Tag: family

9.u. “For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?”

Amos 3:1  Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Genesis 50:20    As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Isaiah 14:24-27     The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stan  that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.”

 This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.  For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

Isaiah 45:7   I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

2 Kings 22:13     “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

God is saying; “Will there be any evil, or calamity inflicted on a wicked city, which does not proceed from me, as the effect of my wrath?” These the examples were intended to convince the people that they had cause for alarm, as their monstrous iniquities called down the vengeance of God to punish them with these calamities. Time after time prophets were sent to warn the Israelites of pending action from God.  This warning came with a call to repent and turn away from their sinful ways.  I am sure there were those who did take this seriously even while most others did not.  Such is the way of mankind when the Word of God is void and humble service, honor, praise, worship, trust, obedience, and reliance no longer are even a thought in their mind.  The process of blindly following after that which is not pleasing to God will always start with losing desire, hunger, and thirst for God’s Word.   When this happens that void is filled with what the world has to offer.  That first day of thinking you are to busy to spend time in God’s Word is a slippery slope of more days to follow.  At first, there may be some void that is felt somewhere in your soul but after repeated days this void is no longer felt.  It has been replaced by things of this world that we so easily claim bring satisfaction into our life.  I heard on the radio that some governors are proclaiming that abortion is not an elective procedure and federal judges are agreeing.  I have a friend who needs a triple by-pass and that is deemed elective, some prostate and cancer surgeries, for the most part, are called elective, as well, some knee, hip, and other orthopedic surgeries.  Think about this: taking the life of an unborn and healthy child is deemed medically necessary while treating other life-enhancing surgeries not.  When has a nation that tolerates pornography (adult entertainment) ever survived judgment coming from God over it?  When as a nation that promotes, supports, and tolerates homosexual activity survived coming judgment from God?  There has not been any since the creation of the world.  Denying God and that He exists does not mean it is true.  It does not protect a nation or person from His judgment.  “For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our father have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us”

Decision – Crucify Him

John 19:16  So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,  and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.  There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.  Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.  So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”  Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”  When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,  so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,  but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Psalms 22:18     they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Acts 13:26  “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.  For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.  And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.  And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.  But God raised him from the dead,  and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.   And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,

1Corinthians 1:20  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 2:8    None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Many things done by rulers and even us seem right to do.  Are they really the right thing to do?  How do we know?  What is guiding us to the decisions we make?  What do we use as a the foundation to which we build our decision?  Depending on the circumstance some may say if it is good for me or if it is good for others.  If the decision is based on something or someone that hurt us financially, emotionally, or physically, some may use what is allowed by the culture they live in.  The problem is the decision is not based on the word of God and being led by the Holy Spirit in their response.  We have a sinful nature and it wants to believe and act in ways that do not humbly serve, honor, follow, or obey God.  We need to be mindful of this sinful nature.  We need to test each of our thoughts and decisions against the word of God.  His word is able to lead us properly.  His word gives us power and courage to forgive, encourage, help, and make decisions according to His purpose and plans.  Spend time in His word.  Desire to be led by Him. Listen for His whispers of guidance.  Build your foundation for decisions on His word.  Do not trust the first thought that comes to mind, test it against His word and either the conviction or confirmation by the Holy Spirit in your heart.