Lesson2 from 2nd. Thessalonians ch.1 Read the chapter again
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. Patience is also a fruit of the Spirit. The King James Version calls it long suffering. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9,” for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…”For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming?” His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 1 of Thessalonians 2the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Hebrews 11, verses 35 to the end of the chapter Turn there and we’ll read it.
Read also verses 37-40. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted,[a] were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verses it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. In the meantime we will suffer persecution, in this life…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s got plenty of grace tonight..That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?Read 2 Peter 3:1-18. But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is how we can be sure we will make it in.
About Me
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Those near miss accidents or is it the hand of GOD?
II’m not sure whether this is the proper terminology or not: near-miss accidents. However aq couple of weeks ago, my attention turned to a news clip regarding an industrial accident in our neighboring province of Nova Scotia. It seems there were two men working off a scaffold when it gave way beneath them and they fell to the ground or at least the next level. Total falling distance was 1.5 meters, not that far really
Sadly though one man died in hospital that same day. It made me go back in time and recall a similar situation that involved my Dad and myself and three other men working off a wooden scaffold in a pulp and paper mill in what was then the city of Lancaster in New Brunswick Canada. That was in a time when job safety was not much of a priority, the scaffold was not too well built as well we overloaded it, five of us on it at the same time. There was no warning, a sudden snap and down it went two floors down, there being a large hole in the floor where we had been working. Three men went with it as well as the staging. One of these men suffered severe head injuries but he survived. Miraculously, my Dad was standing on a piece of plywood that was a part of the staging/scaffolding, and it caused him to gently slide on it to the surface of the first floor, the one with the hole. He thus landed safely and on his feet. As for myself, upon the hearing of the snap, immediately my hands shot upward over my head to some ¾” conduit piping that we had just previously installed. It was an immediate response and felt as if my hands were lifted by someone other than myself or all those standing around me. I believe now and reflecting back, I know it was the hand of the lord, I could tell of many more near-misses like the time a 600 volt double-ended substation blew up in my fac, a slip of the screwdriver, my fault. But again I survived with minor injuries, suffice it to say that oncagain God intervened and spared my life, not because of any goodness in me but only through His grace and His mercy am I alive today.Several years later., I was reading in the Bible and I was reading from the book of 1st. Chronicles chapter 4 which is heavy into genealogy, not the most exciting book in the Bible, but suddenly, as suddenly as that snap I heard when the scaffold collapsed, I saw these two verses And it was as if they were written just for me. Verses 9&10 : “And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, which literally means, “he will cause pain”. Now Jabez could have allowed that name to get him down and blame his troubles on his mother or his brothers. Instead he chose to call on the God of Israel and he prayed this prayer, “Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil that it may not grieve me.” The Bible says that God granted him what he requested. It made me to realize that God has had His hand on my life and also that it’s alright to ask God for His blessing. This is not one of those prosperity doctrines that are so prevalent today, it is simply receiving from God’s hand the provision He has made for us. The bible says, “in every thing give thanks.” That is my intention, to thank Him in everything. Another scripture passage that I memorized as a child going to a Baptist Sunday School is found in Proverbs 4:5,6 states it thusly, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." I am living proof of this advice
II’m not sure whether this is the proper terminology or not: near-miss accidents. However aq couple of weeks ago, my attention turned to a news clip regarding an industrial accident in our neighboring province of Nova Scotia. It seems there were two men working off a scaffold when it gave way beneath them and they fell to the ground or at least the next level. Total falling distance was 1.5 meters, not that far really
Sadly though one man died in hospital that same day. It made me go back in time and recall a similar situation that involved my Dad and myself and three other men working off a wooden scaffold in a pulp and paper mill in what was then the city of Lancaster in New Brunswick Canada. That was in a time when job safety was not much of a priority, the scaffold was not too well built as well we overloaded it, five of us on it at the same time. There was no warning, a sudden snap and down it went two floors down, there being a large hole in the floor where we had been working. Three men went with it as well as the staging. One of these men suffered severe head injuries but he survived. Miraculously, my Dad was standing on a piece of plywood that was a part of the staging/scaffolding, and it caused him to gently slide on it to the surface of the first floor, the one with the hole. He thus landed safely and on his feet. As for myself, upon the hearing of the snap, immediately my hands shot upward over my head to some ¾” conduit piping that we had just previously installed. It was an immediate response and felt as if my hands were lifted by someone other than myself or all those standing around me. I believe now and reflecting back, I know it was the hand of the lord, I could tell of many more near-misses like the time a 600 volt double-ended substation blew up in my fac, a slip of the screwdriver, my fault. But again I survived with minor injuries, suffice it to say that oncagain God intervened and spared my life, not because of any goodness in me but only through His grace and His mercy am I alive today.Several years later., I was reading in the Bible and I was reading from the book of 1st. Chronicles chapter 4 which is heavy into genealogy, not the most exciting book in the Bible, but suddenly, as suddenly as that snap I heard when the scaffold collapsed, I saw these two verses And it was as if they were written just for me. Verses 9&10 : “And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, which literally means, “he will cause pain”. Now Jabez could have allowed that name to get him down and blame his troubles on his mother or his brothers. Instead he chose to call on the God of Israel and he prayed this prayer, “Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil that it may not grieve me.” The Bible says that God granted him what he requested. It made me to realize that God has had His hand on my life and also that it’s alright to ask God for His blessing. This is not one of those prosperity doctrines that are so prevalent today, it is simply receiving from God’s hand the provision He has made for us. The bible says, “in every thing give thanks.” That is my intention, to thank Him in everything. Another scripture passage that I memorized as a child going to a Baptist Sunday School is found in Proverbs 4:5,6 states it thusly, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." I am living proof of this advice
Monday, July 18, 2011
lesson 2 from 2 Thess 1
You should go back a couple of blog entries and read it first to keep the context together from 2nd. Thessalonians ch.1 Read the chapter again
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9, for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming? His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.
Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 2 of Thessalonians 2, the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Heb. 11:34,35. Read also verses 37-40.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verss it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. We will suffer persecution…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you weary of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9, for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming? His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.
Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 2 of Thessalonians 2, the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Heb. 11:34,35. Read also verses 37-40.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verss it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. We will suffer persecution…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you weary of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Victory ahead
Victory ahead!
When the host of Israel, led by God
Round the walls of Jericho they did trod
Trusting in the Lord they did not fear or dread
By faith they saw the victory ahead!
The words to that old God inspired and breathed hymn came to mind this morning as I was praying. It was just a few minutes ago WHILE I WAS WALKING AROUND MY DOWNSTAIRS ROOM. I was petitioning God for the city as others are doing this morning also in a concentrated prayer session. I recalled in my mind the days that are now gone and how things have changed and how the Bible says that in the last days just before Jesus returns there will be a great falling away. Well guess what…it has already come, we are in that time. Churches closing their doors permanently, because there are not enough people to support their existence. It doesn’t look great. So why are we, a people who know that there is this great slipping back into a lethargic state praying for revival, renewal, restoration? The answer is found in the words of that old hymn…”by faith they saw the victory ahead.” Remember the chorus? “Victory ahead, victory ahead, through the blood of Jesus, victory ahead Trusting in the Lord, they knew what God had said
By faith they saw the victory ahead!”
Solomon, after the dedication of the temple had a visit from God Himself one night; God actually appeared to him and you can read it in 2ND. Chronicles 7:12-14 it says, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, (and here is the clincher)…if My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” God hasn’t changed, we do not have to accept the status quo. Let us humble ourselves and pray. Let us seek the face of Almighty God.
When the host of Israel, led by God
Round the walls of Jericho they did trod
Trusting in the Lord they did not fear or dread
By faith they saw the victory ahead!
The words to that old God inspired and breathed hymn came to mind this morning as I was praying. It was just a few minutes ago WHILE I WAS WALKING AROUND MY DOWNSTAIRS ROOM. I was petitioning God for the city as others are doing this morning also in a concentrated prayer session. I recalled in my mind the days that are now gone and how things have changed and how the Bible says that in the last days just before Jesus returns there will be a great falling away. Well guess what…it has already come, we are in that time. Churches closing their doors permanently, because there are not enough people to support their existence. It doesn’t look great. So why are we, a people who know that there is this great slipping back into a lethargic state praying for revival, renewal, restoration? The answer is found in the words of that old hymn…”by faith they saw the victory ahead.” Remember the chorus? “Victory ahead, victory ahead, through the blood of Jesus, victory ahead Trusting in the Lord, they knew what God had said
By faith they saw the victory ahead!”
Solomon, after the dedication of the temple had a visit from God Himself one night; God actually appeared to him and you can read it in 2ND. Chronicles 7:12-14 it says, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, (and here is the clincher)…if My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” God hasn’t changed, we do not have to accept the status quo. Let us humble ourselves and pray. Let us seek the face of Almighty God.
Friday, July 1, 2011
prayer and interceeding before God
Pastor has called for seven days of prayer; prayer for the city and the surrounding communities, the bedroom communities.
He has a strategy. My group is praying specifically for the north end of the city.
A quote from a book written by an author of many years ago reads
like this, “For all ages, the law is laid down at the birth of the Church, THAT THE POWER OF THE Spirit must be prayed down from heaven. The amount of believing , continued prayer will determine the amount of the working of the Spirit in the Church. Direct, definite, determined, prayer is what we need.
In the 4th. Chapter of Acts you can see the confirmation of this kind of prayer that brings these kind of results. Peter and John were arrested and then brought before the council…the Jewish
High priest and his henchman. It’s a story that is a real suspense thriller ….read the 4th. Chapter and you will see for yourself. It’s too long to recount here but it is a fascinating story of real adventure and intrigue. The result was that after they were
threatened , they returned to their brothers , the disciples, and reported what had been done to them, “they lifted up their voices to God with one accord” and when they had prayed, the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the Word of God with boldness”…..”and great grace was upon them..” I urge you to read this story. I experienced this outpouring of the infilling many years ago myself. While praying in an upper room in an old hall that substituted for a church house on a Saturday night in February of 1957, I too received this infilling. As we pray this week, let it be direct, definite and determined prayer that we pray as if we were in an upper room praying down the Holy Ghost from heaven and may we be bold in our God.
He has a strategy. My group is praying specifically for the north end of the city.
A quote from a book written by an author of many years ago reads
like this, “For all ages, the law is laid down at the birth of the Church, THAT THE POWER OF THE Spirit must be prayed down from heaven. The amount of believing , continued prayer will determine the amount of the working of the Spirit in the Church. Direct, definite, determined, prayer is what we need.
In the 4th. Chapter of Acts you can see the confirmation of this kind of prayer that brings these kind of results. Peter and John were arrested and then brought before the council…the Jewish
High priest and his henchman. It’s a story that is a real suspense thriller ….read the 4th. Chapter and you will see for yourself. It’s too long to recount here but it is a fascinating story of real adventure and intrigue. The result was that after they were
threatened , they returned to their brothers , the disciples, and reported what had been done to them, “they lifted up their voices to God with one accord” and when they had prayed, the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the Word of God with boldness”…..”and great grace was upon them..” I urge you to read this story. I experienced this outpouring of the infilling many years ago myself. While praying in an upper room in an old hall that substituted for a church house on a Saturday night in February of 1957, I too received this infilling. As we pray this week, let it be direct, definite and determined prayer that we pray as if we were in an upper room praying down the Holy Ghost from heaven and may we be bold in our God.
Monday, June 20, 2011
2 Thessalonians chapter 1, lessun 1
Everything we know about God, we find in the Bible. If you think you have a divine revelation of God but you can’t find it in the Bible… don’t buy into it. The greatest event in human history is about to unfold and many are not ready for it. It is what my Dad and his generation lived for…it is the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Thess chapter 1 Read this chapter
We are about to embark or rather re-embark on a
journey into the future starting at the church house in early September, a continuation into the letters of the Apostle Paul that he wrote to the church he had planted in Thessalonica. This is a preview. Please remember this is a layman’s view point.
As you read the first chapter of 2nd. Thessalonians, you are made aware of the fact that the Apostle Paul is directing the attention of the Thessalonians to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the theme, this is the subject of this second letter or epistle to this particular church as well as for our attention in the day in which we live. This theme of Christ’s second coming is more relevant today than ever before….that is obvious. Approximately 2000 years have passed since he wrote these epistles and as the old song says, “I’m nearer home than I was yesterday.”
Sometimes in Bible study you have to read between the lines a little bit. While the truth of God’s Word is inerrant and was inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit, it was penned by human beings, men and women just like you and me. And they each have a unique style of their own. And often something may be implied and we do not see it but someone else does see it. That is what study rather than just reading does, it brings things out into the open as you dig into this Word.
I said all of that to say this, there is apparently or so it seems, certain expressions or wording by Paul in his first letter of which the folks at Thessalonica misinterpreted. I am referring to this portion of Paul’s letter found in chapter 2 of the second letter and verse 2 that states “ not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled , either by spirit (small “s”) or by word or letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” They had assumed from Paul’s first letter that the rapture had already taken place and it caused them to be shaken in mind and troubled and wouldn’t we be troubled if we were convinced that Jesus had already come and taken His church and we were not included? Paul had told them in his first letter that of the times AND SEASONS there was no need to write them. He explained how the order of the resurrection worked. Somehow in all of this , they assumed that the Day of the Lord had already come Here in ch. 2 he warns against that kind of unrest caused by this kind of teaching. In our day it is date setting even though Jesus told us that no man knows the day or the hour.
So we are at that point we must needs look at ch. 1, Paul’s greetings and his salutation to the saints there in Thessalonica. It is a familiar Pauline greeting, in fact it is a familiar apostolic greeting that was also used by others and I refer to Peter, it is one he uses often as well and it indeed is a blessing invoked upon all who read these epistles, “grace and peace.” “Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” what better greeting and consequent blessing could you receive than His grace and peace imparted unto you?
In the next verses 3&4, we see the apostle giving thanks for these dear people. That blessing is in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for the church. It is not this unsettledness that is caused by setting dates.
“ We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters”(RSV)…WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S CHILDREN, our brothers and sisters, amen? There is a bond that transcends color and race when we meet a new believer and a blessing comes with it. When I say a “new “ believer I mean someone we have never met before, new to us. Someone of different origin perhaps, different nationality, different culture, perhaps a different color skin. God is a God of variety and we can be thankful for that. And Paul was telling the Thessalonians, he was thankful for their faith. Read verse 3 again. Their faith was growing, their love abounding and that
was the reason for thanksgiving in the apostle’s heart.
He commends them, telling how he is all the time boasting about them among the churches of God and here is where faith works The Bible says “Faith works through love and we see it in action in these opening verses of chapter1. Read verse 4. Their faith showed itself strong in persecutions and afflictions that they were enduring, and that is where we really need faith…we need to have that steadfastness that Paul refers to here. It was so evident in the lives of these Christians in Thessalonica.
The word steadfastness is translated in the Amplified Bible as
“ unflinching endurance and patience.” That is steadfast…unflinching endurance, think about it, if you had been in Thessalonica in Paul’s day and enduring persecution for His name sake, trials… on every hand and you face it unflinchingly. Put yourself in their place.
And you face it and you endure it with patience. Remember these words from the Apostle James ch. 1 verse 2, I believe it is… brethren, count it all joy when you face divers temptations, verse 3, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”
The trying of your faith works…..it works patience and James talks about asking without wavering…reminds you of the words of Jesus when He was praying in the garden and the disciples fell asleep, “could you not stay with Me one hour? He was facing the cross …and He did so unflinchingly….unflinching endurance and patience…can we say that when we are facing our struggles?
If we could grasp what the Word says about faith, it would revolutionize our thinking and our entire outlook on everything we do or say about God. It would change our lives, we would go from a hum drum mediocre existence to a life in the Spirit of God that is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory and I don’t think that any one of us has arrived there yet. Look at what it says in the Amplified bible reading in Hebrews 11:1-3…Now faith is(note present tense verb “is”…NOW FAITH IS (it is now or it is never,) not some time in the distant future…faith is now! “Now faith is…the assurance( the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. VERSE 2. For by faith----trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report. Verse 3. By faith we understand that the worlds[ during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things that are visible.” Isn’t that powerful? If we could see Faith like that what a difference we would make in our world.
And Paul says . “your faith groweth exceedingly” thank God for growing faith. How can we survive during persecutions and tribulations? Peter says it is a trial of faith. Look at what he says
1st. Peter 1:7… that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, NKJV
The trial or testing of our faith is much more precious than gold
Because gold, precious metal that it is will perish but real faith when it is tried will stand the test. Is there a mountain in your way? Remember God’s word to Zerubbabel? For it is not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord…this mountain shall come down
Enough for this blog. To be cont’d.
2 Thess chapter 1 Read this chapter
We are about to embark or rather re-embark on a
journey into the future starting at the church house in early September, a continuation into the letters of the Apostle Paul that he wrote to the church he had planted in Thessalonica. This is a preview. Please remember this is a layman’s view point.
As you read the first chapter of 2nd. Thessalonians, you are made aware of the fact that the Apostle Paul is directing the attention of the Thessalonians to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the theme, this is the subject of this second letter or epistle to this particular church as well as for our attention in the day in which we live. This theme of Christ’s second coming is more relevant today than ever before….that is obvious. Approximately 2000 years have passed since he wrote these epistles and as the old song says, “I’m nearer home than I was yesterday.”
Sometimes in Bible study you have to read between the lines a little bit. While the truth of God’s Word is inerrant and was inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit, it was penned by human beings, men and women just like you and me. And they each have a unique style of their own. And often something may be implied and we do not see it but someone else does see it. That is what study rather than just reading does, it brings things out into the open as you dig into this Word.
I said all of that to say this, there is apparently or so it seems, certain expressions or wording by Paul in his first letter of which the folks at Thessalonica misinterpreted. I am referring to this portion of Paul’s letter found in chapter 2 of the second letter and verse 2 that states “ not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled , either by spirit (small “s”) or by word or letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” They had assumed from Paul’s first letter that the rapture had already taken place and it caused them to be shaken in mind and troubled and wouldn’t we be troubled if we were convinced that Jesus had already come and taken His church and we were not included? Paul had told them in his first letter that of the times AND SEASONS there was no need to write them. He explained how the order of the resurrection worked. Somehow in all of this , they assumed that the Day of the Lord had already come Here in ch. 2 he warns against that kind of unrest caused by this kind of teaching. In our day it is date setting even though Jesus told us that no man knows the day or the hour.
So we are at that point we must needs look at ch. 1, Paul’s greetings and his salutation to the saints there in Thessalonica. It is a familiar Pauline greeting, in fact it is a familiar apostolic greeting that was also used by others and I refer to Peter, it is one he uses often as well and it indeed is a blessing invoked upon all who read these epistles, “grace and peace.” “Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” what better greeting and consequent blessing could you receive than His grace and peace imparted unto you?
In the next verses 3&4, we see the apostle giving thanks for these dear people. That blessing is in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for the church. It is not this unsettledness that is caused by setting dates.
“ We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters”(RSV)…WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S CHILDREN, our brothers and sisters, amen? There is a bond that transcends color and race when we meet a new believer and a blessing comes with it. When I say a “new “ believer I mean someone we have never met before, new to us. Someone of different origin perhaps, different nationality, different culture, perhaps a different color skin. God is a God of variety and we can be thankful for that. And Paul was telling the Thessalonians, he was thankful for their faith. Read verse 3 again. Their faith was growing, their love abounding and that
was the reason for thanksgiving in the apostle’s heart.
He commends them, telling how he is all the time boasting about them among the churches of God and here is where faith works The Bible says “Faith works through love and we see it in action in these opening verses of chapter1. Read verse 4. Their faith showed itself strong in persecutions and afflictions that they were enduring, and that is where we really need faith…we need to have that steadfastness that Paul refers to here. It was so evident in the lives of these Christians in Thessalonica.
The word steadfastness is translated in the Amplified Bible as
“ unflinching endurance and patience.” That is steadfast…unflinching endurance, think about it, if you had been in Thessalonica in Paul’s day and enduring persecution for His name sake, trials… on every hand and you face it unflinchingly. Put yourself in their place.
And you face it and you endure it with patience. Remember these words from the Apostle James ch. 1 verse 2, I believe it is… brethren, count it all joy when you face divers temptations, verse 3, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”
The trying of your faith works…..it works patience and James talks about asking without wavering…reminds you of the words of Jesus when He was praying in the garden and the disciples fell asleep, “could you not stay with Me one hour? He was facing the cross …and He did so unflinchingly….unflinching endurance and patience…can we say that when we are facing our struggles?
If we could grasp what the Word says about faith, it would revolutionize our thinking and our entire outlook on everything we do or say about God. It would change our lives, we would go from a hum drum mediocre existence to a life in the Spirit of God that is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory and I don’t think that any one of us has arrived there yet. Look at what it says in the Amplified bible reading in Hebrews 11:1-3…Now faith is(note present tense verb “is”…NOW FAITH IS (it is now or it is never,) not some time in the distant future…faith is now! “Now faith is…the assurance( the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. VERSE 2. For by faith----trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report. Verse 3. By faith we understand that the worlds[ during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things that are visible.” Isn’t that powerful? If we could see Faith like that what a difference we would make in our world.
And Paul says . “your faith groweth exceedingly” thank God for growing faith. How can we survive during persecutions and tribulations? Peter says it is a trial of faith. Look at what he says
1st. Peter 1:7… that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, NKJV
The trial or testing of our faith is much more precious than gold
Because gold, precious metal that it is will perish but real faith when it is tried will stand the test. Is there a mountain in your way? Remember God’s word to Zerubbabel? For it is not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord…this mountain shall come down
Enough for this blog. To be cont’d.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
The Comforter has come
In these days of overhead projectors taking the place of hymn books, I find it a real blessing to sing the old songs of the cross from memory. One of those old hymns was going off in my mind early on this morning; I was thinking about a lady in Montreal who is going through a period of mourning over the loss of her best friend and husband. The words of that old hymn came clear to me and I sang them over to myself and to the Lord , they say, "The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come, the Holy Ghost from heaven, The Father's promise given. Oh spread the tidings round wherever man is found, The Comforter has come." One of the stanzas says, "The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!The Comforter has come!
Yes, the Comforter has come! And what a comfort to know that He has come and especially to one so undeserving as I. The next verse rather says it all, "Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,To ev’ry captive soul a full deliverance brings;And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;The Comforter has come! Let me indulge one more verse "O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mineTo wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!The Comforter has come!"
So to my sister Catherine I say take comfort my dear Sister in knowing that Bro. Lucho is with the Lord and so shall he ever be and you will meet again on that great reunion day. "For we do not mourn as those who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
Yes, the Comforter has come! And what a comfort to know that He has come and especially to one so undeserving as I. The next verse rather says it all, "Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,To ev’ry captive soul a full deliverance brings;And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;The Comforter has come! Let me indulge one more verse "O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mineTo wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!The Comforter has come!"
So to my sister Catherine I say take comfort my dear Sister in knowing that Bro. Lucho is with the Lord and so shall he ever be and you will meet again on that great reunion day. "For we do not mourn as those who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
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