Jesus. This is a classic example of the ecumenism that has overrun the church. This is the church Jesus Christ will spew out of His mouth. This is another Jesus.
Revelation 3:14-16
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.
This comment was posted to the old blog – Thoughts of an Old Man. In the interest of letting this person be heard and responded to by as many people as I think she would like – I’m posting the comment here.
I know this was written ages ago, but the bible has God all wrong. The bibles God doesnt exist. Mainly because too many human faults are put upon him and glorified as something powerful. What need would an omnipotent being have for hate, judgement and anger? Its such a waste to US as a species, why would he lower himself to our level? Many people turn to the books written by man to place their entire faith on but his truth is in no book. It’s inside us. We are born with it. I know this will sound stupid and naive to you, but the Bible never spoke to me. God did. Not conversationally, of course, but with every sunrise, every hug, every smile of my daughters face, THAT is the word of God. Not some letters spewed onto a page and translated as rule. Living by that book has destroyed civilizations, eras, and us as a humanity. It is the false prophet. And generations have died from it. [dawna reisner]
Let us address the commenter’s main premise – that one can self determine the nature of the Godhead.
Immediately – we can observe that the writer has done two things:
Committed idolatry by creating her own god
Blasphemed the Word of God by saying that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, lies about Himself.
We may condense her opinion into one statement.
I don’t like what the Bible says – therefore it is untrue.
If the Bible does not “speak to you,” that means you are not born of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
By saying that the Bible is the false prophet – that is committing the unforgivable sin, by blaspheming the Holy Spirit, Who is the Author of the Bible.
2 Peter 1:21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
In saying that the Bible has been the cause of the world’s woes, more blasphemy is committed.
Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.
Blaming the Bible, rather than man’s exceeding sinfulness, is the same sin committed by Adam in the Garden of Eden when he blamed God. This is also blasphemy.
Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Denying your own complicity in the cumulative sins of mankind, is proof that you are outside the faith.
1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.
When I first read this comment, I could not believe it was genuine, and likely the antics of a troll because of the provocative nature and specious quality of it. But, as I thought on it, The LORD convicted me that whether genuine or not – it could still be examined and a Scriptural argument developed for it, because even internet trolls need to be witnessed to, and we all encounter people who posit the same belief system.
The Vine Vigil 
