I got to assist with the cultural briefing today.
The clouds went away just in time for a fantastic sunset. Norm was at the reception center helping residents with the numerous organizations there. It was a good day…for both of us…
We are blessed to be serving in Maui again. Norm served and then I served and now we are back again, this time together.
What makes Thanksgiving so special?
Why do we celebrate this holiday?
Thanksgiving is unique as it celebrates the larger concept, something everyone, regardless of religion, race, or creed, can relate to and recognize—something uniquely American.
It’s deeper than just Pilgrim’s dressed in top-hats sharing some turkey with the American Indian natives.
There is a reason we, as grade schoolers, were taught about the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving before we were ever taught about the first English colonies in the New World.
The original English colonies in North America emerged either for economic gain or in pursuit of royal glory on behalf of the King.
However, the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower and the communities they established went beyond mere colonies; they were the architects of America. And, that is why Thanksgiving is so important.
If not motivated by gold or glory, why would the Pilgrims make the journey across the Atlantic to settle on a strange, hostile coast?
Of great importance, these Pilgrims were NOT adventurers—young men with strength and experience, nothing to lose and everything to gain—but rather established professionals with families, children, jobs, and EVERYTHING on the line.
This was a very dangerous trek in which survival was not guaranteed.
In fact, the Mayflower had a famously deadly first winter; 44 of the 102 original passengers died from a combination of disease and malnutrition.
Many of the Pilgrims were Separatists, they were a religious group originating from England, inspired by the Protestant Reformation raging on the continent at that time.
They firmly believed that reforms to the Church brought about by King Henry VIII’s divorce from the Catholic Church and the creation of the Church of England were insufficient. The felt that the only way to correct them was to break away and build a new, separate Church (thus Separatists).
Yet, King Henry couldn’t allow that. He couldn’t allow the Separatists to live their lives as they saw fit as it would be a direct challenge to his “divine right to rule.” Henry burned or beheaded those that disagreed with his religious policies.
So, the Separatists were persecuted, driven out of their homes, and fled across the ocean to fend for themselves in a remote and hostile land. The Pilgrims risked all for a chance to lead their lives in the way they believed God wanted for them.
The Pilgrims faced many hardships during the crossing, including a severe storm that nearly shattered the Mayflower and sent it far off course. Massachusetts, where they actually landed due to the storm, was hundreds of miles away from Virginia, where they had intended to land.
This was a problem for the Pilgrims: the documents establishing their rights to be there, in Virginia, and the authorities that governed them, were now void.
Yet, these courageous men and women who had just braved the Atlantic to escape the King were not ready to limp back to England to grovel at the King’s feet, renegotiate their charter, and risk beheading. Nor would they risk making the turn south towards Virginia around Cape Cod with its dangerous winds and shoals.
So, on November 11th, 1620, the pilgrims gathered and decided to write their own charter. In doing so, they began a legacy of self-governance that we can follow to the present day.
This new charter, known today as the Mayflower Compact, had profound meaning for the Pilgrims, who saw it as an important part of their original mission: to create not only a new Church but also a new nation joined by a covenant with God.
The Mayflower Compact would continue to be read at the beginning of government meetings for years, despite it being legally superseded only a year after its creation.
If you think back to grade school, you know where this story goes next.
In March of 1621, an English-speaking Wamponaog Native American named Samoset made contact with a Pilgrim named Edward Winslow. Before long, the Wampanoag were teaching the Pilgrims how to survive in New England.
That autumn, following a successful harvest, surviving the trek across the Atlantic and establishing their own government, the Pilgrims decided to celebrate with a three-day festival of prayer.
The Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow noted in his journal that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the three-day event. They invited their new Native American friends, brought out the pumpkin pie . . . well, pumpkins at least. The pie would come in later years.
And, Winslow wrote, additionally, that the Wampanoag arrived with an offering of five deer they roasted over a fire on a spit . . .
With that, the First Thanksgiving was born.
What did these sojourned souls have to be thankful for?
So, why were they so thankful?
While these things, family, food, and freedom, may seem trivial or basic to many of us here and now, they were everything and more to the Pilgrims.
This week put yourself in the shoes of the first Americans, look around at all we have, be full and content with the grace of God smiling upon you with the simple basics of life.
“And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” —Edward Winslow; (Pilgrim and diplomat) on the First Thanksgiving
May your Thanksgiving be full of thanks, joy and plenty.
Repost from our Doctor Adam Nally…
“Order for the Visitation of the Sick.“
“The minister shall say to the sick man: Do you believe that you cannot be saved but by the death of Christ? The sick man answers, Yes. Then let it be said unto him: Go to, then, and while thy soul abides in you, put all thy confidence in this death alone; place thy trust in no other thing; commit thyself wholly to this death; cover thyself wholly with this alone…And if God judge thee, say: Lord! I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and Thy judgment; otherwise I will not contend or enter into judgment with Thee.
“And if He shall say unto thee that thou art a sinner, say: I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins. If He shall say unto thee, that thou has deserved damnation, say: Lord! I put the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between Thee and all my sins; and I offer His merits for my own, which I should have, and have not.
“And whosever of us can thus speak, to him the promise speaks out from the shadows of the tent of meeting: ‘This Christ, the Lamb of God, the true burnt offering, shall be accepted for thee, to make atonement for thee!’”
Anselm of Canterbury
The relationship between the first three books of the Bible…
-In Genesis- man is ruined.
-In Exodus- man is redeemed.
-In Leviticus- man is worshipping God.
“Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””
John 4:21-24 NKJV
“It has been said that Moses spent forty years in Pharaoh’s court finding out he was a somebody. He spent forty years in the wilderness finding out he was a nobody. And then he spent forty years finding out what God can do with a somebody who realizes they are a nobody.” Pastor Greg Laurie.
“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.”
Numbers 32:23 NKJV
Law demands—grace gives.
Law says “do.”—-grace says “believe.”
Law exacts—-grace bestows.
Law says “work.”—-grace says “rest.”
Law threatens, pronouncing a curse—-grace entreats, pronouncing a blessing.
Law says “Do, and thou shalt live.”—-grace says “Live, and thou shalt do.”
Law condemns the best man—-grace saves the worst man.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
Please join us in prayer for the residents of Lahaina. Many are seeing their homes for the first time since August 8th…
“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.””
Exodus 14:13-14 NKJV
The Lord Jesus will not rest until all of His sheep are accounted for. We need to get the Word of God out to the lost. The world needs to see the salvation of the Lord…
The county here has been allowing residents to enter the town in zones and today, Monday has been my busiest so far. Very hot rewording work for the Lord. We are all trying to show the Love of Jesus to this community. Ninety nine lives lost. I remember every day I come to the site…
Day 2 started early, a 45 minute drive to the recovery center to catch a bus to the burn area. No photos can be taken of any property that has been affected. About 20 or so gold shirts spread out throughout the small area where we are allowed to work. Some work was scheduled and others was solicited. I helped on two properties, did two assessments and generally helped out where I could.
“The heart stands for what we are, the hand for what we do. What we are, that ultimately we do.”
““For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Luke 6:43-45 NKJV
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.”
Psalms 122:6-9 NKJV
One of the greatest proofs of the accuracy of Scripture is the existence of the nation Israel.
The Jew is the burning bush that should cause the unbeliever to turn aside and take a look.
The Jew has existed down through the centuries- amazingly. From the days of Moses to this present hour.
The Jew has attended the funeral of many nations that have come and gone. He is still here.
Israel has been in the fire of persecution since Egypt and counting.
“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.””
Exodus 3:1-5 NKJV
Just like the burning bush Israel has not been consumed!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Pray for Israel…
“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.””
John 10:4-5 NKJV
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Proverbs 3:27.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=IJQnBuEGYU8&si=Nzsu9tLG62O7PN6P
In the video it says that there is “No Gospel in Calvinism,” I also can state from experience that there is “No Love in Calvinism.” I can’t understand why people will sit in a fellowship, under a Pastor that spews this false doctrine out week after week. I know Christians that even though they know it’s wrong, still go, or return to join in this false doctrine. “It’s my church.” No, it’s not a church, it’s a social club. “My family members still attend.” Tell them the Gospel Truth. Iron sharpens iron. Your life is a testimony to God and who God is to a lost world. Be an Example to your family and the world. Really though, when you get down to it, the average church member just doesn’t care. “Calvinism is just too hard to understand, it has no affect on me.” I have pretty much heard it all…
We will have to give an answer as to how we handled the Word of God. We will be held accountable!
Sadly, the average church person has no idea what Calvinism is. I didn’t. I certainly do now. Read your Bible, read commentaries, keep scripture in context, study the whole Word. The hurt and pain of seeing your church fall to Calvinism, the feeling that is given is that you are wrong, maybe your not even a believer, are you sure that God choose you? “You have a Bad Heart!”
This is really hard to put into words, but the one thing I know for sure…
There is no Love in Calvinism!
In January of 2010, Randy and his wife Bertha gave Norm and I on the job training on preparing food for flood victims in Salome Arizona. We still remember cooking 180 pancakes and 130 hot dogs. When Bertha went to be with the Lord in 2012, Randy gave Norm Bertha’s disaster relief kitchen apron.
That same year, Randy and Mitch, took me under their wing and guided me in learning so much more than feeding and chainsaw work. 2017 was the last year we served with Randy, he will be missed…
“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.”
Psalms 15:1-5 NKJV
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
I John 4:11 NKJV
“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.”
Genesis 3:20-21 NKJV
He prayed for strength that he might achieve;
He was made weak that he might obey.
He prayed for health that he might do greater things;
He was given infirmity that he might do better things.
He prayed for riches that he might be happy;
He was given poverty that he might be wise.
He prayed for power that he might have the praise of men;
He was given infirmity that he might feel the need of God.
He prayed for all things that he might enjoy life;
He was given life that he might enjoy all things.
He had received nothing that he asked for- all that he hoped for;
His prayer was answered- he was most blessed.
Anonymous.
“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.””
Genesis 3:15 NKJV
“It is the call of Divine justice, which cannot overlook sin. It is the call of Divine sorrow, which grieves over the sinner. It is the call of Divine love, which offers redemption for sin.” Dr. W.H. Griffith Thomas.
Any sinner may be healed if he will only come to Christ.
J. C. Ryle
The Sabbath was on the Seventh day…
The Levitical system was built on a cycle of sevens…
Jericho fell after seven Priests, with seven trumpets, for seven days, marched around its walls, and blew seven trumpets seven times on the seventh day…
Naaman dipped in the Jordon river seven times…
There are seven days of creation…
The Bible ends with a book of Sevens about the Ultimate Destiny of Creation…
There are 7 days in a week, 7 notes in music, 7 colors in a rainbow…
Seven is thought to stand for Completeness, a unit, fullness, Totality…
The “Seven Beatitudes” of Revelation-
Blessed is he that reads this prophecy (1:3).
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord (14:13).
Blessed is he that watches for the Lord’s coming (16:15).
Blessed are those bidden to the Lamb’s marriage supper (19:9).
Blessed is he that has part in the first resurrection (20:6).
Blessed is he that keeps the words of this book (22:7).
Blessed are those that wash their robes (22:14).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20 KJV
The seven names of God that meet our every need.
Jehovah-jireh, the Lord will provide.
Jehovah-rapha, the Lord that heals.
Jehovah-nissi, the Lord our banner.
Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord our peace.
Jehovah-ra-ah, the Lord my shepherd.
Jehovah-tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness.
Jehovah-shammah, the Lord is present.
“Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””
Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV
Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Genesis 1:1-2 NKJV
“The most general forms into which the manifestation of the Unknowable are re-divisible are time, space, matter, force, motion.” Herbert Spencer.
“In the beginning (time) God created the heaven (space) and the earth (matter). And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God (force) moved (motion) upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2.
Creation or speculation, your choice. Choose wisely, your future beyond earth depends on it….
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”
Romans 1:20 NKJV
Having heard the Gospel and seen the creation of God, you will be without excuse…
“Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, And that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: But now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent In dust and ashes.”
Job 42:1-6 KJV
Job repented and God gave him restoration. God favored Job over his ‘friends.’ Job was not the wicked man, as his friends implied, but genuinely a righteous, man when brought face to face with The Lord of All, cried out “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
“I call this book, apart from all theories about it, one of the grandest things ever written. Our first, oldest statement of the never-ending problem: Man’s Destiny, and God’s ways with him in the earth. There is nothing written, I think, of equal literary merit.” Thomas Carlyle.
“The Book of Job is perhaps the greatest masterpiece of the human.” Victor Hugo.
“The Book of Job rises like a pyramid in the history of literature, without a predecessor and without a rival.” Philip Schaff.
The oldest book of Scripture talks of our need for an intercessor, Someone between God and man, Jesus Christ….
““Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:25-34 NKJV
The cure of anxiety: trust in the Father’s care.
“as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;”
I Peter 1:14 NKJV
I NEEDED THE QUIET
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside,
Into the shadows where we could confide.
Away from the bustle where all the day long
I hurried and worried when active and strong.
I needed the quiet though at first I rebelled
But gently, so greatly, my cross He upheld,
And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things
Though weakened in body, my spirit took wings
The heights never dreamed of when active and gay.
He loved me so greatly He drew me away.
I needed the quiet. No prison my bed,
But a beautiful valley of blessings instead—
A place to grow richer in Jesus to hide.
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.
Alice Hansche Mortenson.
“to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”
I Peter 1:4 NKJV
“It will always be new; it will never decay. No night ever comes; it will always be day.
How it gladdens my heart with joy that’s untold
To think of that land where nothing grows old.“
Stop looking at the present and start for Him to come…
My life in God—-that’s salvation!
My life with God—-that’s communion and fellowship.
My life for God—-that’s service.
“Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”
II John 1:3 NKJV
“Love is that in God which existed before He would care to exercise mercy or grace. Mercy on the other hand, is that in God which duly provided for the need of the sinful man. Grace is that in Him which acts freely to save because all the demands of holiness have been satisfied.” Dr. Lewis Sherry Chafer.
God can say, “I am love, and I am rich in mercy. I love you, and I have provided by My mercy a Saviour for you.”
Will you trust Him???
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
I John 5:20 NKJV
Christianity is not a religion. It is Person- Jesus Christ! If you have Jesus, you have salvation, not religion…
“He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
I John 2:10-11 NKJV
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light.
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy days be bright.”
I looked to Jesus , and I found
In Him my star, my sun,
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till traveling days are done.
“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”
—Horatius Bonar
“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
I John 2:1 NKJV
Upon a life I did not live,
Upon a death I did not die,
Another’s life, Another’s death,
I stake my whole eternity.
It is finished, yes, indeed;
Finished, every jot!
Sinner, this is all you need!
Tell me, is it not?
—Author unknown.
Jesus did it all…
I hear the accuser roar
Of ills I have done;
I know them well, and thousands more,
Jehovah findeth none.
Though the restless foe accuses—
Sins recounting like a flood,
Ev’ry charge our God refuses;
Christ has answered with His blood.
—Author unknown
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”
Hebrews 9:27 NKJV
Oh,joy! oh, delight! Should we go without dying,
No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying,
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives “His own.”
O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song, Christ returneth!
Hallelujah! hallelujah! Amen, Hallelujah! Amen.
“Christ Returneth” – H.L. Turner.
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”
John 21:15-17 NKJV
Man or woman, pulpit or pew, the vital question for us today, “Lovest thou me?”
“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
John 20:30-31 NKJV
These verses are the key to the gospel of John.
John is not attempting to write a biography of Jesus. He has not given us information about Jesus that the other gospel writers left out.
John wrote so we might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name.”
It is through believing that you receive life and are born again. You and I become a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,”
I Corinthians 15:3-4 NKJV
Facts! Our salvation is based on our relationship to those facts and to the Person of Jesus Christ. Do you trust Him? Do you have faith in what He did on the cross? Do you believe He died to redeem you?
“Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.””
John 19:20-22 NKJV
Hebrew- the language of religion…
Greek- the language of culture and education…
Latin- the language of law and order…
This sign was written for the whole world. Jesus died for the whole world.
This is the Gospel!
This is the hope of the world…
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””
John 16:33 NKJV
Peace can only be found in Jesus Christ, in the person of Jesus Christ. There is trouble in the world, but we can have victory and joy with the peace of God.
Overcome the world by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Do it today, because tomorrow could be too late…
““I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
John 16:12-14 NKJV
1. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth has come.
2. He will guide you into all truth.
3. He will not speak of Himself.
4. He shall speak whatsoever He shall hear.
5. He will show you things to come.
6. He shall glorify Jesus.
7. He shall receive of mine and show it unto you.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6 NKJV
“I am THE WAY..” Jesus is saying He is the way! No church or ritual can bring you to God. Jesus is the way. You are either in Christ or not, you either have Him or not. You either trust Him or you don’t.
“The TRUTH..” Jesus said He is the truth!
“And the LIFE..” Jesus is the source of all Life!
“No one comes to the Father, except through Me.” With this verse Jesus ends all cults and false religions. The ONLY way to God is through Jesus Christ! A statement that is dogmatic. Be dogmatic, Jesus certainly is!
Believe on Him today…
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””
John 13:34-35 NKJV
“These Christians are very strange people. They meet together in an empty room to worship. They do not have an image. They speak of One by the name of Jesus, who is absent, but whom they seem to be expecting at any time. And my how they love Him and how they love one another.” A report from spies for the Roman government.
Is this the report that would come back from your church if spies were sent???…
““Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.”
“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.”
Isaiah 53:3-4 NKJV
“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.”
Isaiah 53:10 NKJV
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Or how dark was the night the Lord passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.”
“The Ninety and Nine.” – Elizabeth C. Clephane
“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
John 12:1-3 NKJV
“As Martha stands for service, and Lazarus for communion, so Mary shows us the worship of a grateful heart. Others before her had come to His feet to have their need met; she came to give Him His due. Though two of the evangelists record her act, John alone gives her name.” C.I. Scofield.
“Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””
John 9:3-5 NKJV
God never does, or suffers to be done
But what we would ourselves,
Could we just see through all events of things
As well as He.
How God Speaks to Us, by David Hocking
God speaks to us today through the Bible. Do you believe that?
Can I tell you that God spoke to me this morning? Yes I can. How did He do that? Was it an audible voice? No. Well how did He do that? Through His word, He spoke to my heart this morning. In fact, I’ve noticed He does every day! Sometimes I am more belligerent one day than another, and I don’t see clearly all that God wants me to see, but God does speak every day to me through His word IF I open it!
The essential nature of the Christian life in terms of growth and our salvation is that you have to depend upon the Bible-God’s final, complete, written revelation-to know what He wants you to do. Again, if you want to hear God speak, open His Word, the Bible. That is the way He’s going to speak. And He holds you accountable for it now. All the way through that Bible He holds you accountable for it. You are supposed to listen to what He says in this book.
Psalm 119, all 176 verses, is a testimony as to how God speaks to us through the word. There are 22 sections of 8 verses each, totaling 176 verses. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet and every section of eight verses begins with a word whose first letter is that letter of the alphabet in sequential order. For instance, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is aleph. There are 8 verses that begin Psalm 119, verses 1 to 8. Every verse in the Hebrew begins with a word whose first letter is aleph. When you come to the second section, verses 9 to 16, it’s beth. And every verse begins with a word whose first letter is beth. And it goes that way straight through the Hebrew alphabet. Many people who have studied that passage in Hebrew say that if there ever was a reason to believe that the Bible is the word of God, it is because of Psalm 119. Human ingenuity just could not have done that. It is incredible, and God’s ability is beyond fantastic!
“how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Hebrews 9:14 NKJV
I do not work my soul to save—
That work my Lord has done.
But I will work like any slave
For love of God’s dear Son.
—Author unknown.
“And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”
Hebrews 3:5-6 NKJV
When the storm is raging high,
When the tempest rends the sky,
When my eyes with tears are dim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When my plans are in the dust,
When my dearest hopes are crushed,
When is passed each foolish whim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When with dearest friends I part,
When deep sorrow fills my heart,
When pain rocks each weary limb,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
When I track my weary way,
When fresh trials come each day,
When my faith and hope are dim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
Clouds or sunshine, dark or bright,
Evening shades or morning light,
When my cup flows over the brim,
Then, my soul, consider Him.
“Consider Him”- Author unknown.
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,”
Hebrews 1:1 NKJV
“There is something wrong with you if you can’t walk out and look up at the mountains, or go down to the seashore and look at the sea, or look up into the heavens and recognize that there is a Creator. My friend, if the created universe is not saying something to you about a Creator, there is something radically wrong with your thinking.”
J.Vernon McGee.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”
Psalms 19:1 NKJV
“The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.”
Psalms 14:1 NKJV
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”
Titus 3:8 NKJV
A believer is saved by the grace of God, but don’t sit down and pat yourself on the back, do some kind of good work. “Be careful to maintain good works.”
Here is your trip planner, get saved, do good works.
Ponder, meditate, ruminate on this verse- Be anxious to do good works for God…
“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
II Peter 3:18 NKJV
We mutter and sputter;
We fume and we spurt;
We mumble and grumble;
Our feelings get hurt.
We can’t understand things;
Our vision grows dim,
When all that we need
Is a moment with Him.
—Mary Helen Anderson.
“Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.”
James 3:4 NKJV
A careless word may kindle strife;
A cruel word may wreck a life.
A bitter word may hate instill;
A brutal word may smite and kill.
A gracious word may smooth the way;
A joyous word may light the day.
A timely word may lessen stress;
A loving word may heal and bless.
—Author unknown.
“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
Hebrews 11:3 NKJV
“Life is to be mastered by faith, and not by doubt; it is to be forevermore illuminated by hope, and not darkened by despair; and in its activity love is to be practiced in fellowship.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan.
If you have ever attended a worship service you probably have an opinion about the music. You may prefer “contemporary” styles over the more “traditional” ones, or vice versa. Certain instruments, like drums or pipe organs, have their proponents and critics. Paradoxically, younger people, with good hearing, favor loud music more than older people who don’t hear as well. And certainly, music has changed over the years. What our children consider “regular” church music was not what we had as kids, and our grandparents would tell us things were very different in their day.
A divide exists between the Old Testament and the New Testament regarding music. The Old Testament describes the use of harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets to accompany worship songs (1 Chronicles 13:8; 16:42, Psalm 150). This practice continued after the return from Babylonian exile (Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 12:35). Apparently, dancing was also acceptable (Psalm 149:3; 150:4).
The New Testament has only a few references to musical instruments and dancing (Luke 7:32; 15:25; Revelation 8:2), but not in the context of worship. Singing, on the other hand, was encouraged whenever God was praised, not just in formal worship (Acts 16:25; Romans 15:9; Hebrews 2:12).
The early church did not worship with musical instruments simply because services were held in homes. Subsequently, as church buildings began to replace homes as the site of worship, considerable debate arose about the role of musical instruments. Thomas Aquinas (circa 1260 AD) objected to the use of instruments because it was a backward movement into Jewish worship, and he also felt instruments moved the soul more towards pleasure than to an inner moral goodness1. Erasmus (circa 1520) complained instruments made it impossible for the congregation to hear what was sung. John Calvin (circa 1562) often blamed the Pope for using musical instruments to mimic Jewish services; Calvin also believed such use profaned worship because people were more attracted to the music than to the understanding of God’s word.
Several Christian denominations initially banned all musical instruments from their churches. The Churches of Christ interpreted Colossians 2:21-23 as placing musical instruments in the category of man-made devices to be avoided, along with hand-clapping. Amish and Mennonite churches were initially devoid of instruments, preferring to sing a cappella; some groups felt playing instruments was so sinful that the ban extended in members’ homes. Today, some of these churches have relaxed their ban on instruments.
I have been in many different churches. At one end of the spectrum is a small church of 15 elderly people trying to sing Amazing Grace while the pianist played When the Roll is Called Up Yonder. Though I wished they had been Mennonites, I found myself intently focusing on the words of Amazing Grace, not the piano notes. At the other end of the spectrum is a high decibel band overriding the singing of a young congregation. I managed to pray until the song ended, using biblical words on the screen. If I had shut myself completely out of either worship experience, I might have come away with an empty feeling. Instead, I made a genuine effort to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). I received a blessing afterwards when I met church members who were committed Christians. The blessing was not in the encounters; rather it was in the realization of being brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of the type of worship music.
You probably have an ear for music. Take my advice, do not allow the ear to become dominant over the heart for worship.
1 https://www.saralandchristians.com/sermons/2021/8/2 and https://reformedbooksonline.com
2 https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/mayjune
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