LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
I have friends, a husband and wife and, yes, I do have friends, that had their house burn down. To them I
dedicate this teaching. Everyone else gets the benefit of the teaching as well. For the sake of anonymity,
I will refer to my friends as “the Smiths.”
The Smiths had a beautiful house built in another state. It was their retirement home and their dream
home. It was just finished this year and they just moved into it. One of the things they had to do was to
oil the exterior of their house. Which they did, but, when they threw the rags away the oil in the rags
spontaneously combusted which, in turn, burnt the house down. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
So, we are dealing with two major issues in the hearts and lives of these two people . The first is the
condemnation one feels for putting the garbage can with the rags in it, too close to the house. The other
is the loss of such a new and beautiful home. Both weigh heavy on one’s heart when something like this
happens. And, who hasn’t experienced something similar. It could be anything, a car accident,
something at work gone wrong, etc.. But, these kinds of things have a way of sticking in one’s mind and
heart for years. UNLESS, you understand God’s perspective.
Once you have confessed with your mouth Jesus as lord and believe that God raised him from the dead
you are no longer OF the World. You are in it, but, your home, your citizenry has been changed from this
World to Heaven!
Colossians 1:12-14 (KJV)
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the
saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his
dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Ephesians 2:4-7 (KJV)
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us
through Christ Jesus.
God seated every born-again Christian in Heaven! What, for us is future, God puts in the past! We are
already seated in the Heavenlies. I know there are some beautiful homes in the world, but, are there any
that can compare to the ones we will have in Heaven?
Condemnation comes when you start thinking less of yourself than what God says of you and in
Ephesians God tells us how and what to believe.
Ephesians 1:4 (KJV)
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love:God saw you and chose you from before the foundation of the world! The words “should be” are not
correct. The Greek word is “einai” and means “are.” Right now, you are righteous before God and stand
before Him without blame.
I have been in the construction business for a long time and I have always tried to steward well the
money that we make. But, this one time I lost, to me, a lot of money. So, I was pretty upset about it until
God showed me Philippians chapter three.
Philippians 3:4-8 (KJV)
4 Though I (Paul) might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath
whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the
Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I
may win Christ,
Paul had a very high social status. He was a Pharisee. The Pharisees ruled Israel. To be a
Pharisee a person had to be over thirty years old and have a wife and child. In todays world you
would call Paul rich and, yet, he lost it all. Do you think God was angry with Paul for loosing it
all. No, not in the least. Why? Because Paul was endeavoring to do the will of God. None of us
are Paul, but, we are still children of God and He loves each and every one of us as much as He
loved Paul.
So, when I lost that money was I still a child of God? Yes. Was I still righteous and holy? Yes. In
God’s point of view, did I still stand blameless before him? Yes.
Romans 8:31-39 (KJV)
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Can God work in the situation to make the rebuilding of the house easier and the next house
better. Yes. I remember a story about a man that lost everything. That man’s name was Job. In
the end, God blessed Job with twice as much as he originally had.
Job 1:1-3 (KJV)
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and
upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred
yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the
greatest of all the men of the east.
Job 1:13-19 (KJV)
13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their
eldest brother’s house:
14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses
feeding beside them:
15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with
the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from
heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee.
17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three
bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with
the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters
were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the
house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell
thee.
Job 42:10 (KJV)
10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD
gave Job twice as much as he had before.
That is twice as many possessions and twice as many children.
Our God is a BIG God! He is a rich God! He is a loving God and He can do exceedingly
abundantly above all that we can ask or think. So, don’t let your heart be troubled. Your
permanent home is in Heaven and you stand before God blameless.
POEMS
THE OLD LAMP
A lamp once hung in an ancient town
At the corner of the street
Where the wind was keen, and the way was dark,
And the rain would often beat;
And all night long, its light would shine
To guide the traveler’s feet.
The lamp was rough and plain and old,
And the storm had beaten it sore;
‘Twas not a thing one would care to show,
Whate’er it had been before,
But no one thought what the lantern was,
‘Twas the light that, within, it bore.
The lamp is a text for young and old,
Who seek in a world of pride
To shine for their lord and to show him forth,
And never their light to hide;
You are the lantern,
But Christ is the light inside.
Author Unknown
IT COULDN’T BE DONE
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he tried.
So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: ”Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled that thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start into sing as you tackle that thing
That “couldn’t be done,” and you’ll do it.
Edgar A. Guest
SPEAK OUT FOR JESUS
You talk about your business,
Your bonds and stocks and gold;
And in all worldly matters
You are so brave and bold.
But why are you so silent
About salvations plan?
Why don’t you speak for Jesus,
And speak out like a man?
You talk about the weather,
And the crops of corn and wheat;
You speak of friends and neighbors
That pass along the street;
You call yourself a Christian,
And like the Gospel planThen why not speak for Jesus
And speak out like a man?
Are you ashamed of Jesus
And the story of the cross,
That you lower his pure banner
And let it suffer loss?
Have you forgotten his suffering?
Did he die for you in vain?
If not, then live and speak for Jesus,
And speak out like a man.
I’d like to tell the story sweet
Of Jesus. Wouldn’t you?
To help some other folks to meet
Their savior. Wouldn’t you?I’d like to travel all the way
To where I’d hear my Jesus say;
“You’ve helped my work along today.”
I’d like that. Wouldn’t you?
Author Unknown
TAKE TIME TO PRAY
I got up early in the morning
And rushed right into the day.
I had so much to accomplish
That I didn’t have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled around me
And heavier came each task.
I whined “Why doesn’t God help me?”
He said, “You didn’t ask.”
I groaned and shouted and grumbled,
I tired every key in the lock.
I cried, “why doesn’t He open?”
He said, “Son, you didn’t knock.”
So, I got up this morning
And paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
I had to take time to pray.
Author Unknown
BEING AN EXAMPLE
I want to share with you a record regarding love. When we talk of love we often quote John 3:16 or I
Corinthians 13. But, those scriptures, as much as they teach us, do not give us an example. We as
people, also, need examples.
Sermons We See
I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds.
For to see good out in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn how to do it if you’ll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do.
For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
Edgar A. Guest
The record that I am thinking of is in Luke chapter eight. And, the preacher and teacher was the greatest
of all, Jesus Christ.
Luke 8:43-48 (KJV)
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians,
neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood
stanched.
This poor woman had been bleeding from the vagina for twelve years! She wanted deliverance so bad
that she spent all of her money trying to be healed. She was considered unclean by the Jewish
community. She was so desperate to get her healing she did what was socially and culturally wrong. She
pushed through the MEN to get to Jesus, women just didn’t do that, and all that she could reach through
the pushing and shoving was the hem of his garment. JUST A TOUCH! But that is all that was needed.
SHE WAS HEALED! Now this could have been all to the story, but, no. It wasn’t enough. Jesus knew it
wasn’t enough. She was healed, but, she needed more and that more is love.45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master,
the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
I told you it was tight quarters. The crowd thronged him. They were so tightly squeezed together God
calls it a press. I was in a line once that was so tightly pressed together that my feet came off the ground
and I was hovering above the ground by over a foot. That’s about the press that they had.
Peter and the disciples thought Jesus had a screw loose. In all this pushing and shoving and turmoil
everybody was touching him. They didn’t understand.
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
The word “virtue” is the word power. Let me interject here that as a Christian you have the same power
latent within you. All you have to do is learn how to use it.
1 John 4:4 (KJV)
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world.
Colossians 1:27 (KJV)
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Luke 8:47 (KJV)
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she
declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed
immediately.
She came trembling! A person will tremble when they are afraid. This woman broke all of the social rules
of the day and now she is being called in front of all of the men AND in front of the Master himself.
This woman had all kinds of thoughts running through her head. She had to have. Breaking all the rules
and yet getting her deliverance. Was it real? Was she supposed to be healed? Did she somehow steal
her healing? What would the people think? What was the Master going to do?
48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
He said unto her DAUGHTER! Jesus Christ couldn’t have loved her any more if he had put his arms
around her! You see, in that culture a person wouldn’t say “daughter” unless they meant it. The
daughter that Jesus was talking about was a daughter of Abraham, a daughter of believing. Just this one
word told her that she deserved her healing! It put all of her doubts and fears aside and comforted her
heart. Jesus did this with all the pathos of one who truly loved.Then he ads “be of good comfort.” For twelve years this woman did everything she could to get her
healing and now she finally had it. No one could take it away. All that stood around must have wondered
at this woman who only touched the hem of the Masters garment and had him stop in his tracks. They
didn’t get their deliverance. They didn’t stop Jesus in his tracks. Why? Verse 48 has the answer “ thy
faith, the word “faith” is the word believing, hath made thee whole.
The very last thing Jesus said to this wonderful daughter of Abraham is “go in peace.” I bet that woman’s
heart soared within her. I bet she walked on cloud nine for weeks. What a tender loving record of one
woman’s deliverance.
Have you looked at the situation that Jesus was in when he stopped? He was headed to a house to raise
a girl from the dead. I don’t know about you, but, if I was headed to a house to raise a girl from the dead
I don’t know if I would have stopped to give this one woman the thing she needed to bless her life and
cement the reality of her deliverance in her heart and life.
The one thing that she needed was Love.
We can get enough criticism and negatives in less than a minute to last us a life time, but, we can never
get enough of love.
Criticism and negatives are like a saw on a tree. Enough of it will take down the mightiest oak. Love is
like the sun and spring rains which builds and heals the heart.
If we are to have an example to walk by let it be Jesus Christ. Let us walk the Christ walk and show the
world the love that only Christians can manifest.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION!
I tell people this all the time “Christianity is not a religion!” But, a lot of times it falls on deaf ears. I think,
perhaps, it it because people don’t know what a religion is or they have been taught, all their lives, that
“Christianity is one of the major religions.” People see in Christian Churches similar practices as the
major religions, so, it is hard to see the difference. Frankly, the leaders of the so called “Christian
Churches” don’t know any better. Tonight I want to explain, to you, the difference between a religion
and Christianity.
First, let me give you a definition of “religion.”
Dictionary.com says that reliion is “a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed
upon by a number of persons or sects:”
The 1828 version of the American Dictionary of the English Language defines religion as “consisting in
the belief of a superior power or powers governing the World and in the worship of such power or
powers.”
If you look at these two definitions, closely, you will see that the underlying basis of religion is Man
chooses, man decides and then the worshipers are obligated to rules and regulations of that religion.
All religions are manmade.
In Contrast Christianity is God made, God chosen, and God implemented! It is what God wrought in
Christ Jesus when He raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand.
God chose you before the foundation of the World.
Ephesians 1:3-4 (KJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love:
God paid for you.
John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 3:23-25 (KJV)
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;1 John 2:2 (KJV)
2 And he, Jesus Christ, is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world.
Propitiation means payment. God paid for our sins with the blood of His only begotten son. Have
you ever asked yourself “why” He did it. We weren’t worthy. We were dead in trespasses and
sins. We were without God and we were without hope. So, why did he allow His only begotten
son to die for us?
1 John 4:10 (KJV)
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for
our sins.
1 John 4:8 (KJV)
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
He did it because we needed it.
God is not a God of fire and brimstone. God does not want strike you down with lightning. God loves
you and wants to give you the best and the best part of this is that you didn’t have to be good to get it
because you could never be good enough. Israel tried it for centuries and never got it right. So, all we
have to do is believe.
Religion is a system of have to. Religion is a system of do’s and don’ts. Do this, don’t do that.
Christianity is wrapped up in the word “done!” It has all been done for you by God and Jesus Christ.
Because of what they accomplished we bask in the glory of what we have been given. We have been
made righteous.
Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.
We have peace.
Romans 5:1 (KJV)
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:Ephesians 2:14 (KJV)
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us;
God has set us for heaven and nothing can stop us from going. (Eph. 2:6)
We have sanctification, redemption, justification. We have the holy spirit of promise. We have been
given the right and privilege of being a super conqueror in this World by believing what we in Christ
Jesus.
We also, have the privilege of walking with and talking with God! You see Christianity is not a religion it
is the way of a father with His children.
1 John 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
1 John 4:4 (KJV)
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world.
I am reminded that God hides us under the shadow of His wings. This is a figure of speech showing us
how much God loves us and cares for us. The pictures that I have included show the tenderness, the
warmth and the love that God has for His children and how He wants to protect you.
Psalm 17:6-8 (KJV)
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my
speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their
trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,We don’t have to “do” to be righteous, he made us righteous. Because we have been given so
much, when we see it, really see it we want to give to others, we want to walk the Christ walk.
We walk through this life rejoicing and having a Father/son, Father/daughter relationship with
the One, True God.
Let the Peace of God Rule in Your Hearts
I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have concerns about the evil things that are going on in our
world today. The pundits on the TV and radio will expound the problems, but, never the
solutions, the news only reports the negatives and there are no answers in the so called
“Christian” church buildings. However, there is a place to find peace and solace and I want to
bring you there.
I have not written an article as I usually do, instead I have laid out scriptures that will lead you to
a great understanding of peace. You will, by the time you are done with this article, understand
that God is the God of Peace, That we are at peace with God, we are to be at peace with other
Christians, that peace comes with the knowledge of God’s Word the Bible. You will, also,
understand that, as a Christian, you already have the spirit of peace residing within and that it is
up to you to make the choice of whether you focus on the things of the World to the end of
peacelessness or focus on the things of God to walk in peace in an otherwise unpeaceful World.
People will look at you and either desire to have what you have or think you are crazy because
you are not disturbed by the events around you. You will, also, see that each of us is responsible
for sharing not the gospel of hell and damnation, but the gospel of peace with those that are lost
and are seeking deliverance and peace.
Peace for most people is an elusive thing. It is elusive because they search in the wrong places.
Peace, for the Christian, is within. A person is born again in an instant, but, it takes time and
study to see what we have in that new birth.
Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV)
16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine
heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
It is best to do with these verses what Jeremiah said he did when he found the Word of God. He
mentally, not literally, chewed on and absorbed the Word. It wasn’t a fleeting read. He spent time to
read, enjoy and assimilate what he had found.
Let us start our study with what Jesus Christ said.
John 14:27 (KJV)
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Romans 8:6 (KJV)
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 10:15 (KJV)
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them
that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!Romans 14:17 (KJV)
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost.
Every Epistle addressed to the Christians have one thing in common. God bestowing grace and peace on
the believer. I have included here the start of every Pauline Epistle and II Peter to show you how much
God Almighty wants you to know that He wants us to have grace and peace in our lives.
Romans 1:7 (KJV)
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God
our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV)
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:2 (KJV)
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:3 (KJV)
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 1:2 (KJV)
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:2 (KJV)
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:2 (KJV)
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and
peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 (KJV)
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the
Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (KJV)
2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
2 Peter 1:2 (KJV)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
I included II Peter 1:2 here because of the significance of the words “through the knowledge of God.”
The more we know God’s Word the more peaceful we become.1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 2:13-19 (KJV)
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of
partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity
thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and
of the household of God;
Ephesians 4:1-8 (KJV)
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men.
Ephesians 6:10-19 (KJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make
known the mystery of the gospel,
Philippians 4:6-9 (KJV)
6 Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of
peace shall be with you.
Colossians 3:15 (KJV)
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (KJV)
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord,
and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
Romans 15:33 (KJV)
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Let me close with the words from an old hymn:
Turn your eye upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of Earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
HEZEKIAH
In the Old Testament there is a record of a King of Judah and Jerusalem that endeavored to do what was
right and to bring back Judah and Jerusalem from worshiping other gods and for all of his efforts
Jerusalem was besieged by the greatest army in the World at that time. The king was Hezekiah and his
story has a lot to teach us today.
2 Chronicles 29:1-7 (KJV)
1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and
twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his
father had done.
3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD,
and repaired them.
4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the
LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our
God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD,
and turned their backs.
7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned
incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
2 Chronicles 29:20-21 (KJV)
20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the
house of the LORD.
21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a
sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the
priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 29:30 (KJV)
30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with
the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their
heads and worshipped.
2 Chronicles 30:1-5 (KJV)
1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh,
that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the
LORD God of Israel.
2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep
the passover in the second month.
3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves
sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even
to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem:
for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.2 Chronicles 30:18-22 (KJV)
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun,
had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But
Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed
according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread
seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day,
singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the
LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making
confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 31:20 (KJV)
20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth
before the LORD his God.
So, here is a man that is doing all he can to lead the people of Judah and Jerusalem back to God and to
live his life according to the Law of God. You would think that God would put a wall around Judah and
Jerusalem, to give special treatment Hezekiah. You would think that once Judah and Jerusalem turned
back to God ALL would be good.
Actually, it did go well for fourteen years, but, then the Assyrian army came calling.
2 Kings 18:13-37 (KJV)
13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against
all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended;
return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto
Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the
treasures of the king’s house.
16 At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from
the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
How many times in our lives do we endeavor to walk according to God’s Word only to have
circumstances turn against us. And, how many many times do we try to figure it out on our own.
That’s exactly what Hezekiah did. Hezekiah was the one that had the Temple repaired. He was
the one that had the doors and pillars of the Temple overlaid with gold to bless God and to bless
God’s people. Now he had it removed because of the circumstances!
17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king
Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And
when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the
highway of the fuller’s field.It didn’t do any good! The Assyrian army still came to destroy Jerusalem.
18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
19 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king
of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on
whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a
man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on
him.
22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and
whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship
before this altar in Jerusalem?
These spokesmen for the King of Assyria are very logical in their reasonings with the men of
Jerusalem. Egypt is not going to help you and OH Yeah, by the way, Hezekiah took away the
gods that you worshipped. So, there is no one to help you. He just didn’t know the whole story.
23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee
two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and
put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
What he is saying here is that Judah and Jerusalem are so small, so insignificant that they don’t
even have enough men to ride a few of the Great King of Assyria’s horses.
Fear, fear, fear, fear, fear. All this man is doing is trying to instill fear in the hearts and lives of
the people in Jerusalem. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances, someone wants for fight with
you, someone comes against you with a court order, someone in your family is sick and the
doctors say it isn’t good, it doesn’t matter the circumstances it is always about getting you to be
afraid, to get you to turn away from the promises of the One True God.
25 Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me,
Go up against this land, and destroy it.
So, here you have it! Rabshakeh says God Almighty told Assyria to destroy Judahand Jerusalem.
Well I thought Hezekiah and all of Judah and Jerusalem turned their hearts to the Lord? All of
Judah and Jerusalem hang in the balance just like you and I when we are confronted with
circumstances. do we knuckle under or do we STAND. HAVING OUR LOINS GIRD WITH
THE TRUTH AND THE PROMISES OF GOD AND HIS WORD?
26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray
thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the
Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speakthese words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own
dung, and drink their own piss with you?
28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying,
Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out
of his hand:
30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us,
and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a
present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig
tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land
of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and
hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of
Assyria?
34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and
Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of
mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment
was, saying, Answer him not.
37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe,
and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the
words of Rabshakeh.
Here we go! Rabshakeh has presented his case to Jerusalem and it wouldn’t matter to him if the
Assyrian army tore down the walls of Jerusalem or the people of Judah and Jerusalem came out
of their own volition. NOW, it is up to one man to determine the fate of a whole nation!
2 Kings 19:1-37 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself
with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
2 And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of
the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and
blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria
his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy
God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
Glory Hallelujah. Hezekiah got it right! The very FIRST thing he did was to turn to God, to
GIVE IT TO GOD! When circumstances come at us let US turn to God FIRST, let us GIVE IT
TO GOD!
5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not
afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have
blasphemed me.
7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own
land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
In the Old Testament, in the Law of Moses it is required of the people to kill a prophet if the
prophesy does not come to pass because he didn’t speak for God! This man Isaiah was a prophet
of God and his word will come to pass. What a blessing, what a relief! It is now in God’s hands
and He is going to take care of Judah and Jerusalem!
What about us? Do we have the same confidence in The Word of God? The promises in God’s
Word are just as real, just as powerful as the promise given by Isaiah in verses 6&7 to Hezekiah.
8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had
heard that he was departed from Lachish.
9 And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against
thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest
deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them
utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and
Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of
Hena, and Ivah?
14 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah
went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
What a beautiful thing, Hezekiah spread it before the Lord. Doesn’t the Bible say cast your care
on Him for He careth for you? Yup, it sure does it is in I Peter 5:7.
15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest
between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou
hast made heaven and earth.
16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words
of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands,
wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the
kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,
That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
God will hear your prayer just like He did Hezekiah’s!21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion
hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head
at thee.
22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice,
and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my
chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down
the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of
his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the
rivers of besieged places.
25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it?
now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous
heaps.
26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they
were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn
blasted before it be grown up.
27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
Sounds to me like God is a little upset with the king of Assyria. It is not good to anger God.
28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my
hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou
camest.
29 And this shall be a sign unto thee (Judah and Jerusalem that what I say shall come to pass,)
Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which
springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the
fruits thereof.
30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward,
and bear fruit upward.
31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the
zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this
city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith
the LORD.
34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of
the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the
morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that
Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of
Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.Because of Hezekiah’s stand Judah and Jerusalem were delivered. Judah and Jerusalem prepared their
hearts for fourteen years to seek the Lord and to live by His Commandments. It was not God that told
the king of Assyria to destroy Jerusalem it was Satan, the Devil. We, as Christians, have an adversary in
this World who is always voting against us. God is always voting for us. How we vote determines the
election!
God is always there for you. Prepare your heart to seek the Lord and when circumstances raise their ugly
head – Stand, lay your cares on God, claim His promises and watch the great deliverance of God!
FEAR NOT
God’s heart for His people has always been to bless them, to provide for them, to protect them and to
make the best available to them. However, there are many that want you to believe that you are to be
afraid of God. They would like you dread the fierce wrath of Almighty God. Is this what God wants for
the Christian believer or even the Jews? We are going to delve into this a little bit to see what We are to
do.
Let me first explain that there are three types of fear in the Bible. There is Sudden fear, fear and fear of
God. Sudden fear is just that it is that rush of adrenaline that shoots through your body when someone
sneaks up behind you and shouts “BOOO.” It is described as fight, flight or freeze.
Proverbs 3:21-26 (KJV)
21 My son, let not them (wisdom and understanding) depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom
and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be
sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Fear, on the other hand, is a mental process. It is a negative process and it is the sand in the machinery
of life. Fear is using your mind or allowing negative influences to so affect you that you develop an
image in your mind of something negative happening in the future. It might be five minutes into the
future or five years, but, you see bad things happening.
Fear is the opposite of believing and is sin. Okay, let me interject, sin is nothing more than broken
fellowship with God. As an example, when I was a teenager my father would tell me to do things such as
mow the lawn or rake the leaves, then he would go to work. If, by the end of the day, he came home
and I hadn’t mowed the lawn or raked the leaves I would have a problem. I didn’t do what he told me to
do, so, in essence, I broke fellowship with my dad or you could say that I sinned against my father. This is
the same with the Christian believer and God. I John tells us how to overcome that broken fellowship.
We are to confess our sins. We go to God in prayer and say “I’m sorry” and it says He is faithful and just
to forgive us (I John 1:9.)
The fear of God is something altogether different. It is not sudden fear nor is it a fear of God doing
something bad to you. It is, however, a reverence, a respect a humbleness of mind toward God.
The reason Job went through all of the problems that he did in losing all his possessions, all of his
children and his health is that he feared to lose them. That’s right, it was Job getting a picture in his
mind of him losing everything that opened the door for the devil to wrack and ruin him.Job 3:25 (KJV)
25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
When we believe God it is the same application of the mind, but, in a positive manner.
Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The literal translation of this verse is: Now believing (getting that mental picture of God’s deliverance in
your life) is the title deed of things prayed for, the evidence that they are yours before they are seen.
This subject of believing is so vast and so important that I will take another time to more fully explain it.
But, let’s look at one more verse.
Mark 11:23-24 (KJV)
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou
cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall
come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe (get that mental image
of what you want) that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
There are over 900 promises in the Bible for health, prosperity, family, protection, etc.. Let me ask you,
how many do you know and how many have you claimed and worked in your mind to the point that you
get the results. Yes, it is God that provides, but, God’s hands are tied until you BELIEVE.
As I said, it is honoring and respecting God. It is trusting God. It is doing what God says to do because
you realize that He knows more than you do.
Psalm 56:3-5 (KJV)
3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
Psalm 56:4 seems to say that I will trust God, man can torture me, man can even kill me, but, I am going
to trust God. Trust God for what? If He can’t deliver you now why would you trust Him for something in
the future? Well, thankfully this is not what Psalms 56 is talking about.Psalm 56:9 (KJV)
9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
Psalm 56:11-13 (KJV)
11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
13a For thou hast delivered my soul from death:
The reason that David King of Israel, that’s who wrote the psalm, was not concerned about what man
would do to him was because he had his eyes turned on God and he knew, he saw in his mind, that God
would deliver him. Psalm 118 does a great job of explaining further this concept.
Psalm 118:4-17 (KJV)
4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place (a safe place.)
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate
me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy
them.
12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the
LORD I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD
doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Proverbs 19:23 (KJV)
23 The fear (reverence, respect) of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide
satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
You may say that Proverb 19:23 is just figure of speech, you really can’t believe that. Really?
Why not? The reason that it doesn’t work in your life is because you have been taught wrong and
because you have been taught wrong you don’t, won’t, can’t believe. It’s about time we took the
Word of God literally and expect the results. Billy Graham use to say expect miracles every day.
Why not? The picture/image that you hold in your mind is what you can expect in your life.Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;
yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
I like that verse, how about you? I will get the image in my mind of God strengthening me and
helping me and expect it. How about you?
In Luke is a great record of Jesus Christ working with a man so that that man could get deliverance for
his daughter and himself.
Luke 8:40-56 (KJV)
40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all
waiting for him.
41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down
at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the
people thronged him.
Can you get this picture in your mind. This man, Jairus, was at his wits end. His daughter was dying and
Jesus Christ was his last hope. If Jesus was a doctor he would have had to hurry to try to save her. But,
there was a throng of people. If Jesus Christ walked the streets today delivering people how many
people do you think would be surrounding him? Hundreds if not thousands. It would have been the
same back then. Not only was Jesus held up in a crowd, but, he stopped to help a woman that had an
issue of blood.
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians,
neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood
stanched.
45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master,
the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him,
she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was
healed immediately.
48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy
daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made
whole.
THERE IT IS! DO YOU SEE THAT? FEAR NOT! ONLY BELIEVE! Don’t let you mind get a negative image. I
don’t care what the circumstances are I care about what God’s promises are and where your mind is at.51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and
the father and the mother of the maiden.
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
More negatives anything to get a person away from the promises of God.
54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
Jesus Christ worked with that man because the parent has to believe for the child and because he did
that man received his daughter alive.
Romans 8:12-16 (KJV)
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
As you read God’s Word, the Bible, you see, over and over again, God working with His people and
telling them time and time “Fear not, Only Believe!”
We are not to be afraid of God. On the contrary, we are to praise Him and look to Him for deliverance in
our lives. Nor are we to fear the circumstances that surround us. We are to look to God and His love,
mercy and grace that He has for us.
This is my heart’s desire for you, that you find the promises of God and you don’t let the circumstances
in the World trip you up, but, with all of your strength and stamina you say
“I will not be afraid, I – WILL – BELIEVE!
God Bless you,
Ed Lenhart
DANIEL’S EXAMPLE FOR US TODAY
I think everybody has heard of the prophet Daniel. Specifically, Daniel and the lion’s den. But, there is a
lot more regarding Daniel and what he had to stand for and against in his day. Enough so that it should
speak volumes to our ears.
Before we go to the Book of Daniel I want to explain why I am writing this article at this time. There are
many many people that are looking at this period of time as the End Times. They are concerned with
what this government might do or this or that country is going to do as well as what a group of people
might be planning. Most of us can’t do anything about what some evil doer might do. We can put extra
food or supplies away or make plans to leave the large population areas for safer climes. But, as
changing anything that someone might do we don’t have control. Daniel was like this and Daniel’s
example rings clear as to what to do.
You see, Daniel was a stranger in a strange land. As a young lad he was chosen to be trained up and to
stand in the house of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon.
Daniel 1:1-6 (KJV)
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house
of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the
vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of
the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in
knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s
palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he
drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Now Daniel stood with the God of Israel. That meant he had certain rules that he lived by, one of
these being what he ate. Now the food in the Kings palace was excellent, but, it was outside of
what God dictated that the Children of Israel should eat. So, Daniel chose to eat vegetable soup
rather than the sumptuous food of the Kings table and God blessed him and his friends for their
stand.
Daniel 1:8-16 (KJV)
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s
meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that
he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed
your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which
are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to
drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children
that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the
children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and
gave them pulse.
Daniel didn’t get involved in the politics and whims of others. Even though he was in a strange
land he chose to do what God instructed the Children of Israel to do. What about us? Are we OF
this world or just in it. We are NOT of this World. Our home is in Heaven! We are just passing
through. This doesn’t mean that we hide or remove ourselves from society. No, not at all. We are
to be shining beacons of God’s love and grace. Daniel didn’t hide, but, he stood for and with
God.
Daniel 1:17-21 (KJV)
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom:
and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of
the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found
them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
While Daniel was alive he had three changes of administration, kingdoms, first was
Nebuchadnezzar, second was Cyrus and then there was Darius. In all of these Daniel and his
friends stood with and for God. These men stood steady in giving the best advise they could to
the king, but, at the same time not compromising on their commitment to God.
Now Daniels friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s stand for God got them in to trouble
with King Nebuchadnezzar. We will have to make the same kind of decisions from time to time
in lives. Do we do what people want us to do? Do we do what society dictates or do we stand for
God because He stands for you.
Daniel 3:1-30 (KJV)
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the
breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the
captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the
sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the
image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and
all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up:
6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and
worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship
the golden image:
11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not
thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have
made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we
are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he
will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat
the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the
flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of
the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto
his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and
said unto the king, True, O king.
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have
no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and
said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and
come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together,
saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have
changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any
god, except their own God.
29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their
houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
Now you will notice that in verse eight that people “accused the Jews” of whom was Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego. People will always find fault with those who endeavor to walk with
and for God. But, is up to the believer as to the outcome.
The same accusers were around for Daniel, also. Always trying to find fault always trying to get
Daniel in trouble, but, they never could find a fault in Daniel. Why? Because Daniel walked with
and for God.
So now we get to the record of Daniel and the lion’s den.
All through his life Daniel never lashed out, never tried to find fault with others. He always stood
faithful to God, always gave good advice and service to the King. But, because of his stand for
God he wasn’t liked by a lot of people.
Daniel 6:1-28 (KJV)
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over
the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give
accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit
was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the
kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was
there any error or fault found in him.5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it
against him concerning the law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King
Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the
captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that
whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall
be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to
the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows
being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and
prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his
God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not
signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days,
save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is
true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the
captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh
his petition three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart
on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of
the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be
changed.
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now
the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver
thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his
own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning
Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of
musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king
spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest
continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me:
forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done
no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up
out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found uponhim, because he believed in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they
cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the
mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth;
Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God
of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be
destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who
hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
To Daniel did it matter what the evil doers of that time were plotting? To Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego did it matter what the King was doing or that people were waiting to accuse them,
the people knowing that it was a matter of adhering to the commandments of God or of men?
The answer is simple “No” it didn’t matter to Daniel nor to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
how bad things got. They made a commitment to God and they stood.
It is up to us. Do we look around at the circumstances or do we STAND with and for the One
True God?
The God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is the same God then that He is today.
However, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were servants of God you and I are sons of
God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We have much more potential, much more power and
much more authority than they did. We too can stand with and for God in this day and time.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn’t bow to the whims of man and God saw to it that they
didn’t burn. Daniel didn’t buckle in his commitment to God and because of his stand with and
for God, because of his BELIEVING he was delivered.
Let me leave you with Psalm 2. According to Psalm 2 God has everything in hand even if we
don’t know how. “Blessed are all they that put their trust in God.”
Psalm 2:1-12 (KJV)
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD,
and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I
begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER
Sometimes it is hard to forgive. Someone, either a friend or relative, has offended you in some
way and you harbor resentment toward that person. Even if you talk to them every day, still,
deep down inside you remember what they did and you dislike them for it.
The reason you can’t forgive them is because you don’t know or have forgotten what God has
forgiven you of and for.
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus Christ tells a parable and relates it to God and the individual.
Matthew 18:21-35 (KJV)
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I
forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of
his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand
talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and
children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me,
and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him
the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an
hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou
owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me,
and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto
their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave
thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was
due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother their trespasses.
In the Epistles God explains that He has gone further than He was able to go in the Gospels because of
what Jesus Christ accomplished.2 Corinthians 5:19 (KJV)
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto
them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
While Jesus Christ fulfilled his messianic mission God did not point out how unworthy Israel was. He did
not stop Jesus Christ from delivering people and say “theses people are unworthy.” Nope! God worked
with Jesus Christ to help all that willed to be set free from the bondage of sin and sickness.
God knew that none of the people that Jesus Christ ministered to were worthy, but, He did it anyway
because He did not impute (blame them for their sins and shortcomings) trespasses to them.
Ephesians 2:1-9 (KJV)
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
We, too, were like the Ephesians, we were children of wrath, but, God loved us and did not
impute our sins unto us.
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Colossians 2:13 (KJV)
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with
him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
God forgave you ALL of you sins! God forgave you ALL of the things that you did that were contrary to
Him and gave you His holy spirit so that when you confessed Jesus as lord and believed God raised him
from the dead, you become a son of God and are set for heaven and nothing can stop you from going.
Keep in mind what God forgave you of and you will never have a problem forgiving someone else.
LIBERTY
We are, again, about to celebrate the independence of our country. Fireworks, bar-b-ques, days at the
beach, but, have you ever stopped to think what it took to give us that freedom and what it will take for
us to keep that freedom? It is not what you think!
2 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage.
Freedom starts with God and an individual.
John 8:31-32 (KJV)
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The growth of the truth of God’s Word in a man or woman’s heart will bring them up and out of the
bondage that they are in. Once that individual is free they can share the truth with someone else and
they, too, will experience deliverance. And so it goes until there are enough people believing in God and
the promises of God that a whole nation will be delivered.
In Deuteronomy it says that to Israel and it is even more relevant to us as sons and daughters of God
than it was to Israel.
Deuteronomy 30:1-5 (KJV)
1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse,
which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the
LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Due to their disobedience to God Israel would time and again go into captivity, the Book of
Judges is a prime example of this. And every time they turned back to God by going to His Word
God would deliver them and give them freedom.
2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I
command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will
return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy
God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou
shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.Notice how God doesn’t say anything about Israel’s captors. It doesn’t matter who or what is
causing the captivity because God and one believer are more powerful than any standing army!
So, when you want liberty, when you want freedom there is only one place to go and that is to
the throne of God.
Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.
Proverbs 29:25 (KJV)
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Liberty and freedom come when men and women put God first in their lives and the only way to
keep our country free is to have enough people born again of God’s spirit claiming the promises
of God.
Happy fourth of July!