Tag: Iniquity

Listen and Obey

“And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’”

““But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.”

“Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.”

Zechariah 5:1  Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll!   And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”  Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side.   I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”

Jeremiah 36:1  In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:  “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.  It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Jeremiah 36:20  So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, and they reported all the words to the king.  Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king.  It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him.  As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot.  Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.

It is not a good thing to get a scroll written from God and read to you if you are not going to take care to what is being communicated.  I wonder if this might be the same as what is written in the bible and we do not open our heart, mind, or eyes to what is being communicated.  Being aware of what God is saying and then turning away from it or hardening our heart to it, or stiffening our neck against it can only end in judgment.  Look at what is said here “Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.” And “all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’”  Do we actually think it will end well for us in light of what God says He will do to those who neglect to hear, act and obey His word?  How much warning must be given?  Do we think God will count to 10 and we have until then to react, repent, and turn away?  Now is the time to take His word serious.  Now is the time to commit to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.  Spend time in His word and live in true peace trusting in Him and not on our own understanding and wishfully thinking we can coast through life without commitment to our heavenly Father.

Deceiver and Accuser

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

“Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”

“May the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD”

“For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.”

Zechariah 3:1  Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”   Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Luke 22:31   “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

Revelation 12:9  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.  And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

Isaiah 64:6     We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

It does not take much time reading God’s word and reflecting on our lives to be reminded of our unrighteousness and sin.  Guess who is standing right there when these thoughts come.  Satan.  He is the prince of lies, the deceiver, and accuser.  He tells us that we are unclean, unholy, unworthy, a failure, and unforgiven.  He attacks our faith in Christ’s redemption telling us these lies.  He whispers these lies to defeat what should be a victorious fruit filled God honoring life.  “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you”.  Our resistance is through the promises of God found in His word, faith in God and trusting fully in what He has said.  What God has made clean no one can make unclean.  We are children of the Creator and in His hands we are secure.  Recognize Satan’s whispers of accusation and deception.  Stand firm In God’s promises.  Our lives should be a light of hope to others that is seen through what we say and do for the honor and glory of God.  As the children’s song states “Don’t let Satan blow it out” “I’m going to let it shine”

Heals the brokenhearted

“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”

“And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”

“who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,”

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Malachi 4:2  But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

Psalms 85:9    Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

Isaiah 66:1  Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?  All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Jeremiah 17:14   Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

Hosea 6:1   “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

Jeremiah 33:6    Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.

We serve this God – “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”  This is the God who’s hands have made and by which all things came to be.  God seeks those with a humble and contrite heart.  To these there are many blessings and promises given.  It seems like today we have so much information at our finger tips that we lose sight of God and trust rather in what we find on a google search.  Remember to put Him first and seek His guidance and direction.  Yes He surely can direct and lead us through all of our decisions, trials and troubles.  He is the mighty awesome powerful creator.

Cheating God

“Thus says the LORD concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”

Malachi 1:8   When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.  But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Hosea 8:13    As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins;

Romans 2:11   For God shows no partiality.

1 Peter 1:17    And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear.

What does it mean to give our all to God?  Would this not include our time, our thoughts, our actions, what we say, what we are in possession of?  Our definition of our “ALL” is diluted by many things.  The first and biggest deception and lie affecting us is that we think we can make it on our own and only come to God when things get sideways.  Another lie we believe is that we can know and understand God without being in His word.  Another lie we hang on to is that what is in our possession is ours and we can do with it as we please.  Another lie tied to this is our giving to God is from what we have left over and not from the commitment of right off the top.  I recently was talking with a young man who looked after his grandfather and grandmother’s estate when they passed away.  There was little the family had wanted.  An estate sale was conducted to clear their possessions from the house.  All of what his grandparents had kept and cherished was now being sold for pennies on the dollar.  In less than a couple of weeks all was gone.  Such is life we come into it with nothing and we certainly leave with nothing yet we hang on to it as though it was coming with us.  In reality we are only stewards of what God has allowed.  It is all His.  Shouldn’t we be seeking what His will is for this and be willing to give the best of what we have when His quiet small voice calls to us.  Being ready and willing to give the best of our time and possessions to God is a heart that pleases Him.

He listens to those who listen

“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.”

Psalms 66:18  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Job 27:8  For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life?  Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

Proverbs 15:8   The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

Proverbs 21:13    Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Proverbs 28:9   If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Isaiah 1:15     When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen;

James 4:3    You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Job 35:12   There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

Jeremiah 11:11    Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.

Micah 3:4     Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.

Zechariah 7:13   “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts,

James 4:1   What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

 “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts.  There is so much to say about desiring, seeking, and listening to God.  Scripture is clear and full of wonderful promises to those who live for Him standing firm in Him alone.  Yet life happens and time in scripture becomes less and less important  while the world grabs more and more of our attention.  It seems to be able take our eyes off of God.  The very scripture that brought to light the the need for God is now nothing but second thought.  Time away from His word closes our heart and ears to His leading.  We make our own path in life, self seeking.  We were redeemed at a great cost by the very hand of God’s love, grace, and mercy.  God is not to be a second thought or in second place in our heart and mind.  He is to be first and first alone at all times.  I am so aware of how hard this is when we try to play both sides.  Trying to get the best of this world and the best of God’s blessings.  A christian life is not to be this way.  He want’s all of our heart, mind and soul.  Not just part of it when it is convenient or when we need something that only He can supply.  Look into your heart and mind, see how much of it is consumed by things of this world compared to how much is spent living for God.  Living for God is a commitment with purpose of humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him.  Commit to Him today.  Spend more time in His word.

The Great Contrast

“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,”

“ For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.”

“His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.”

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

“ But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.”

Psalms 52:1  ”Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.  Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.  You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right.  You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.   But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.  The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,   “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

Psalms 103:17    But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

Psalms 107:1  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Proverbs 18:10   The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Psalms 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;  my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Lamentations 3:25  The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Psalms 27:14     Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

James 5:7   Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

The contrast of those who deny God and only seek self satisfaction and those who patiently wait for the Lord is very evident in scripture.  Those who take for themselves, who oppress the weak, who are greedy for more, who are sexually immoral, who lie, cheat, and rob, and who hardens their heart against God have no peace or place of rest for their soul.  I imagine, at times, we look at those who live like this with disgust.  That is so wrong for us to do.  We too were like this but for the grace of God our heart was opened to His grace, mercy, and love.  Think about how long suffering God is.  If we, who believe and have a glimpse of His holiness, look at the wicked with disgust think about God and in His Holiness withholds His wrath and anger, offering grace and mercy.  The contrast is seen in the book of John;  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”  God’s anger and wrath are Holy and are reserved for those who neglect this offer of salvation.  In this time of reservation there is hope for the lost just as it was for us who once was lost but now are found safe and secure in His grace, mercy and love.    To humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God is to be an example and light to all those who are lost.  God is long suffering not wanting any to perish and we too need to have our heart and mind filled with compassion for the lost.  

Secretly

“For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”  David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

Psalms 51:1   Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

2 Samuel 11:2-27     It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.  And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”  So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.  And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going.  Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.  When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”  Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”  Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.  And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.  In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.  In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.”  And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men.  And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.  Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting.  And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king,  then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?  Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”  So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell.  The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.  Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”  David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”  When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband.  And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Nehemiah 4:5  Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

There is no sin that God does not know.  There is nothing done in secret no matter what we may believe.  Why is it that we close our eyes to our sin. Sometimes I think we are so far from humbly serving, trusting, honoring, and obeying God that we have shut the door to our heart, and having any ability to hear God speaking to our mind and soul.  Scripture tells us that His word is sharper than a two edged sword and able to divide the intent and will of our soul. We fill this void with everything but God’s word.  Do we think we will not be held accountable for neglect of His word? Christ went to the cross, suffered and died and rose again.  He did this to redeem all who would believe in, trust in, and rely on His sacrificial redemption.  He did this so that we would be made whole and white as snow.  He did this so that we would have forgiveness of our sin and in this forgiveness have a victorious life, peace, joy, hope, rest, faith, strength, and power.  This victorious life grows with knowledge and understanding of God’s word, warnings, and promises.  Our faith grows in line with the amount of time in His word, prayer, and obeying the still quiet voice speaking into our life in alignment with His word.  Staying in His word speaks to our heart and soul.  Apart from His word we allow the culture we live speak into our lives and nothing truly good comes from this.  Commit to being in His word today.  Stay in it, read it often, think about what you have read, and obey His leading.

The Price is Paid

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

“For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.”

Psalms 50:23  The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Isaiah 48:22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

Isaiah 55:6  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;  let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Ezekiel 18:27   Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.

Isaiah 1:11  “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.  “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?  Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.  Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.  When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Jeremiah 7:4  Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’  “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another,  if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm,  then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

Matthew 7:3  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Romans 2:17  But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God  and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;  and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,  an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—  you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.  For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.

Psalms 25:14   The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

Psalms 78:36  But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.  Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.  Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to redeem all who would come to him, believe in him, and trust in his sacrifice for their sin.  Scripture says “for the joy set before him” he willingly bore our sin to redeem us.  We come to this saving grace knowledge not by words but by a God drawn, Spirit led, Christ redeemed changed heart.  The price paid was God’s only son.  The price paid was freely and willingly given for the single purpose of redeeming those who would turn to him, trust in him, believe in him, cling to him, and rely on him alone for salvation of their soul.  This is the most important decision ever made this side of eternity.  It determines eternity with him in heaven or being forever tormented in hell.  The time for this decision is NOW.  The urgency of this decision is NOW.  Your eternal life depends on this NOW.  Seek him while he may be found.  Making this decision is never regretted now and for certain forever but not making it will certainly be regretted forever.  There is no better time than Now to trust in, rely on, cling to and humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.

You Shall Speak

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.“

Psalms 40:10  I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

Ezekiel 2:7   And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3:17  “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.  If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

Acts 20:26  Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all,  for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 3:22  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Isaiah 49:6    he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Luke 2:30  for my eyes have seen your salvation  that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

When was the last time you spoke of the gift of salvation to someone?  Are we not going to be held accountable for what we do with this gift from God?  I wonder who’s blood will be on my hand because I did not speak of God’s grace and mercy or speak of His warnings.  What kind of person would find an everlasting well of water in the desert and then not share it with those who were perishing from lack of water.  God’s grace, mercy, and love are to be shared, lived, believed, and unwaveringly held on to.  Choose to make a difference in the life of another person today – let them know God loves them so much He sent His Son to redeem them.