Miserable Comforters

“I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?
Job 16:2‭-‬3 NLT

I just love the book of Job.

Job, more than many other servants of God, Job has seen clearly that:

for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:29 ESV

And…

For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
Hebrews 12:6 NLT

We are each worthy of punishment. We have all fallen short of God’s glorious perfection. And discipline, and even suffering and persecution in this life, are always good for us — they produce in us a harvest of right living, of character built through endurance. They are the narrow path by which we share in His holiness.

When we have our eyes set upon eternity, momentary sufferings are endured through hope in the Lord and not in ourselves. We find our comfort in the arms of the Lord, because He is in the midst of the furnace with us. He may not remove the bitter cup of suffering from our hands, but He will not forsake us. Think back to Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace:

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Daniel 3:14‭-‬18 NLT

Or remember Joseph put in the pit by his brothers, or in the jail by false accusations. Servant of God, remember this when suffering comes and those around you prove to be miserable comforters:

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord , “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord ’s presence.
Job 1:8‭-‬12 NLT

But remember even moreso, when you religious hypocrites (like Job’s “friends”) seek to attack another with the Word of God, judge another, make assumptions about why another is suffering harm.

Would you wicked people go to a man who has just lost a child and say, “It is your sin that has found you out and this is why your child has died.”

Would you wicked people see your enemy suffer harm and rejoice in it? Have you forgotten that a forgiven man is a forgiving man and is one who loves his neighbors and blesses those who consider themselves his enemies.

Would you wicked people judge a person by his outside circumstances and appearance alone? Have you forgotten the empty tomb of death and lies and wickedness and jealousy and pride and sinfulness that lies at the core of you that can only be covered up by the blood of Jesus Christ shed for you on a cross?

Yes, we may know many who have been miserable comforters to us in our times of suffering — but dwelling on that does little but sow seeds of bitterness towards an outward target with a speck in their eye. No, instead of proudly placing ourselves in the seat of “persecuted” and staying there — maybe se need to be reminded of how many times we have been miserable comforters to others, how often we have failed to forgive, how often we have lifted up accusations against others in our minds and in our hearts.

Lord, forgive us. We have many times been miserable comforters to our brothers, sisters, and neighbors. Help us to love, to comfort, to make peace — and to endure. Amen.

Don’t Engage Toxic People

One of the quickest ways to enrage a toxic person is to refuse to engage them on their own terms — and it is one of the best ways to restore your own peace and do not allow them to continue stealing it from you.

Your peace does not have to be contingent upon whether or not toxic people around you continue to do things like:

– Giving Unsolicited Advice
– Insulting Others
– Spreading Gossip
– Pitting people against each other
– Constant Criticism
– Not Respecting Boundaries
Etc. (See the linked article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theactivetimes.com/healthy-living/habits-of-toxic-people%3famp )

This Christmas, you may have enemies who masquerade as friends, you may have family or friends who thrive on drama, you may have people around you who insist on conflict, abusive behavior, and all kinds of pride and narcissism — who want to leverage their physical proximity to you during the holidays to sink their poisonous fangs into you. Or maybe I’m the only one who sees the possible evidence of such things around themselves?

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. And if you are a Christian, you believe that God came in the flesh to offer us a salvation that we couldn’t earn ourselves because we were all enemies of God. We see times when the people sought to kill Him and He just seemingly walked right through them thwarting their plans ands not getting engaged with them on their terms. We see the Pharisees asking Him questions to try and trap Him and He doesn’t engage their attack, He redirects and leaves them grumbling amongst themselves. We see when they sought to try Him that He was silent and did not engage them directly and even suffered their attacks and persecution, knowing that there was something much greater at stake — suffering for the sins of the world. His suffering had a purpose, and therefore,  He could withstand the taunts and not have to engage them on their terms.

We can learn from this example.  We know that the Bible tells us to “resist the devil and he will flee” — but tells us “do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” So if we are dealing with an evil person who likes to provoke and attack us, we are encouraged to not engage them on their terms. And when we trust and obey in this way, when we offer blessing to those who seek to curse us — we are free and full of peace, while it is to them “like having hot coals dumped on their heads”.

Lord, give us the humility and gratitude and trust in you that allows us to not engage those who are toxic and evil, but to “[walk] right through the crowd and [go] on [our] way” as You did in Luke 4:30 and “[hide] [ourselves]”  as You did in John 8:59 and “[escape] their grasp” as You did in John 10:39. Order our footsteps and be delighted in our way. Remind us of what we can expect from wolves as described in Matthew chapter 10, but let our hope be in you and not in ourselves. Amen.

The Mind of God

Verses about the LORD does not change:

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
Malachi 3:6 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17 ESV

Verses about the LORD will not change His mind or will not turn back:

The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Psalms 110:4 ESV

“For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”
Jeremiah 4:28 ESV

I am the Lord . I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God .”
Ezekiel 24:14 ESV

Verses about the LORD regretted, repented, and/or relented:

And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord .
Genesis 6:6‭-‬8 ESV

Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'” And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
Exodus 32:12‭-‬14 ESV

For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free.
Deuteronomy 32:36 ESV

Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.
Judges 2:18 ESV

“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
1 Samuel 15:11 ESV

And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
1 Samuel 15:35 ESV

And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
2 Samuel 24:16 ESV

And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1 Chronicles 21:15 ESV

Return, O Lord ! How long? Have pity on your servants!
Psalms 90:13 ESV

For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
Psalms 106:45 ESV

For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.
Psalms 135:14 ESV

If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.
Jeremiah 18:7‭-‬10 ESV

It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds.
Jeremiah 26:3 ESV

Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.
Jeremiah 26:13 ESV

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord , and did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.”
Jeremiah 26:19 ESV

and said to them, “Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.
Jeremiah 42:9‭-‬10 ESV

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord , “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?
Joel 2:12‭-‬14 ESV

When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O Lord God , please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” The Lord relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the Lord . This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. Then I said, “O Lord God , please cease! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” The Lord relented concerning this: “This also shall not be,” said the Lord God .
Amos 7:2‭-‬6 ESV

Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Jonah 3:9‭-‬10 ESV

Verses contrasting the mind of the LORD to man’s:

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19 ESV

And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”
1 Samuel 15:29 ESV

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9 ESV

in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
Titus 1:2 ESV

so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
Hebrews 6:18 ESV

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9 ESV

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
Romans 11:33‭-‬34 ESV

Encouragement when it is hard for us to put the above together into perfect harmony and understanding– He knows:

O Lord , you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach. Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord , God of hosts. I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail? Therefore thus says the Lord : “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord . I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
Jeremiah 15:15‭-‬21 ESV

And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God , you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord . Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord .” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God : Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God : Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord , when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord ; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord .”
Ezekiel 37:3‭-‬14 ESV

Wait and Hope

When we find ourselves in circumstances where we have been receiving “bad” or “challenging” news repeatedly for a while, the words “wait and hope” can seem… well… tiresome to be quite honest. If you were struggling, and I told you to “wait and hope”, that might not seem very helpful if you were worn and tired and didn’t know if there was any reason to continue to hold out hope any longer.

You might be weighing the options trying to decide whether to hold out hope in the direction you have been headed, or whether a change in direction is necessary. You might be at the end of your own strength ands no.t knowing how much longer you can make it under the current circumstances.

The Psalmist writes:

I wait for the Lord , my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
Psalms 130:5 ESV

And Isaiah tells us:

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28‭-‬31 ESV

And Matthew tells us:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28‭-‬30 ESV

So when we understand “wait and hope”, it doesn’t just mean to “wait for the bad to pass” and “hope that better things lie ahead” — it means “wait upon the Lord” and “hope in His word”.

You might ask, “What does it even mean to wait upon the Lord?”

“Waiting upon” is not the same as “waiting for”.

If I am “waiting for” someone — I have an expectation of their arrival, they are coming to meet me.

If I am “waiting upon” someone — I am serving them, I am going to them.

Can you see the difference in direction?

“Waiting for” means I’m expecting someone to come to me, while “waiting upon” means I am going to them and serving them willingly.

So can we see the difference in perspective with respect to God?

Are we “waiting for God” to “fix” or circumstances to what we think they should be — expecting God’s to come to us on our own terms and conditions?

Or are we “waiting upon God” as God and faithful servants seeking God’s wil and His glory in whatever circumstances the day brings to bear?

And when it comes to “hope” — are we “hoping for” what we want instead of “hoping in” His Word?

Again, we see the same difference in direction with regards comparing a carnal “hope for” versus a spirit filled “hope in”.

So yes, if you are tired, if you are weary, if you do not know where to turn, I say “wait and hope” dear friend — wait UPON the Lord and hope IN the Lord. And in that perspective, you will know peace even in the midst of the fiery furnace and the raging storm.

This is How I Fight My Battles!!!

This recording is unlike most praise and worship songs. This is a recorded testimony. It isn’t acting or performance, but is the raw emotional reality of my life — where I could see the very real recognition of the powerful enemies that lay in front of me as I tried to sing this song as a garment of praise even in the midst of the storm. Come see the Lord is faithful and true:

Today I deal with 3 enemies or challenges that seem to be encircled against me. I will not mention how these 3 particular enemies are named/manifested in the world around me — because you may be facing enemies this morning that are quite the same at the core but that wear different shells/appearances in your current circumstances.

The point is — that these enemies were like mountains seemingly standing in my way. I do not know what my right next steps should be.

I sought counsel this morning in Psalm 1:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord , and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalms 1:1‭-‬6 ESV

I was encouraged about direction this morning in Psalm 143:

Hear my prayer, O Lord ; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah Answer me quickly, O Lord ! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord ! I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! For your name’s sake, O Lord , preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.
Psalms 143:1‭-‬12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.143.1-12.ESV

I was reminded of the way of the enemy in I John 3:

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
1 John 3:4‭-‬10 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.3.4-10.ESV

This passage from 1 John about sin and righteousness will either offend and condemn the dead, lost rebellious who feel justified to do as they please, or raise up the leaven of prideful self righteousness in the dead, lost religious hypocrite who feels self justified in their outward performance — or it will remind the humble Christ follower in that awe and wonder energized by the fear of God that leaves us even more grateful for the cross today than the day we first heart this Good News, knowing that otherwise we would be doomed.

If you are offended, repent:

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6‭-‬7 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.4.6-7.ESV

If you are pridefully self- righteous, repent:

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:33‭-‬37 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.12.33-37.ESV

As for me, and only by the grace of God, I was reminded of my hope in:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that He may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1‭-‬3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.61.1-3.ESV

My next step is to:

– bring good news to the poor

– bind up the brokenhearted

– proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound

– proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God

– comfort all who mourn

And in setting my eyes upon those goals, what once seemed like mountains will be laid low below the feet of an eagle soaring high above them. By setting my sights upon the needs of others to hear this Good News, to be set free, to be readied, to be comforted — I will know that God has it all firmly in hand.

He has won the victory, and like Jehosephat in 2 Chronicles 20, we will know rest and our enemies will be laid low through faith, through putting on the garment of praise, ands by humbling ourselves to seek God first:

After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord ; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord . And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord , before the new court, and said, “O Lord , God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord , with their little ones, their wives, and their children. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord , worshiping the Lord . And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord , the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord , for his steadfast love endures forever.” And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord . Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord . And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around. Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord . The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 20:1‭-‬33 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2ch.20.1-33.ESV

Are you seeking the Lord today for victory, for redemption, for deliverance, for freedom, for comfort? He is the only way these things well truly be yours. Don’t trust in your own plans and efforts to get you through. Repent. Set your sights on trusting the Lord, put on the garment of praise today, lift up His holy name, and see that He has won the victory for you too.

Hallelujah!

Hear the Cry

The world hates wicked people who have wronged them, hates hypocrites who try to tell them what they are doing wrong, and hates God who they cannot accept as Lord, Savior, Creator, Righteous, Holy, and worthy of praise.

A Christian knows that they have been wicked and wronged others, knows that they have been hypocrites with their eyes set upon the specks in others eyes ignoring the log in their own, knows that it is only by God’s mercy and grace that they know God as Lord, Savior, Friend, Creator, Righteous, Holy, Merciful, Mighty, Holy and worthy of all praise and honor and glory forever, Amen.

When you hear a man crying out against the wickedness and hypocrisy of his neighbor — wonder whether his accusations lie against God — because many adherents of darkness masquerade as agents of light, and where there is no love (or only truly love of self) God is not in that place.

But when you hear a man crying out of his own wickedness and hypocrisy that he has committed towards his neighbor — isn’t it clear that his confession is against his own sinful weaknesses — and his testimony truly glorifies God?

I have hated you.

I have wronged you.
I have made up accusations about you in my mind.
I have spoken lies about you behind your back.
I have thought horrible things about you in the dark of night.
I have spoken great, high minded things loudly in public only to slink away to my wickedness in private.
I have seen the Lord be faithful to me time after time and I have found myself faithless yet again.
But that old man who loved such things is both dead and dying.
Those desires that pressed me on into the darkness are redeemed and replaced with something new.
There is a new resident that rests and walks and lives in this skin wrapped vessel.
Those old things are washed away.
Those old poisons no longer taste like delicacies anymore.
I have seen and tasted of the sweetness of the Lord, and I cannot go back to the vomit and the slop and the pigs and the dogs.
Do you know what I’m talking about?
Do you hear the call?
Do you feel the tug?
Will you come?
Come to Jesus.
Lay it all down.
Come and be made new.
Come and be made whole.
Come and know life abundant.
Come, know Jesus the Son, fall in wonder and awe of Almighty God the Father, and live through the Holy Spirit, Child of God.

You others, you enemies of God: Know that the end is near. Choose salvation today, repent and turn to God — or know what lies ahead. Know that it is both a warning of the coming destruction and a celebration of the coming Lord that we sing and preach far and wide.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
John 15:18‭-‬25 ESV

Leaven vs Testimony

Leaven: Picking out things from scripture that you know you “get right” and blasting your trumpet continually in this way.

Testimony: Sharing things from scripture that convicted you to personal repentance and humbly admitting your own failures while praising God for revealing and delivering and empowering change.

We should look at our habits and tendencies when it comes to our “public prayers” and “street corner preaching” online — to see what we are “shouting from the rooftops” and whether it comes from a place of humble awe and wonder concerning this Good News of Jesus Christ — or a place of prideful religion saying, “I do X/Y/Z but look at ‘them’ and what ‘they’ do!”

I say this knowing that many of my own messages fall short in this area. Lord, help us to find that position of washing feet, of inviting in — not of accusing and casting stones — of proclaiming YOUR GLORY, not our own.

And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Matthew 23:10‭-‬12 NLT

Are we standing on our proverbial street corner proudly saying, “You should learn from me!”

Or are we proclaiming, “Come and listen to the Teacher, the Christ, the Savior of the world!”

Lord, help us. Amen.

We Neither Choose Nor Work For It

“God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.”

This statement is a stumbling stone to the religious, the self righteous, the rebellious, the proud, and those who are blind to the depths of the grace and mercy of God.

This answer comes from the question:

Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau?

To which Romans 9 answers:

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
Romans 9:11 ESV

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth😉
Romans 9:11 KJV

But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”
Romans 9:11‭-‬12 NLT

This explanation continues:

In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
Romans 9:13‭, ‬15‭-‬16 NLT

A man might say, “But I made a decision for Christ when I was ___ years old.”

To which I would say, “If you have truly confessed the name of the LORD, and you have laid down your old life of sin to joyfully be an obedient disciple of Christ, going forth to share your testimony of this Good News to the ends of the earth and to all nations, loving and serving your fellow man and glorifying God — then these things are simply outward evidences of the work God is doing in and through you, as a vessel chosen for His use, so rejoice!”

But if what I have described beyond my first comma sounds nothing like the ‘Christian life’ you know of and walk everyday, I encourage you to examine yourself to see whether you are actually called and chosen as a Child of God to be His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Because many have spoken promises to God that they could not keep, and many have said aloud and publicly that they were vessels of light but were actually agents of darkness.I wil encourage you to seek God like your eternity friends on Him, because it does! If you have no real interest in seeking God, in knowing Him, in learning of His glory, His righteousness, His grace, and His mercy then you won’t know His peace nor will you be grateful to see Him one day face to face. And if you can’t stand spending time with Him now and would rather chase after the world and refuse Him today, are you not longing to be free from Him for eternity? I couldn’t say such things ti those who haven’t known of and tasted of the sweet things of God, but for you who are backsliding, I say, remember His great live for you, and choose today who you will serve. Your freedom is given not so that you might choose the sinfulness of the world, if you say you are “free indeed”.

If you have never truly recognized and admitted your need for God as LORD and Savior over your life. If you have never felt as if you “must choose God or I wil die in my own sins” and that you “cannot stand before a holy ands righteous God and live”, I’m telling you these things now — not because I think that you must choose God in order to earth His favor — but because I know that if you are His chosen, that you will hear the call and will respond. You see, even when we who are His think that we have “chosen God” and our whole lives are irrevocably changed and we are “born again” into a different life (not just signed up for a ceremonial participation) — it is a seed planted and watered and light shone upon us to not only break through the soil of these clay pots, but to bear the fruit of a unique nature and character far beyond our childish, selfish prideful ways. It is the glory of God shining through even such clay pots as me and you.

Do you long for the LORD? I know you do, betrothed of the off the LORD! Do not wait to get oil for your lamp. Do not hide your light. Be filled ands let it shine today. Amen!