Friday, March 29, 2019

Phillips, Craig & Dean - When God Ran - Lyrics

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Saved from Death

1 John 4:9-10

B M I L X D Y Q N Q H H M N X 
Z E B Z E Y N L O Y D I Z Y Z 
L S C V P T E B I E Q M N Z N 
P V O A O S U M T M K S X S H 
U L K N U T J S A T T J N N P 
S X L O W S E G I H H T W I S 
S Y M B M F E M T R G T R S E 
Q O L R I Y P O I O I L H P N 
X W N N D T X B P U M Q N A T 
Y D A S O H I S O G O T N I T 
E M L W Q V E O R H R U O Q K 
B V A R L O V E P N I E R E H 
K R I D O G V J K A W Q D W G 
D V E L I W U K V C N O J S S 
B E G O T T E N J I G R H H O

BECAUSE
BEGOTTEN
BUT
GOD
HEREIN
HIM
HIS
INTO
LIVE
LOVE
LOVED
MANIFESTED
MIGHT
ONLY
OUR
PROPITIATION
SENT
SINS
SON
THAT
THROUGH
TOWARD
WORLD

Our scripture reading for today is taken from 1 John 4:9-10 which reads "9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.4.KJV I thought since last time we discussed the origin of sin and Satan that today we might discuss the solution to the sin problem. Does God really care about what happens on this earth and what has He done about it? Isaiah 43:4-5 says, "4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.43.KJV And Jeremiah 31:3 states, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JER.31.KJV Probably the best known verse in the whole Bible is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.3.KJV We might feel that we are too bad for God to possibly love us, that we have done things that may have disqualified us somehow, but this is what the Bible says in our scripture reading that God loves us even when we don't love Him. Romans chapter 5 verse 8 makes it even more clear when it says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.5.KJV While we were still sinners. How many of us aren't still sinners? I know I am! In case you think that you don't actually fall into that category lets read Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.3.KJV Since all have sinned this is what the Bible says is supposed to be the outcome; in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.6.KJV Jesus death on the cross gives us the option to choose to live forever in heaven with God. It also gives us something else. Lets look at 1 John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.3.KJV God has called us sons (and daughters) of Himself. As John 1:12 also states, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.1.KJV According to this verse all we must do is believe in Jesus and what He did for us and we get to be called children of God! What does it mean to believe in Jesus? We must believe three things 1. Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/HEB.2.KJV Jesus dies for every man, woman, and child on earth. 2. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.1.KJV God is ready, willing, and able to forgive us for any sin we may have committed if we ask with sincerity of heart. John 6:47 " Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.6.KJV 3. If we have believed that Jesus died for our sins and we have confessed those sins to God, not just in a, yes I got caught kind of way, but with sincerity and a wanting to turn from those things, then the Bible clearly states that eternal life will be ours. Romans 3:24, 28 makes it even more clear. "24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.3.KJV Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies even more. 8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/EPH.2.KJV Once we have confessed our sins to God then God begins a work in us of helping us to change into someone that is more and more like Him. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/2CO.5.KJV Some people have a fear that coming to Jesus means that you have to give up having fun and become a "boring" Christian. While it will be true that some of the things you are possibly doing now will have to change; God's plan for you is not to make you sad, in fact it's quite the opposite. See the following verses. John 15:11 "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.15.KJV John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.8.KJV And John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.10.KJV It does not mean that this new life will be easy, quite the opposite in fact, but we have this hope found in Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/HEB.4.KJV Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/GAL.2.KJV And Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PHP.4.KJV All of this does not void the fact that we need to follow God's laws. It simply gives us a reason to follow them and help to do so. Psalms 40:8 "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.40.KJV Jesus says in John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.14.KJV 1 John 2:4 "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.2.KJV 1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.5.KJV God has many promises in His word for those who keep His commandments. This is one of them in 1 John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.3.KJV Someone might say, "But isn't that being legalistic?" Legalism is when you obey certain rules in order to get a certain outcome. But in this case we are following God's laws not in order to get salvation, but because we love Him. It's like in a marriage, when you love someone it's not hard at all to follow the marriage vows. You do nice things for someone because you love them. That is the same way it is when we love God. The Bible says, in Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.14.KJV Being a Christian does not guarantee and easy life. It may in fact, require ones life, as it says in Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.12.KJV Just like in a marriage, we must continually seek to maintain a relationship with our creator. I heard a story once about a couple who had been married for several years. One day the woman asked her husband if he still loved her. He replied, "I told you on the day we married that I loved you, if that ever changes, I'll let you know." Would that work for you? No, of course not. So how do we get and maintain a relationship with an infinite God? Jesus says in John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.5.KJV The Bible testifies about Jesus and we should search them and I would add the word--daily. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1TH.5.KJV This does not mean that you have to spend every single moment on your knees, or even that you have to always be talking. Good communication also requires listening. One might say, but how do you know if God is talking. Jesus said in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.10.KJV And Isaiah said in Isaiah 30:21 "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.30.KJV Once we accept Jesus as our savior we should continue a relationship by not only studying the Bible and praying but also doing the kinds of things that Jesus did as Colossians 2:6 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/COL.2.KJV and Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.6.KJV The Bible often equates our relationship with God as like a marriage; one where we are deeply loved. 2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/2CO.11.KJV "To seal your spiritual marriage with Jesus for eternity, God has promised never to forsake you (Psalm 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.55.KJV; Matthew 28:20 "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.28.KJV; Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/HEB.13.KJV), to take care of you in sickness and in health (Psalm 41:3 "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.41.KJV; Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.41.KJV), and to provide for every need that could possibly develop in your life (Matthew 6:25–34 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.6.KJV). Just as you received Him by faith, keep on trusting Him for every future need and He will never let you down." https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4980/t/saved-from-certain-death God gave his life so that you might one day live forever with Him. One day very soon Jesus will come and He promised to take us to heaven with Him. John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.14.KJV I want to go home with Him, don't you?

Saturday, February 16, 2019

If God is Good why is there evil?

Today we will examine the origin of sin and why God continues to allow pain and suffering to go on. I realize this is a heavy topic because most everyone has known someone whose life was cut short way too soon or we at least have seen news reports of one kind of violent tragedy or another. Yes pain and death have been a part of this earth's history since very near the beginning of time. The question we will examine is did God create the devil? When I say the word devil what comes to mind? A red leotarded figure with a tail and horns and a pitch fork? What does the Bible have to say about all of this? Our scripture reading for today comes from the book of Ezekiel chapter 28 verse 12 through to verse 17 which reads, "12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/EZK.28.KJV

So who exactly is Satan and why is he here and seemingly allowed free reign? Our Scripture reading indicates that he was a perfect cherub in heaven until iniquity or sin was found in him and that he was a created being. Isaiah 14 gives us some more light on the subject. starting in verse 12 and continuing to verse 15. "12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.14.KJV I heard a sermon like this from my father once and he said that in the middle of all PR-I-DE is an "I" problem. Satan said repeatedly I will, I will, I will. Luke 10:18 reads, "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." 1 John 3:8 says, "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.3.KJV Revelation 12:3,4,7-9 gives us more of the story when it says, "3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.12.KJV So in the beginning Satan was a created angel who became prideful because of his beauty and he and 1/3 of the other angels were cast out of heaven to this earth. Satan wanted to be God, he wanted the worship of the other angels and 1/3 of them had decided to follow him instead of God. Revelation 22:8-9 tells us that angels are not to be worshiped. "8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.22.KJV In the first two of the ten commandments we find this law Exodus 20:3-6 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/EXO.20.KJV Only God is deserving of our worship. According to Job 2:2 which says, "And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it"; https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JOB.2.KJV Satan has been walking around on this earth since it's creation, he is not off in a place called hell. Make no mistake there WILL be a real hell, but it is not now burning, more on that in another sermon.
So how does Satan feel about humans? Revelation 12:12 "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.12.KJV And 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1PE.5.KJV Satan hates us all and would rather see us dead than anything else. Satan uses every method that he can to deceive, discourage and destroy us, God's creation.

The Bible Says Satan:
Deceives / persecutes (Revelation 12:9, 13)	Quotes/misquotes Bible (Matthew 4:5, 6)
Falsely accuses / murders (Revelation 12:10; John 8:44)	Traps / devours (2 Timothy 2:26; 1 Peter 5:8)
Makes war against God's people (Revelation 12:17)	Binds / prompts betrayal (Luke 13:16; John 13:2, 21)
Imprisons (Revelation 2:10)	Possesses / hinders (Luke 22:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:18)
Works miracles / lies (Revelation 16:13, 14; John 8:44)	Appears as angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Brings disease / afflicts (Job 2:7)	Has demons who impersonate pastors (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Slanders ("Devil" means "slanderer")	Calls fire from heaven (Revelation 13:13)

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4979/t/did-god-create-the-devil-

The book of Job gives us many insights as to why bad things happen to "good" people. (Read the first two chapters) The synopsis is that Job was a good man and Satan asked God for permission to hurt him and God granted the permission. God must allow Satan some leeway in order for everyone in heaven and on earth to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin. The good news is that one day very soon God will put and end to all of the sin and suffering and we will never again have to worry about pain, suffering or death. Isaiah 45:23 "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.45.KJV Nahum 1:9 "What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time."

https://my.bible.com/bible/1/NAM.1.KJV

Ezekiel 28:12-17

ANOINTED	BEAUTY	BEEN
BRIGHTNESS	CARBUNCLE	CAST
CORRUPTED	COVERETH	COVERING
CREATED	DIAMOND	EDEN
EVERY	FROM	FULL
GARDEN	INIQUITY	LAMENTATION
LIFTED	LORD	MAN
MERCHANDISE	MIDST	MOUNTAIN
MULTITUDE	OUT	PERFECT
PRECIOUS	PREPARED	SAITH
SAPPHIRE	SARDIUS	SAY
SEALEST	SON	SUM
THEREFORE	TYRE	WAST
WISDOM	WORKMANSHIP

Sunday, December 9, 2018

"Even at the Door" by Uncle David Gates

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BDkP2c2rq8
Mark Finley's rebuttal to David Gates' sermon
rebuttal to Mark Finley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEFuPSEd-_4
extra content
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn2ec4baack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiEFW_x1JLg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgwXIGB4--w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gkRvgHo3sg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HCxY3JZaY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ1tecEHzOk
Judge between the two for yourselves

Saturday, September 29, 2018

12/30/17 "The Battle Belongs to the Lord" by Pavel Goia

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Holding pattern

I heard a fairly good sermon the other day that was about waiting for God to work and how sometimes we get impatient. I have personally experienced this recently in my life so the sermon was very timely. The test that was used was the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles verses 1-24. "1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon–tamar, which is En–gedi. 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever? 8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. 10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; 11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. 12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; 15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 16 Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped."

There are several points that I took away from this story; the first is found in the third and fourth verses, the children of Israel were afraid so they all came together with fasting and prayer to seek God’s favor. The points are that they all came together and that they fasted and prayed together. The second point was that they had their eyes focused on God and then He told them through Jahaziel not to be afraid because the battle did not belong to them but to God. Along with the command not to be afraid, God also told them something to do. Did you catch what it was that they were supposed to do? They had to GO! The person that was speaking this sermon made the point then that the children of Israel could not just stay in their tents after they had prayed, even though they would not have to actually fight in battle they still had to GO to the battlegrounds. The children of Israel did not however, just go out to the battle after praying and fasting, they did one more thing that is found in verses 20-22. They believed God and they went out singing praises to Him.

I am here reminded that like the children of Israel when they were going through the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land they were too often found grumbling and complaining. I feel that more often than not we as a whole do more whining and less praising than we ought. The other thing that I feel most do not do enough of is fasting and praying. Many times in the Bible we find that fasting and praying is a mark of godliness. Some examples would include Anna, a prophetess, in Luke 2:37 (KJV) “And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Daniel in Daniel 9:3 (KJV) “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:” David in Psalms 35:13 (KJV) “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.” And Jesus when He told his disciples in Matthew 17:21 (KJV) “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”

I do not say this of anybody in particular but to remind myself that God’s promises are sure and I need to keep my eyes focused on Him and His words, quit complaining and come to God in an attitude of grateful prayer with fasting and then remember that the call is for everyone: Matthew 28:19 (KJV) “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

While we are waiting on the Lord to come, it is not a stagnant kind of waiting but of going and fasting and praying and praising and keeping our focus on God. Psalms 27:14 (KJV) “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=3gjXBMC8-oM

The Gift of God