To Help Remember God’s Works…

The problem the world has is that it does not know God or fear Him. Why? Because people fail at doing the things to pass on His remembrance. Joshua built a memorial out of stones taken from the dry Jordan River bed. He did this as a reminder of what God did that day for the Israelites. Just as He parted the Red Sea, God did the same to the Jordan River so that Israel could cross over into the Promised Land. What do you do to help remember God’s works in your life? A prayer journal might be a modern day equivalent of Joshua’s stone memorial. Start one today.

24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.” Joshua 4:24

God Has No Rival, No Comparison….

In one chapter Jesus tells two parables, calms a storm, restores a demon-possessed man back to sanity, heals a woman with a long-term medical issue, and raises a little girl from the dead. The Apostle John was right, if he had tried to write down all that Jesus did, there aren’t enough books to contain them. We serve a mighty God. One like no other. God has no rival, no comparison, for He is One of a kind. He is all powerful, so much so, Nature obeys Him. Demons obey Him. Sickness and disease obey Him. And death obeys Him. We serve an awesome God.

38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with Him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him. 40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for Him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come home with him. 42 His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying.As Jesus went with him, He was surrounded by the crowds. 43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. 44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of His robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.45 “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked.Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against You.”46 But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched Me, for I felt healing power go out from Me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of Him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched Him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 “Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”49 While He was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, He said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”51 When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother. 52 The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but He said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”53 But the crowd laughed at Him because they all knew she had died. 54 Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” 55 And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened. Luke 8:38-56

Enough Evidence To Convict You….

Isn’t it amazing how God works? All the people living in the “promised land” before the Israelites even set foot in it, knew about their reputation. They knew how God rescued them from Egypt. They had heard of the miracles. They knew of the wars won and kings defeated. They knew God was the supreme God of the universe. And they were terrified. Just think about your reputation. Do you walk with God daily? Do you pursue righteousness? Do you cultivate the fruits of the Spirit? What do you think your reputation is like, how it’s perceived by others? Others you may not even know? When you live a life being loyal to God, He makes your reputation one that’s respectable. The way we carry ourselves matters, more than we think. The Israelites reputation traveled all the way to Jericho, and it helped rescue and save a prostitute named Rahab. What will your reputation do? Will it bless or curse? If your life was on trial in order to convince others of you being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

8 Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. 9 “I know the Lord has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. 10 For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.12 “Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13 when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.”14 “We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land.” Joshua 2:8-14

Why Did God Need To Do This?

I’ve always wondered why the Catholic Church has determined Mary’s position/status, the mother of Jesus? Was Mary a perpetual virgin? Was Mary sinless? Was Jesus her only child? What happened to Joseph, Jesus’ assigned father (the man who raised Him)? As I read about Moses death, I find God buried his body. No one knew of his burial spot. Why did God need to do this? Well, it was probably due to man’s natural tendency to memorialize people. Just as the Israelites made the golden calf to worship in Moses’ absence on the mountain, they probably would’ve enshrined Moses and made him into something that would eventually be worshipped. God tells us that we are to not make graven images of anything, including Images of Himself. God doesn’t want us worshipping things. Especially finite things that try to represent or compete with Him. The Catholic Church has done this very thing with Mary. Does she deserve special attention? Yes. Does she deserve remembrance? Yes. Should she be held in high esteem? Yes. Should she be worshipped? No. Should she be prayed to or through? No. Why then do Catholics do this? Because they want to honor her. But they’ve committed the golden calf all over again. Believing that she remained a virgin after Jesus’ birth, doesn’t serve any purpose other than the Catholic Churches’ purpose. If you read the 4 gospels, it clearly states, “Joseph did not have sexual relations with her, until after Jesus’ birth” (Matthew 1:25). Why would God have Joseph marry a woman whom he could never have sexual relations with? That would mean he either used prostitutes, or had other wives? Certainly not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Where did Jesus’ brothers and sisters come from? The books of James and Jude in the Bible are written by Jesus’ brothers. The Catholic Church out of reverence for Mary has made her into a small god. We learn throughout the Bible that we are not to worship anyone but God. When the angel comes to John in Revelation, John bows down, and the angel tells him not to worship him, only God. The Catholic Church has done to Mary what God tells us not to do. And yet out of their tradition or pride, they keep defending it. There is no purpose to not be honest about this concept of perpetual virginity (symbolizing her as sinless). What sin would be committed if Mary didn’t remain a virgin? She’s married, right? So having other children wouldn’t be a sin, would it? It serves no purpose. It doesn’t match up with scripture. And it divides people in arguments. You can believe what you want to about Mary, but scripture has given us evidence that support Mary’s humanity, her other children, and has given us no reason to support this claim. Mary is special, but she doesn’t need to be treated like a god, that’s exactly what God prohibits.

19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they couldn’t get to Him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and Your brothers are outside, and they want to see You.”21 Jesus replied, “My mother and My brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.” Luke 8:19-21

So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. 6 The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Deuteronomy 34:5-6

A Life Trying To Hide Things….

Jesus answers thoughts? Yes, He did here. Think about it, if Jesus can answer thoughts, He knows what we are thinking. We can’t hide from Him. We can’t pretend He doesn’t know our thoughts. That means we have to be honest with ourselves, doesn’t it? A life trying to hide things or pretending isn’t much of a life.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know what kind of woman is touching Him. She’s a sinner!”40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” He said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people–500  pieces of silver to one and 50  pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer Me water to wash the dust from My feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet Me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing My feet.46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint My head, but she has anointed My feet with rare perfume.47 “I tell you, her sins–and they are many–have been forgiven, so she has shown Me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that He goes around forgiving sins?”50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:39-50

When A Fickle Sinner Lives A Life…

A life lived pursuing God is the greatest testimony one can make. The reason why people fail in their witness, is because their walk doesn’t match their talk. I know this doesn’t seem right because we are fickle sinners living in an imperfect world, but for that very reason, when a fickle sinner lives a life pursuing wisdom, that wisdom will prove itself right to all those around that are watching.

33 For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’34 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.” Luke 7:33-35

Trusting God….

God is omniscient. That means He knows everything. He’s just because He knows all the facts of each case. He’s merciful because He is Love. He knows all of the contents within our hearts, which means He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how our lives are dictated and how we will die. Here, He tells Joshua that the Israelites will rebel by worshipping other gods when they enter the Promised Land. Of course it comes true. The point is if God knows everything, including us, why don’t we trust Him with our lives? The closer we are to God, the closer we are to knowing ourselves. The closer we are to God, the faster we are to learn from our mistakes. The closer we are to God, the more love, mercy, and grace will flow out from us. The closer we are to God, the more we will be like Him, and serving our purpose by assisting in accomplishing His will. Getting to see God’s will be accomplished is a great privilege. It’s empowering. It’s fulfilling. It’s everything. Trusting God is the greatest thing we can do. It starts and ends with a whole-hearted commitment, lived out on a daily, moment by moment basis. God knows us, do we really want to serve Him? If we do, He will empower us to do so. Isn’t that Good News?

19 “So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for Me against them. 20 For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors–a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise Me and break My covenant. 21 And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them.” Deuteronomy 31:19-21