Consequences of Sin, Justice / Judgment, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Wickedness / Evil

Trust in the Lord for Protection

Trust in the Lord for protection. Take comfort in knowing that God is in control, always.

Psalm 11

1 I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! 2 The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. 3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” 4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. 5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. 6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. 7For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.

We do not need to hear personally to know that the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked punished. We know this will be true because God’s word says so. It may not happen the way we want it to in this world, but all shall face God’s judgment when they die. Most will find they were not prepared and will suffer for eternity apart from God.

Be not discouraged because of trials and struggles. Instead look to God through Jesus Christ for hope and joy and for protection.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News

Release the Lion; Preach the Gospel

The world attacks the word of God and those who share it. It is easy to get on the defensive when discussing the gospel. We are called to preach the truth of the gospel without shame or doubt. We do not need to apologize for any of it or edit any of it. We are called to share all of it, not just the parts that people accept.

God is capable of defending the gospel on His own behalf.

Charles Spurgeon, a 19th century Baptist preacher said it well in one of his sermons titled “The Lover of God’s Law Filled with Peace”:

“The Word of God can take care of itself, and will do so if we preach it, and cease defending it. See you that lion. They have caged him for his preservation; shut him up behind iron bars to secure him from his foes! See how a band of armed men have gathered together to protect the lion. What a clatter they make with their swords and spears! These mighty men are intent upon defending a lion. O fools, and slow of heart! Open that door! Let the lord of the forest come forth free. Who will dare to encounter him? What does he want with your guardian care? Let the pure gospel go forth in all its lion-like majesty, and it will soon clear its own way and ease itself of its adversaries.”

This is a good reminder for each of us that the word of God is powerful, when preached boldly and completely.  We should never make excuses for it.

Take a few minutes to pray. Ask God to show you any areas in your life where you are compromising in obedience to God and His word. Where are you defensive or do you feel like you have to make excuses for the choices you make to honor God. Stand with confidence on God’s word. Ask God to give you courage and give Him thanks in faith that He will.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Diligent / Hard Worker, Help / Serve Others, Money / Finances / Wealth, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

How Should Christians Treat Their Employers?

Though the Bible does not specifically call out how we should behave as employees, all of our Christian values apply to how you should behave and treat others wherever we are, including at work. This includes our employer, even if they do not treat us that way. This is how we serve Jesus by living as a light to show others the way to Him.

By looking at what the Bible says about the relationship between slave and master we can get some additional perspective by applying those principles to employees and employers.  Both Colossians 3: 22-25 and Galatians 3:28 speak about how a slave in the ancient near east was called to serve his/her master.

Keep in mind here that the context of slavery in Old Testament Israel was very different than what we think about today. Is God a Moral Monster? by Dr. Paul Copan is a great resource to study this topic further.

Colossians 3:22-25

22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. 23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.[e] 25 But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Galatians 3:28

28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile,[o] slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

God makes no distinction between owner and slave, employer and employee. We are one in Christ Jesus. Another way to think about it captured in Matthew 7:12.

Matthew 7:12

12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

This entire message must still be taken in context of the remainder of scripture. We can not submit so much to your employer that we  neglect what else God calls us to do… especially the role God calls us to play in our family or the church.

Take some time in prayer right now. Ask God to show you areas where you need to change in regard to your employer or business partners. Listen and don’t rationalize your behavior. Allow God to reveal to you His high standards which you should follow.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Father / Yahweh, Parenting

Honor Your Father and Mother and Things Will Go Well for You

People generally accept that children should obey their parents as an expectation of a healthy family dynamic. There are easy-to-recognize reasons for this such as children not being able to take care of themselves in even basic ways. They do not recognize hazards like running in the street, etc.

The Bible supports this instruction for children but also adds more depth to it and direction for us fathers as well in Ephesians 6:1-4.

6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[b]

4 Fathers,[c] do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

These instructions are repeated again in Colossians 3.

20 Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.

It is critical for us to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. To challenge them without aggravating them to the point of being discouraged and feeling inadequate. This scripture is a good reminder for us that we need to pay attention to the cues from our children on how they react to our instruction. Each child is different and needs a different style of parenting. We need to adjust our parenting approach to fit each child, not force each child to adjust to our parenting approach.

Give thanks to God that He provides such a great example to us of what it means to be a father and show that kind of love to us so we can in turn show it to our children.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Mercy, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Self Control, Teachable

Clothe Yourselves with Mercy, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness, and Patience.

As Christians we are called to be a light to the world. To show others the path to Jesus Christ. All too often non Christians cannot tell the difference between Christians and the world by looking at how we live. Paul provides a meaningful call to action on how we should be living.

Colossians 3:1-17.

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

It is difficult to add anything to such a well written passage. This is a scripture to dwell on and not to skim. I hope and pray you reflect on it and challenge yourself to answer the call that Paul (and Jesus) have extended to us in this scripture.

Am I on the path?, Marriage

Husband and Wife… Different Positions on the Same Team

Sports teams require a coach and multiple players each skilled and focused on playing their own position. Coaches are responsible for understanding the overall strategy and giving direction to their players on how to work together effectively as a team. Each player is chosen for their position based on their individual skills, which need to match the position they play. Even if some have the ability to play both positions well, they can only play one well at a time. When players work against the coach’s strategy or try to play someone else’s position, the team dynamics break down and teams fail to perform at their peak.

God is like our coach. A husband and wife each have a role to play to fulfill God’s strategy. It is best to understand what direction God is giving us rather than trying to do it our own way.

Ephesians 5:21-33

21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.

31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”[c] 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Many stumble on God’s instructions for wives to submit to their husbands. Some think that this means the husband is accountable to no one and can demand anything. Others think it means that the wife is inferior to the husband. Far from it. Both husband and wife are equally important. The husband is accountable to God.

A husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the church. There is no greater love than this. To lay down his life for her. God’s strategy works phenomenally well when both husband and wife obey God’s instruction. It works poorly  when husband and wife fail to work together as  a team or fail to follow God’s instructions.

Spend a few minutes in prayer to give God thanks for your spouse and for His design for marriage. Ask Him to grant you wisdom and understanding of His design marriage and how to apply it in your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Learning To Pray Effectively, Psalms, Seeking God, Wickedness / Evil

O Lord, Why Do You Stand So Far Away?

David was a man after God’s own heart. He experienced much hardship, made many mistakes, but consistently repented and turned toward God for forgiveness. He had a close relationship with God. Psalms 10 serves as a good reminder that we may feel that sometimes God is “far away” when we look around at the wickedness in the world and affecting our lives.

Psalms 10

1 O Lord, why do you stand so far away?
    Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
    Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3 For they brag about their evil desires;
    they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.

4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.
    They seem to think that God is dead.
5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.
    They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
    They sneer at all their enemies.
6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
    We will be free of trouble forever!”

7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.[a]
    Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8 They lurk in ambush in the villages,
    waiting to murder innocent people.
    They are always searching for helpless victims.
9 Like lions crouched in hiding,
    they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless
    and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
    they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
    He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”

12 Arise, O Lord!
    Punish the wicked, O God!
    Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
    They think, “God will never call us to account.”
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
    You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
    You defend the orphans.

15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
    Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever!
    The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
    Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
    so mere people can no longer terrify them.

We can be encouraged though, that God is never “far away”. He always hears us. He is always aware of what is happening. We can trust He is in control. We can come before Him and call on Him for help to fight or resist the wicked, to help the helpless. He is able.

Above all, however, we must trust in God even when we may be tempted to think He is detached, or “far away”. His ways are above our ways. His plans are often beyond our understanding and vision. Though David was seeking righteousness, we can also understand that some will envy evildoers. God speaks also about avoiding this view.

Psalms 37:1-3

Do not get upset because of evildoers, do not be envious of wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass, and decay like the green plants. Trust in the LORD and do good; live in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 

Put your trust in God even when you see people “getting away with” whatever bad things they are doing. They may even appear to be prospering financially or in other ways. Trust in God and let that lead your heart and mind. Do what is good in God’s eyes. Give Him thanks for His provision and acknowledge that He is still God, all powerful… all knowing… loving… kind… righteous… holy… etc. His ways are above our ways.

Ultimately, all will stand before God in judgment. No one escapes God’s notice, even if they appear to while in the world.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Money / Finances / Wealth, Parables, Submitted / Servant

Using Wisely What God Gives Us

God gives to each of us different talents and resources in different amounts. We are all called to be faithful and good stewards of what He provides no matter how small or how big.  None of us are insignificant to God. He wants us to use what He gives us for His glory. Do not use it solely for your own personal gain.

Jesus illustrates this effectively in Matthew 25:14-30.

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver[a] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![b]’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God wants us to effectively use what He provides for His kingdom, whether it is financial resources or personal talents and gifts He has given us. Do not stuff your money in a mattress or bury it in a hole. Don’t hide your talent or use it only for your own gain. Serve God with all that He has given you!

Take a few minute to pray. Give thanks to God for the gifts He has entrusted to you. If you are not sure what gifts He wants you to use, ask Him. Ask others around you that you trust what they see in you. Pay attention to anything that comes easily to you that causes challenges for others. That is often a tip of a gift or talent you have. Of course, to fully develop a talent, it takes commitment and hard work as well.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Help / Serve Others, Money / Finances / Wealth

Act as One Body of Christ, Regardless of Distance and Familiarity

Paul genuinely loved the people who He was able to reach for Christ. He had a network of churches and communities God had planted through him. He was diligent in trying to support them and God took that effort and integrated Paul’s letters as an important part of the holy scriptures for all of us to benefit from even today, thousands of years later.

Paul acts as a cord that ties and connects the Christian communities together. He writes an introduction for Timothy to help facilitate the effectiveness of his journeys. There is an update regarding Apollos and others who are brothers and sisters in the faith. Where one community struggles, he can collect money to help from another that prospers. It is always given voluntarily, never taken from people against their will. The government is not involved.

He wanted not to just collect money and run, but rather to stay awhile and commune with them. He submits his travel plans to what the holy spirit is revealing to him… where he sees the spirit is moving and he is part of effective service, he remains awhile to take advantage for the glory of the Jehovah.

Paul leads the churches to function as one body of Christ, regardless of distance or familiarity with one another. It is not a individual competition. It is a team event.

Finally, Paul calls the community to stand strong in the faith, be alert, be strong, and act in love. He encourages and directs. Paul was not motivated by personal wealth or gain, but rather by the earnest desire to glorify God.

1 Corinthians 16

Instructions and Greetings

     1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 3When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.

      5But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; 6and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. 7For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. 8But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; 9for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

      10Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am. 11So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

      12But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.

      13Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.

      15Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), 16that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 17I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. 18For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

      19The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

      21The greeting is in my own hand—Paul. 22If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha. 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

As you reflect on today’s scripture and how to apply it… let us remember that the body of Christ is one, thought spread out across many different lands. Let us not focus solely on our local “church” or the people around us. There are many in our body that live far away. Let us support those that bind us together and go to support others. So too, we can help others in need, even if we don’t know them, by sending money when needed through trusted organizations or people.

Let me leave you with in the same encouraging manner in which Paul ended his first letter to the church at Corinth.

Stand strong in the faith, be alert, be strong, and act in love. Maranatha… our Lord comes. (What an encouraging reminder!) May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you and may we as the body of Christ grow continually in love for one another, regardless of where we are located.

Take a few minutes now in prayer and ask God to help and bless the body of Christ around the world, around your country, and locally. Pray that we may act as one. Give thanks to Him for those who are doing His work to support the body.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Fear / Reverence for God, Peace / Rest, Protector / Deliverer, Wickedness / Evil

The Righteous Enter into Peace

Isaiah compares God’s treatment of evil people to that of righteous people in Isaiah 57. We all face difficulties and trials. The righteous find peace and a helper in God. The wicked, find no peace in God. If you put your faith in idols (e.g. money), He will let your idols save you when you call out to Him. Spoiler alert, your idols (money or otherwise) cannot save you the was God can.

Isaiah 57

Evil Leaders Rebuked

1The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart;
And devout men are taken away, while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from evil,

      2He enters into peace;
They rest in their beds,
Each one who walked in his upright way.

      3“But come here, you sons of a sorceress,
Offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute.

      4“Against whom do you jest?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of rebellion,
Offspring of deceit,

      5Who inflame yourselves among the oaks,
Under every luxuriant tree,
Who slaughter the children in the ravines,
Under the clefts of the crags?

      6“Among the smooth stones of the ravine
Is your portion, they are your lot;
Even to them you have poured out a drink offering,
You have made a grain offering.
Shall I relent concerning these things?

      7“Upon a high and lofty mountain
You have made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

      8“Behind the door and the doorpost
You have set up your sign;
Indeed, far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself,
And have gone up and made your bed wide.
And you have made an agreement for yourself with them,
You have loved their bed,
You have looked on their manhood.

      9“You have journeyed to the king with oil
And increased your perfumes;
You have sent your envoys a great distance
And made them go down to Sheol.

      10“You were tired out by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found renewed strength,
Therefore you did not faint.

      11“Of whom were you worried and fearful
When you lied, and did not remember Me
Nor give Me a thought?
Was I not silent even for a long time
So you do not fear Me?

      12“I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
But they will not profit you.

      13“When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry all of them up,
And a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land
And will possess My holy mountain.”

      14And it will be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”

      15For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.

      16“For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would grow faint before Me,
And the breath of those whom I have made.

      17“Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.

      18“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,

      19Creating the praise of the lips.
Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,”
Says the LORD, “and I will heal him.”

      20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.

      21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Take time to prayerfully reflect on your relationship with God. Ask Him to show you any areas in your life that are not totally submitted to Him. Ask forgiveness and commit to change. Ask for His help in these areas. Seek His kingdom and His righteousness in all areas of your life. Seek forgiveness through Yeshua (“Jesus” in Hebrew).

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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