Ruth is a wonderful story about faith, loyalty, God's promises, dedication, hard work, obedience and love. As I read through chapter one yesterday I saw something different about one of the characters in the story his name is Elimelech. Elimelech is only mentioned two times throughout the story but his action in how he provided for his family is remarkable! His obedience and making a decision to save his family caused a ripple effect that has effected millions including you. Let's meet Elimelech in the story of Ruth. Ruth 1:1-3 NLT In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. " We can see from the beginning of the story that there was a famine in the land. Elimelech realized it and took action to make sure his family could be safe and thrive. What I want to point out from Elimelech's life are two things we can learn from him and apply into our lives.
The first is awareness. Awareness from Webster's Dictionary means "the quality or state of being aware: knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists promoting a heightened awareness of the problem seemed to have only a slight awareness of what was going on an acute awareness of subtle differences." Elimelech was aware of the situation that came across his family he saw the famine come and he knew what the famine could do to his family so he took action! We must have an awareness of when things are happening in our lives the good, the bad, and the ugly and we must be ready to act so we can make the best decision to preserve our lives, our dreams, and our future, our family, and etc. This is what Elimelech did.
The second is his leadership. What faith it took him to go and sojourn into the land of Moab. He saw an opportunity to lead his family to a place of provision and protection from the natural disaster. Leadership from the Webster's Dictionary means: "the act or an instance of leading and leading means providing direction or guidance." We are all called to leadership so rise up! Do it in your life find an area where you can lead and bring direction and guidance to yourself, family, friends, place of employment, or etc. Go act in faith go and sojourn to a land you do not know. Do it so you can bring yourself, people around you, and future generations to have provision and protection for a new future new dreams and new memories. This is what Elimelech did for his family.
If you do not know Christ and would like to know Him you can. He has down what Elimelech did for his family for you! He is aware of you and took a leadership opportunity and came so you can have a new future , new dreams, and new memories if you would like to know Him then say Jesus I ask you to forgive me of my sins and I ask you to come into my life I am yours and you are mine! In Jesus name we pray amen! Now get plugged in read the stories in the Bible, go to church, and see what happens.
Godspeed,
Robbie
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Friday, February 16, 2018
Saturday, April 15, 2017
The Resurrection
Luke 24:5-9 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.
1. Don’t seek Christ where dead things are at choose to seek Him where life is! Look at the life all around you go see Him. He is all around you.
Just as the angels reminded the women that He said these things about His death and resurrection I am telling you to remember His words remember His death and resurrection this year celebrate it because it gives new life, hope, faith, love, comfort, conviction, support, growth, purpose, you to be you, and to prosper in abundance in the abundant life God has for you. That is worth celebrating and should be celebrated this whole week because that is what Jesus did for you and so much more! Easter is about His death and His resurrection it’s about you and I dying to self and being resurrected into new life. Easter is about sharing your story that Jesus has written. Speak and share through word and deed all the things God has done for you especially the new ones. Easter is a time to evangelize the good news that Christians share because it is life changing go and be the candle where you are at go tell others just like the women did. Luke 24:8-10 “ 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.”
12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.
2. Stoop and look into the grave of your heart and I dare you to marvel at what Christ has done in your life.
The word marveling here in the Greek means “to wonder, wonder at, marvel
to be wondered at, to be had in admiration” and happened means “to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen of events to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage of men appearing in public to be made, finished of miracles, to be performed, wrought to become, be made.” Be in the wonder the admiration God has done for you receive them let them appear in the history of your life by re-telling them again and again. Tell of the Resurrection that Christ has done for you and in you.
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them.
3. As you reach your destination Jesus may act like He is moving on to the next journey, but in reality, He wants you to urge Him to stay.
Jesus left the choice up to them to let Him continue on or to urge Him to stay with them. If you have an urgency for Jesus to stay and lodge with you because the day’s journey is ended He will, but you need that urgency. Easter reminds us that Jesus still gives us a choice to ask Him to stay with us or let Him continue on His journey. The choice is yours, but He gives you a choice to urge Him to stay.
If you feel that urge today that you want Him to come into your heart and you know He has not yet or you have walked away from Him. Today is the day for you to make a new choice. If you want Jesus to come into your life today say this simple prayer: “Jesus, I ask you to come into my life I repent of my sins. I am yours and you are mine today I urge you to come in and I know you are with me now and forevermore in Jesus name we pray amen! If you said that prayer welcome I am so glad you made this decision! Go to church this Sunday, pick up the Bible read it, get connected with other Christians, and marvel at what God will do. Be blessed and Godspeed! ~ Robbie
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Don't Miss
Who is excited for this year? We are two months in! What dreams are out there to accomplish? What can be done this year that was not done last year? I want to challenge us all to achieve this goal each day. Are you ready for the goal? The goal is that "each day must be to get a little better, to build on the previous day's progress" ~ John Maxwell. This is the challenge I set for us all this year it is a different outlook on life, but it will make each of us very successful. In the new year, everyone is pumped and ready to achieve their goals that they did not accomplish last year. All of us do well for awhile, but then life happens. A day gets missed, and life starts getting back into the old routine. Then thoughts come and say I will try it again next year. This should not be this year do not give up! Do not miss what you are aiming for, keep trying each day! Do not wait again for next year to come. Remember "each day must be to get a little better, to build on the previous day's progress" ~ John Maxell. There is one thing though that I don’t want us to miss again this year; it can be easily missed and lost throughout the year; if we are not keeping track of where it is. Today's blog will be on what not to miss, but also on how to find it if we do miss it. Does anyone want to guess what we don't want to miss?
Don’t miss Jesus this year! As 2017, continues on month after month all of us will get caught up in the moments of life. The challenge this year is to always look for Jesus in the moments of life, don’t miss seeing and experiencing Him in 2017. If that happens to you go search for Him, again and again, He will be found. If Jesus gets lost in the moments of life, do not frantic in searching for Him everywhere go to the places where He will be at. Today, these four places can be found by anyone, and anyone can make an effort to attend these places. The journey to find these four places begins in Luke 2:41-49 and ends in Song of Songs 6:1-3, 11-12.
Luke 2:41-42 NLT 41 "Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual."
Luke 2:41-42 - Don't make this year just another "Usual Year." For Joseph, Mary, and Jesus this year would be different. Make this a memorable year. Grab a piece of paper or pick up a notebook and write out one highlight that happens each month of 2017. Then review each one each month. By the end of the year, there will be 12 remarkable things that happen to you in 2017. Then take the time to look back to remember these things. Add the good, the bad, and the ugly to your list because all these things are part of your life shaping you to be more like Christ. Everything anyone goes through is an opportunity for them to be more like Christ.
Luke 2:43-44 43 "After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends."
Luke 2:43-44 - After celebrating Christ’s birth and the New Year people let life became as it was which is usual. Usual is defined as “commonplace every day” (Dictionary.com). That usual mindset set has to go because it limits people to achieve the best each day. For Christians and those who are non-Christians don't miss Jesus at first in the New Year. He is close to the hearts of everyone. Each person still sees the Christmas decorations of baby Jesus, hears the songs, or movies about Him in their minds and what is around them. In the new year, Christians have the motivation to read their Bibles more often, to pray more often, and to serve more often than they did last year. If anyone does not start to miss Jesus, then that is a warning sign that something is up and they need to get back to Him as soon as possible. People cannot assume that Jesus is with them this year. They need to make sure they know that He is with them. How do people know if someone is with them? They will see them, feel them, and experience their presence in the room.
Luke 2:45 "When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there."
Luke 2:45 - When you cannot find Jesus in your life go back to where you know where He is. His parents knew that Jesus has to be in Jerusalem. Jerusalem throughout the Scriptures is known as the home or dwelling place of God. They want back to where they knew He would be at. When 2017, gets busy and people get caught up in all the drama, life experiences, the joys as well as the sorrows of 2017, you have to remind yourself where you can go to find Christ. That is the House of God.
Luke 2:46-49 "46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” 49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Luke 2:46-49 - Joseph and Mary find him in the Temple His Father’s house. Jesus always can be found in four places because these four places are connected with the House of God.
1. Jesus can be found in The House of God. Anyone can meet Him there at any time (Luke 2:49). 2. He can found when two or more Christians come together. He will be found in their midst. When Christians hang out together at the park, playing board games or card games, video games, watching sports, eating, going to the movies, walking together, or any other activity they do Christ is with them (Matthew 18:20). 3. Jesus can be found in everyday life. The Bible says do not despise the small beginnings because God is doing something with those small beginnings. Don’t look over small times with Jesus. For example, I took my grandma to get her hair cut, while we waited our turn, I saw a father and son sitting across from us. He was playing with his son hugging, kissing, and tickling him while they waited to be seen. As I watched, I had a picture come to my mind that God does that with us. He wants to play with us to enjoy His love. That is what this son was doing, he was enjoying a time of love and affection with his dad. A small thing, but Jesus was found at the Salon those kinds of experiences is what I am talking about when it comes to small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). 4. Jesus is found where serving is taking place. (Song of Songs 6:1-3, 11-13).
Each of these four places has been put there by Jesus for people to find Him. He always initiates the process for people to find Him. He set up these locations to start the initiation for people to encounter Him.
Which leads us to the Scriptures in the Song of Songs which tells us that Jesus can be found and seen in serving in His creation. I want to leave a comment about the Song of Songs we as Christians know that all Scripture is inspired by God and use to teach, reproof, correct, and train us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). So that includes the Song of Songs. I believe that every book in the Bible has Christ in it someway and somewhere. Why do I believe this? Because the Bible tells us in Colossians 1:16 that all things were made through Him and for Him. So if all things are made through Him and for Him, then you are going to find Him in all the Scriptures. Another reason is that of Luke 24:27, 44 and John 5:39 say that the Scriptures bear witness to Jesus. This is why I believe Jesus is in the Song of Songs. I believe there are types and shadows going on here with the characters in the Song of Songs. King Solomon represents Jesus, The Shaulmite Bride represents the Bride of Christ, and The Daughters of Jerusalem represents less mature believers who have not yet gotten the same revelation that The Shaulmite Bride has received about Jesus. Now you as my readers understand my thinking and belief about this book let's look at it and see what it says about finding Jesus.
Song of Songs 6:1-3 NLT “Where has your lover gone, O woman of rare beauty? Which way did he turn so we can help you find him? My lover has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to browse in the gardens and gather the lilies. I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine. He browses among the lilies.”
When Christians know where they can find Jesus, they are aware of a personal truth that they are His and He is theirs. Our Jesus browses among the lilies (representing God’s people) serving His Kingdom and Creation.
"The Bride responds to the request as to the whereabouts of the King (“How do we find the King/Jesus?) by telling the Daughters of Jerusalem that He is in His garden. What this means is that we will find Jesus when we serve. We will find Him more and more as we begin to serve His People. If we are to find Jesus in the deepest ways, we must meet Him in serving. What He is doing is what we should be doing. As we do, we will meet Him and know Him in a greater and greater way." ~ Messianic Rabbi Schneider
Song of Songs 6:11-12 NLT “Young Woman I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. 12 Before I realized it, my strong desires had taken me to the chariot of a noble man."
The Bride goes to the grove of walnut trees and to the valley (representing God's people) as she makes her journey through the grove and valley she goes to see where God was moving and ministering to His creation. While she is in the grove and valley, she discovers the chariot of a nobleman, because she was in the valley and grove where serving was taking place she found Jesus there.
"The Bride goes to see Jesus’ activity in His orchard/field. She goes to where He is laboring and building His people. When she got there, her heart rose in her to strengthen God’s people and build His kingdom. Jesus is known in a more intimate way by those who are connecting with Him in serving." ~ Messianic Rabbi Schneider
Journey with Jesus in 2017 always be looking for Him, and if you misplace Him remember the four places where He can be found. 1. The House of God. You can meet Him anytime there (Luke 2:49). 2. You can find Him when two or more come together. He is in their midst. You can find Jesus when you fellowship with other Christians anywhere at any time (Matthew 18:20). 3. Jesus can be found in everyday life. Do not despise the small things where you can see Jesus at in your life. Don’t despise small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). 4. You can find Jesus where serving is at (Song of Songs 6:1-3, 11-13).
Let 2017, be a year for you to see Jesus more in your life. If you do not know Christ this is a great time to meet Him. Say this prayer "Jesus, I believe you died for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. I want to know You and see you in all my lifetime. I believe you are my Lord and Savior today and forevermore in Jesus name, we pray amen! If you said that prayer for the first time or recommitted your life to Christ I celebreate with you! I encourage you to read your bible daily, get connected with a local church and other Christians, and go serve others by putting your time and effort into helping others better their lives.
Godspeed,
Robbie
Don’t miss Jesus this year! As 2017, continues on month after month all of us will get caught up in the moments of life. The challenge this year is to always look for Jesus in the moments of life, don’t miss seeing and experiencing Him in 2017. If that happens to you go search for Him, again and again, He will be found. If Jesus gets lost in the moments of life, do not frantic in searching for Him everywhere go to the places where He will be at. Today, these four places can be found by anyone, and anyone can make an effort to attend these places. The journey to find these four places begins in Luke 2:41-49 and ends in Song of Songs 6:1-3, 11-12.
Luke 2:41-42 NLT 41 "Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual."
Luke 2:41-42 - Don't make this year just another "Usual Year." For Joseph, Mary, and Jesus this year would be different. Make this a memorable year. Grab a piece of paper or pick up a notebook and write out one highlight that happens each month of 2017. Then review each one each month. By the end of the year, there will be 12 remarkable things that happen to you in 2017. Then take the time to look back to remember these things. Add the good, the bad, and the ugly to your list because all these things are part of your life shaping you to be more like Christ. Everything anyone goes through is an opportunity for them to be more like Christ.
Luke 2:43-44 43 "After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends."
Luke 2:43-44 - After celebrating Christ’s birth and the New Year people let life became as it was which is usual. Usual is defined as “commonplace every day” (Dictionary.com). That usual mindset set has to go because it limits people to achieve the best each day. For Christians and those who are non-Christians don't miss Jesus at first in the New Year. He is close to the hearts of everyone. Each person still sees the Christmas decorations of baby Jesus, hears the songs, or movies about Him in their minds and what is around them. In the new year, Christians have the motivation to read their Bibles more often, to pray more often, and to serve more often than they did last year. If anyone does not start to miss Jesus, then that is a warning sign that something is up and they need to get back to Him as soon as possible. People cannot assume that Jesus is with them this year. They need to make sure they know that He is with them. How do people know if someone is with them? They will see them, feel them, and experience their presence in the room.
Luke 2:45 "When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there."
Luke 2:45 - When you cannot find Jesus in your life go back to where you know where He is. His parents knew that Jesus has to be in Jerusalem. Jerusalem throughout the Scriptures is known as the home or dwelling place of God. They want back to where they knew He would be at. When 2017, gets busy and people get caught up in all the drama, life experiences, the joys as well as the sorrows of 2017, you have to remind yourself where you can go to find Christ. That is the House of God.
Luke 2:46-49 "46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” 49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Luke 2:46-49 - Joseph and Mary find him in the Temple His Father’s house. Jesus always can be found in four places because these four places are connected with the House of God.
1. Jesus can be found in The House of God. Anyone can meet Him there at any time (Luke 2:49). 2. He can found when two or more Christians come together. He will be found in their midst. When Christians hang out together at the park, playing board games or card games, video games, watching sports, eating, going to the movies, walking together, or any other activity they do Christ is with them (Matthew 18:20). 3. Jesus can be found in everyday life. The Bible says do not despise the small beginnings because God is doing something with those small beginnings. Don’t look over small times with Jesus. For example, I took my grandma to get her hair cut, while we waited our turn, I saw a father and son sitting across from us. He was playing with his son hugging, kissing, and tickling him while they waited to be seen. As I watched, I had a picture come to my mind that God does that with us. He wants to play with us to enjoy His love. That is what this son was doing, he was enjoying a time of love and affection with his dad. A small thing, but Jesus was found at the Salon those kinds of experiences is what I am talking about when it comes to small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). 4. Jesus is found where serving is taking place. (Song of Songs 6:1-3, 11-13).
Each of these four places has been put there by Jesus for people to find Him. He always initiates the process for people to find Him. He set up these locations to start the initiation for people to encounter Him.
Which leads us to the Scriptures in the Song of Songs which tells us that Jesus can be found and seen in serving in His creation. I want to leave a comment about the Song of Songs we as Christians know that all Scripture is inspired by God and use to teach, reproof, correct, and train us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). So that includes the Song of Songs. I believe that every book in the Bible has Christ in it someway and somewhere. Why do I believe this? Because the Bible tells us in Colossians 1:16 that all things were made through Him and for Him. So if all things are made through Him and for Him, then you are going to find Him in all the Scriptures. Another reason is that of Luke 24:27, 44 and John 5:39 say that the Scriptures bear witness to Jesus. This is why I believe Jesus is in the Song of Songs. I believe there are types and shadows going on here with the characters in the Song of Songs. King Solomon represents Jesus, The Shaulmite Bride represents the Bride of Christ, and The Daughters of Jerusalem represents less mature believers who have not yet gotten the same revelation that The Shaulmite Bride has received about Jesus. Now you as my readers understand my thinking and belief about this book let's look at it and see what it says about finding Jesus.
Song of Songs 6:1-3 NLT “Where has your lover gone, O woman of rare beauty? Which way did he turn so we can help you find him? My lover has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to browse in the gardens and gather the lilies. I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine. He browses among the lilies.”
When Christians know where they can find Jesus, they are aware of a personal truth that they are His and He is theirs. Our Jesus browses among the lilies (representing God’s people) serving His Kingdom and Creation.
"The Bride responds to the request as to the whereabouts of the King (“How do we find the King/Jesus?) by telling the Daughters of Jerusalem that He is in His garden. What this means is that we will find Jesus when we serve. We will find Him more and more as we begin to serve His People. If we are to find Jesus in the deepest ways, we must meet Him in serving. What He is doing is what we should be doing. As we do, we will meet Him and know Him in a greater and greater way." ~ Messianic Rabbi Schneider
Song of Songs 6:11-12 NLT “Young Woman I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. 12 Before I realized it, my strong desires had taken me to the chariot of a noble man."
The Bride goes to the grove of walnut trees and to the valley (representing God's people) as she makes her journey through the grove and valley she goes to see where God was moving and ministering to His creation. While she is in the grove and valley, she discovers the chariot of a nobleman, because she was in the valley and grove where serving was taking place she found Jesus there.
"The Bride goes to see Jesus’ activity in His orchard/field. She goes to where He is laboring and building His people. When she got there, her heart rose in her to strengthen God’s people and build His kingdom. Jesus is known in a more intimate way by those who are connecting with Him in serving." ~ Messianic Rabbi Schneider
Journey with Jesus in 2017 always be looking for Him, and if you misplace Him remember the four places where He can be found. 1. The House of God. You can meet Him anytime there (Luke 2:49). 2. You can find Him when two or more come together. He is in their midst. You can find Jesus when you fellowship with other Christians anywhere at any time (Matthew 18:20). 3. Jesus can be found in everyday life. Do not despise the small things where you can see Jesus at in your life. Don’t despise small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). 4. You can find Jesus where serving is at (Song of Songs 6:1-3, 11-13).
Let 2017, be a year for you to see Jesus more in your life. If you do not know Christ this is a great time to meet Him. Say this prayer "Jesus, I believe you died for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. I want to know You and see you in all my lifetime. I believe you are my Lord and Savior today and forevermore in Jesus name, we pray amen! If you said that prayer for the first time or recommitted your life to Christ I celebreate with you! I encourage you to read your bible daily, get connected with a local church and other Christians, and go serve others by putting your time and effort into helping others better their lives.
Godspeed,
Robbie
Saturday, July 30, 2016
There is Freedom at the Cross
The 4th of July is a holiday celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776. The United States of America (USA) gives thanks unto God for the freedom they received that day and they rejoice in the freedom they have. At the beginning of this month, you could sense and see that the atmosphere has changed in America. Religion, Family, Arts and Entertainment, Media, Government, Education, and Business all start to focus on the liberty and freedom that this day brings for America. As the atmosphere is still present and the bells of liberty, freedom, and independence are still ringing in our ears, I believe that our God wants to put you in remembrance and celebration of the liberty, freedom, and independence that you have received at the Cross. Just like the Declaration of Independence declares independence from Great Britain. The Cross is our Declaration of Independence from sin.
“We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in Heaven, and with a propitious eye beholds his subjects assuming that freedom of thought and dignity of self-direction which He bestowed on them. From the rising to the setting sun, may His kingdom come!” ~ Samuel Adams after signing the Declaration of Independence. Samuel Adams is American statesman, political philosopher, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
This blog is called "There is Freedom at the Cross!" Now before we can see, experience, and receive the Freedom that the Cross offers you must take a voyage that leads you through the seas to discover that there is Freedom at the Cross. You will see what pain has to do with liberty, how it connects to liberty, where liberty is found at, and then you will see where to receive the freedom God has for you at the Cross.
Before you can celebrate liberty, freedom, and independence in your life, you have to be somewhere else first either in a place of pain or bondage or both. The definition of liberty is: “1. The condition of being free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor. 2. a. The condition of being free from oppressive restriction or control by a government or other power." The definition of freedom is "The condition of not being in prison or captivity: The condition of not being constrained or restricted in a specific aspect of life by a government or other power. Dictionaries define Independence as the time when a country or region gains political freedom from outside control, freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others and freedom from control or influence of another or others.” These definitions reveal that you have to be in bondage before experiencing freedom or liberty.
Because “doesn’t pain have a way of just neutralizing us? You can pull one little muscle in your back, and your entire body wants to just sit down and avoid feeling that pain with every move. Not only that but also every time you do move, and that sharp pain shoots across your back; you’re reminded of that weird move you made that caused the injury in the first place. That pain serves to take you right back to that place where you were hurt” (Jentezen Franklin The Spirit of Python, 2013, p. 98-99). The same thing happens to us spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. All of us have or will experience some pain in all of these areas and what the enemy does is he keeps jabbing at that pain to keep you limited. He also connects that pain to memory to neutralize you. It seems that anytime you make progress in your life from that pain he locks you with the reminder of the pain and connects it with your past. “As long as the pain is there, you are still trapped by the memory. The enemy wants to keep you hurt over some situation, because as long as he has the pain that’s still there, he can take you right back to the place even if it happened years ago. (Jentezen Franklin The Spirit of Python, 2013, p. 98-99)
Luke 13:10-17 NASB 10 "And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit, and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, Woman, you are freed from your sickness. 13 And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. 14 But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? 16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day? 17 As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.
Jesus spoke to the bondage and pain that this daughter of Abraham was experiencing the same with you, you must speak to the pain and bondage in your life and declare pain and bondage you have no hold over me because I have received the freedom that the Cross has given me to walk in liberty every day of my life. Tell the Devil as Jesus did that his prison cells can't hold you anymore you are free!
“Freedom can exist only in the society of knowledge. Without learning, men are incapable of knowing their rights, and where learning is confined to a few people, liberty can be neither equal nor universal.” ~ Benjamin Rush is part of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He is a Physician, writer, educator, and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Rush is telling people that to have freedom in your country; society must have knowledge, learning, and knowing your rights as citizens of that country. American citizens must educate themselves on the freedoms they have been given through the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. It's the same for Christians to walk in the freedom that the Cross gives them, they must become knowledgeable of its power and the authority Christ provides them with in His name. Christians always have to be learning about His Word knowing His promises so that when Satan tries to infect Christians with pain and bondage Christians can say No, I am not bound to that pain or bondage you can't hurt me anymore because of the Cross because of God’s promise to me. If Christians don’t read God’s Word, do not know His promises, and the power of the Cross, then the liberty He wants to give you is confined and then it cannot be equal or universal because it is limited. Our duty as Christians is to spread the news that there is Freedom at the Cross!
2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (Voice) "12 In light of this hope that we have, we act with great confidence and speak with great courage. 13 We do not act like Moses who covered his face with a veil so the children of Israel would not stare as the glory of God faded from his face. 14 Their minds became as hard as stones; for up to this day when they read the old covenant, the same veil continues to hide that glory; this veil is lifted only through the Anointed One. 15 Even today a veil covers their hearts when the words of Moses are read; 16 but in the moment when one turns toward the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 By “the Lord” what I mean is the Spirit, and in any heart where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is liberty. 18 Now all of us, with our faces unveiled, reflect the glory of the Lord as if we are mirrors; and so we are being transformed, metamorphosed, into His same image from one radiance of glory to another, just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it." The word liberty or also translate freedom is the Greek word Eleutheria and it comes from the root word Eleutheros which means “freeborn in a civil sense, one who is not a slave of one who ceases to be a slave, freed, manumitted free, exempt, unrestrained, not bound by an obligation in an ethical sense: free from the yoke of the Mosaic Law.” If you have Christ living inside of you then the Spirit of the Lord is in your heart and liberty is in you all you have to do is claim it. You are rich in freedom now claim your inheritance at the Cross! Live every day with the liberty that is given to you from the Cross do not stay bound when you are free! Know from verse 18 that becoming free is a process sometimes it happens quickly, but other times it is step by step, but the great thing is that you will receive it one day "just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it."
Luke 4:18 KJV "18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." Freedom and liberty in the Greek are Aphesis it means “release from bondage or imprisonment forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty.” Bruised also can be translated oppressed in the Greek it is Thrauo it means “to break, break in pieces, shatter, smite through.” The Same Spirit that Christ had and worked through to fulfill this scripture is in you to free you.
“It is crucial to speak in faith to your mountain in order to break the permanence and break the pain and say, In the name of Jesus I’m trading my sorrows in for the joy of the Lord. Jesus can heal the pain and cut through the cords of yesterday’s painful memories. It has been long enough. It is time to break out of the devil’s prison. Jesus has given you victory, and if you are bound, you need liberty. If the enemy has wrapped himself around your life, encircling you in your pain, you need the healing of the Lord. Do not allow the enemy to wrap around your future, your freedom, or your success (Jentezen Franklin The Spirit of Python, 2013, p. 98-99).
John 19:30 NASB 30 "Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." It is finished bondage and pain cannot hold you all you have to do is receive the Freedom the Cross gives you.
“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” ~ George Washington is the first President of the United States (1789–97), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
"The best road to progress is freedom’s road" ~ President John F. Kennedy is the 35th President of the United States of America.
These two quotes tell that liberty starts when you take action or make progress. Today is that day for you! I encourage you to write your pain or bondage or both on a notecard or piece of paper and then if you have a cross in your home or picture the cross in your mind and lay it down at the Cross then stand up and shout for the Lord has given you the victory (Joshua 6:16)! If you don't know Christ, and you want this Freedom I speak about then just say Jesus I receive you as my Lord and Savior I repent of my sins I believe in You and I believe that today I have this freedom that is given at the Cross in Jesus name we pray amen! Now read The Bible read Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, get connected in a church, and find other Christ followers and invest your time with them. Then watch what God does for you! Remember that becoming free is a process and today starts that process for you!
“We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in Heaven, and with a propitious eye beholds his subjects assuming that freedom of thought and dignity of self-direction which He bestowed on them. From the rising to the setting sun, may His kingdom come!” ~ Samuel Adams after signing the Declaration of Independence. Samuel Adams is American statesman, political philosopher, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
This blog is called "There is Freedom at the Cross!" Now before we can see, experience, and receive the Freedom that the Cross offers you must take a voyage that leads you through the seas to discover that there is Freedom at the Cross. You will see what pain has to do with liberty, how it connects to liberty, where liberty is found at, and then you will see where to receive the freedom God has for you at the Cross.
Before you can celebrate liberty, freedom, and independence in your life, you have to be somewhere else first either in a place of pain or bondage or both. The definition of liberty is: “1. The condition of being free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor. 2. a. The condition of being free from oppressive restriction or control by a government or other power." The definition of freedom is "The condition of not being in prison or captivity: The condition of not being constrained or restricted in a specific aspect of life by a government or other power. Dictionaries define Independence as the time when a country or region gains political freedom from outside control, freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others and freedom from control or influence of another or others.” These definitions reveal that you have to be in bondage before experiencing freedom or liberty.
Because “doesn’t pain have a way of just neutralizing us? You can pull one little muscle in your back, and your entire body wants to just sit down and avoid feeling that pain with every move. Not only that but also every time you do move, and that sharp pain shoots across your back; you’re reminded of that weird move you made that caused the injury in the first place. That pain serves to take you right back to that place where you were hurt” (Jentezen Franklin The Spirit of Python, 2013, p. 98-99). The same thing happens to us spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. All of us have or will experience some pain in all of these areas and what the enemy does is he keeps jabbing at that pain to keep you limited. He also connects that pain to memory to neutralize you. It seems that anytime you make progress in your life from that pain he locks you with the reminder of the pain and connects it with your past. “As long as the pain is there, you are still trapped by the memory. The enemy wants to keep you hurt over some situation, because as long as he has the pain that’s still there, he can take you right back to the place even if it happened years ago. (Jentezen Franklin The Spirit of Python, 2013, p. 98-99)
Luke 13:10-17 NASB 10 "And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit, and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, Woman, you are freed from your sickness. 13 And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. 14 But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? 16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day? 17 As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.
Jesus spoke to the bondage and pain that this daughter of Abraham was experiencing the same with you, you must speak to the pain and bondage in your life and declare pain and bondage you have no hold over me because I have received the freedom that the Cross has given me to walk in liberty every day of my life. Tell the Devil as Jesus did that his prison cells can't hold you anymore you are free!
“Freedom can exist only in the society of knowledge. Without learning, men are incapable of knowing their rights, and where learning is confined to a few people, liberty can be neither equal nor universal.” ~ Benjamin Rush is part of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He is a Physician, writer, educator, and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Rush is telling people that to have freedom in your country; society must have knowledge, learning, and knowing your rights as citizens of that country. American citizens must educate themselves on the freedoms they have been given through the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. It's the same for Christians to walk in the freedom that the Cross gives them, they must become knowledgeable of its power and the authority Christ provides them with in His name. Christians always have to be learning about His Word knowing His promises so that when Satan tries to infect Christians with pain and bondage Christians can say No, I am not bound to that pain or bondage you can't hurt me anymore because of the Cross because of God’s promise to me. If Christians don’t read God’s Word, do not know His promises, and the power of the Cross, then the liberty He wants to give you is confined and then it cannot be equal or universal because it is limited. Our duty as Christians is to spread the news that there is Freedom at the Cross!
2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (Voice) "12 In light of this hope that we have, we act with great confidence and speak with great courage. 13 We do not act like Moses who covered his face with a veil so the children of Israel would not stare as the glory of God faded from his face. 14 Their minds became as hard as stones; for up to this day when they read the old covenant, the same veil continues to hide that glory; this veil is lifted only through the Anointed One. 15 Even today a veil covers their hearts when the words of Moses are read; 16 but in the moment when one turns toward the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 By “the Lord” what I mean is the Spirit, and in any heart where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is liberty. 18 Now all of us, with our faces unveiled, reflect the glory of the Lord as if we are mirrors; and so we are being transformed, metamorphosed, into His same image from one radiance of glory to another, just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it." The word liberty or also translate freedom is the Greek word Eleutheria and it comes from the root word Eleutheros which means “freeborn in a civil sense, one who is not a slave of one who ceases to be a slave, freed, manumitted free, exempt, unrestrained, not bound by an obligation in an ethical sense: free from the yoke of the Mosaic Law.” If you have Christ living inside of you then the Spirit of the Lord is in your heart and liberty is in you all you have to do is claim it. You are rich in freedom now claim your inheritance at the Cross! Live every day with the liberty that is given to you from the Cross do not stay bound when you are free! Know from verse 18 that becoming free is a process sometimes it happens quickly, but other times it is step by step, but the great thing is that you will receive it one day "just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it."
Luke 4:18 KJV "18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." Freedom and liberty in the Greek are Aphesis it means “release from bondage or imprisonment forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty.” Bruised also can be translated oppressed in the Greek it is Thrauo it means “to break, break in pieces, shatter, smite through.” The Same Spirit that Christ had and worked through to fulfill this scripture is in you to free you.
“It is crucial to speak in faith to your mountain in order to break the permanence and break the pain and say, In the name of Jesus I’m trading my sorrows in for the joy of the Lord. Jesus can heal the pain and cut through the cords of yesterday’s painful memories. It has been long enough. It is time to break out of the devil’s prison. Jesus has given you victory, and if you are bound, you need liberty. If the enemy has wrapped himself around your life, encircling you in your pain, you need the healing of the Lord. Do not allow the enemy to wrap around your future, your freedom, or your success (Jentezen Franklin The Spirit of Python, 2013, p. 98-99).
John 19:30 NASB 30 "Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." It is finished bondage and pain cannot hold you all you have to do is receive the Freedom the Cross gives you.
“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” ~ George Washington is the first President of the United States (1789–97), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
"The best road to progress is freedom’s road" ~ President John F. Kennedy is the 35th President of the United States of America.
These two quotes tell that liberty starts when you take action or make progress. Today is that day for you! I encourage you to write your pain or bondage or both on a notecard or piece of paper and then if you have a cross in your home or picture the cross in your mind and lay it down at the Cross then stand up and shout for the Lord has given you the victory (Joshua 6:16)! If you don't know Christ, and you want this Freedom I speak about then just say Jesus I receive you as my Lord and Savior I repent of my sins I believe in You and I believe that today I have this freedom that is given at the Cross in Jesus name we pray amen! Now read The Bible read Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, get connected in a church, and find other Christ followers and invest your time with them. Then watch what God does for you! Remember that becoming free is a process and today starts that process for you!
Saturday, June 25, 2016
God of the Second Wind Heroes of Faith Rahab's Story (Part 1)
These last couple of weeks The Holy Spirit has given Robbie a phrase to chew on the phrase is “God of the Second Wind.” One day he was thinking and meditating on a previous message that he heard a couple of years ago the message is called “God of the Second Wind” by Pastor Rick Wilkerson Jr. Robbie heard that message at the Forward Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in 2013.
“God of the Second Wind” as he ponders that phrase Robbie reminds himself of the Heroes of Faith that readers read about in the Bible that has experienced the “God of the Second Wind.” Every story in the Bible reveals to the reader this characteristic of God, but there is not enough time to look at every story, but in this series, four heroes will be looked at Rahab, Ruth, Jonah, and Samson. This series will be done in four parts part one on Rahab, part two on Ruth, part three on Jonah, and part four on Samson. Before these heroes’ stories are spoken about you as the reader first must know what does the phrase the “God of the Second Wind” mean? Simply its meaning, its action is Grace and Mercy and through the actions of Grace and Mercy God gives a second chance.
Rahab’s story is in Joshua 2 and 6, but she also is in Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, and James 2:25. Rahab’s story speaks of Grace and Mercy here is a prostitute, but yet because she feared God because she knew that the God of Israel is more powerful than any other god (Joshua 2:8-11) and because she protected the spies those actions opened the door for “God’s Second Wind” to come into her life. “God’s Second Wind” for Rahab’s life is amazing God rescues her and her family. God makes them part of Israel that enough would have expressed that God is the “God of the Second Wind” However, the great thing about Grace and Mercy is that it always holds surprises that he or she never sees coming. God decides to do something that no one sees coming He adds Rahab to the genealogy of Jesus Christ Matthew 1:5 NLT says “Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse.”
“God’s Second Wind” for Rahab consists of Salvation for her and her family, being a part Israel, marrying Salmon, and having her name listed in the family line that would bring Jesus into the world! Don’t you feel the weight of that? Wow! It does not end there either Furthermore, she is in Hebrews 11:31 NLT “31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
Christians know this Chapter in the Bible as the “Hall of Faith” people believe that this terminology comes from the Hall of Fame that all professional sports, collegiate sports, and the entertainment world have for those who are the best of the best. Is it not true that when fans hear who is in the Hall of Fame or who just got inducted into this year’s class questions, and comments are made about if he or she should be a part of the Hall of Fame. Questions like “Did they do enough to deserve it?” or “Why did they choose him or her?” Sometimes the fans agree with the committee and then other sometimes the fans disagree with the committee. Opinions on why or why not he or she should or should not be part of the Hall of Fame come out or conversations about how another athlete or entertainer deserved to be inducted into the Hall of Fame more than the athlete or entertainer that got in.
This question can be asked and is asked about Rahab “Does she deserve the induction into the Hall of Faith?” To answer that question we must see what God’s qualifications are for induction into the Hall of Faith. The qualifications are 1. God’s Grace and Mercy in the individual’s life, 2. Faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 3. Having a fear of God, and 4. Having a BIG YES is his or her heart to honor God in their lives. All four of these qualifications are in one action of Faith, and that action is Faith in what Jesus did on the Cross. By taking the punishment for everyone’s sin, and those who believe He did this for them they will have eternal life and receive an induction into the Hall of Faith. Rahab lived by faith; she did works by faith (James 2:25-26 NLT 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.), and she lived in the abundance of Grace and Mercy that God gave her in her life! In every Hall of Fame definitely inside the Hall of Faith, fans and observers will find inductees who at first may not seem that he or she should be there, but they are there because of Grace and Mercy because God gave them a second wind.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Break and Trample
Isaiah 14:24-25 NLT 24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath: “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided. 25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel; I will trample them on my mountains. My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.
The Lord is declaring that He will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel. These words used by the Lord are interesting because He says that He will break Assyria when they are in Israel not outside the walls of Israel but inside the walls of Israel. How does this relate to us today? Good question let's find out! Just like Israel had an enemy with Assyria you have an enemy and that enemy may seem like he is winning and going to defeat you, but look at what the Lord says. In the previous verse, He declares that His plan will happen and what He has decided will come to pass. God’s plan for Israel was to defeat the enemy when they arrived in Israel not outside, but inside. The word Assyrians in Hebrew is defined as “step in” the enemy may have "step in" to your life, but God is going to break the enemy while the enemy is in your land. The Hebrew word for break is “Shabar” it is defined as “break, break in pieces (Qal) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench to break, rupture (fig) (Niphal) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked to be broken, be crushed (fig) (Piel) to shatter, break (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered”(Bible Study Tools, 2014, p.1) The Lord is sharbaring the enemy in your life!
The Lord is going trample the enemy that is attacking you. Your enemy is a not other people your enemy is “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The enemy may be attacking you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically. I want you to hold on to the truth of God’s Word that He will break and trample the enemy out of your life. The word for trampled used here is "Buwc" and it is defined as "to tread down, reject, trample down (Qal) to tread down, trample (of warriors) of rejection (fig.) (Polel) to tread down (in bad sense) to desecrate (Hithpolel) to tread to kick out 1c of infants' blind movements 1c of Jerusalem (fig.) (Hophal) to be trodden down" (Bible Study Tools, 2014, p.1). That is powerful! The Lord is going to remove the enemy on your behalf He is going to kick out the enemy just like He did when the Assyrians were in Israel! Verse 25 says “I will trample them on my mountains” God just wanted to beat the Assyrians on His home turf God wanted to have home field advantage and that is exactly what He had!
Will it be tough battle for you? Yes, because the enemy is on your land I would think that when Israel was fighting the Assyrians, it was a tough fight, but why did God want to destroy Assyria once they were in the land of Israel? I am not sure why, but I believe it could be for the Lord to display His full strength and power to Israel and Assyria. It makes a huge difference when your enemy is outside your territory instead of being inside your territory. When your adversary is outside your territory, you have the high ground, and it is easier for you to win because you have more strength and confidence that you can defeat them. But when the adversary is inside your home it’s a different story because you don’t have that high ground instead the enemy is closer to you which means you have limited ground now because the enemy is taking up more space. It’s like in American Football when your opponent is inside your territory 20 yards away from getting into your end zone it is harder to stop them from scoring. It is much easier to stop them when they are own their own 20-yard line because they have to go 80 yards instead of 20 yards to get a touchdown I hope you can see the analogy in what I am saying. I want you to get this I believe Israel was weak inside because they were at home they let their guard down when Assyria “stepped in” Assyria gained more spaced over Israel and exposed Israel’s weaknesses, but God intervenes and says as He did to Apostle Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I believe that one of the reasons why God allowed the Assyrians to be broken and trampled in Israel instead of outside the walls was so that God would get the glory saying because you were in a weak position I am made strong My Spirit did this act of defeating your enemy. Get this you can never overcome the works of your enemy only God can utterly defeat your enemy, and He did that here for Israel, and He did it for everyone through the Cross, and He did it so that Israel, Assyria, and you would know that there is a God in Israel!
I leave you with this have hope and faith today if the enemy has "stepped in" to your life don't focus on how the enemy got there instead focus on the promise of God. God has the home field advantage! Because the enemy has "stepped in" to your land, I believe and have faith God will do the same thing He did for Israel He will do for you, and that is to break and trample the enemy in your land! I believe that outcome will be as it is at the end of verse 25 “My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.” God has done this your enemy is defeated and you are no longer their slave nor do you have to bow down to their heavy loads because Christ has broken and trampled the enemy at the Cross and now you have freedom spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically!
Bible Study Tools. (2014). Shabar - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard. Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/shabar.html
Bible Study Tools. (2014). Buwc - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard. Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/buwc.html
The Lord is declaring that He will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel. These words used by the Lord are interesting because He says that He will break Assyria when they are in Israel not outside the walls of Israel but inside the walls of Israel. How does this relate to us today? Good question let's find out! Just like Israel had an enemy with Assyria you have an enemy and that enemy may seem like he is winning and going to defeat you, but look at what the Lord says. In the previous verse, He declares that His plan will happen and what He has decided will come to pass. God’s plan for Israel was to defeat the enemy when they arrived in Israel not outside, but inside. The word Assyrians in Hebrew is defined as “step in” the enemy may have "step in" to your life, but God is going to break the enemy while the enemy is in your land. The Hebrew word for break is “Shabar” it is defined as “break, break in pieces (Qal) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench to break, rupture (fig) (Niphal) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked to be broken, be crushed (fig) (Piel) to shatter, break (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered”(Bible Study Tools, 2014, p.1) The Lord is sharbaring the enemy in your life!
The Lord is going trample the enemy that is attacking you. Your enemy is a not other people your enemy is “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The enemy may be attacking you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically. I want you to hold on to the truth of God’s Word that He will break and trample the enemy out of your life. The word for trampled used here is "Buwc" and it is defined as "to tread down, reject, trample down (Qal) to tread down, trample (of warriors) of rejection (fig.) (Polel) to tread down (in bad sense) to desecrate (Hithpolel) to tread to kick out 1c of infants' blind movements 1c of Jerusalem (fig.) (Hophal) to be trodden down" (Bible Study Tools, 2014, p.1). That is powerful! The Lord is going to remove the enemy on your behalf He is going to kick out the enemy just like He did when the Assyrians were in Israel! Verse 25 says “I will trample them on my mountains” God just wanted to beat the Assyrians on His home turf God wanted to have home field advantage and that is exactly what He had!
Will it be tough battle for you? Yes, because the enemy is on your land I would think that when Israel was fighting the Assyrians, it was a tough fight, but why did God want to destroy Assyria once they were in the land of Israel? I am not sure why, but I believe it could be for the Lord to display His full strength and power to Israel and Assyria. It makes a huge difference when your enemy is outside your territory instead of being inside your territory. When your adversary is outside your territory, you have the high ground, and it is easier for you to win because you have more strength and confidence that you can defeat them. But when the adversary is inside your home it’s a different story because you don’t have that high ground instead the enemy is closer to you which means you have limited ground now because the enemy is taking up more space. It’s like in American Football when your opponent is inside your territory 20 yards away from getting into your end zone it is harder to stop them from scoring. It is much easier to stop them when they are own their own 20-yard line because they have to go 80 yards instead of 20 yards to get a touchdown I hope you can see the analogy in what I am saying. I want you to get this I believe Israel was weak inside because they were at home they let their guard down when Assyria “stepped in” Assyria gained more spaced over Israel and exposed Israel’s weaknesses, but God intervenes and says as He did to Apostle Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I believe that one of the reasons why God allowed the Assyrians to be broken and trampled in Israel instead of outside the walls was so that God would get the glory saying because you were in a weak position I am made strong My Spirit did this act of defeating your enemy. Get this you can never overcome the works of your enemy only God can utterly defeat your enemy, and He did that here for Israel, and He did it for everyone through the Cross, and He did it so that Israel, Assyria, and you would know that there is a God in Israel!
I leave you with this have hope and faith today if the enemy has "stepped in" to your life don't focus on how the enemy got there instead focus on the promise of God. God has the home field advantage! Because the enemy has "stepped in" to your land, I believe and have faith God will do the same thing He did for Israel He will do for you, and that is to break and trample the enemy in your land! I believe that outcome will be as it is at the end of verse 25 “My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.” God has done this your enemy is defeated and you are no longer their slave nor do you have to bow down to their heavy loads because Christ has broken and trampled the enemy at the Cross and now you have freedom spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically!
References
Bible Study Tools. (2014). Buwc - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard. Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/buwc.html
Saturday, March 26, 2016
The Power of the Resurrection
Happy Easter everyone! Happy Resurrection Sunday! Have you ever wonder why this day is so important to the world and why we Christians hold it so dear to our hearts? What does the Resurrection do for us? Today you will discover the Power of the Resurrection! So come and let’s look at this for awhile.
Let's take quick look at Luke 23:50-56 to gain a background of what occurred before the Resurrection Luke 23:50-56 NLT 50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.
Luke 24:1-2 NLT But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
Verse two declares that death and sin could not hold the stone closed because He lived a sinless life the power of sin and death could not hold Him. When you let the message of the Resurrection come into your life, and you choose to believe in your heart and confess it with your mouth, then life comes to you, and you are made new! You yourself will see that the stone of death and sin has been rolled away from the entrance to your tomb.
Apokulio is the Greek word used here for rolled away it means: “to roll off or away”
1. The Power of the Resurrection has the power to roll away the stone that keeps you in your grave.
Luke 24:3-4 NLT So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
The stone was rolled away, and the women saw that Jesus’ body was no longer in the grave, and they were puzzled. When you receive Christ into your life, the stone that covered your tomb has been rolled away, and you are now able to walk out as a new person. You walk out as a person who can live now because you are free from the bondage of sin and death.
You see when Christ is in your life people, family, and friends will be puzzled to see that the stone to your tomb is rolled away. They will be puzzled that you are not there because they know you as the old you the one who was bounded by death and sin, not as a person who has been resurrected from death to life! You are no longer a person who is bound to the grave of sin and death, but you are a person who has been changed by the Power of the Resurrection! Receiving Christ into your life is your first step to letting others know that your stone is rolled away and it is an invitation for them to receive the Power of Resurrection just like you did!
2. The Power of the Resurrection has the power to bring life to you and to let others know that Jesus Christ does change lives!
When Jesus came out of the tomb, He is declaring that death and sin no longer have the power to sting and shackle you. Apostle Paul explains The Power of the Resurrection in this way:
I Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Resurrection Sunday declares that God has given anyone who chooses to become a disciple of Christ the victory over sin and death because of the Resurrection!
Victory is ours because of the Resurrection! That word victory that is used here in I Corinthians 15 is the Greek word Nikos it means: “victory to utterly vanquish.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines vanquish as: “to defeat (someone) completely in a war, battle, etc. to overcome in battle: subdue completely to defeat in a conflict or contest to gain mastery over (an emotion, passion, or temptation) <vanquish your fear>.”
This is why THIS DAY is the most important day of our Faith because without it there is no victory there is no vanquish of the power of sin and death if the Resurrection does not occur then Christians are still bound to sin and death.
3. The Power of the Resurrection gives you the power of Nikos it utterly vanquishes the power of sin and death over your life!
I Corinthians 15:58 NLT 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
Because the Resurrection did occur your life now can be strong and immovable, and whatever your work is you can now work enthusiastically for the Lord because you are reminded of the Power of the Resurrection! And the last thing you need to remember is that because of the Resurrection nothing you do for the Lord is useless because each thing you do for the Lord spreads The Resurrection Power into the world bringing life into all things!
4. The Power of the Resurrection gives you the ability to be strong, immovable, to work enthusiastically for the Lord, and reminds you that nothing you do for the Lord is useless because the Power of the Resurrection gives you the power to bring life to this world into all things!
If you never received Jesus into your life and this blog about Easter has stirred your heart to desire Christ to be in your life, then come and say this prayer with me, and you will have the Power of the Resurrection living inside of you, and you will never be the same again!
Say Jesus I ask you to come into my heart I believe you died on the cross and rose from the dead for me. I ask you to forgive me of my sins, and I repent of them. Thank you for coming into my life I make you my Lord and Savior in Jesus name we pray amen! Go to church this Sunday go ahead get plugged in and let Him start to change your life completely!
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