Jesus and His disciples were entering the town of Nain, when they were met by a funeral bier proceeding out of the town with a widow walking in front of the pallet bearing her only son. Immediately, Jesus has compassion on this bereaved woman, now alone and destitute, with no one left to help her. This was the first of three miracles Jesus performed raising the dead to new life. Showing that in the Presence of the Lord of Life, death is no more final or irreversible than waking one up from sleep.
Month: August 2025
Ezra 10:1 ” While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children – gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.”
The Jews had broken faith with God by marrying foreign women…but rather than exhorting the people to mourn because of their sinfulness, Ezra chose to mourn alone. But his crying out in distress for the sins of the nation did not go unnoticed. And as more and more people gathered around him lying prostrate before God, their consciences were pricked by his prayer…pleading on behalf of them and himself, acknowledging their many sins against God, and begging for mercy. It’s not strange then that as Ezra’s prayer rang out in the temple the crowd was convicted of their own sinful acts…with bitter weeping of grief, confession, and repentance showing that they truly appreciated the gravity of the situation. This was what we used to call a “Altar Call Moment” as Ezra acted as the catalyst to induce a deep spiritual reaction and response in the people.
I Corinthians 15:2 ” By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the Word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of holding on to the Message of Salvation as preached here by Paul. It’s a vivid reminder that true faith in the Gospel leads to Salvation…while only a superficial belief can result in believing in vain. Too often we take the Gospel Message lightly, forgetting the Divine wisdom and power within, and overlooking its lifegiving, life transforming impact to break the bondage of sin over our lives. That’s why Paul is stressing the need to “Hold firm to the Word”…for as we do, God’s kindness bears fruit in us. (Romans 11:22)
Ezekiel 33:7 ” Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the Word I speak and give them warning for Me.”
A watchman was appointed as a lookout for the community. Earlier in Ezekiel 3:17, God originally commissioned Ezekiel as a watchman, but the focus then was on his responsibility to declare God’s message faithfully. Now, God renewed this commission because Ezekiel’s message was being changed to one of future cleansing of the people and hope for their return home to Jerusalem after the Babylonian invasion. Ezekiel was now to tell the people that the focus had switched to their responsibility to listen and respond appropriately. In a manner of thinking, we as Christians have all been commissioned as watchmen for God…standing up and speaking, and lifting up our voices in warning for the coming days.
Lamentations 2:17 ” The Lord has done what He planned; He has fulfilled His Word, which He decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity, He has let the enemy gloat over you, He has exalted the horn of your foes.”
The Book of Lamentations is Jeremiah’s cry of woe as a eye witness to the fall and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians…. its loss of glory… and the Lord’s great anger against her. But it’s not like God suddenly sprang this on Jerusalem…in Deuteronomy 28:15-45, God gave Moses the warnings and curses of disobedience, and foretold of His wrath for rebellion against Him. We need to remember then that God’s plan and purpose will always be accomplished and carried out in the face of disobedience by His people. (Jeremiah 39:16)
Colossians 1:6 ” All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing…”
As Romans 10:17 reminds us, “Faith comes from hearing the Message and the Message is heard through the Word of Christ.” We are to bear fruit for God in Christian service by sharing the Gospel Message with others. In speaking to His disciples, (and I might add to us also), Jesus said, “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” (John 15:16) So it’s quite simple…as a result of what God has done in us, we are to share that Good News with others…and thus bearing good fruit in service to Him…so that the Gospel Message will be taken all over the world…for our good and His glory.
Psalm 7:10 “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.”
From the very beginning God has been our Sovereign Deliverer. In Genesis 15:1 as God and Abraham came into a covenantal agreement, God said, ” Do not be afraid I am your shield, your very great reward.” And this promise is still for us today. Our Savior is Jesus Christ, who will rescue, bestow glory, and lift up our heads, (Psalm 3:3) as we do what is right in His sight in obedience, wisdom, and discernment…giving us victory as we exchange our will for His Will.
Acts 13:32-33 ” We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.”
Earlier in Chapter 13, Barnabas and Paul had been called and set apart in their Ministry of declaring the Good News of the Gospel Message. While the original Apostles were witnesses to the actual work of Jesus…accompanying Him during His three years on earth and bearing witness to His crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Paul and Barnabas had the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them unto all Truth. But all of them had the promises of God that He would rescue His people through Jesus Christ as written in Isaiah 40:9 & 52:7.
Isaiah 7:9 ” If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
Standing firm in our faith means knowing God’s promises, agreeing to them intellectually, and trusting God to keep them. Elsewhere in Isaiah it says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.” And we must acknowledge this foundational truth first and foremost. For it’s our faith, trust and obedience in them that allows us then to confidently stand firm and watch the Lord work on our behalf. Or as king Jehoshaphat assured the people right before battle, “Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.” (II Chronicles 20:20)
Micah 6:8 ” He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
These three Divine requirements cover relationships with others, an individual’s inner attachment to the standards of our covenant with God, and a lifestyle that gives due acknowledgement to God in every aspect of our conduct. And it’s not like God has hidden what is good, pleasing and morally right from us…we only need to just open His Word! Psalm 37:30,Proverbs 12:5, and Jeremiah 22:3 tell us to come against injustice and protect the powerless. We should also at all times desire and delight in mercy, kindness, and loving one another. (Matthew 9:13, Mathew 23:23) Finally, our lifestyle and continuing relationship with God needs to be filled with humility…loving Him with all our our heart, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:33)
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