Joy of Jesus

Jack Davis

“…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Heb. 12:1-4

No one else in the universe has left such height and wealth of glory, and come to such depth of poverty and  humility as has Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son. He is the one, the only one, Psa. 19:1-6. He being supernaturally enabled finished His course with Joy. With our focus on Him we draw that which is needed for our race. “Joy to the world:” His birth was announced as “good tidings of great joy,” Lk. 2:10-14. Jesus was to be the cause of occasion of joy on earth, and rejoicing in highest heaven. His obedient life was a great joy to the Father. He greatly enjoyed doing the Father’s will. The word “joy” from the Greek expresses great gladness, delight, cheerfulness, calm delight. Our rejoicing is generally expressing the delight, gladness that is ours because of totally trusting Him - I Pet. 1:8.

HIS JOY IN ANTICIPATION: “The joy set before Him.” In Proverbs eight we read about Jesus as wisdom personified. “Doth not wisdom cry?…I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures – Vs. 1,20-21. As we read of our Lord before and during creation in verses 22-31, the expression of the time element are interesting and worthy of notice. Especially notice, “I was there” verses 27 and 31, “my delights were with the sons of men.”

JOY IN REDEMPTION: In the New Testament we read that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Him, Col. 2:3. In Jesus Christ, God hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence according to the riches of his grace (through redemption), Eph. 1:6-8. God has made Jesus Christ unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, I Cor. 1:30. Therefore we may understand that before the first creation Jesus could delight in foreseeing a New Creation. He found enjoyment, and took delight in the fact that one day He would have with Him the ultimate outcome of redemption. Hallelujah! His redeemed would be the amazing, astounding result of grace abounding.

HE ENDURED THE CROSS: As Jesus was coming to the end of His earthly course he experienced deep almost overwhelming sorrow in the garden. This man of sorrows, acquainted with grief deserves the highest and greatest joy. It was said of Him, “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows,” Psa. 45:7. No one has gone farther in love of righteousness, or hatred of wickedness than our beloved Lord. No one else could be so extended or expended in the measure of our Lord. The full overcomers gladly gives Him all the joy possible from their life, and will always go on their face before Him.

JOY OVER SINNER’S REPENTANCE: There is joy in heaven, in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents, Lk. 15:7,10. Yet, it is only because of redemption that such is possible. All turning to God would be wasted effort if deliverance from the penalty, power and presence of sin had not been paid for. 

JOY IN RESURRECTION: It is prophetically expressed in Psalm 16:9-11. “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh shall also rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see Corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

JOY IN REVELATION: “The seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. Jesus answered, “In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because you names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father; Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him” - Lk. 10:17-22. I especially enjoy considering the things that gave Jesus joy while He walked here, and since that time, and on into the future. The same things should delight our hearts also. As we are receptive to the Holy Spirit, our dear Lord takes great delight in revealing the Father to those that are simple enough to believe His Word. We also enjoy others coming into deeper revelations in Christ Jesus.

JOY IN SPIRITUAL REPRODUCTION: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” John 15:11. Jesus teaches in this chapter about abiding in Him, obedience, and fruit bearing. He speaks of fruit, more fruit, and much fruit which glorifies the Father. We find there is always room for increase as we abide in the realm of fruitfulness, dependant completely upon Him. His joy becomes our joy as the product of the new creation life. It is only as we abide in Him that He increases our capacity for the fullness of His joy.

JOY AT HIS RETURN: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” – Jude 24-25. Paul spoke of the saints at Philippi as his joy and crown, Phil. 4:1, and the saints at Thessalonica as his hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming – I Thess. 2:19-20. Shall not our dear Lord have exceeding joy at His glorious appearing in presenting by the side of Himself a glorious church without spot and wrinkle – Eph. 5:27? O, the “exceeding joy in the presence of His glory!!!”

 Emmanuel

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23

As we come to the end of the year, we are coming to the time that we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While some may argue about the date or timing, what really matters is for us to take time to consider the importance of the birth of Jesus. While every birth is a marvelous gift, the birth of Jesus is more than that.

There is nothing more amazing than to consider that God chose to come and dwell amongst us. Unless, of course, you consider that He did so in order to die for us. It clearly makes no sense to the human thinking. Why would God do that? There is only one reason: so that we can be with Him. John 14:3.

It all started at the beginning of time shortly after God created man. Eve was tempted by Satan and disobeyed God, which created a great separation between God and man. Prior to that, God walked with Adam in the garden and had fellowship there. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were evicted from the garden, and no longer had access to God’s presence. Everyone born after that was also under the same separation because of sin. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23.

Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned by their disobedience, God promised a Savior. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15. And, throughout the Old Testament, God continued to paint pictures of that Savior, and make the promise even more clear.

I encourage you to, not only read these verses, but read the passages around them for more context. These are just a few verses from the Old Testament.

“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” Genesis 22:8

“And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 53 – The entire chapter.

God promised that He would come to walk among us, and Jesus is the answer to that promise. That is why His name is called Emmanuel, among other names, since only one name cannot adequately capture who He is.

Jesus was born of the virgin as is clearly laid out in the Gospels. He was fully man, and fully God, something that no one else could be. If you hear a preacher claim that we are all little gods, please run away from that as fast as you can. Only Jesus was man and God. This was necessary for the promise to be fulfilled. God with us.

Jesus didn’t just come to be “with us” for a while and then leave, He came to save us; to set us free from our sin. He came to give us life eternal. “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.” John 10:10. He came to make it possible for us to have access to God’s presence. Hebrews 10:19-20. 

Jesus’ life here was important because it let’s us know that He lived the life of a man in the same circumstances and suffered things common to all of us. He was poor, tired, hungry, thirsty. He suffered the most horrible death. This makes Him uniquely qualified to be our High Priest. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:26.

“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18

Everything revolves around this idea. God with us. Without Him we are lost and unable to restore ourselves to fellowship with God. Without Him we have no hope for the future or even the present. Without Him we would be stuck wallowing in our sin. He brings salvation and blessing and value to our lives. 

God with us is not just a thought or an idea. It is not just a religious notion that man made up. He really came to be with us, and because of that, today we can have Him with us continually as He comes to abide in our hearts when we trust in Him. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is  Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27. “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.” Galatians 2:20. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted  and grounded  in love,” Ephesians 3:17.

Gordon Crook

 OUR GOD IS IN CONTROL

Anita Clark – Pastor, Carbondale, Kansas

We just had an election for the presidency of the United States. Many are very upset at the outcome. We need to realize that God is in control in this world. In the book of Daniel, it is recorded that many people of Israel were taken into captivity by the kingdom of Babylon. In chapter 2 King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, He could not find any of his wise men that could interpret the dream. He was about to put all of them to death, which would have included Daniel and his three Hebrew friends. He bravely spoke to the King and got him to give him some time to seek God and find out the meaning of the dream. God enabled Daniel to interpret the dream.

The verses we want to consider is in chapter 2:19-22, which is part of the interpretation Daniel gave. It says, “Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven, Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever for wisdom and might are His. And He changeth the times and the seasons, He removeth kings and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding..” In the book of Daniel alone there are several times where this is mentioned about the sovereignty of God in putting up and taking down leaders. Our God is in control.

Reading in chapter 4, we see the account of Nebuchadnezzar going insane, and becoming like a wild animal. God caused this to continue for seven years. He had a “beast’s heart given to him.” In verse 17 it says, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones to the intent that the living shall know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the baseth of men.”

The “watchers” are the angels which behold the work of our God. The “Holy Ones” refers to the triune God, who ordains everything that is done and brings it all to pass in His timing and divine will. Verse 32 tells us that Nebuchadnezzar would dwell in the fields eating grass like a wild beast until seven years would pass, until he would come to know, “...that the most High ruleth in the hearts of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” In chapter 5:21, again Daniel repeats the story of what happened to this king, “... the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that He appointeth over it whomsoever He will.” Can you believe the Word of God? He is the Sovereign! 

This is man’s day. Very soon it will be Christ Jesus’ Day! In Acts 1:7, where Jesus was speaking His last words to the disciples, “He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in His own hands.” The word “seasons” means in the Greek, “a space of time, a fixed or special occasion.” 

Apostle Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:1, “...the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you,” God has a great and divine plan, and everything that is happening in flowing out of that with everything according to His will. His plan is absolutely perfect. Jesus said in the pattern prayer He taught the disciples, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” The will of God is being worked out in this earth right now.

In Psalms 75:5- 6, “ Lift not up your horn on high; speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west, not from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Our Sovereign God is in control! Hear the word of the Lord. Vs. 8 says, “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and He poureth out of the same; but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.” 

God is working His divine plan, We are living in the last days of this age. His sovereign will is being brought forth. We must trust Him. He will bring about everything to promote His perfect plan “after the counsel of His own will.” In Psalms 60:3 it says, “Thou hast showed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.” If you feel astonished, trust in God. He is in control.

 

Romans 13:1-7 Apostle Paul says “Let every soul be subject (obey, or yield) unto the higher powers (magistrates). For there is no power but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God.” While Titus 3:1-2 states, “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.”

OUR DIVINE RULER IS COMING! II Timothy 3 tells us, “Perilous times shall come.” We see our nation full of sinfulness. We see our nation not only plagued by the Covid virus, but much evil and rioting going on. In I Thessalonians 5:1-9 Paul says, “But of the times and seasons brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them as a woman with child and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren are not in the darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Therefore let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

One day God’s perfect plan will come to pass. In closing let us look at I Timothy 6:14 speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ Who will reign in God’s perfect will and timing. “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; which in His times He shall shew Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords; ...to Whom be honour and power everlasting.” Walk on, child of God! Be ready for the Lord to appear at any time!

 Prophecy

Earlene Davis

Matthew 25

THE JUDGMENT OF THE

SHEEP AND GOAT NATIONS

Mt. 25:31-33, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.” The time is set when this shall come to pass, when Jesus comes in His glory, when He reveals Himself to the world ending the tribulation period. Read Rev. 19:11-21 describing that time. Then the living Gentile nations will be judged, It is not at His coming for the church or any portion of it.

“All the holy angels with him” in the original Greek is “messengers.” They are the saints, “the armies of heaven…clothed in fine linen, white and clean – Rev. 19:14. He begins to set up His kingdom on the earth as well as it is in heaven. The word “glory” means the estimated value of something. It cannot be expressed, it is the throne of His glory.

He is seen separating nation from nation. Because God hates a mixture, He always has. He will cast out of His kingdom all things that offend and they that work iniquity. This is not the Great White throne judgment, for that judgment of the wicked dead will come after the reign of Christ (Rev. 20:11-15). These are the Gentile nations that are left after the great conflict, Armageddon. The righteous nations will be separated from the wicked nations. Like a shepherd dividing his sheep from the goats. What determines if they are sheep nations?

Vs. 34-40, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, yet blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” 

Notice, King is with a capital K. The King of kings and Lord of lords is reigning. He must put down at the outset all rule and authority and power and set in order, placing all other kingdoms as subordinate to His throne (Isa. 24:21). Then it will be manifested that the heavens do rule. Are they for Christ or against Him? Their conduct toward His brethren the Jews in their dark hour of God’s chastening of them will determine their destiny. The righteous will have fed, clothed and harbored His suffering people. There is mercy for them, because they showed mercy. They shall enter into that glad Millennial day, into a state of security and bliss, yet not having their glorified bodies. That will come later at the last trump when all the New creation will be changed. Those righteous nations will be preserved in the world.

V. 41 - “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, yet cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” This is the worst judgment, to be separated from God. Also in everlasting fire, which God prepared for the devil and his angels. God did not prepare everlasting fire for mankind, He gave His Son for all men to be saved. Because they reject God’s Son they will experience this judgment, they identified themselves with the devil and took a stand against Israel.

Vs. 42-46. “For I was an hundred, and yet gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and yet gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and yet took me not in: naked, and yet clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and yet visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hundred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as yet did it not to one of the least of these, yet did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” 

It is a dangerous thing to persecute the people of the Lord, for He counts it as rejection of HIM. The wicked nations on the left hand that did not help the Lord’s brethren the Jews, will be no more, a nation no more. Not the people, but they will no more be a nation. We have seen boundaries moved and nations set up and nations torn down, so will it be at that time. There will be less nations, of course there will also be less people because many will die during tribulation. 

In Revelation 14:6-7, we read that to every nation the preaching of the everlasting Gospel will be sent out before this time, urging everyone to fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come. That is the grace of God, giving them time to repent and accept God’s salvation, warning men to flee the wrath to come.

 JONAH

Debra Isenbletter, Pastor

Springfield, Missouri

Ch. 1:13: “Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring it to land; but they could not: for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them.”

In this verse I can see their Struggle.  They were told by Jonah what to do and they really did not want to do it and did not understand why they should.  It was both an inward and an outward struggle.  In a way they picture all who have God’s Will revealed to them and who struggle against that revealed Will because they do not understand and for whatever other reasons resist, whether it is His will concerning salvation or sanctification.  I think of all the people who look at the crucifixion of Christ on the Cross and struggle with why God would do that, of how God would allow that; of why God would ask that of Jesus, and why Jesus would do what God asked.

“Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring it to the land.”  In their Struggle we see their Determination: “Nevertheless, the men rowed hard” and their Desire: “to bring it to land.”  The word “Nevertheless” means “instead of, in spite of or regardless of.” That word should never be a part of our vocabulary or our testimony when the Will of God is revealed by the Word of God.  When Jonah told them what to do: “cast me forth into the sea” they thought they had a choice but they did not because it was a command.  They needed to learn that God had taken the choice away from them and the only way they could realize it was through their struggle. When “the men rowed hard” it means they tried “to force a passage with their oars.” 

The word “to row” means literally “to dig (with oars).” That shows the strength of their effort behind their determination but “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.” (Prov. 21:30). They were men of conscience but not men of conviction.  I can see that in their effort they thought they had strength in themselves to do this but they needed to learn that they had no strength before God.  That is a hard lesson to learn. They had a desire “to bring it to land.” They knew what they wanted to do, they had a purpose and a goal and yet they learned that that was not enough. They wanted to save the ship and save themselves but they wanted to do it on their terms, not God’s terms. God will strip away from them every hope in themselves.

“but they could not”—This shows they had no strength despite all their effort and they were forced to realize it.  They needed to see God’s strength and the only way they did was to see that had none. In one way they had seen God’s strength in the storm and their helplessness and turned to Jonah. But in another way, they still did not understand how weak they were and God was going to teach them that lesson on another level. We can trust the Lord in some areas of our lives and yet when it comes to other areas we are not willing to utterly surrender and we have to learn the lesson the hard way by seeing how weak we are.

“for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them.”  The sea is the stumbling-block that stood against their strength, it was the mighty storm that God had raised. They were struggling against “the God of heaven that made the sea.”  We see the intensity of the storm.  The growth of the intensity: “the sea wrought.” The result of the intensity: “was tempestuous.” The direction of the intensity: “against them.” The harder they struggled, the more violent the storm became. The degree of the storm’s intensity matched and exceeded the degree of the effort they were exerting. 

God used the sea and the storm to prove that Jonah’s words were true.  He was proving Himself to them and proving Jonah to them. Jonah had declared God’s power, now they must acknowledge God’s power. It is interesting that God used Jonah, despite himself, to reveal Himself to these men. It does not say that Jonah prayed to his God but Jonah does ask them to believe on his God. God in turn, uses the storm to show His power and His prophet. 

To be continued

 THE LORD’S PRAYER

A Pattern Prayer

By Dr. Vicky Moots

(Part 4)

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” Matt. 6:9-13.

V. 13a: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This is a “3-D” request when we pray this: We are praying for Direction, Discipline and Deliverance. We can trust God to direct us, to lead us in the right path, but we must be willing to follow. We are instructed in Proverbs 3:5-6 to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

 His Word is our road map so we understand why or where He is leading us – just trust that He knows what is best for us as our Heavenly Father. When we acknowledge that and are willing to follow then He can direct and lead us. He will not and cannot lead us into temptation. James 1:13,14 declares, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” 

Even though we become a new creation in Christ when we are born again, we still live in this old creation body with its fleshly desires. When we lean to our own understanding and desires, then we can be led astray. If we keep our eyes on the Lord, He will lead us in the right path. When we go down the wrong path by following our own desires, then our Father has to discipline us to deliver us from evil. He does this through circumstances, through His Word (our daily spiritual bread), or through other people. 

Because He loves us, He will chasten us. It is His responsibility as our Father. We are advised of this in Heb. 12:5-6: “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.” Does He love you? Do you love Him? Then He will chasten you. When we pray, “Deliver us from evil,” we are asking our Father to discipline us when we need it and are willing to submit to His chastening, because we love and trust Him. We find out by experience that Heb. 12:11 is true: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” 

Sometimes He must allow us to have our own way in order to learn our lesson because we don’t take His word for it, like a child who finally has to touch something hot to find out for himself. Sometimes God gives us the thing that we keep begging for even though He knows it may harm us. He allows us to suffer the consequences of our wrong choices, but that does not mean He doesn’t love us. It means He does love us and He is disciplining us through those circumstances. 

When we come to the end of our own resources, just like the prodigal son, then we will call upon Him again. The prodigal son in Luke 15 finally “came to himself” when he was dirty and hungry in the pig pen and decided to return to the father. I’m sure he remembered the words that his father had spoken to him before he left home. He returned to his father with an attitude of repentance, feeling unworthy to even be called a son. But his father was watching for him and ran to him and hugged him and kissed him, dirt and all.

 The father loved him enough to accept him just as he was, but he loved him too much to leave him that way. He cleaned him up, gave him a clean robe and killed the fatted calf. All this represents the sacrifice of Christ which cleanses us from unrighteousness and then clothes us with His righteousness. He had already been chastened through his experience and had repented and was restored to fellowship with the father who placed him as a son and not a servant. 

Psalm 94:12 says, “Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and him out of thy law [the Word of God].” We are blessed as a result of being chastened. This is how He delivers us when we stray. But how much better it would be if we would just heed His Word in the first place and be able to avoid the chastening! If we stay by His side, He will protect us and guide us on our path through life.

Part 5 next issue

 Signs of Things to Come

A New Danish Bible

The new Bible translation from the Danish Bible Society exposes the latest front in the war against Scripture; by almost completely removing the term ISRAEL from the New Testament and from several passages in the Old Testament. Also the end time book of Joel, The Day of the Lord. But God has not forgotten His ancient people and they have a glorious future which was promised to them.

Ezek. 36:8-11, “But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.  For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you…, I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”  

Zech. 10:6, “And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.” 

Rom. 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel…But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men…Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Microchipping People

Thousands of people in Sweden are inserting tiny microchips under their skin. It is supposed to make daily life convenient. It replaces credit cards and cash, like glorified smartwatches. They can monitor their health and even replace keycards to allow them to enter offices and building. Sweden sees a microchip revolution – ID, wallet, keys as a move into the future. Will it be the next big thing in Europe? It looks like another step toward the people taking the mark of the beast, the coming Antichrist.

Rev. 13:16-18, “…he (the false prophet) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom… it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

Rev. 14:9-11, “… If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture…he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night…”.

Rev. 20:6, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

 A condensed e-mail from Uppahar, India

Greetings to you all in the most precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let our hearts swell up with praises to our Lord who has brought us thus far this year, providing all our needs and sustaining us every single moment by His grace.

I Thess. 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We may not feel like giving thanks to the Lord when we are upset over certain problems. But we can certainly be thankful that there is a loving God in heaven who never will let us down. He has done so much for us. The least we can do is to bow our heads before Him and be thankful for His gracious gifts. Thankfulness is the opposite of complaining. Instead of complaining about what we do not have, let’s be thankful for what God has given us graciously. First, He has given us life and breath. Second, He has saved us, who were once dead in transgressions, by His grace we have been saved (Eph. 2:5). Third, He has chosen us, before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight (Eph. 1:4). Fourth, He has made us His children, (Rom. 8:15). Fifth, He has written our names in the Book of life. Sixth, He is coming for us, to be with Him forever (I Thess. 4:16-18). Let us remember that praising God is a previlage. To fail in this is to withhold God’s glory that belongs to Him. He who sacrifices thank offerings honors God. (Psalm 50:23). So, in every situation, before, in and after trials, let us give thanks to the Lord. An attitude of gratitude is a wonderful weapon against unbelief, disobedience, a hard heart and a bitter spirit. May the Lord strengthen and help us to live a holy and blameless life and prepare us to meet Him when He comes again.

Yours in Christ, 

Warm Regards Dr. Rajat Kumar Pani, PhD

 uppahar.rajat@gmail.com