Put Off The Old

This is one of the things that the Apostle Paul told the Ephesians.  He told them, “With respect to your former lifestyle you are to lay aside the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self-created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”  How are we going to accomplish this?  Getting in the Word would be a great beginning because without spending time in the Word, how will one know how to live?  The Word of God is our guide for Christian living.  In the time when Paul was talking to the Ephesians they didn’t have the New Testament like we have, so all they could do was listen to Paul the Apostle and the other disciples that were ordained by God.  We have the whole gospel, so if we are Christians we have no excuse not to read it unless we have a physical handicap that keeps us from being able to read it.  But even in this case, unless you are deaf, you can hear it on records or tapes or by CD’s or maybe even brail.  

I know that if we can, we need to hear the Word also, but how will we know that what’s being said is truth or error if we don’t read it for ourselves.  Today, as in Paul’s day, there are many that preach and teach non truths.  I realize that God’s Word says this, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17.  It also says this, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workmen that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15.  

So we have the faith factor here that comes by hearing the Word and also the approved factor by reading and studying the Word.  Both hearing and studying yourself are very important.  This is important also, regardless of how you receive God’s Word you may want to try this, ask the Lord to allow His precious Holy Spirit to teach you and to bring the truth back to your remembrance when you need it and to help you to hide it in your heart so that you might not sin against Him.  Ask him to remove any obstacles that may be clouding your mind and ask Him to open your eyes and ears to receive whatever it is that the Lord wants to teach you, or show you.

Check this out in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Now read Romans 12:2, “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.”  How will we transform our minds?  We will transform them by praying and reading and listening to the Word of God diligently and putting His Word into practice and spending time worshiping and praising the Lord!!  If you continue doing these things, you will be putting off the old man and putting on the new man, praise the Lord. Just walk in the fear and reverence of the Lord.

May the good Lord bless you and yours with His perfect peace, love and joy and may you have a super day!!

Destined For Wrath

Paul the emissary or (apostle) was talking to the kedoshim, or (saints) in the Ephesian church, plus I added some things on here myself.  Everyone that Paul was talking to was in this condition at one time; we were all destined for wrath as we walked in the way of the world, conforming to its worldly desires of the flesh and conforming to the domain of the air-the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience.  We too lived among them in the cravings of our flesh, indulging in the desires of the flesh and the mind.  By nature we were children of wrath, just like everyone else.  We were in the same condition as the non-believer at one time, if you are a believer today.

What made the difference in us as believers?  It was this; God was rich in mercy because of His great love by which He loved us.  When we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive together with Messiah or (Christ). (By grace you have been saved) and He raised us up with Him and seated us in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua or (Christ Jesus) to show in the olam ha-ba or (ages to come), the measureless, richness and grace in kindness towards us in Messiah Yeshua or Christ Jesus.

God’s Word says this in Ephesians 2: 8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves --- it is the gift of God. It is not based on our deeds so that no one can boast. For we are His workmenship created in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) for good deeds which God prepared beforehand that we may walk in them.”   These believers were not considered destined for wrath at the time Paul was speaking to them because they believed Paul’s message of salvation and repented of their sins and received God’s gracious gift of grace.  Praise the Lord for His amazing grace!!  

Paul also talked about the Jews and the Gentiles at that time.  He talked about the circumcision, which were the Jews, and the uncircumcision, which were the Gentiles, and how through the cross we become one.  

Read Ephesians 2:11-22, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”          

This is the good news, that there is no dividing wall between us and God if we go through Jesus. There is no separation between the saints and God whether they be Jews or gentiles because all of us have been made right through Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection from death, if we are born-again through faith and God’s precious grace!!    Read what John 3:16-17 says, “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

God’s Word says in Psalms 34:6, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who trusteth in him”

Enough said!  So if you don’t want to experience the wrath of God someday repent of your sins, which means to turn away from your sins, and turn to God and ask Him to forgive you and ask Jesus to come reside in your heart and to be your Lord and Savior!!  Then let His perfect peace, love and joy fill your heart and life and then you will start thanking and praising the Lord for He is worthy. May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!

Jonah

Many people know about Jonah and how God told him to go to Nineveh but he rebelled and got on a boat and headed for Tarshish running from God.  His mission was to go and preach to the Ninevites about their evil practices but he didn’t want God to show any mercy on them because he knew that God was a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and full of kindness and relenting over calamity.  These people were very ruthless and cruel people!  When they defeated a nation they would decapitate people and put their heads in front of the gates so everyone could see what a ruthless and cruel people they were.  

I don’t recall thinking about this before but it says nothing about fear here at all, it seems like Jonah had no fear of the people.  I guess maybe if you are thrown into the sea and a huge fish comes along and swallows you then ends up vomiting you out on dry land because God commands him to, I think you would be able to trust God to keep you safe.

Here is another thing I didn’t think about; Jonah was in a prison where death was inevitable if God didn’t intercede on his behalf.  When I think about this it reminds me of how each of us comes into the world.  We come into the world as prisoners of sin because we are born in sin and shaped in iniquity.  We are all born in sin with a sin nature so we are all slaves to sin.  We are all born dead in our trespasses and sin.

Many people think that Jesus came to make bad people good, but that isn’t why He came, no, Jesus came to make dead people live.  When we were born we were considered enemies to God and we were born spiritually dead without a chance of us being right with God in our sinful state.  But God in His foreknowledge knew this would be the case so He made a way where there was no way and He sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  He did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but through Him the world might be saved!!

Check out John 3:16-17, “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Jesus came as a babe and they called Him Emmanuel, which is interpreted God with us.  Jesus was called many things, the Lamb of God, the Prince of Peace, the Lion of Judah, the Rose of Sharon, the soon and coming King.  And also the King of kings, and the Bridegroom, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, along will other names.  I know Him as Savior and Lord and healer and

Provider and sustainer and El Shaddai!!  

Just like Jonah we are all in a prison, so to speak, because of our sin nature, waiting to die and then the judgement and if you have rejected Jesus and you die in that state of mind you will end up in a place of torment and suffering and pain called Sheol, which means Hell.  The difference between Jonah’s prison and the prison I am talking about is that Jonah was set free from his prison because he cried out to God in repentance, from the fishes belly, but the other prison, Sheol (Hell), is a place of everlasting punishment and torment where it is too late to repent and cry out to God!!  But as long as you are breathing it is never too late to repent in godly sorrow and cry out to God like Jonah did and ask Him to forgive you and to be your Lord and Savior.  I pray you will make this choice if you need to and that you will rejoice in what the good Lord has done for you!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!  And don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!             

The Lord Is Watching

I prayed this morning about writing a Tidbit or a song and when I finished praying this song came to my mind, “His Eye is on the Sparrow and I Know He Watches Me.”  I haven’t heard or thought about this song, in I don’t know how long, but I liked it when I heard it long ago.  I know that somehow God sees all things and knows all things.

Read what King David said in Psalms 139:1-3, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.”

David believed that God knew everything about Him, even His thoughts and what he was going to say even before he said it.  

Read verses 4-5 in that same chapter, “For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.”

David felt that there was no way to get away from God, nor did he want to.

Now read verses 6-18 in that same chapter:

“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.”

As far as I can tell David loved God from the time he was a very young man possibly most of his life.  David knew that God knew everything about Him and he was so sure that he walked humbly before his God that he said this in verses 23-24 of that same chapter, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”   

I am not saying the David was perfect, no one but the Lord himself was perfect, but he was a man that when he was confronted with sin knew how to repent, and he did, and that was why God could say that David was a man after His own heart.

I will give you one more example of how God knows all things from the New Testament in Luke 12:1-3, “In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.”

How would you like all the things that you have spoken in private to be shouted from the roof tops for everyone to hear someday?  This is one of the reasons why it is so important to repent and turn from your sins and confess them to the Lord.  You can even confess them to one another if you feel like you have a faithful brother or sister in the Lord.  Then turn to the Lord and sincerely ask Him to forgive you of your sins when you are being convicted of them by the Spirit of God!!

Please read one last verse 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”   

I hope this Tidbit has been an encouragement and a blessing; we all need to be reminded of these things at times.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!