“But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.” -John 6:20-21 KJV
“but he called out to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here!‘ Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!” -John 6:20-21 NLT
All it takes is simply the sound of His voice. He speaks peace, and the storms of our life stills. He speaks and the calm of His voice brings a comfort that is inexplicable. The disciples of Jesus experienced that peace at the sound of His voice.
When they were on the shore, they were waiting for Jesus. Jesus had not yet arrived even though it was dark. They got into the boat and rowed out to sea. Three to four miles into the sea, the boat was buffeted by waves because of a great wind that had come over the waters. Then, some time during the early hours, Jesus had come out walking upon the waters. He was getting close to the boat. They had seen him in the distance, and they were frightened thinking they were seeing a ghost.
His voice and the words He spoke calmed them, “It is I; do not be afraid…” There is something so calming about Jesus reminding us of who He is. He is the Prince of Peace. He calms us during the storms of our life. He calms us when we are scared. He comforts us when we are hurting. When it seems like our life is about to capsize, there He is, “It is I; do not be afraid.” We, like the disciples, can willingly receive Jesus onboard. We don’t need to worry. He’ll take care of the situation and handle all our cares and our anxieties. All we have to do is rest and trust in Him, obeying what He tells us to do.
The word “received” in this verse comes from the transliteration of the Greek word “lambanō,” meaning to clasp onto or take hold of. They knew Him. They knew His voice which calmed them. They willingly received Him and clutched onto Him. They took hold of Him. Above all, with Jesus, they knew they were safe.
Those who are children of the Lord recognize His voice. He speaks, “Peace! Be Still!”; that alone is enough to give us assurance of His presence, dispelling all fear and doubt. We can rest in Christ with the knowledge that He has everything under control. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27).
Lord, thank You for the assurance You give us and for Your Words of Truth. You, O Lord, are the Prince of Peace and there is none like You. Because we trust and hope in You, we do not need to be afraid for Your perfect love expels all fear. We willingly take hold of You, clasping and clinging onto You. Help us to always cherish and embrace the Truth You speak. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
“Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings.” -Leviticus 2:13 (NLT)
“Never forget to add salt…” was the command for this grain offering. The significance of the grain offering was that it represented honoring and worshiping God alone, acknowledging He alone is the Provider for all His Children. We cannot overlook the great significance of this offering. It is clear we are to honor and worship God alone and that God is our Provider. We are His temple, and our foundation is Christ. Since Christ is our foundation, then it is God alone whom we bring honor and glory to in what we say, what we do, and how we live. This grain offering could be offered by anyone even if he/she was poor. Anyone can honor and worship God alone. We are living sacrifices before God.
Let me explain the significance of salt: Back in Bible times, some middle eastern lands would gift someone with salt if they were making an agreement. Gifting with salt in those days represented that an agreement or legally binding contract (covenant) was permanent. Simply put, the gift of salt you gave to the one you made an agreement with represented a permanent agreement, a lasting and unchanged agreement indefinitely. That is why the salt could not be forgotten on the grain offering. The salt added to the grain offering was symbolic, representing the permanent covenant God and His People had. When this offering was made by the people of God, God was pleased by their intentions and motivation in making this offering. When we offer the sacrifice of praise and when we worship the Lord in how we live, we bring honor to God. “I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him,” (Romans 12:1 NLT).
Salt can be diluted or polluted. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless,” (Matthew 5:13 NLT). Job had this to say about unsalted food in Chapter 6 Verse 6, “Don’t people complain about unsalted food? Does anyone want the tasteless white of an egg?” There are a few things we must understand: (1) We are used to the chemical compound we call “table salt.” (2) The salt we know is not the salt they had back in the days of Jesus, and (3) Jesus used salt an example. If you were to look at me, you would not see a pile of salt. Jesus used salt as a way to describe the Remnant, the People of God.
Let’s agree on one thing. If we are going to eat, we want our food seasoned. We don’t want to eat bland food. We want flavorful food that tastes good. God wants us the salt of the earth to keep all its flavor and not to lose any of flavor by being diluted or polluted. If we lose our flavor by being complacent, then we are diluted salt -in other words we lose our godly influence in the world we live in, and we become rendered ineffective in ministry and to reach out to seek and save the lost. When we lose our godly influence, how will others see God being glorified through us? When we are complacent, then we are diluted salt. Salt can even be diluted to the point where you cannot even taste the salt.
Being salt that has not lost flavor is representative of God being active in your life, preserving you from the wickedness of this world and from the evil one. Being salt also shows that God has shown His grace and mercy to you, restoring and healing and forgiving you of your iniquities and transgressions.
Are you salt that still has all of its flavor? Are you polluted salt that has bought into the vain imaginations and philosophies of this world, or are you diluted salt whose flavor has been lessened by indifference or by complacency?
Let us not allow ourselves to lose our flavor. Let us strive to be ready at all times to serve the Lord effectively by having our roots deeply rooted in Christ and being grounded in the Word of God. Let us be the salt of the earth, bringing God glory as we are His hands extended (“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,”1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV). Let us not be polluted by the things of this world but fix our eyes on Him who is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith. Let us never lose our influence in this world so that we might seek and save the lost by the power of His Holy Spirit working through us (“And then he told them,“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone,'” Mark 16:15 NLT). God can only work through us when we are sold out for Him.
Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of glory and honor. You alone are my Provider. Thank You for the blessings You have bestowed upon me. Thank You that I can freely worship You. Let me be the salt of the earth. Be my Instructor, and help me and remind me You are the One who sustains and keeps me. Teach me how not to be the salt that loses its flavor. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
As I was reading and studying the Word this morning, I couldn’t help but find myself with a very sobering thought: Judgment begins in the Household of God. No one can escape God’s judgment, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God,” (Romans 14:12). The closer the return of Christ is the more we see things in this world unravel. It is important that we remain vigilant in our walk with the Lord. This is not a time to be slacking. This is a time to rise up. Stand up for God’s truth. Do not back down.
The prophet Ezekiel was given a message to the people of Judah. The Temple of the Lord had been defiled. They had chance after chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways, but they still chose to disobey and live lives of evil. God’s mercy and grace gives us a chance to repent. God’s mercy and grace gives us a chance to turn from our evil ways. God’s mercy and grace also provides us with warnings. When we do not heed the warning of God, then we find ourselves in positions where the ax of God’s judgment will strike.
If you are a leader of any kind, you are not exempt from God’s judgment. Those who are in leadership are judged more harshly than those they lead. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ” And this is where I find myself saying, “God, never let me go” because verses like this make me shudder. We are responsible to those we lead, those who follow our example. We are either godly leaders or we are leading people to destruction. The leaders of Judah knew this too well. The people should have been able to look to their leaders to learn about the Word of God and they should have seen their leaders living examples of godly lives, instead, they defiled the temple, and the judgment of God began with them. Check out this verse found in Ezekiel 9:6, “‘Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children, but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.’ So they began with the elders who were before the temple.” You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and YOU are sealed with the Holy Spirit. If you are truly living for the Lord, then you will do everything you can such as following the laws of God and His commands so that you do not grieve the Holy Spirit.
Remember in Ezekiel, the glory of the Lord had to leave the Temple because the Temple had become so defiled. The Spirit will not always strive with man. You will either submit to the ways of God now and surrender or you will end up paying the consequences of not serving God. God’s holiness is perfect, and because the Temple was no longer a place the glory of God could dwell, the glory of the Lord left the Temple.
Is there anything in your life that is grieving the Holy Spirit? Are you truly loving God with all your heart? Have you determined to set your face like flint in order to do His will? Are you lukewarm or complacent? Are you backslidden?
I encourage you to resolve to live for God no matter what the cost. It truly is a matter of spiritual life and death. Don’t sacrifice your eternal destiny for the things this world offers you. This world cannot offer you salvation. Matthew 3:9-10 says, “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ” The ax of God’s judgment is ready to cut any tree at its root that does not bear spiritual fruit. In other words, if you are claiming you have a relationship with Christ but living in whatever way you want, you are a tree that is not producing spiritual fruit.
According to the Word of God, GOD DOES SAVE, and anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The good news is there is hope for those who are repentant and turn from their wicked ways. There is peace for those who have their minds fixed on God because they trust in Him. Remember to resolve yourself to live for God and follow His commands, His ways.
Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of all Creation. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are from Everlasting to Everlasting. I surrender to You, O Lord, to live as You would have me to live. Give me the courage to stand up for Your truth and Your ways. Fill me with Your Spirit and give me the wisdom and discernment to know right from wrong. Be my Instructor in all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
“Then the LORD said to me: ‘Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go. If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.'” (Jeremiah 15:1-2 Berean Study Bible)
I did a doubletake reading this Scripture when I saw it said, “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before me, My heart would not go out to this people.” Moses and Samuel were both prophets of God. They were two of the greatest prophets amongst the other prophets we see in the Scriptures. The people of Judah had come to the point of no return.
Not even Moses or Samuel would have been able to intercede for the people of Judah at this point. Judah had abandoned God and traded God for the religious systems of men, had adopted the culture of pagan nations, and worshipping the idols/gods of the nations around them. Jeremiah had already been told “As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me at the time of their disaster, ” (Jeremiah 11:14BSB).
Intercession for the people of Judah would have been rendered ineffective even if Moses and Samuel were standing before God interceding on their behalf. God wasn’t even listening to the people of Judah cry out to Him because they only cried out to Him when they were in trouble. God was angry and told Jeremiah, “Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 11:11-13) They didn’t commune with God. They were committing the act of spiritual adultery, acting as prostitutes giving themselves away to every pagan deity and were told by God through the prophet Jeremiah “How you plot and scheme to win your lovers. Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you!” (Jeremiah 2:33BSB) They had no shame and could not even blush anymore. They flagrantly flaunted their spiritual adultery and their idolatry in the face of God.
GOD DOESN’T PLAY GAMES. God warned them over and over again, but the stench of their sin had risen up before Him, and they were only sorry they had gotten caught in their sin. They were not repentant for their sins of abandoning God and trading Him in for the religious systems of man, their spiritual adultery, and their idolatry.
This cannot get more sobering than this statement made to Jeremiah by God, “As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me at the time of their disaster.” Will you allow yourself to be found in the same spiritual condition as the people of Judah? Would God tell someone not to pray for you?
THERE IS NO NEUTRAL GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO SERVING GOD. I will be saying that until there is no longer breath in my body. There is no neutral ground when it comes to serving the Lord. CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.
We have been chosen by Christ to go and bear fruit. Every tree that does not bear fruit will be chopped down and burnt up (Matthew 3:10, 7:19).
“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:4-6NLT)
Remember God does NOT bless a life of disobedience, but He does bless a life of obedience. He lavishes grace and mercy upon His children who are loving Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Favor is the shield around His children.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Repent so you are not found in the same position as the people of Judah. God had enough of their foolish behavior. Do NOT bring God to the point where God tells someone not to pray for you anymore because of your stubborn, hardened, and calloused heart. There is a time when God says, “Enough” as we have seen here with Jeremiah.
There is no neutral ground when it comes to God. You are either on God’s side or you’re not. You cannot claim to live for God and love the things of this world; in other words, you cannot be a friend of God if you are a friend of the world. The God of the Old Testament is still God in the New Testament. God promises restoration, hope, and healing for those who are truly repentant with contrite hearts, those who recognize their need of the one and only Savior.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You are the One and Only God. You are the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. No one compares to You. You are sovereign and holy, and You do not share Your glory with another. Father, I will seek Your righteousness first and I will follow Your ways. I will obey Your commands and cling tightly to Your truth. I choose to serve You and You alone. Thank You for being my God and my Father. Thank You for Your instruction and Your discipline. Thank You for choosing me to go and bear fruit. Be with me as I follow Your commands and seek out Your ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
King Rehoboam, King Solomon’s son, has flipped my brain inside out and upside down as I have been studying his life for the last two days. Each verse got more interesting, but what King Rehoboam did scared the living daylights out of me.
“And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord, With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 12:1-4KJV)
I shook my head as I read this passage of Scripture. It’s a little unnerving. First thing to note is that in this particular verse Israel is in reference to Judah. Second thing to note is King Rehoboam was very high in popularity at this time. Not only was he popular but he had also made an attempt to serve God. The Results: Judah prospered. We find this evidence in 2 Chronicles 11:17 (KJV), which states, “This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.”
Rehoboam had success and was enjoying a time of blessing. He and his kingdom were firmly established and made strong. He was at the highest point in popularity and in power. Then, we see a tragic turn of events. In the time of blessing, Rehoboam “…forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.” King Rehoboam committed two major sins: (1) He forsook the law of the Lord, and (2) He caused all Israel to sin because they followed his lead. We can see Rehoboam’s sin didn’t just affect him; it affected all Israel. When you are a leader, it is inevitable that people will follow you. They look at your example, and eventually, you will see them modeling what you have modeled for them. Any leadership role you play, you are held with a higher level of accountability by God. How you lead those who follow your example will affect your standing in the eyes of God. In this case, Israel took its leadership from Rehoboam and the whole nation forsook God’s law; they forgot about God and abandoned him.
There were consequences to them forsaking and abandoning God and His law. We can see the results of their sin in verses 3-5 (KJV), which states, “With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.”
I think it’s safe to say God has His limits. This verse, “…Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.” I looked up the word “forsake” in the Hebrew Language. The Hebrew word is “azab” which means “to loosen, to relinquish, to permit.” When we decide to forsake or abandon God, we are letting go, giving up on God; when we decide to forsake or abandon God, we are voluntarily surrendering our claim to God being the One we follow. There does come a time when God has had enough. We don’t like being ignored or disrespected or pushed aside. Can you imagine how God feels when we ignore, disrespect, or push Him aside? He is your Creator, who has given you life. It is not wise to push God aside or show Him any kind of disdain or indifference toward Him especially when God has lavished you with mercy and grace and has poured out His blessings upon you.
King Rehoboam and the people repented, and God saw the change of heart. Sounds good, right? Forgiveness doesn’t mean you will NOT suffer the consequences. The consequences may not be as severe as they would have been if you didn’t repent. Let’s look at verses 7-8 (KJV), which states, “And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” What was their consequences for forsaking God and His law? They would end up the servants to Shishak, King of Egypt. By being the servants to Shishak, they would learn and know what it is like to be ruled by a man rather than being ruled by God. The NLT phrases verse 8, this way, “But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers.” Need I say more on that?
Shishak attacked Jerusalem and ransacked the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple as well as the palace. Then, the gold shields which were made by King Solomon were stolen. God didn’t spare Rehoboam, a king, from the consequences of his choices. Do you think he would allow any of us to escape the consequences of our own individual actions and choices? The problem is when you make something else the lord of your life, you become a slave to that object. When you make a person the lord of your life, you become a slave to that person. Whatever consumes you is what you are a slave to.
GOD DOES NOT AND WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANOTHER. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will not share the same temple with another object or another person. If you are backslidden, lukewarm, complacent, or lost God as your First Love, then you, being the temple of the Holy Spirit, will no longer be experiencing the Glory of God. You, whom the Holy Spirit once resided in, will be Ichabod, meaning “The glory has departed from Israel.” Do NOT grieve the Holy Spirit. If you find yourself in any of these conditions, I strongly encourage you to repent and make things right with God.
CAN YOU DUPLICATE OR SUBSTITUTE ANYTHING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD? NO, NEVER, CAN’T HAPPEN, IMPOSSIBLE. Sure, you can try. King Rehoboam tried to. Look at verse 10-11, which states, “King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king went to the Temple of the Lord, the guards would also take the shields and then return them to the guardroom.”
I make no apologies for finding what Rehoboam did to be foolish. He was trying to keep the former glory of the temple by using substitutes. “King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace…” He tried to keep the original appearance of the glory of the temple. Rehoboam had the guards protecting bronze shields which were cheap, shoddy, and inexpensive. He had substitutes to keep up the appearance of the former glory. The temple no longer demonstrated a genuine display of the glory of the Temple, but it only gave a FAKE appearance of the former glory of the temple. Remember everything was stolen from the temple. Now all Rehoboam could use was substitutes.
When you are no longer for God, when you are backslidden, when you are not in right relationship with God, if you have forsaken God, then the glory of God is not seen in you. You can put on a performance or even display a picture of perfection, but that fact is, when you are FAKING, the fake display you are putting on will lack intensity, clarity, vividness, and the brightness that only the true glory of God has. YOU CANNOT DUPLICATE THE GLORY OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE JUST LIKE REHOBOAM COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FORMER GLORY OF THE TEMPLE. Just because you put on a picture of perfection does NOT mean that God is going to accept you and your behavior. Nothing you do will substitute the presence and glory of God in your life. Either you are for God or against Him. You are either serving God or not. Nothing can replace God and His glory shining in your life.
The way Rehoboam ended his reign and his life was in a very sad state, “But he was an evil king, for he did not seek the LORD with all his heart.”
We can all learn from Rehoboam. First, when you go through good times and times of blessings, guard your heart. Hold your faith closely, and cling to God. Cling to the truths of God. Second, when you repent and humble yourself before God, He will NOT reject a broken spirit and a repentant heart. Third, be steadfast in your love for God and make your face like flint determined to do His will.
As we live life, let us live in such a way before God, that when we stand before Him to give an account for how we lived our lives, we will hear the words, “Well done, My Good and Faithful Servant.
“But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.” -Psalm 1:4-6 NLT
Are you the chaff or are you the grain?
Chaff is the husk, outer shell of the grain, and it goes through a process of threshing (getting the edible part of the grain loosened, a separating of the valuable kernel of grain from the outer shell) and winnowing (tossing the grain in the air to separate the inedible chaff from the edible grain). What is the difference between the kernel of grain and the chaff? The grain is useful and valuable. However, the chaff is worthless and is of no use to anyone or anything. The chaff and the grain are tossed in the air, the chaff is very light and is blown in every direction by the slightest wind. In other words, the chaff has no direction, no substance, and is no good to eat.
Each of us has been designed with purpose and significance. However, not every person, who has been designed with purpose and significance, will choose to walk in the purpose and step into the destiny that God has for them. EACH OF US HAS A CHOICE IF WE WILL WALK IN THE PURPOSE GOD HAS DESIGNED US FOR. We will either choose to be chaff or grain.
As children of God, Christ has chosen us to go and bear fruit as we see in John 15:16 which states, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit…”
How do you know whether you are the chaff (wicked)?“But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.” The chaff in this verse are those who are wicked, those who do not follow the ways of God, those who are living for themselves, those who treat what is holy as common, and those who are indifferent to the things of God. The chaff are those who are “Sinners” and “will have no place among the godly. For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”
How do you know if you are the grain (godly)? If you are the grain, then you do NOT take counsel from those who are the chaff (wicked). You do NOT entertain mockers or scoffers or those who practice a life of sin (unrepentant life of any sin). You delight yourself in His instructions and His laws. You reflect on God and His ways and seek to do what pleases Him day and night. You walk in obedience because you love Him. Because you are grain, you are what Psalm 1:3 says, “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”
Today is the day to choose because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow: “CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.” Being the grain or being the chaff is a matter of spiritual life or death. Be like Joshua when he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD “
No one can make the choice for you or me. Each of us is responsible before God as to how we live whether we live for God or whether we live for self. All is exposed before the eyes of God. CHOOSE you this day whom you will serve.
Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me, for calling me to go forth and bear the fruits of righteousness and holiness. My joy is found only in You, Father, and there is no other place where salvation is found. You, O God, are my Salvation. You alone have the Words of Life, and You are the Fountain of Living Water. Before You, help me to keep my resolve to live uprightly before You and to walk in holiness before You that I may be counted amongst the righteous and be with You for eternity. Because of Your Spoken Word, O Lord, I know I am made clean. Be my Strength, my Portion, and my Song forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
As children of the Most High God, we do not take on the beliefs of those in the world whether they are the ordinary unbelievers you come across every day or secular actors, athletes, singers, and the like who believe that if you talk much about God they consider you to be a good Christian but then consider you to be crazy if you say God speaks to you. The vain imagination of man and the world’s philosophy is contrary to the nature and character of God and is in direct opposition to what the Word of God says.
Our God is THE personal God. He is so personal that you are fearfully and wonderfully made complex (Psalm 139:14). There is nowhere you can go that you can flee from His presence (Psalm 139:7-10). God knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). You CANNOT get more personal than that. He wants to talk to you (Isaiah 1:18, James 4:8, Hebrews 4:12), and He wants you to talk to Him (Jeremiah 33:3, John 10:27-28, 1 John 1:3). Having a relationship with God involves communication with Him, and you can talk with God anytime even if you are shopping, cooking, cleaning house, doing yardwork, tending to your children, and taking care of other responsibilities or anything you are doing in your leisure time (Joshua 1:9; Psalm 16:8, 145:18). You’re not limited in when you can talk to your Heavenly Father or in how often you can speak with your Heavenly Father.
“GOD DOESN’T SPEAK TO ME LIKE HE DOES TO YOU; WHY DOESN’T GOD SPEAK TO ME LIKE HE DOES TO YOU…”
Do you want to hear God’s voice? If yes, what are you doing to nurture your relationship with God in order to hear His voice? Are you being quiet enough to listen to Him? In other words, are you going into your prayer closet where it is just you and God alone, in place of solitude, where He can speak to you without you being distracted? Are you willing for God to interrupt you at anytime no matter what you are doing so He can talk to you? If you have a relationship with God, you should be daily spending time in the Word, developing discernment about what is right and what is wrong, and hearing Him speak to you through His Word. If you have a relationship with God, then you should be spending time in prayer, seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness. If you have a relationship with God, you should know the Word is clear when it states that “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Numbers 23:19 NLT) Since God does NOT change, the phrase “God doesn’t speak” is incorrect, and, therefore, does NOT line up with the Unchanging God the Bible speaks of. God uses various ways to speak to His children.
It is important to note this: Do NOT complain God doesn’t talk to you (1) if you are not opening your Bible to study or read it, (2) if you are practicing a life of sin that is drowning out His voice, (3) if you are not paying attention to Him because you’re too “busy” to give Him your attention, (4) if you are complacent, non-committed, indifferent, or stagnant when it comes to God and the things that concern God such as His Will and His Ways, or (5) if you have cut yourself off from Him by actually choosing to be disobedient, disloyal, and have chosen your ways and your will rather than God’s.
“SO GOD SPOKE TO YOU AUDIBLY?”
Usually when someone says, “God told me” or “God spoke to me,” the automatic assumption and conclusion on the part of the listener is that the person heard God speak audibly. However, the Bible is filled with metaphoric language, which is “the changing of form or nature of a person or thing into something different by natural or supernatural means,” and anthropomorphic language, which is “ascribing human attributes to God.” For instance, in the New Testament, we are told “God is spirit,” (John 4:24) yet at the same time, we speak of being in the hands of God (Deuteronomy 7:8, Isaiah 49:16) and talk about God holding the waters of the earth in His hand (Isaiah 40:12), and we see, in Genesis 1:1, God spoke things into existence such as the heavens and the earth, and in Genesis 3:8, we see Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8).
BAR OF MEASURE FOR THE BELIEVER
Within the pages of the Bible, we see the standard of morality and the standard of ethics are set forth by God, and therefore, any preaching or teaching is measured by the Word of God. If a teaching or preaching does not line up with the Word of God, then it must be thrown out. With that being said, since the Bible is the Authoritative Word of God for those who are believers, it should be no surprise to believers when their fellow brothers and sisters use phrasing often used within the pages of the Bible which they cherish to give them instructions for how to live a life pleasing to God. God speaks to us through both the Old and the New Testaments. If you believe in the New Testament, you must also believe in the Old Testament. The apostles and disciples did not have the New Testament you hold in your hand today. They got their teaching from the Law and the Prophets as well as those who were in the very presence of Christ and walking with Him during Christ’s time on earth as well as through the disciples who went forth into all the world to make disciples of all nations preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and the testimonies of those who were witnesses and were saved through the hearing of the message of the cross.
“HOW DOES GOD SPEAK?” GOD SPEAKS IN VARIOUS WAYS.
GOD SPEAKS through the Scriptureeither by multiple verses or even just a single verse: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT) “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrew 4:12 NLT)
GOD SPEAKS in Gentle Whisper/Small Still Voice. “And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12 KJV) “While you were doing these wicked things, says the LORD, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.” (Jeremiah 7:13 NLT)
GOD SPEAKS in Your Personal Quiet Time With Him. Jesus spent time in prayer, before God, and spoke with God regularly in a place of solitude. “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” (Luke 5:16 NLT) “In those days, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12 BSB) And if Jesus spent time in solitude with God, how much more should we to hear what God has to say?
GOD SPEAKS Revealing His Thoughts To Mankind. “For the LORD is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!” (Amos 4:13 NLT) “‘Her husband Joseph was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage agreement with her secretly. Joseph had this in mind when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said to him, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus [He Saves], because he will save his people from their sins.'” (Matthew 1:19-21 GW)
GOD SPEAKS by Natural/Supernatural Means. God used a donkey, a burning bush, a bright light, and has used all of creation. “Then the LORD gave the donkey the ability to speak. ‘What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?’ it asked Balaam.” (Numbers 22:28 NLT) “When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!'” (Exodus 3:4 NLT) “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.” (Acts 9:3 ESV) “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20 ESV)
GOD SPEAKS by The Word Of HIS Testimony. “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NASB)
GOD SPEAKS in Dreams & Visions. Examples: Peter, Paul, Ananias. “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28 NASB) “He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.” (Acts 10:11 NLT) “That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!'” (Acts 16:9 NLT) “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Here I am, Lord,’ he answered.” (Acts 9:10 BSB) “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, ‘Cornelius.'” (Acts 10:3 ESV)
GOD SPEAKS through People. “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:20 ESV)
GOD SPEAKS through His Son Jesus Christ. “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrew 1:2 ESV) “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23 HCSB)
GOD SPEAKS through the Prophets. “He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.” (Luke 1:69-71 NLT) “I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.” (2 Peter 3:2 NLT) “Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?” (Zechariah 7:7 NASB)
GOD SPEAKS through His Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-18 BSB) “Then He remembered the days of the past, the days of Moses and his people. Where is He who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit among the flock?” (Isaiah 63:11 HCSB) “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14 NASB) “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 NASB) “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot.'” (Acts 8:29 NASB) “which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.” (1 Corinthians 2:13 NASB) “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (John 16:13 ESV)
GOD SPEAKS through Godly counsel. “The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.” (Psalm 37:30 NLT) “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:20-21 ESV)
GOD SPEAKS through Circumstances. “Daniel said to the king, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they couldn’t hurt me. He did this because he considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven’t committed any crime.” The king was overjoyed and had Daniel taken out of the den. When Daniel was taken out of the den, people saw that he was completely unharmed because he trusted his God.” (Daniel 6:21-23 GW)
Stained Glass Confessions 