Tag: send me

“He who believes in Me will live even if he dies”

John 5:24  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life”.

John 6:40  “This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day”.

John 11:25  “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies”.

John 14:1-3  “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also”.

Resurrection is not a wishful thing, it is a promised reality and the trusted hope of all who believe. Our savior will return again and gather His own onto Himself and forever we will be with Him in eternity. As His return is ever-increasing closer to that last day, let us continue to keep our eyes focused on Him and live for His honor and glory in all we think, say, and do.

41.k. “Why did you ever send me?”

 

 

Exodus 5:10  So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”

Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”

Moses went to the Israelites as directed by God and spoke what god directed him to say.  The people bowed and worshipped God because of these words. Moses went to Pharaoh and spoke the words God gave him to speak. Pharaoh was pretty upset that these slave people would even think to come to him with such a request. Pharaoh, in turn, says, “obviously you have to much time on your hands and because of that you are having too much time to think about anything other than serving me, so now you will gather your own straw to make the quota of bricks you are assigned. This was impossible but Pharaoh never withdrew this requirement and beat the foreman of those making the bricks for falling short. The foreman went to Pharaoh and said why do you treat us like this. Pharaoh said; “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD. Go now and work.”  The foreman saw they were in trouble and when they met Moses after speaking with Pharaoh they said to Moses. The Lord look on you and judge you for what you have caused upon us.

Moses turned to the Lord and asks why have you done evil to these people and why did you send him. You have not delivered them.

The foreman wanted judgment against Moses and Moses wanted to blame God. Both expected God’s promise of deliverance to be handled immediately and they reacted with doubt and blame. Would we have been any different? We might look at this and think in our hearts we would not, but we are not being treated harshly after being given the words of encouragement and the promise of deliverance by God through Moses. I wonder how close this lack of faith in God and His promises hits home in our hearts and minds. Any Christian who is walking with God and seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Jesus Christ will encounter times of trials and troubles as they are being led by the Holy Spirit. The point to remember is that we have been given the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, direct, teach, and comfort us through these times. The problem is that far too many “Christians” are not seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all they think, say, and do.  It would seem their hope is built on the comforts of life rather than the Word of God. They have no hope because there is no growth upon the foundation of salvation.  Shallowness, complacency, and neglecting God’s Word will never increase our reliance and dependence upon Him, but rather cause us to become judgmental and blaming. 

We are without excuse in light of all that has been given to this generation. We live in a time that knows with historical and biblical truth that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, sent to redeem mankind, die and rose again, and is coming again. We have been given God’s Word in written form and it has been made available through every means possible with technology.  No one has any excuse for the neglect it is given. No one has any excuse to live ignorant of it. 

We are to be a Holy people that live for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do, a light in the darkness, and able to give witness to the hope that is within us. How do we know what it means to honor and glorify Jesus Christ when we lack in desire for this very purpose? 

21. Broken Spirit

Exodus 5:22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’” Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.

We can easily see why the people would not listen to Moses.  He, through Aaron, had gone before the people and proclaimed what God had told him.  He had done signs in sight of the people and they believed, bowed their heads and worshiped.  Then after Moses spoke to Pharaoh their slavery became immediately worse.  They thought they were being delivered from their bondage but ended up worse.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.  What is it that diminishes your hope and faith?  We have all been there, where we have are close to God, He speaks to our heart through promises in His word, and we find hope, peace and rest in what He revealed to us.  Then what happens?  Time happens.  Our anticipation, hope, peace, and rest in the promises of God got tested by time.  Our expectation left no room for time to happen.  Our expectation of God’s promises left no room for His purpose and plans.

Our dependence and reliance on God’s promises are not dependent of our expectation of the time when we expect our situation to change.    The moment God speaks promises into our heart and soul nothing changes from the aspect of what God will do.  Nothing. 

Now add time to our situation and soon we think God has changed.  Our faith was wasted.  Our hope was wrong.  Our thought of what He can and will do was abandoned.  Yet, God never changed, He will never leave us or forsake us, He will guide us, He will strengthen us, He will bless us, He will lead us, and He will give us courage for each new day. 

The next time doubt enters your mind say this “forgive my doubt, I TRUST YOU.  If you have to say this a thousand times do it and you will find the doubts soon turn into praises of faith and hope.

“Whom shall I send”

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”

Exodus 3:4  When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “ Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 22:1     After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 22:11     But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 46:2     And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”

1 Samuel 3:4    Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!”

1 Samuel 3:10    And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

Acts 9:4    And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

Acts 10:3    About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”

Isaiah 6:8     And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Mat 4:18  While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 9:9     As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

Mark 2:14    And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

John 1:43  The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

There was a Call from God and the reply was “here am I”.  There is a call from Jesus was “come follow me” and the response was “they followed”.  These calls came as these men were in their normal everyday activities.  Their responses would indicate a willingness and even possibly wanting to hear from God.  I am not so sure any of them were sitting around and had a conscious thought “if God calls to me I am going to say here am I”.  I think they were more inclined to believe there was a living God and they had reverence in their heart for Him in such a way that their ears, eyes, heart,  mind, and soul were open.

Here I am – I don’t know what you want but I want you to know I am listening.

Here I am – I know you are God or from God

Here I am – I want to hear what you say

Here I am – I am willing to do what you ask

Here I am – I am willing to go where you send me

Here I am – I want to do what you ask of me

Here I am – lead me, I want to follow you

Here I am – use me

I wonder if our ears are able to hear God calling.  I wonder if we are seeking to hear God speak into our life.  I wonder if we are willing to be led.  I wonder if we would follow.  I wonder if we want to be used by God for His glory and honor.

It is so easy to get caught up so tight in life and things of this world that we have closed our ears and are deaf to God’s calling.  Is our heart so hardened that His call and love falls on a heart of stone and deaf ears?

Many, me included, had hearts hard as stone and were not giving a single conscious thought about God when His word broke through the heart of stone and brought understanding and knowledge of the need for forgiveness and salvation.  What we see many times as a heart of stone no man could change, God, in a moment, softens their heart to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When we think there is no possible way fora lost sinner’s  soul to respond “here am I,, save me” God does the impossible work in their heart and mind so that they see the need.  They are changed in that moment of confession and trust in Jesus Christ.  Never to be the same again.  At least we hope not.

It is an intentional walk with God each day to have our ears open to hear His word come alive into our life.  It is an intentional heart and mind that seeks and desires to hear and be lead by God.

Be intentional in reverence, listening, following, and obeying His call into your life each day.

This is eternal life

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

John 17:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.  “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.  Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

John 5:21     For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.  For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Jeremiah 9:23     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

God searches all hearts and knows the thoughts and plans of man.  He knows the sinful nature that rules or is trying to rule each of our lives, and yet, He sent His Son to redeem us from this life of destruction.  If we seek Him, He will be found.  Scripture says: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.   His love for us is demonstrated in the fact that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  While we gave no thought to Him and were only thinking about ourselves He sent Jesus Christ to redeem all who would believe.  To believe means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him alone for forgiveness of our sin.  This redeeming act, when believed, results in a new life filled with the Helper (Holy Spirit).  His word is given so that we might know Him more and live to honor and glorify Him.  Do not neglect His word but rather spend time in it and training yourself to be a workman of God that needs not to live ashamed.  Apart from His word we walk in darkness.  In His word we walk in light of our Redeemer.

Choose to be His disciple

John 4:1  Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John  (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),  he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.

John 3:26    And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

Acts 10:36    As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),

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.

2 Corinthians 4:5    For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

1 Corinthians 1:13     Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?  I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,  so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.  (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)  For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Jesus’s disciples were baptizing disciples more so than John.  When Jesus heard the Pharisees had heard of this he departed for Galilee.  John’s disciples also made note of this.  This had to have made John’s heart very very happy.  People back then, like now, either reject or embrace the need for confession of sin and restoration (made right) with God.  Baptism symbolizing death to old self (repenting) and rebirth of new self (turning away from old self).  When God speaks to a persons heart they have the choice to come to Him or reject Him.  To those who choose to listen, honor, serve, follow and obey they find new life.  A life with clearer purpose, joy, peace, understanding, faith, and hope.  Those who do not see this choice as foolishness and a sign of weakness.  This is so much more to live when lived for serving Him.  Find your purpose in choosing to be His disciple.