Archives for December 2020

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

Jeremiah 36:27-28

Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

Jeremiah 36:32

And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

Exodus 34:1

God remembers what He said. This is evident from these two examples from His Word. When Moses saw the idolatry of the children of Israel, he smashed the ten commandments of stone. When God saw that, He replaced the smashed tablets with new tablets. He wrote His Word afresh on the new tablets. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to make God’s Word fresh to us, each time we sit down and study the Word of God. No longer is God’s Word written solely on tablets of stone or in a scroll. God’s Spirit writes His Word and His laws upon the table and scroll of our hearts.

Secondly, Jeremiah prophesied the Word of the Lord to the king of Judah. The king burned the scroll with its Words in the fire. Yet, God gave the words a second time to Jeremiah to write again in another scroll. God remembered what He had said. Yet, no longer are His Words solely on a physical scroll. His Word is alive by the Spirit with which He speaks. He wants the scroll of our hearts to be unrolled, constantly meditating and thinking on good things, namely His Word!

Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

Isaiah 43:26

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Malachi 3:16

Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Jeremiah 1:12

God is always watching over His Word to perform it. The eyes of the Lord (the Spirit of God) is constantly searching the world for willing hearts that will receive His Word into the good ground of their hearts. God is looking for a remnant, a people that will be fruitful in the good works of Jesus Christ. God not only remembers His Word, He also remembers His people, those that fear His Name. He has promised to remember our sins no more, if we will but repent of them and turn from them to holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives. God has said that He will not forget His Word, His promises to His people. God is willing that all people everywhere would become His people through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin.

God has already given us the power of His Word manifested directly by His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. He is watching over His Word and His people, looking for those who will activate the power of His Word by FAITH. Believing the promises and Word of God without yet seeing any signs or wonders following. Are you prepared to stand solely on the Word of God? Jesus was prepared to do just that, for when He was tempted by the enemy, He was quick to respond, “it is written”! He based His whole life on what God had written down on scrolls. He had allowed God to write His Word in a living way on His heart. That’s why Christ was effective. He lived not only by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds in a living way out of the mouth of God. God is a Spirit. He is a living Spirit and He speaks words of life. Everything He touches is made alive by the quickening power of His Spirit. Allow God to touch you today, afresh, in a living way through and in His Son Jesus Christ. We can depend on God’s Word. It is a sure foundation for our lives. God remembers what He said. Let us put Him in remembrance today of what He has said and watch what will happen, in direct proportion to our faith. It is a holy cooperation between God and mankind. God speaking His Word and us receiving it into our hearts and speaking its creative power over our lives and others lives. God bless you as you bubble over with the Word of God and the Spirit of God within you. Remember, God wants His Truth in our hearts, that He may bless us and make us a holy blessing to others in His Name. Amen.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James 4:4

We were not created to be God’s enemies. In the beginning, when it was just Adam and Eve, they walked for a time in friendship with God. There was no sin in the world at that time so there was no occasion to be opposed to God and His holy ways of love. As we all know, they chose to sin against the commandment God gave them. God gave them the commandment not to eat of the tree because He wanted them to spiritually mature in love. It takes a challenge or a commandment for God to test our hearts to know if our love for Him is real or not. In the beginning there was no such thing as sin. Sin entered the world through their selfish choice and spiritual death was the result. Spiritually dead people are God’s enemies. This is the counsel of Scripture.

To be at enmity with God means that one is no longer walking as a friend of God through love and holiness but has became God’s enemy through a selfish choice to sin. It only takes one sin to become God’s enemy. We can walk as His friend for days or weeks or years, but if we sin, we forfeit our relationship with God. For what? For temporary pleasure. It’s not rational to give up an eternal relationship with the living God in order to please ourselves, but that’s just what the world has done. All have sinned. That’s not to say that you have to continue in your sin. All it takes is repentance and then abiding in that repentance through continual obedience. You can do it! You can obey God! It’s possible to walk as a friend of God. Friends don’t stab each other in the back. God won’t stab us. Are we willing to stab God in order to get what we want? That’s called murder. Yet God does not die from our sin. It just causes Him unspeakable spiritual pain in His heart. We need a mediator after we go astray in our sin. We need reconciliation. That comes through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

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:

Ephesians 2:15-16

If sin makes us God’s enemies, then righteousness by faith makes us His friends. Abraham was called the friend of God, because he lived by faith. We have a better covenant through Christ than what Abraham had. If he could be God’s friend under the former covenant, then surely we can overcome sin through the new covenant, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ!

Christ came to make the way back to God, the Father. Sin was the problem, so Christ died for our sins. He was raised from the dead for our justification. When we walk in Christ, it’s just like we never sinned against God! The Spirit of Christ washes us and regenerates our formerly dead spirit when we repent to God and put faith in the life and death of Christ. Christ truly becomes the Lord our righteousness. We walk in the footsteps of Christ and in the faith of Christ, who trusted the Father completely in all His doings. That’s the pathway to life for us as well. Christ has killed the hatred between us and God! The former man is dead with Christ and now we are raised to newness of life through faith in Christ! Glory to God forevermore!

Christ died to make forgiveness and reconciliation possible. No one is automatically saved. Christ is an invitation to the sinner to change his sinful ways and be born again by the blood and suffering of Christ. God will not force anyone to put down their weapons of sin. God made a way to influence us to holiness, righteousness and love by personally demonstrating it in His Son, Christ. We must be moved profoundly by God’s generosity and be moved to pick up our cross daily and follow Christ. We must repent of our former sinful ways and choose to deny self, the way Christ did. This is the way to eternal life. Knowing the Father and the Son by living the way they do, by love and holiness.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 8:5-8

We have two choices. Live in the flesh and die or live by the Spirit and live forevermore. To be in the flesh doesn’t mean that you are living in a flesh body. Everyone does, even Christ. There is nothing wrong with our flesh bodies. It doesn’t make one a sinner to have a flesh body. No, to be in the flesh means to live an unregenerate life, full of carnal thoughts and sins. Having a carnal, sinful mind makes us the enemy of God. Christ came to give us a new mind. Yes, Christ has Lordship over all things, including our thoughts. We are able to bring EVERY THOUGHT into captivity to the obedience of Christ, according to 2 Corinthians 10:5. Being born again and then later Spirit filled, we have new thoughts and a renewed mind. We have the mind of Christ. We think the way Christ thought when He was on earth. That is, we must please the Father! We must, we must!

It takes time and effort to learn to walk as a completely faithful witness of Jesus Christ. Most people will sin after being born again. Yet, you don’t have to. 1 John 2:1 says that IF any man sin. IF is always a choice. Sin can’t exist until one chooses to create it through a choice to lust. That’s it. Abide in Christ and YE SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH! If you sin, repent of that sin immediately and be rejoined to God through Christ. Then, carry on serving Christ faithfully. God requires our whole heart in order to serve Him. God lives with His whole heart and we are made in His image with a heart of our own. What will you do with your heart? Will you obey Christ and bring great joy to heaven, or will you sin and go the way of the devil? The choice is yours, but choose wisely. Christ died so that we can have victory over sin and be God’s enemies no more. God bless you in your holy pursuit of HIM, amen.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Genesis 6:5-6

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. He formed the earth to be inhabited by people made in His image. God intended that they would use their God-given faculties for good and for righteousness. That is, that they would do what is morally right, that which is pleasing in God’s sight, which is, love. Love for God and love for their fellow man. That’s it, that’s all God requires. Love covers it all. God had high hopes for mankind, because love thinks no evil. It hopes the best for all people involved.

In the days of Noah the hearts of mankind was only evil continually. They were completely misusing the abilities God had given them for good and were using them for evil. The Word says that this grieved the heart of God. It caused him spiritual pain. It affected God profoundly. So much so that God repented or changed His mind about creating mankind. He would have taken back His creation of mankind, if He could have! Oh how the sin of mankind profoundly affects the heart of God! If we could only have a glimpse into this truth, how would it change the meditations of our heart? How would it change our words and actions towards God and others? I encourage you to meditate on these verses and let the Holy Spirit teach you something about how sin affects God.

O LORD, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

1 Chronicles 17:19

For the sake of His servants, God reveals some things about what is in His heart. God showed David that He did not want him to build a temple for His greatness, but that his son Solomon would be the one to build the temple. The Word says the secret things belong unto the Lord but those things that are revealed belong unto us and our children forever, that we may do them! God reveals His heart to us in hopes of impacting our thoughts and words and actions. His Word is grace to our hearts, which teaches us to fear God always in all things. It is entirely appropriate for us to pray to the Lord in the name of Jesus, asking God to reveal His heart for us and His heart for others. Further, we should ask God to put His heart for mankind within our hearts, as much as that is possible! Some things will remain a secret for now, but those things pertaining to love and godliness are just waiting to be revealed by the heart of God, by the Spirit of God. God speaking to our hearts. Deep calling unto deep. Be sure to spend much private time with the Lord, pouring out your heart before Him. He will answer you and reveal something of His heart. He longs to talk to His children. Be still and know that God is God.

For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

Isaiah 63:4

The day of vengeance is in God’s heart. How great His love and mercy must be, to withhold judgment from mankind for so many thousands of years! God’s heart is pleading with mankind to turn from their wicked ways by repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. God understands that the wicked will not be able to stand in the final judgment. So, accordingly, He sends out pastors and prophets and apostles and evangelists and teachers. He sends out His Word through His holy servants, the church of Jesus Christ. God is warning the world, in love. Love speaks up. Love warns the wicked that they are on the path to the lake of fire. One need not be an evangelist to tell people the truth about the day of vengeance. We are all called to be lights, revealing the darkness, showing people that their ways are wicked and wrong in the sight of God. Oh how the heart of God burns with zealous indignation at the sin of mankind! The same heart of God that destroyed the world with a flood of water will soon send back His Son Jesus Christ to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! He will destroy the world again. This time, by the fire of His holy Word, breathing judgment on the wicked. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. Now is the day to help people turn from evil to righteousness in the name of Jesus Christ.

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Jeremiah 3:15

God is a Shepard and we are His holy flock of so-called sheep. He leads us besides the still waters. That’s what a pastor does. Shepard is just another name for a pastor and his functions. Jesus Christ is the good Shepard. He guides us in the path of holiness and righteousness. A path that pleases His Father. God desires us to feed on His Word, which is Truth. That’s how we will grow and mature. It’s by being fed with the pure Word of Truth.

God despises false pastors. Those that scatter the flock with lies and half truths and smooth words. God hates disunity. God loves the Truth and accordingly all He speaks is Truth. He will soon judge the proud pastors that lead the flock astray. No one can fully understand the fury of the Lord on the false pastors until that day of vengeance comes. If you are a pastor or aspire to be one, I encourage you to check your motives. Why do you want to be a pastor? Is it to have an easy job that will generate income? If so, then repent of your foolish heart right now. God’s heart is that you would self sacrifice and give up your life for the sheep, the way Christ exemplified. When you pour out your life for the sheep, who are Christ’s, then you will understand something of the ultimate shepard’s heart, the Lord our God, the Father of lights.

One need not be a pastor in order to speak the truth in love from the heart. God calls all His people to live lives worth following. Follow us as we follow Christ, you could say. God believes that the way to holiness is through self sacrifice in the love of Christ. That’s the Truth of the matter. Speak the Truth to your neighbor in love and you will find the Spirit of God operating through you and in you. Only some people are called to be pastors but God desires all His people to have a Shepard’s heart. We are to tend to one another and our needs. Love will do whatever is required to see that the children have bread. Demonstrate the life of Christ with your life and heart. This is the heart of God for His church.

Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

Jeremiah 32:41

God is a husbandman, a farmer, a cultivator of good things in our hearts. God watches over His children so diligently to perform all that is in His heart. It is telling that God says He uses his WHOLE heart and his WHOLE soul in His dealings with mankind and with His people. God gives us ALL HE IS. He holds nothing back. It is our sin that withholds good from us. It is our ignorance. We are the problem, not God. God withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly. God rejoices over us to do us good. The goodness of God leads us to repentance, so that we might partake of all God is and wants to sow into our lives. God is the sower and His Word is the seed that falls into our hearts and lives and bears much fruit in Christ. For without Christ and His Word, we can do nothing of worth in God’s sight.

God patiently and lovingly plants His Word in our lives and then takes great delight in watching that seed grow into a large and full tree of righteousness. He rejoices over us with singing when He sees us take hold of His promises by faith, which pleases Him greatly. No greater gift can a man give then to empty his or her life of all pride and selfishness and become a living vessel to the praise of our great God. God gives us His whole heart and we are made in His image, with a heart. We are supposed to give our whole heart to God. The heart cannot be satisfied completely until it fully surrenders to the will of God, which is LOVE LOVE LOVE. Every plant that the Father has not planted will soon be uprooted. Selfish plants have no place in the garden of God. Live a sacrificial life of love and watch what the Lord will do with it, speaking the truth to generations to come through YOU, HIS VESSEL!

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

This is the only verse in the Bible that specifically mentions the heart of Jesus. There are other verses that talk about the good things and love that come out of the heart of Jesus. Heart is implied in everything that God does and that mankind does. Heart is the very center of our spiritual being, be it God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit or mankind.

Let’s look at the heart of Jesus. What a beautiful sight it is to behold! Behold His gentleness, His meekness! He doesn’t force Himself on anyone. He patiently leads those that will choose to follow Him. He doesn’t smite His sheep, but gently corrects them when they go astray. His patience is as close to infinite as one can be. He is humble in heart. How great was His humility to submit to the will of the Father in all things, even the death on the cross. He did nothing wrong. He committed no sin. Yet it pleased Him to do the will of the Father unto physical death. This is the heart we must understand for it is the same heart the God wants to put in each of us. We are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, from glory to glory. Each day as we submit to God, we become more like His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased.

Jesus said if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father. To witness the meek and humble heart of Jesus is to have a revelation of the Father’s heart. How tender and gentle it is! Even the smallest sin hurts the heart of God, yet He does not strike us dead when we hurt Him. He does not immediately retaliate. He patiently loves us and gives us opportunity to repent of every sin we might commit. Surely the heart of God is good and merciful. This is the record of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Create in us a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within us, after the image of your Son!