Judges 10:6-16

To me, the Book of Judges is one of the saddest books of the Bible. The Israelites have come out of the wilderness into the land promised to them and we see in the Book of Joshua the wonderful victories that God has given them as they possess the land. Then we come to the Book of Judges.

Judges 2:10-13 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. (11) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: (12) And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. (13) And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

Within two generations, the Israelites had turned away from God and began to serve other gods. It says in verse 12 that the Israelites forsook the Lord God – that means they abandoned God, they turned away from Him. There is a two-fold problem here in chapter 2: first – in verse 10 we see that the older Israelites must have failed to teach the younger Israelites about God and what He had done for them. They must have neglected their duty to pass on to the next generation the things of God. Second: because the Israelites had not been taught, they turned away from God and went chasing after the false gods of the people around them. How about you: are you teaching your children, grandchildren and loved ones about Jesus Christ? Please do not depend on Sunday School classes and church services to be the only time your children and grandchildren hear about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. That is only four hours a week – please be sure to teach your children and grandchildren about salvation and Jesus Christ.

As you read the Book of Judges, you will see this is a constant pattern with the Israelites: they would turn away from God and sin, they would suffer, then they would supplicate themselves before God and then God would bring them salvation. How much better their lives would have been if they just kept their focus on God rather than on themselves. How much better our lives would be if we today would just keep our focus on God rather than on ourselves. That brings us to Judges 10.

Judges 10:6, 7 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. (7) And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

The Israelites have had two judges in a row to guide them and after the second died, the Israelites quickly did evil again in the sight of the Lord. It is so sad how quickly they began to worship the false gods of the people around them. In verses 7-9, we see that the Israelites were oppressed and vexed for at least 18 years. The nations around them – whose gods they were worshiping – were making war with them.

Judges 10:10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

The Israelites begin to come to their senses and realize they need to repent and turn back to God. They cry out to God, but had they really repented? Was it repentance or is it recognition of their sin? It appears that they have not really repented of their sin and just recognize that they have sinned. There is a big difference between the two. Look at verses 11-14. The Lord reminds the Israelites what He has done for them in the past and points out that the Israelites have forsaken Him again. God tells them: (v14) Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. Personally, I would not be surprised if the Israelites had already cried out to Baalim, Ashtaroth, and the other false gods and found that they did not help. How often do we try everything else before we turn to God? How often do we try to accomplish something under our own strength rather than pray to God for help? Look at verse 15 and see how the Israelites cry out the second time – this time there is true repentance.

Judges 10:15, 16 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. (16) And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

The first time they cried out to God, they admitted that they had sinned, but that was it! This time The Israelites cried out and put some feet to their words: their repentance led them to action. The first time they are saying: “O God, we have sinned because we followed Baalim.” The second time they cry out: “O God, we have sinned and we deserve whatever you do to us. Please save us.” Then they put away the idols and the strange gods and began to obediently serve the Lord God. There is a big difference between the two occasions. They began to fear the Lord God again and chose to follow Him. God began to move in their lives when they moved back toward Him. God was working in their lives while they were unrepentant, because He was drawing the pagan nations to afflict the Israelites – God used the pagan nations to chasten the Israelites because a loving Father knows that He has to chasten His children when they go astray. Repentance became real in their lives and they acted upon it. The first time their repentance was just lip service.

God does not want false repentance and He does not to worshiped for the wrong reasons. What is your motivation? Ask God this question: “Why do I do what I do in my service to you?” The answer may dismay you. God does not want your service if your motivation is wrong. Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Repent if your service to God is poorly motivated! In Isaiah 29:13, we see that the Israelites’ worship of God was self-centered! They worshiped Him in the manner that made them feel good, not God. Their fear and reverence of God came from what men taught them – it was not in the way that God showed them. God does not want you to just go through the motions of service and obedience to Him. He wants you heart to be right with Him God wants to you to do anything that you do because you love Him and desire to serve Him. God wants your worship of Him to please Him not yourself! That means that not all music pleases Him! Look at what the All Holy God told the Israelites in the Book of Amos: Amos 5:21-23 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. (22) Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. (23) Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. Look at verse 23 again – there is some music that God rejects and we should reject it too. Not all music is appropriate in the believer’s life. Rock ‘n roll does not belong in the believer’s life. Country music does not belong in the believer’s life. Is a musician truly honoring God if he or she sing about God in one song and on the next song they are singing about drinking and partying? Christian rock is not “Christian.” If the music you listen to now as a saved believer in Jesus Christ sounds the same as the music you use to listen to – but with “cleaner” lyrics – then it is not God-honoring music. You are in need of revival when the music you listen to does not honor God.

Revival will come when repentance comes into the believer’s life. In the Book of Joel, God urged the Israelites to truly fully repent. Joel 2:12-13 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: (13) And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. The Bible shows that when Israelites were in mourning they would put on sackcloth and place ashes upon their head and weep and wail. Look at verse 13 again: God wants them (and us) to not just put on a show of repentance but to truly repent! Rend your heart, not your garments, and turn to the LORD your God. God wants us to repent and be sincere about it and He will show us His grace and His mercy. I thank God that He is slow to anger and that He is very long suffering with me. I try His patience too often. God wants you and me to turn to Him with all of our hearts and when we do that, we will have a proper fear of the Lord God.

Today there is a distinct lack of the fear of the Lord among people, including Christians. What is meant by the phrase “fear of the Lord?” In the Bible it does not mean that the believer should be scared of God, but they should reverence Him. The Webster’s 1858 dictionary says: In scripture, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever. People do not fear the Lord God like they should. We need revival when we do not fear the Lord. We need revival when do not feel conviction about the sin in our life. We need revival when we do not love God like we should. Read through the Book of Proverbs – at least 12 times it discusses what the fear of the Lord is in the life of the believer. Proverb 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Pro 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. Pro 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

The fear of the Lord, the reverence for Him should happen each and every day of our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. If we do not properly fear God and respect Him, then we will not be obedient to Him. When we do not properly fear God, then we will not feel conviction for our sin. When we do not properly fear God, we will not feel conviction over that cigarette that was just lit up, or conviction for that glass of beer or wine that was just poured, or conviction about that TV show you just watched that had only “a few” bad words in it and “only” a couple scenes of immoral behavior. If there is one, then that is too many!

When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, then we will look to lift Him up and glorify Him, rather than ourselves. When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, then we will throw away those horror novels and romance stories about vampires. When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, we will focus on Him and His Word. When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, we will regularly pray to Him. We need revival when if we spend more time justifying our sin than repenting of the sin. The first steps to revival is regular prayer and reading of God’s Word.

Prayer is all important in the believer’s life. Jude 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Praying to God builds up our faith in God. Praying to God connects us to Him. Praying to God builds our love for Him. Praying to God gives us a greater fear and reverence for God. To be more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29), we need to daily pray to God and daily read our Bibles. Leonard Ravenhill wrote: No man is greater than his prayer life. The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer – the highest ministry of all human offices – is open to all. Spiritual adolescents say, “I’ll not go tonight, it’s only the prayer meeting.” It may be that Satan has little cause to fear most preaching. Yet past experiences sting him to rally all his infernal army to fight against God’s people praying. A sinning man will stop praying and a praying man will stop sinning. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Prayer is all important in the believer’s life. Make the time to pray each and every day. Each of us needs revival if we can identify with any of the following statements:

We need revival when we are not daily praying and daily reading God’s Word. We need revival when church dinners are better attended than Wednesday night prayer meeting. We need revival when we do not love God as we once did. We need revival when we would rather watch TV rather than read the Bible or pray. We need revival when we make little or no effort to win the lost. We need revival when we have time for sports or amusements, but do not have time for church, Bible study, or prayer. We need revival when our Christianity is joyless and dry. We need revival when the only person you can hear sing in church is the song leader. We need revival when our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry. We need revival when we are bored with going to church. We need revival when going to church becomes our duty and not out of the love for God. We need revival when our worship is halfhearted, lifeless and becomes mere duty. We need revival when people have to be begged to serve God. We need revival when we know Biblical truth in our heads, but we are not practicing it in our lives. We need revival when we would rather make money rather than give money. We need revival when people have to be entertained in order to come to church. We need revival when we are unmoved by the fact that people are dying and going to hell. We need revival when we are not seeing the regular evidence of the supernatural power of God in our lives regularly. We need revival when we are more concerned about our children’s secular school education and activities rather than then condition of their souls. We need revival when we do not long for fellowship with God and His people. We need revival when our priorities are not spiritual first. If you identify with anything on this list, please do not hesitate to go to God in prayer and repentance! Go to Romans 12.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God does not want you to die for Him – He wants you to be a living sacrifice. Live for Him each day! Look at verse 2 again: we are not suppose to be conformed to this world – we are suppose to be different from this world!The lost should look at believers and see that there is something different about believers in Jesus Christ – because we are suppose to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. This can only happen when we are spending time with God through His Word and through prayer. Have you noticed sometimes how a husband and wife after they have been married together for 30, 40, 50 years – that they start to look alike? They show the same mannerisms. They finish each other’s sentences and seem to know exactly what the other is thinking. That is how our relationship should be with God. How did that married couple get that way? Because they spent time together and built a relationship. We need to do the same with our relationship with God – spend time with Him by reading His Word to us and getting down on our knees in prayer to Him. That way when people look at us – they do not see us, they see Jesus Christ. We are in need of revival when people look at us and do not see Jesus Christ. When believers are willing to say, “Yes, God” then God will revive them. Are you willing to say “Yes, God” tonight?

Psa 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

Deuteronomy 30:9-14

What is revival? We are calling these two nights revival meetings, but exactly are we looking to accomplish? We often pray for revival to come to our area and to the United States of America, but what are we looking for? And what are we willing to do?

Revival is nothing more than a renewed obedience to the Word of God and love for the Word of God. If we would just follow what God’s Word says, what a difference there would be in our lives. Leonard Ravenhill wrote: It has been well said that there are only three classes of people in the world today: those who are afraid, those who do not know enough to be afraid, and those who know their Bibles. Sodom, which had no Bible, no preachers, no tracts, no prayer meetings, no churches, perished. How then will America be spared from the wrath of the Almighty, think you? We have millions of Bibles, scores of thousands of churches, endless preachers – and yet what sin! Revival is a renewed obedience to and love for the Word of God. Real revival is Heaven sent, not born by man. Real revival is brought by God when His people repent of the self-centeredness and turn back to God-centeredness. Real revival is not about you and me – it is about God. Real revival in our lives will bring glory and honor to God and we will demonstrate that revival each and every day to everyone.

What has happened? Believers in Jesus Christ should not need revival! We have His Book right here! Hopefully, everyone came here tonight with a Bible in their hand and they have opened it up. That is your responsibility, to open the Bible in front of you and double check what I am reading to you and preaching to you is true to what the Bible says! My responsibility is to preach what God has given me, but please double check me! Is Sunday the only day of the week you open your Bible? Does your Bible collect dust the rest of the week? This Book is what God has given to us to tell us about Himself and His Son, Jesus Christ. We have no further revelations today despite what the cults may tell you and we do not need further revelations (see John 20:30, 31)! This Bible is the Word of God, as Paul wrote to Timothy: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. How else are we going to come closer to God except through His Word and prayer to Him. This Bible comes directly from God and gives us doctrine – the teachings of and about God; reproof – the chastisement every believer needs when they begin to stray from God; correction – showing the believer the way back to the right path; instruction in righteousness – to live lives glorifying and honoring to God. Charles Spurgeon said: I would rather speak five words out of this book than 50,000 words of the philosophers. If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God. If we want conversions, we must put more of God’s Word into our sermons.

Please return to Deuteronomy 30.

What is Moses (under Holy Spirit inspiration) telling the Israelites in verses 1-8? When you read the previous chapters, the Israelites are on the verge of entering into the land promised to them and they have read off the blessings that they will receive if they obey God and they have read off the curses that will happen if they disobey God. Chapter 30 verses 1-8 discuss what will happen if the Israelites repent of their sins and turn back to God. Moses is talking about revival here – Revival will happen for the Israelites when they turn back to God and turn away from their sin.

Deuteronomy 30:9-10 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: And here is the definition of revival right here in the Word of God in verse 10:(10) If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

It is so simple and yet, we make it so difficult. We get comfortable in our sin. We know we should read our Bible… BUT, there is this TV show I really want to see. I know I should read my Bible… BUT I want to go see this movie. I know I should read my Bible… BUT baseball, football, basketball, NASCAR is on right now. I know I should read my Bible… BUT it is too hard to read. That is why we are suppose to study the Bible, so we can understand it better. I know I should read my Bible… BUT it is too long to read. And yet, people are willing to sit down and read the Harry Potter books or the Twilight series of books or Stephen King books or romance novels. I know I should read my Bible… BUT… fill in your own excuse!

The worst words that a man can say is BUT… GOD. And yet, if we would open our Bibles and study them, we would see that two of the greatest words are But God – as in Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. AND Romans 6:16-17 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. AND Ephesians 2:3-5 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;) If the dust on your Bible is thick enough to write the word “foolish” on it: then that is what you should do because that is exactly how you are acting: foolish.

Deuteronomy 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

Look at what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 22: Mat 22:35-38 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, (36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. The question I ask you is: If the first and great commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, then would the greatest sin be the failure to follow that commandment? How are you at loving God? When you sin, how quick are you to repent of the sin? And do you truly repent or do you go right back to that sin the first chance you get? If we are truly loving and obeying God, then we should show it. If you want revival in your life, then you must get back to the Word of God. If you want to glorify God in your life, then you must get back to the Word of God. If you want peace and contentment in your life, you must get back to the Word of God. Charles Spurgeon stated: Yet, above all, we want a revival, if we would promote the glory of God. The proper object of a Christian’s life is God’s glory. The Church was made on purpose to glorify God; but it is only a revived Church that brings glory to His Name.

Something that has been impressed upon me by God lately is a better realization of Him as Father. Go to Galatians 4:

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

The problem today is that too many professing Christians look at God the Father as a kindly grandfatherly old man. They want to view Him as sitting among the clouds in Heaven in a rocking chair. They read the Galatians 4:6 and view the word “Abba” as “papa” or “daddy.” God is so much more than that, and people have lost sight of who He truly is. Read the next verses Galatians 4:7-9 (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (8) Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. (9) But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? The believer in Jesus Christ is a son of God upon the moment of salvation and any good son of God should look to please his Father and obey his Father and Love his Father. When you sin, there should be a sense of conviction about committing that sin. And with that conviction should come repentance. If the repentance is not forthcoming, then if you are a child of God, God’s chastening, as the loving Father, will come upon you. Proverbs 3:11-13 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: (12) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (13) Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

We must be sure to have the proper view of God: He IS the most loving Father any believer could ever know, however, with that love requires God to chasten the unrepentant child of God. You are in need of revival if there is little or no repentance for the sin in your life. You are in need of revival if you enjoy your sin more than you enjoy your time with God and His people. You are in need of revival if the Word of God does not move you and convict you. Real revival produces judgment of sin and brings you to the point of falling down on your face before the Lord and crying out in repentance.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. (12) It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? (14) But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

God’s Word is not hidden from us today. God’s Will for us is not hidden from us today. We do not have to look up to the sky for God’s Word and we do not have to plunge to the lowest part of the ocean to find God’s Word. Moses is telling the Israelites that God’s Word was with them and the same is true today! Especially here in America – I have knocked on a lot of doors in this area and most people admit that they own a Bible. They own a Bible, but they rarely ever open it.

Let’s say you own a brand new Ford Mustang: it is bright cherry red, shiny mag wheels, high performance tires, black leather interior, tinted windows, and an excellent sound system… sounds great doesn’t it? But if you never take it out for a drive, what good is it? All you really have is a very large paperweight. The same is true with the Bible: you could have a leather bound, Cambridge made, King James version Bible, but if you never open it and read it and study it, then all you have is a very large paperweight.

Do you want revival in your life? I hope if I asked everyone in this room tonight if they wanted revival, everyone would shout, “Yes!” If you want revival, are you willing to do what it takes for God to bring revival in your life? That is a whole other story, isn’t it?

What does it take for God to bring revival into your life? It starts with the basics: read your Bible and pray to God. Start small and work your way up. When a person decides to become a body builder, do they immediately start with the two hundred pound weights? No! They start with smaller weights and, as they progress, they add more and more weights. Start by reading two chapters a day of the Bible: read one chapter of the Book of Proverbs and read one chapter of another book of the Bible, like the Gospel of Luke. Day one: read chapter 1 of Proverbs and chapter 1 of Luke. Day two: read chapter 2 of Proverbs and chapter 2 of Luke. And keep going until you finish Luke. Read one of the Books in the morning and the other in the evening – the point is that you need to read and you should do it with the goal of completing each book of the Bible. Pray a short prayer before each reading asking God for wisdom and guidance. Over time, add more chapters. If you read four chapters a day, you will finish the Bible in one year.

Deuteronomy 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. God’s Word is right here. But you must make time for it. I know you are busy, but two chapters a day may take up twenty minutes of time, surely you can spare twenty minutes. God’s Word is a lot more satisfying than a television show.

Some folks do not read the Bible because, they say, there are so many things in the Book that they cannot understand. It is said that these things which cannot be understood trouble them. Of course these are excuses. What does one do when he sits down to a Southern-fried chicken dinner, and finds there are bones in the chicken which he is unable to chew? Does he excuse himself, and say, “I can’t chew the bony parts of the chicken, therefore I won’t try to eat any of it?” Hardly. He merely puts the bones to one side and enjoys the edible part of the chicken. Why not put at least this much effort into Bible reading?

You know the whole Armor of God as described in Ephesians chapter 6? Turn there now. The Word of God is the only weapon we have. Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: If you are fighting a war and every believer in Jesus Christ should be ready for battle, as the Bible says in Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The Word of God is the only weapon we have! You cannot win a war by only defending yourself. Wars are won by going on the offensive and the Bible is our only weapon, you need to be ready to use it. The US Army does not send it’s troops to a battle with first preparing them otherwise, they will not know what to do in battle and they will run and hide. You need to be reading your Bible and studying it so you will be ready when someone comes up to you and asks you the question you did not expect. You must be ready to stand.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The evil day is upon us, are you ready to stand? This country needs revival, are you ready to stand? This state needs revival, are you ready to stand? The towns of Colosse, Parish, Pulaski, Fernwood, Mexico, need revival, are you ready to stand? Are you in need of revival today and are you willing to do what it takes for revival?

From Zephaniah 2:4 through chapter 3, verse 8, we see the judgments of God upon the nations of the world. His judgments are worldwide, which only makes sense because He is the Creator of the universe and of this world and of mankind. Thankfully, He is also the Redeemer of mankind. Because of Who He is, Holy, Just, and Righteous, God will judge the nations and the people for their sin and rejection of His Son, Jesus Christ. J. Vernon McGee wrote:

People have a sense of standards, because God has put that into them. Paul wrote: Romans 2:12-16 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (13) (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (14) For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: (15) Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) (16) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

The Gentiles – non-believers – have not been given the Law that was given to Moses. However, when they live their day to day lives, they may end up keeping certain aspects of the Law – for example: they could be setting aside the Sabbath day as a day of rest, or they may be not be thieves or killers. Their actions may be correct, but the motivation for the actions will not be the same as a believer in Jesus Christ. The believer in Jesus Christ will obey God’s commandments because they love Him and want to bring glory to Him. The non-believer may have certain standards, but if they are not God’s standards, then those standards will not help the non-believer no matter how sincerely they hold to those standards. Those head-hunters had a high standard of honesty, but they violated God’s standards by killing and eating people. Your sincerity will not be a deciding factor on the Day of Judgment. A man wrote: Returning home from school one day, my little boy came to me with the evidence of what he had had for lunch smeared all over his mouth. I told him to go wash his face and come back to show me the results. He returned in a hurry, saying, “I am all clean now, Daddy.” “Are you?” I asked. “Sure. I washed just like you told me to.” From his point of view he was clean, but from where I stood he still looked dirty. It is not what we think of ourselves that counts, but what God our Creator thinks of us.

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus Christ begins with a series of nine blessings toward His disciples. The last verse of the Old Testament ends with a curse and now a blessing is given toward those that believe in Jesus Christ who was sent to bless. Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Blessed are the poor in spirit. All believers are poor in spirit, but sadly, not all believers realize that they are poor in spirit. Just as Jesus Christ told the Pharisees in Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Those that believe that they are strong in spirit are truly the weakest and will fall due to their pride. As Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Do not become comfortable in your faith! Do not allow yourself to sit back and rest on your past accomplishments. Faith does not grow in comfortable places and when we become complacent, we are no longer poor in spirit because we mistakenly believe that we are all set before God. Charles Spurgeon wrote: Learn this lesson – not to trust Christ because you repent, but trust Christ to make you repent; not to come to Christ because you have a broken heart, but to come to Him that He may give you a broken heart; not to come to Him because you are fit to come, but to come to Him because you are unfit to come. Your fitness is your unfitness. Your qualification is your lack of qualification. All people are beggars in spirit, that is why we must rely on Jesus Christ each and every day, because we are weak and He is strong so we must constantly trust Him.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This verse is not referring to those that do not know Jesus Christ as their Saviour, because they are not poor in spirit – they have no spirit at all. J. Vernon McGee wrote: I played golf one day in Tulsa, OK, with a very wealthy oil man. He told me, “I went to church just like the rest of the hypocrites, and I was one of them, talking about keeping the Sermon on the Mount. Then one day I found out that I was a lost sinner on the way to hell. I turned to Jesus Christ, and He saved me! Oh, my friend, don’t be deceived. Only the Spirit of God can reveal to you your poverty of spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount was not telling His disciples how to become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. They already were citizens of the kingdom. The poor in spirit do not sit back and relax and decide they have it all figured out. The poor in spirit are always examining themselves, looking for the sin in their lives and trusting in the Lord for all things. The Apostle Paul did not consider himself to be rich in spirit, but recognized that he was the chiefest of sinners. He knew he was poor, but knew that in Jesus Christ he did not lack for anything. 2 Corinthians 6:10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

The poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven because they rely on the Lord Jesus Christ to be their provider. The poor in spirit have the kingdom because they do not rely on themselves but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for their comfort, their joy, their everything. The poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven because they are not prideful or centered on themselves. Look at God said in Zephaniah 3.

Zephaniah 3:11-12 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. (12) I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

Moses is described in the Bible as a meek and humble man but he was not always that way. D.L. Moody said: Moses spent forty years in the king’s palace thinking that he was somebody; then he lived forty years in the wilderness finding out that without God he was a nobody; finally he spent forty more years discovering how a nobody with God can be a somebody. When Moses and the people found out they were nobodies without the resource of God, that’s when the exodus began. Turn to Revelation 3.

The church at Laodicea believed that they were rich in spirit and look at the rebuke that Jesus Christ pronounced upon them:

Revelation 3:15-19 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. (17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. (19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The Laodiceans believed that they had everything that they needed and physically it was true – they did have everything they needed, well, actually, it looks like they had everything that they wanted. They had fine clothing, the best food, and increased goods – everything that they wanted. But Jesus Christ calls them wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked: why? Because they also believed that they were rich in spirit, when they were only lukewarm toward the things of God. They did just enough to fulfill what they perceived to be their obligations toward God and nothing more. But they did not do what God urged them to do: to put on the white raiment that God presented them and place eye medicine on their eyes so they could see. And they did not buy the gold that had been tried in the fire. Was God offering them real gold? No, but if the Laodiceans would have stopped trusting in themselves and their riches and placed more faith in God, He would have provided them with riches better than gold. That gold tried by fire is the faith placed in God to trust Him when the times are tough. The gold tried by fire is the faith in God when you step out of your comfort zone and trust in His protection. The gold tried by fire is the faith in God placed by those that are poor in spirit. Why? Because the poor in spirit have nothing and no one else to rely on.

Why are you a Christian?

What do you believe about the Bible?

Can you answer these questions with a thought out three or four sentence answer? You may never know when someone will ask you these questions… Are you ready?

This is an incredible testimony, Please take the time to read it.

From The Synagogue to The Saviour

May 5, 2010 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org;)

The following is abbreviated from “Charlie Coulson: The Drummer Boy” by Doctor Max L. Rossvally (1828-1892).

http://wayoflife.org/

http://www.pfbaptistpress.org/cart/index.php?controller=product&path=24&product_id=56

_____________________________

During the American Civil War, I was a surgeon in the Army. Following the battle at Gettysburg, there were hundreds of wounded soldiers needing immediate medical attention. Many were wounded so severely that a leg or an arm, or sometimes both, needed to be amputated.

One of the wounded was a boy, who had only been in the service for three months. Being too young to be a soldier, he enlisted as a drummer. My steward tried to give him chloroform before the amputation, but he turned his head away and refused it. He was told it was my order. He said, “Let me talk with the doctor.”

“Young man, why do you refuse the chloroform? When I found you on the battlefield, you were so far gone that I almost didn’t bother to pick you up. But when you opened those large blue eyes, it occurred to me that you had a mother somewhere who might be thinking of you at that very moment. I didn’t want you to die, so I had you brought here. You have lost so much blood that in you’re weak condition you might not live through this operation. You’d better let me give you the chloroform.”

He laid his hand on mine, looked me in the face and said, “Doctor, one Sunday afternoon in Sunday School, when I was nine and a half years old, I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I learned to trust Him then, I know I can trust Him now. He is my strength. He will support me while you cut away my arm and leg.”

“Won’t you at least take some brandy?” I begged.

Again, he looked at me and said, “Doctor, when I was about five years old, my mother knelt by my side with her arms around my neck and said: ‘Charlie, I am now praying to the Lord Jesus that you will never know the taste of strong drink. Your father died a drunkard, and I’ve asked God to use you to warn young people against the dangers of drinking.’  I am now seventeen years old and I have never had anything stronger than tea or coffee. I am in all probability going to die and go into the presence of my God. Would you send me there, smelling of brandy?”

I will never forget the look he gave me. At that time I hated Jesus, but I respected that boy’s loyalty to his Saviour. When I saw how he loved and trusted Him to the very end, something deeply touched my heart. Despite the urgency of the moment and all the misery around, I did for that boy what I had never done for any other soldier. I asked him if he wanted to see a chaplain.

“Oh, yes, sir!” was his answer.

When the chaplain came, he recognized the young drummer from his tent prayer meetings. Taking his hand, he said, “Charlie, I’m so sorry to see you in this sad condition.”

“Oh, I’m all right, sir,” he answered. “The doctor offered me chloroform, but I declined it. Then he wanted to give me brandy, which I didn’t want either. So now, when my Saviour calls me, I can go to Him in my right mind.”

“You might not die, Charlie,” said the chaplain, “but if the Lord should call you home, is there anything I can do for you after you’re gone?”

“Chaplain, here’s my little Bible. My mother’s address is inside. Send it to her and write a letter for me. Tell her that since I left home, I have never let a single day pass–no matter if we were on the march or on the battlefield,–without reading a portion of God’s Word, and daily praying that He would bless her.”

“Is there anything else I can do for you, my lad?” asked the chaplain.

“Yes, please write a letter to the Sunday School Superintendent of the Sands Street Church in Brooklyn, New York. Tell him that his many prayers and moral counsel I have never forgotten. His lessons have helped and comforted me through all the dangers. And now, in my dying hour, I ask my Saviour to bless and strengthen my dear old teacher. That is all.”

Turning towards me, he said, “Now, doctor, I’m ready, and I promise I will not scream while you take off my arm and leg.”

I didn’t have the courage to take the knife in my hand, without first taking a quick gulp of brandy to nerve myself to perform my sad duty.

While cutting through the flesh, Charlie Colson didn’t even groan. But when I took the saw to separate the bone the lad, through clenched teeth, uttered, “O Jesus, blessed Jesus, stand by me now!”

He kept his promise. He never screamed.

I couldn’t sleep that night. Despite the constant moans and weeping of the wounded, all I could see was Charlie’s soft blue eyes. Even his words, “Blessed Jesus, stand by me now,” kept ringing in my ears.  Between twelve and one o’clock, a strong urge came over me to see that boy again. When I got there, I was told that sixteen of the badly wounded had died. “Was Charlie Colson one of them?” I asked. “No, sir,” answered the steward, “he’s sleeping as sweetly as a babe.”

When I came to his side, one of the civilian nurses informed me that at about nine o’clock, two members of the U.S. Christian Commission, accompanied by the chaplain, came to read Scripture and sing hymns. She said that the chaplain knelt by Charlie and offered up a passionate prayer. Then they and Charlie sang the sweetest of all hymns, “Jesus, Lover Of My Soul.” I couldn’t understand how this young lad, who suffered such horrible pain, could sing.

Five days after his amputation, Charlie sent for me. “Doctor,” he said, “my time has come. I don’t expect to see another sunrise. But thank God, I have no fear and I’m ready to go. I want to thank you with all my heart for your kindness to me. I know you are Jewish, and that you don’t believe in Jesus, but I want you to stay with me, and see me die trusting my Saviour to the last moment of my life.”

I tried to stay, but I could not. I didn’t have the courage to stand by and watch a true Christian die, rejoicing in the love of Jesus whom I had been taught to deny. So, I hurriedly left.

About twenty minutes later an anxious steward found me and said, “Doctor, Drummer Colson wants to see you again.” “I’ve just seen him,” I answered, “I can’t see him again.” “But, Doctor, he says he must see you before he dies.”

So, I made up my mind to see him, say a few kind words, and let die. However, I was determined that no talk about his Jesus was going to influence me.

His condition had worsened. Asking me to take his hand, he said, “Doctor, I love you because you are Jewish; the best friend I have found in this world was also Jewish.”

I asked him who that was, and he answered, “Jesus the Christ, and I want to introduce you to Him before I die. Will you promise me, Doctor, that what I am about to say to you, you will never forget?”

I promised, and he said, “Five days ago, while you operated on me, I prayed to the Lord to save you.”

His words pierced deep into my heart. I couldn’t understand how, when I was causing him the most intense pain, he could forget all about himself and think only of his Saviour and my spiritual need. All  I could say at the moment was, “Well, my dear boy, you will soon be all right.”

I started to leave, hearing him sing softly, “I’m going home to die no more.”

Twelve minutes later he fell asleep, “safe in the arms of Jesus.”

During the war thousands of soldiers died in our hospitals, but I only attended one burial, that was for Charlie Colson the Union drummer boy. I ordered that he’d be dressed in a new uniform and like the burial for an officer, arranged that his coffin be covered with the flag he nobly served.

His dying words made a deep impression upon me. I remembered thinking how gladly I would have given all I possessed, if I could have felt towards Jesus as he did. But with the continuation of the cruel war and my company with worldly officers, I gradually forgot his prayer and my promise.

After the war and for nearly ten years, I fought against believing in Christ. But God continued to bring faithful and godly people into my life that spoke of Jesus’ love. Finally, the drummer boy’s prayer was answered and I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and Messiah. It did come at a high cost. My family, in-laws and dear mother rejected me. Psalm 27:10, was a great comfort, “When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.”

It was eighteen months after my salvation that the Lord had a special blessing for me. One evening while traveling through Brooklyn, I felt led to attend a prayer meeting in a small local church. It was a meeting when believers testify to the loving-kindness of the Lord. After several had spoken, an elderly lady stood up and said,

“Dear friends, this may be the last time I have a chance to publicly share how good the Lord has been to me. My doctor told me yesterday that my right lung is nearly gone, and my left lung is failing fast, so at best, I only have a short time to be with you. But what is left of me belongs to Jesus. It’s a great joy to know that I shall soon meet my boy with Jesus in heaven. My son was not only a soldier for his country, but also a soldier for Christ. He was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, and was cared for by a Jewish doctor, who amputated his arm and leg. He died five days after the operation. The chaplain of the regiment wrote me a letter, and sent me my boy’s Bible. I was told that in his dying hour, my Charlie sent for that Jewish doctor, and said to him, `Doctor, before I die I wish to tell you that five days ago, while you operated on me, I prayed to the Lord to save you.”
As I heard this lady speak, I just couldn’t sit still! I left my seat, ran across the room, took her hand and said, “God bless you, my dear sister. Your son’s prayer has been heard and answered! I am the Jewish doctor that your Charlie prayed for, and his Saviour is now my Saviour!

________________________

“Having been frequently asked whether all the details of this story are strictly true, I take this opportunity of stating that every incident occurred exactly as related.” Max L. Rossvally

Known facts

* Rossvally became a worldwide Evangelist.
* His wife, daughter and son eventually became believers.
* He started a Hebrew Christian Association in NYC.
* He is buried in Lawnswood Cemetery in Leeds, England.
* His story has been translated into many languages.

Shortly after his conversion to God, Dr. Rossvally resigned his commission in the United States Army and opened a Mission for the conversion of his Jewish brethren. He met with much opposition at first, but persevered, and finally had the joy of seeing quite a number –rich and poor, old and young Jews and Jewesses–exclaim, with one of old: “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, THE CHRIST” (John 1:41).

He afterwards made a prolonged evangelistic tour, and visited many cities in Europe, America, Canada, Germany, and many other lands, preaching the glad tidings of a free and full salvation in his forceful way to large audiences, his ministry being owned of God in leading not a few–Gentiles as well as Jews–out of darkness into light and from the power of Satan unto God.
A few years of happy service, a few months of severe suffering, and M. L. Rossvally was called to the higher service of heaven in October, 1892.

“He being dead yet speaketh,” for several millions of “Charlie Coulson, the Drummer Boy,” and some of his other tracts, have been scattered over America, Britain, India, Australia and New Zealand, France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and other lands, leading many to “know Him whom to know is life everlasting.”

Surely this true and touching narrative of real life in our own day re-affirms the words of the most noted Jewish convert–Saul of Tarsus–who said: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Notice it is not the Gospel of Christianity or Judaism, the gospel of any church, creed, or party, but the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel concerning the peerless Person of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who died for our sins according to the Scriptures … was buried, and … rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name: that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

The great question for each of us to consider is, Have I, like the drummer boy and the doctor, as an individual, realized my lost condition as “dead in trespasses and in sins” (Eph. 2:1) and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my own personal Saviour? And do I know that “God for Christ’s sake has pardoned my sins?” If not, why not, like Jew and Gentile recorded herein, put the matter to the test? “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and you will be able to say, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Zephaniah 1:7-12

What we are learning from the Book of Zephaniah is that there is another aspect of God’s Love that few wish to think about: the tougher side of God’s Love for His people. There is time when God will, in a sense, hug and comfort His people, but there is also a time when He needs to discipline and chasten His children.

Hebrews 12:5-11 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

When God’s children have gone off the narrow path that God has set before us, He will chasten us to direct us back to the path, much the way a shepherd guides his flock of sheep and chases down the wayward sheep that has gone astray. Sometimes, God has to do something more drastic in order to get His people back on track and look at verses 9 and 10 again. God chastens His children to bring them to holiness – God’s Holiness – why? Because they have chosen to follow their own direction and concepts of holiness, so God chastens them to bring them back. The chastening may be painful at first, the chastening may seem to be scary and confusing at first, the chastening may bring sorrow and grief, but the benefits of the chastening will be seen and experienced by the child of God when the chastening is over. Verse 11: Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. The results of the chastening is the peaceable fruit of righteousness. God’s righteousness, when followed by the child of God, brings peace.

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

God chastens His children because He loves them. I would much rather have God chasten me than to have Him ignore me. A young boy could be outside playing with his trucks and having a great time. He has a dump truck and he is making truck noises when suddenly his father runs up to the young boy and roughly picks him up and runs a short distance, leaving the toys behind. Then the father sets his son down and tells him to never do that again and gives the young boy a swat on his bottom. That does not sound very loving does it? But when you realize that the young boy was playing in the middle of the road and the father had run out to save the boy from an oncoming car, you see that it was very loving of the father. What we saw there was the tough side of love. J. Vernon McGee wrote: Love places the eternal security and permanent welfare of the object of love above any transitory or temporary comfort or present pleasure down here upon earth. Love seeks the best interest of the beloved. That is what the Book of Zephaniah is about: the tough side of God’s Love for His people. Praise God because He always has our best interests at heart!

How can we be effective as Christians in a world that has gone crazy?

11 points to ponder!

1.  Look outside yourself and circumstances for a moment.  There is more in the world than this – much more.  1 Cor 2:9

2.  Why did God breathe into man causing humans to have a soul? Why did God create you and your neighbor? Answer: Love – An exercise of God’s free will. To love means to share.  Eph. 1:4-6

3.  “Pros” (with) God.  The Word was with God (John 1:1). “Pros” is the Greek word translated “with.”  Pros means face-to-face, complete union, or intercourse with God.  From eternity past God the Son, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit were in union.  Until, the cross.  “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Matt. 27:46)? This was the first and only time in all eternity that God the Father broke fellowship with God the Son.  Why?  Because sin separates fellowship with God (Isa. 59:2). Jesus became sin, paying the penalty for sin, thus breaking fellowship with the Father, so that those who would trust in the shed blood of Christ could have fellowship with the Father through the Son (2 Cor. 5:20,21). Jesus broke fellowship, becoming sin, so that we might have fellowship with God.  Amazing!

4.  You have purpose – your neighbor has purpose. Eph. 2:10

5.  You have always been in God’s mind – this is a mystery. Eph. 1:4

6. You have been given a certain number of days on earth. Ps. 90:12

7.  God created: He is still creating. He is not finished creating you. Esther 4:14; Jer. 1:5-10

8.  You have worth – your neighbor has worth. Gen. 1:26

9.  If Christians can understand this, we would understand that each person from conception till death has significance. Gen. 2:7

10.  As a result we would do everything in our power to tell the message of God’s love to the world. Acts 1:8

11.  We would live differently, we would talk differently, we would go out of our safe, sub-cultural boxes and embrace humanity with the love of Christ communicating in practical ways, as well as in profound ways – we would be different.  We would be effective. Micah 6:8; Luke 14:23

Because of Calvary we go.  May this upcoming season of remembering the death, burial and resurrection of Christ move us to action putting feet to our words.

Time is short, life is precious and Jesus is coming soon!

By Dr Jeffrey Johnson

http://www.israeltodayministries.org/

2 Cor. 4:6, 7 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

I never really caught what this verse 7 was saying until this week when I read it. God, in His infinite wisdom, has placed His light within each born again believer of Jesus Christ. Those that are lost do not have that light and they dwell in darkness. They are spiritually blind to the things of God.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Look again at verse 7: God has placed a treasure in earthen vessels – what is the treasure and what are the earthen vessels? The treasure is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and what a treasure it is! The good news about Jesus Christ and His death, burial , and resurrection is what changes men’s lives and brings them eternal life. The earthen vessels are man. We are the vessels of clay that bear the trasure of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! What wonderful wisdom God has in doing that so that He will receive all glory and honor, not man. The born again believer in Jesus Christ remains physically weak despite receiving the Gospel and accepting God’s grace, so that people will see that it comes from God and not man. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “ The weakness of the preacher only shows the power of God when he uses such poor means to accomplish so great an end. Never let us refuse to do good because our abilities are slender; let us the rather yield up our weakness unto the Lord that He may use it to His own glory.” All should be done to the glory of God! We may believe ourselves to be weak in an area, but if we are willing to be used by God, He will use that weakness to bring glory to Himself. It when we rely on our own strengths that God receives no glory because we are showing Him in our lives.

2Co 12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

When Paul was at His weakest, then God received more glory. Paul had plenty to boast about in his life, but he realized that he needed to rely on God and not himself. Paul shows us the example of another that, in His weakness, showed God to be strong and only worthy of glory. Go to 2 Cor. 13:

2Co 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Jesus Christ was weak before the Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers. He allowed Himself to be arrested, beaten, scourged, mocked, and crucified. He was crucified through weakness, but that weakness showed the power and glory of God. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again from the dead because He loved us, and not because of any merit in us. He accomplished these things for the glory and power of God. The Creator of the universe, Jesus Christ, allowed Himself to be made weak so He could bring glory to God. What have we done to bring glory to God? Are we walking in obedience to Him? Are we reading our Bibles daily? Are we praying like we should? If you are not, then ask yourself, why not? And what am I going to do about it?

God hears the voice of the believer. This psalm points that it IS okay to prayer out loud. Sing your praises and prayer and petitions to God! God does hear His children. Go back to Psalm 115 for a moment.

Psalm 115:2-8 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? (3) But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. (4) Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. (5) They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: (6) They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: (7) They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. (8) They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

The heathen, the lost, the unbeliever, the pagan want to be able to see God, that is why they build idols so they can have a god they can see and touch. But look at what Psalm 115 states: the idols have eyes but cannot see; the idols have mouths but cannot speak; the idols have hands and feet but cannot move. What kind of gods are these that have to be picked up and carried around by their worshippers? God does not need us to carry Him – why? Because He already resides in the believer. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

God is superior to idols because He is real and He hears us and loves us. It seems like most idols that are made are ugly, fearsome looking things. When Ezekiel was taken by the Spirit of God to see the Temple in Ezekiel chapter 8, he described the idols he saw in the Temple of God like this: Ezekiel 8:10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. Note that Psalm 115 tells us: Psalm 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. The makers of the idols are really only reflecting themselves onto their statues and that is what we see today; people trying to remake God in their own image. On February 5, 2010, President Obama held a prayer breakfast at the White House. President Obama calls himself a Christian and yet, at no time did he mention the name of Jesus Christ. One would think that if you were a follower of Jesus Christ, you would want to share Him with others especially in a room full of Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and other religions.