Tag: never perish

16.z. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

John 10:22   At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4   And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Matthew 17:5    He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Acts 3:23   And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

1 John 2:19   They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Revelation 3:20    Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The religious leaders wanted Jesus to speak plainly, and here He spoke more plainly than they probably wanted. Jesus previously told them they were not true shepherds. Here Jesus told them they were not even true sheep, because the Messiah’s sheep believe and hear His voice. They are not only untrustworthy shepherds of God’s people but are showing that they ought no longer to be classed among the sheep that pay attention to His voice. People have a choice to hear and follow Jesus Christ.  It is not that you were not chosen, but rather you rejected being chosen.  When there is a knock at your hearts’ door there is a choice.  When you hear the knock will you eagerly open it? It is our choice of what and who we open the door of our heart to.  Sadly, things of this world are welcomed in and the Word of God, Jesus Christ, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life are denied entry.  Those that choose this will perish from this life to eternal hell.  Those that choose to open the door do so with a desire to know and be known by Jesus Christ.  Turn your ears away from the noise of this world that is knocking and shouting at the door to your heart.  Reject opening that door to them and listen for the knock and voice of Jesus Christ.  If you listen to it, it is knocking right now.

God is greater than what you fear

Genesis 28:15   Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6     Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Jeremiah 1:19     They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”

1 Kings 8:57     The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us,

John 10:28-29     I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Hebrews 13:5-6    Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Psalms 121:5-8     The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Romans 8:31-32    What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Isaiah 41:10     fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

There is much happening in our lives, neighborhoods, schools, work place, states, country, and the world that can and at times does give us reason to fear what is happening.  I think this is natural.  The nature of man, without God in their life, ought to be fearful and afraid.  Lying, fighting, partial truths, global warming, natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes, wildfires), sickness, cancer, law suits, pornography, godlessness, financial troubles, jobs, hacking, stealing, death, divorce, bias news, child abuse, wife abuse, foster care, pride, greed, sex trafficking, pedofiles, murder, shootings, etc… are all things that can and do happen frequently.  Who in their right mind would not have fear knocking at their minds door?

Fear is a natural response to a belief concerning something dangerous or unwelcome may happen.

Are any of these greater than God?  Can any of them thwart God’s plan’s and purposes?  Can any of them take God by surprise?  NO!!! they are not and can not.  God is sovereign and King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God above all things.  He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  He knows all, sees all, above all, and in control of all the things that have potential to bring fear into our lives.

He promises to be with us, help us, uphold us,, keep us, never leave us, shelter us, encourage us, go before us, and deliver us.  He has given many examples of these through scripture; creation, flood, ark, Red Sea, manna, fiery furnace, lion’s mouth, serpent’s, blind, deaf, dead, chains, walls, rivers, mountains, and many more.  What do we have to fear?

Fear of the unknown has a way of robbing us joy.  It takes live from our soul.  It confuses our heart and mind.

As much as we want to think that we are strong and fear will not have a place in our heart and mind, it seems to find a place when we least expect it.  This is when faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God must engage.   It is natural to have sudden fear but, once recognized, it needs to be put into it proper place – subjected to faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God.  Recognizing it for what it is “natural fear” and laying it at God’s feet, and trusting in His ever present power, might, strength, and love is where we see fear defeated and God glorified.

The one example I always look at is when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would not bow to the great idol even with threat of being cast into fire.  They said they would not bow and that their God was able to keep them from harm and even if He didn’t they would not bow.

God’s will, God’s plan, God’s purpose, God’s timing, God’s protection, God’s love are never wrong.

Rely on, cling to, and trust in Him whatever may come your way.

How long will you Limp

“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”

“how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,”

John 10:24  So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,  but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Acts 2:22     “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—

2 Corinthians 4:3     And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

John 12:37     Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,  so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,  “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

In the scriptures today we see those who have set their heart and mind not to believe no matter what, those who go between whatever is popular at the time, and those who believe and are fully committed.  Do you wonder what keeps people grouped like this?  What is it that blinds the non-believers to Christ? What is it that keeps the wafflers from committing to fully?  What is it that keeps the believers committed?  Are the non-believers that way because of pride and condition of a hardened heart/closed mind?  Are the wafflers that way because they want to have what seems like the best of both worlds or are they afraid of what others might think?  Are the believers that way because God opened their heart and mind and drew them to Himself?  Hardened hearts and minds, waffling are always possible even to those who believe.  If we are complacent and neglect His word and lose desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey we can harden and we can waffle.  Paul said we should guard ourselves.  We need to take every thought captive.  We cannot prevent the first thought that comes to mind but we can certainly get a proper thought put into place.  Paul said to put on the full amour of God.  There is so much more to being a follower than salvation.  It would seem like this – we want a warm bed to sleep in but want nothing to do with the household or maintaining the house.  Our walk to to be so much more than believing and salvation.  We are to reflect the light of Christ, proclaim the good news, be able to give reason for why we believe, able to encourage, able to disciple, able to correct,  and have a daily walk that is filled with joy, peace, hope, kindness, gentleness, and love.  Spend time in His word and grow in knowledge and understanding of Him.  Hear His whispers of guidance and humbly obey Him.

The Great Shepherd

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

“For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Psalms 23:1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Micah 5:4   And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

John 10:11   I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

1 Peter 2:25  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Revelation 7:17  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalms 23 is such a heart confident warming for our soul. He makes me l lie down – He knows the rest our souls need.  He restores me – He knows that we have a tendency to deplete our souls over the cares and worries of the day.  He comfort us – He knows we need His rod and staff to both protect and direct us. He prepares – He has a plan and purpose for our life.  He anoints – He blesses us.  He leads us and is the overseer of our soul – He knows we need guidance to keep on the path that brings honor and glory to God.   Other scripture tells us He is the good shepherd and that He knows us – We know Him. We follow Him.  He hears us. He holds us in His hand and no one can remove us from them. He wipes away our tears. He helps us. He guides us. He never leaves us. He restores us. In Him is eternal life for all who trust in, cling to, and rely on Him alone.  Whatever we are facing, God is our strength and comforter in times of trouble.  Run to Him. He is the great Shepherd.