Dead Stick Blooms

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The Lord told Moses:

Call together the twelve tribes of Israel and tell the leader of each tribe to write his name on the walking stick he carries as a symbol of his authority. Make sure Aaron's name is written on the one from the Levi tribe, then collect all the sticks.

Place these sticks in the tent in front of the sacred chest where I appear to you.   I will then choose a man to be my priest, and his stick will sprout. After that happens, I won't have to listen to any more complaints about you.

Numbers 17:1-5

God showed His approval of Aaron as God's appointed priest by causing his dead walking stick to bloom and produce fruit. This miracle caused everyone to see that Aaron was God's chosen leader.

When God today works through you it often is the same. Something in your life that is dead comes to life and blooms and even bears fruit! Every tree that lives is empowered by God to have that life in it, but we call it a miracle when a dead tree comes back to life!

Sometimes in our lack of faith we try to hide the things in our life that are dead. We don't want anyone to know that there is anything in our lives that is weak and powerless. Instead of hiding that thing that is dead in your life, write your name on it and present it to God. When you do that you give God an opportunity to show His power to those who otherwise would judge you.

If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ then your entire life is like that dead stick that Aaron had. The power of God is able to raise you from the death of not knowing Jesus Christ. You will live, blossom and bear fruit that shows everyone around that God is indeed the Almighty! Let your testimony be a dead walking stick that comes to life!

"Lord Jesus, I present to you everything in my life that is dead. May You receive the glory of causing my walking stick to bloom! And may You be praised forever. Amen."

Final Words!

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The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”

Everyone who hears this should say, “Come!”

If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It's free!

Here is my warning for everyone who hears the prophecies in this book:

If you add anything to them, God will make you suffer all the terrible troubles written in this book. If you take anything away from these prophecies, God will not let you have part in the life-giving tree and in the holy city described in this book.

The one who has spoken these things says, “I am coming soon!”

So, Lord Jesus, please come soon!

I pray that the Lord Jesus will be kind to all of you.

Revelation 22:17-21

With those Words the Bible ends:  God's invitation to come and drink of the life giving water which is free, and then the warning not to ignore or add to what is written in the Bible.

When it comes to the Words of Scripture I am tempted to say things like, "I know what it says, but what it really means is this," and "that part of the Bible was only for 'first century' Christians. It no longer applies to us!"

According to these last few Words of the Book of Revelation, adding to or taking away from the Bible will have eternal consequences for anyone who does it!

It is this warning that causes some to be criticized for "taking the Bible too literally." God did not simply give us a bunch of "principles to live by." He gave us the Bible which tells the story of Jesus and gives us the history of God's dealing with men from the Creation until now.

The Bible is a Holy Book, but even the Bible is not to be worshipped. It is God who is to be worshipped and Jesus Christ His Son!

"Lord help me to never add to or take away anything from the Bible. May Your Word come alive in me every day. And may You be praised forever. Amen."

The Fierce Anger of God!

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You disgraceful nation, gather around, before it's too late. The Lord has set a time when his fierce anger will strike like a storm and sweep you away.

If you humbly obey the Lord, then come and worship him. If you do right and are humble, perhaps you will be safe on that day when the Lord turns loose his anger.

Zephaniah 2:1-3

It is not very pleasant to think about the "fierce anger" of God. In fact, modern theology has pretty much eliminated the idea of God getting angry from our way of thinking. Didn't the sacrifice of Jesus satisfy the anger of God so that now everything is peace and love?

Jesus died for people not for countries. God did not make a way for all the people of - and you name the country - to be saved! Your salvation is individual, not because you are the citizen of even a Godly nation! There is nothing in the Bible that would give any nation a pass when it comes to the judgment of God on this earth.

Godly nations are blessed and ungodly nations do not prosper unless in prospering they fulfill a purpose of God. Those who are in the most jeopardy are nations that once honored God, but now have turned away. It is foolish to believe that the nation in which you live is simply ignored by God.

The reason for you to encourage your nation to turn back to and honor God is not for your own sake or your own blessing. You should encourage your fellow citizens to honor God because it is the right thing to do!

"Lord Jesus, You are to be praised and honored for who You are and for what You did. On the day you turn loose Your anger may my nation be one that is honoring You. Amen."

Wake Me Lord!

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^{The Lord God gives me}

^{the right words}

^{to encourage the weary.}

^{Each morning he awakens me}

^{eager to learn his teaching;}

^{he made me willing to listen}

^{and not rebel or run away.}

^{I let them beat my back}

^{and pull out my beard.}

^{I didn't turn aside}

^{when they insulted me}

^{and spit in my face.}

^{But the Lord God keeps me}

^{from being disgraced.}

^{So I refuse to give up,}

^{because I know}

^{God will never let me down.}

Isaiah 50:4-7

How do you wake up in the morning? I suppose most people use an alarm clock to jar them from sleep when there is just enough time to get ready for work and rush off for the day.

Isaiah says that God woke him up in the morning. And that when he woke up Isaiah was eager to learn God's teaching.

Have you ever asked God to wake you up in the morning? When God arouses you from sleep it is usually because He has something He wants to teach you. Instead of fretting that you can't get back to sleep, get up and go to the place where God usually speaks to your heart. Then ask Him to instruct you in the way that He would have you to go!

Because Isaiah listened to God in the morning he was able to say, even in the worst of times, "I refuse to give up, because I know God will never let me down."

"Dear Jesus, I know You will never let me down. Wake me each morning from my sleep so I can hear Your voice. And Lord, search my heart and if you find me sleeping when I need to be awake, then Lord wake me up and do it now! Praise Your Name forever. Amen."

Everyone Will Bow Down!

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“I invite the whole world

to turn to me and be saved.

I alone am God!

No others are real.

I have made a solemn promise,

one that won't be broken:

Everyone will bow down

and worship me.

They will admit that I alone

can bring about justice.

Everyone who is angry with me

will be terribly ashamed

and will turn to me.”

Isaiah 45:22-24

When all is said and done, everyone who is alive at that time or has ever lived will bow down and worship God! Some will bow down with great joy and some will bow down with great shame! But everyone will know that God Almighty is the only God and that Jesus Christ is indeed the Savior of mankind!

If you are now a follower of Jesus Christ then you have bowed before the Father many times and certainly continue to bow before Him. If you don't know Jesus now then you will see clearly who He is and you will bow before Him before you enter Hell! No one will go to Hell wondering how they ended up in that place.

Forget about whether or not the Christians you know are hypocrites. All that matters in your life is that you fall down and worship God now before it is too late!

There will come a moment in history when everything here on this earth will come to a sudden and abrupt conclusion. Then you will fall down and worship Him, but it will be too late.

"Lord Jesus give me the courage today to call men to repent and turn their hearts to You. And Lord, help me to bow before You now so that I will already be on my knees when You come! And may You be praised forever! Amen.

God Will Be There!

 

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Be silent and listen,

every island in the sea.

Have courage and come near,

every one of you nations.

Let's settle this matter!

Who appointed this ruler

from the east?

Who puts nations and kings

in his power?

His sword and his arrows

turn them to dust

blown by the wind.

He goes after them so quickly

that his feet

barely touch the ground—

he doesn't even get hurt.

Who makes these things happen?

Who controls human events?

I do! I am the Lord.

I was there at the beginning;

I will be there at the end.

Isaiah 41:1-4

I cannot count the times that an "unnerving" and sometimes even heated discussion about politics or world events comes to a peaceful conclusion with the words "Remember that God is in control!"

These four verses in Isaiah 41 give us the basis for making that statement. The involvement of God in human events is certain. Even the godless nations are being orchestrated by God to accomplish His purposes!

It is so easy to forget this essential truth about the power of God in the world. When I see evil men in control of godless nations and the suffering that they impose on the rest of mankind I am tempted to believe that God is not in control.

Then I remember Isaiah 41:4.
"Who makes these things happen? Who controls human events? I do! I am The Lord. I was there at the beginning; I will be there at the end."

"Lord Jesus remind me again today that You not only were there at the beginning, but You will be there when it all comes to an end. And I thank You Lord that You are indeed in control of human events! Amen."

Ready to be a Martyr?

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The beast was allowed to brag and claim to be God, and for 42 months it was allowed to rule. The beast cursed God, and it cursed the name of God. It even cursed the place where God lives, as well as everyone who lives in heaven with God.  It was allowed to fight against God's people and defeat them. It was also given authority over the people of every tribe, nation, language, and race.  The beast was worshiped by everyone whose name wasn't written before the time of creation in the book of the Lamb who was killed.
If you have ears,
then listen!
If you are doomed
to be captured,
you will be captured.
If you are doomed
to be killed by a sword,
you will be killed
by a sword.
This means God's people must learn to endure and be faithful!
Revelation 13:5-10
This is one of those "I think I will skip on to something more positive" passages. The scene described in the Book of Revelation includes a time when the Beast will defeat God's people! I thought in the End "We Win?" Well yes that is true, but winning the war does not mean that you win every battle. There will be a time when this "beast" will kill some of God's people and that time will be one during which we will have to learn to endure and be faithful. And as I'm sure you know there are Christians today dying for their faith in many parts of the world!
God does have a wonderful plan for your life, but that plan may include martyrdom. The list of memorable saints includes many that met the end of their lives by sword. I have thought for years that Christian parents must not only teach their children how to live a Christian life, but how to die a martyr's death! Unless you are ready and willing to die for Jesus it is really not possible to live totally for Him. Living for Jesus means that you are ready because of the Spirit's leading to walk into the arms of death itself if that is where He calls you to go!
I have a grandson who, when he is told to do something, wants to think about it for a while before responding. That kind of "tentative obedience" will never work if you are about to be martyred. When the Spirit says walk, you go that way without hesitation.
"Lord, I confess to You that I want to obey You unless it is dangerous or it hurts too much to walk the way You want me to go. Father I repent today of living with the purpose of holding on to this life no matter what. Help me Lord to be ready to die for You today, so I can truly live for You today as well. In Jesus Name, Amen!"
(Originally published March 1, 2013)