It’s the age-old story of mankind’s rebellion against God. The Lord appoints prophets to bring His Word of obedience and warning…signaling man’s need to take immediate and dramatic action or pay the price. But what do we usually do? We don’t heed His Word, for we want to have our own way. Our evil hearts ever full of stubbornness and defiance when God says, “Obey Me.” We hear the trumpet, but choose to ignore it out of spite.
Tag: theology
I Corinthians 15:42-44 ” So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown in a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. “
We all will face death some day. Our fleeting life will succumb with our last breath…our earthly body will become an empty shell of what we once were. But what is buried to decay, will be raised immortal…what goes down in shame, will come up in honor, authority, and holiness.
Judges 14: 1-2 ” Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, ‘I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.’ “
Samson’s parents were childless, until an Angel of the Lord appeared and told them they’d be having a son – a son set apart to God from birth. So how do you raise such a “special” child? Do you spoil and pamper… enable and compromise your better judgment that they can be indulged? Samson’s parents knew that mixed marriages were forbidden…but they still chose to coddle him…and by Samson’s demands, he was obviously used to getting his way. In the end, Samson showed he was lacking in sensual control and wisdom, while his parents showed they lacked the tough love to stand up against him.
Romans 8:35-37 ” Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors.”
No matter what the world throws at you this coming year…remember that with the Lord you can overcome it. Whether it be troubles pressing down upon you from the outside, or anguish that comes from within…you can rise above them all with His help. Don’t try to make it on your own…God is there, ready to take those burdens. And in the end, you’ll rise victorious over all the pain and suffering.
Daniel 3: 16-18 ” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’ “
The three Hebrew children knew just where their strength came from…there was no need to defend themselves before the king. For their faith and trust in God enabled them to rest in the knowledge that the battle was the Lord’s, not theirs. We too don’t need to fight our battles alone…the Lord is standing ever ready to advocate for us. All He asks is that we walk in faith while He does the work.
Proverbs 14:3 ” A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. “
Prudence…a word you seldom hear now a days. It’s definition means to have carefulness and foresight. If before we spoke, we would employ both these concepts mentally…I dare say we would not be blurting out things we wish we hadn’t said.
My wish for you this Christmas Season
Just think, you’re here not by chance, but by God’s choosing. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else – you are one of a kind. You lack nothing that His grace can’t give you. He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose for this generation.
Written by Roy Lessin, Co-founder of DaySpring
Isaiah 9:6 ” For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…
All of humanity was lost…floundering in a sea of sin…sinking to never rise again. When a baby was brought forth…God bestowing this precious gift on all. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son – Jesus Christ – to bridge the chasm between God and man…and bring eternal life to a dying world.
Micah 5:2 ” But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be Ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
700 years later, in a quiet unpretentious little town, the Messiah was born. There was no fanfare, no pomp and pageantry…just a barn and a baby. The Lord would rather use the humble…the plain and ordinary to do His best work. Common, simple people are His very best instrument for some of His most wonderful miracles. Don’t ever dismiss yourself as someone God could never use…for in fact, you are exactly who He wants.
Luke 1:38 ” ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ “
The Lord has called you and laid on your heart a promise, but like Mary, you can’t understand how this could possibly happen. Like Mary, you have questions…but also like her, God will faithfully answer them all in due time. And in the end, like Mary, we will need to put our complete faith and trust in God, knowing that what He has placed on our heart will come about. Today you too are pregnant… you’re pregnant with a promise…a promise that’s about to come full-term.
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