Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING

For those in the know, the first Thanksgiving in the U.S. was in 1607, and it wasn't established as a holiday until George Washington, our first president, declared it so in 1789. It seems to have taken some sad turns, though, as more than two centuries have passed since the days of George Washington, and I would like to make it glaringly apparent here.

First, it had taken on a wrap of commercialism in the first century and a half. Even now, it is a big deal in grocery stores and supermarkets across the country, and even Canada has a Thanksgiving a month earlier than ours, but I think the U.S. has them beat on commercialism of the occasion. The rest of the retail sector, however, has ignored giving thanksgiving much advertising, as they haven't been able to make a big financial happening out of it, and they go straight from Halloween to Christmas in their campaigns to raise money from holidays. Yes, from about the 60s to present, thanksgiving and giving thanks to God have taken a back seat, if not being ignored completely, by the retail sector in regards to the last Thursday in November. At this point I would like to go over reasons for giving thanksgiving to God, and why this holiday should be important to Christians to celebrate, thinking of God and His benefits and accomplishments in our behalf.

1 Chron. 16:7 - 8 has it that David delivered a psalm of thanks to Asaph and his brethren; "Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people." When we call on the Lord and ask Him for things, and He grants them, shouldn't we thank Him? Consider Christ's answer when He healed the ten lepers; "And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' And when He saw them, He said unto them, 'Go shew yourselves unto the priests.' And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.' And He said unto him, 'Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.'" (Luke 17:12-19) I would think, had they heard Him, that the other nine would be embarrassed and ashamed. Should we not also be, if we forget to thank Him for any thing He has done for us?

David reminds us of other reasons to give God thanksgiving in 2 Sam. 22:48 - 50; "It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, and that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: Thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: Thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto Thy name." Has God ever allowed you to escape your enemies? From people who wanted to hurt you in any way? (Maybe they had circumstances come about later that they were miserable from) And perhaps God should get the thanks that it came to pass? Apparently David felt so. And note how David says he will thank God "...among the heathens..."? I have gotten rebuke just for bringing up God on Facebook and the internet as a subject to talk about, let alone thanking Him in person in front of heathens!

I suppose among the many first songs of thanksgiving to God, David's were among them; "Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." (Psa. 147:7-8) Not that he was the first, because there was the song of Moses when God crushed pharoah's army under the Red Sea (Exod. 15:1 - 19), and Judg. 5:1 - 31 has the song of Deborah and Barak for thanking the Lord for the avenging of Israel.

1 Cor. 11:24 - 25 has this; "And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, 'Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.' After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, 'This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.'" Note that He gave thanks to the Father for the supper. I thank God for all three of my meals, and even snacks, for many people not only have no snacks, they are fortunate if they have one meal all day!

Thanksgiving is mentioned for the first time in Lev. 7:11 - 15 in reference to the law of peace offerings to God. It was a thanksgiving for answer to prayer, deliverance, healing...it was a way to thank God in a manner He would be pleased with.

Here's a reason for thanksgiving; "And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His mercy endureth for ever; and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God..." (1 Chron. 16:41- 42) His mercy endures for ever, and we are particularly keen of this in the blood of Christ Jesus that was shed for us who were otherwise dead in our sins! "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." (Luke 2:36 - 38) Ah, to be like Anna, thankful to the Lord for the Redeemer she saw with her own eyes!

How often do we think of thanking the Lord? How often did the Levite priests thank Him? "And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;" (1 Chron. 23:30) I thank Him for every morning I'm alive, because it's another opportunity to serve Him in some way in as many opportunities as the day presents to me.

In the Old Testament days, they gave thanks offerings to God in His house; "Then Hezekiah answered and said, 'Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.' And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings." (2 Chron. 29:31) By the way, these were besides the tithing offerings.

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for His mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for His mercy endureth for ever." (Psa. 136:1 - 3) His mercy is stressed here by David as something to be thankful for, because without it, who could avoid hell? The entirety of Psa. 136 ends each verse with the fact that His mercy endures forever.

Let it not come upon us that we should forget to thank Him in all things; consider what is written in this passage for the Israelites, should they forget Him; "Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; and thou say in thine heart, 'My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.' But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." (Deut. 8:11 - 18)

So here we have many ways and reasons to thank the Lord our God, with thank offerings, with magnifying His name, wonders, our deliverance, meals, snacks, healings, with music, singing, and praise. The most dear and precious thing to thank Him for that I can think of is our salvation!

Rasons For Rejoicing

REASONS FOR REJOICING

What makes you happy? What makes the average person rejoice? A check in the mail? Hitting the jackpot in the Publisher's Clearing House? Getting the house all cleaned up before a big party? Your football team winning the Superbowl? The most righteous reason for a Christian rejoicing; yea, the object of your rejoicing is to be in the Lord - (Ps. 33:1) - "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright." While we get happy for many reasons, the best reason is this one! The book of Psalms has other reasons, too.

Rejoice because of His gift of salvation - (Ps. 13:5) - "But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation." Indeed, if Christ had not come, even worse, if He was not to come, hell would be so full of souls, without His perfect sacrifice! So praise Him and rejoice indeed for this account, that Jesus indeed came, and we have His perfect sacrifice, that should we believe on Him, we shall have everlasting life!

Rejoice in His mercy - (Ps. 31:7) - "I will rejoice and be glad in Thy mercy: for Thou hast considered my trouble; Thou hast known my soul in adversities..." Just as it says in John 10:27, Jesus knows His sheep, and He has mercy in abundance for us, a mercy which is from everlasting to everlasting, and in this rejoice greatly, for we are redeemed in the mercy of His blood sacrifice for our sins!

Rejoice in His protection - (Ps. 63:7) - "Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice." - Ps. 61:4 echoes this trust in His protection. Isa. 59:1 declares that God's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, as evidenced in Exod. 14:1-31, wherein is written how He dried up the Red sea for Moses and His people to cross, and thereafter allowed the water to return and drown all Pharaoh's army as they were in hot pursuit! Surely they rejoiced in His protection, and we, too, should rejoice, as we enjoy His protection throughout our lives.

Rejoice in the expectation He will revive us - (Ps. 85:6) - "Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?" As Habakkuk looked for the same in Hab. 3:2, when we have a great trouble or a multitude of trials and/or tribulations upon us, trust and rejoice in Him who can bring us through all our troubles, and as an example, let us look at Paul. He told of all his trials in 2 Cor. 11:23-33, and Paul was happy to continue in his faith and ministry, knowing the Lord would revive him again, as He did in Acts 14:19-20, left for dead outside the city after a stoning, yet, he got up and the next day went to Derbe with Barnabas! So rejoice in your faith and trust that He will revive you from everything you suffer!

Lastly, Rejoice in His Word and statutes - (Ps. 19:7-9) - "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." Rejoice in His will, His truth, His commandments, and judgments. His will is for our good, all of us. His truth is a perfect guide for us to live our daily lives, and will never lead us to disaster. (His commandments in practice keep us pleasant in His sight, and His judgments give Him glory and honor in the sight of all His sheep.) Rejoice in all these gifts from God, for just as it is written in Ps. 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

The Folly Of Gay Pride

THE FOLLY OF GAY PRIDE

In this message I first want to point out that the Lord is not pleased in any kind of pride to start with, as is given evidence in Prov. 16:18, where it says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Also, in Prov. 16:5, "Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not go unpunished." Let us pray that we not get into the snare of pride, lest we fall into a trap like the one we will illuminate in this message!

Homosexuality was NEVER natural, not for any animals, nor man. God Himself stated it in Genesis; "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.'" (Gen. 1:27 - 28) God clearly stated to be fruitful and multiply. We are not like the worms, who have both sexes and one can impregnate any other. There is no room to transgender, or be transexual, which is even worse!

Gen. 19:1-25 covers the first time God's judgment is recorded against the wicked, who harbor among the many unrepented sins they have being homosexual. Gen. 19:5 specifically covers where the men of Sodom demand of Lot that he bring out the two angels that visited him, that they may know them, which biblically speaking, means they wanted to have intimate relations with them. Their reward for this initially was blindness, followed by fire and brimstone from heaven to the total destruction of their cities!

Among the heinous offenses handed down from God to Moses to the Israelites, Lev. 20:13 pronounces sentence upon a person who lives as a homosexual in that day; "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a womankind, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." This means they brought it upon themselves to be killed for what they did, and they were stoned to death in those days, a painful way to die. Lev. 18:22 gives the warning, but this verse gives the consequence. Deut. 23:17 echoes the command of God.

Judg. 19:16-20:48 tells the story of worthless men among the Benjamites, men of Belial, who wanted to "know" a man who visited an old man who lived in the land of the Benjamites. What transpired later in this passage of scripture resulted in the Benjamite war; all because of the perverse desires of these men of the Benjamites!

Now if anyone believes the New Testament offers sympathy to the person who chooses this lifestyle, that person is mistaken. Rom. 1:24, 26-32, condemns lesbian and homosexual activities in these verses, and Paul is not done yet. In Rom. 12:9b and 21 he exorts to abhor and overcome evil and cleave to goodness, to overcome evil with goodness. These people can change their lifestyle and be saved, but they must want to change, and go to God with a fervent heart for His help, that He might hear.

"But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." (Matt. 5:32) I want to make this point not about Jesus teaching about adultery, nor how divorce causes adultery, but rather the fact that Jesus uses the words "his" and "wife" concerning marriage and divorce. This should make it abundantly clear that Jesus does not offer a homosexual option. He never said, "or significant other", because gay marriage is not recognized by God, nor will it ever be, other than as an abomination.

1 Cor. 6:9 - 10 has Paul preaching on carnal living there, too, and both the terms effeminate and abusers of themselves with mankind refers to living a homosexual lifestyle. He exhorted that those who lived in perverse lifestyles to repent and flee fornication and other such perverted carnal living later in the epistle. He further states in 1 Cor. 15:50 that corruption doesn't inherit incorruption. Those who have not been born again will not inherit the incorruption that is eternal life! He preaches one more time against homosexuality in 1 Tim. 1:9-10, Them that defile themselves with mankind refers to homosexuals, and these are among the rebels against God's law, whose punishment is hell and later, the lake of fire, the second death.

I would that all homosexuals and transgenderal people repent their lifestyles and what they have done, and return themselves to their nature and the natural way God intended them to be, because there is one more clear statement by God concerning those who rebel stiffneckedly to the end against His word concerning the homosexual lifestyle; "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Rev. 21:27)

Now in knowing God's will is that all would be saved, if you could convert an unsaved soul practicing this lifestyle to following Christ, if the Spirit is willing, I am persuaded that James 5:19 - 20, which is generally meant for people already Christians, can also be applied to these people, provided they are willing to be converted to believing in Christ and being born again. Indeed, if a gay person stop being prideful of his or her lifestyle, repent and turn to God, their multitude of sins is promised to be hidden in the precious blood of Jesus!

The Love Law

The Love Law

how many people do not know of the law to love, only God knows, but Jesus' law to love is plainly written in the gospel; "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And He said unto him, 'What is written in the law? How readest thou?' And he answering said, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.' And He said unto him, 'Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.'" (Luke 10:25 - 28)

Even more, this is no ordinary law, but a royal law. 'Royal law?' One might say in surprise; " If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." (James 2:8 - 9) It is royal because it was given us by our King, Jesus Christ! In this passage, it refers to someone poor. But the poor are not our only neighbors; there are also the desperate in Jesus' parable in Luke 10:29 - 37, and the weak in Gal. 5:13 - 15, and finally, it is revealed that everyone is our neighbor in Rom. 13:8 - 10. Sorry are so many people, for they cannot even love their brother, or sister, or uncle or cousin, or even parents and grandparents, let alone their neighbor, except maybe to commit adultery with them, and even in that, they break the law, both of them, concerning any spouses involved and the lack of marriage. It is easy to love someone in hopes that they may return something to you for it, but what kind of love is that, except a deception? And it is easy to love someone who gives you food, takes care of you financially, or clothes you, or houses you, and well it is, because they have indeed shown love to you. So how can one find it in themselves not to love back? But truly, it is hard to love someone who has done evil to you, or who behaves wickedly, and are these too your neighbor?

Let's first analyze love; what is it? What qualities does it have? "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (1 Cor. 13:1 - 7) Certainly love, or charity as it's called in this passage, has many distinct, effable, noteworthy characteristics! Love is greater than anyone who has great knowledge, who can move mountains, or who has any other notable qualities about them. If that person does not have love, then it profits them nothing, because they then are in sin and violate the royal law. Love suffers long and is kind. Do you suppose that means we really love our spouse because we've been married all these years and have put up with all their indiscretions for all this time? Well, you may be smiling at this, but it's certainly on the right track! For as long as we know anyone, even someone who is a stranger at first, we are to treat them the same way we would ourselves. Do we treat our spouse less as well as we treat ourselves? We tend after their every need, if we can help it! It is mindboggling to imagine what the world would be like if everyone treated their neighbor as themselves. World hunger - GONE! War - NONE! Poverty - NONEXISTENT! How could poverty exist in an environemnt where everyone loves their neighbor to the point of clothing, feeding and housing one another? Unfortunately, too many people puff themselves up, and then they are not fostering love, but rather pride, and then wars result.

Love overcomes evil; "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay', saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom. 12:19 - 21) If you feed or give drink to an enemy, is this not love? So Paul is teaching here that love overcomes evil, and if not, the Lord will have His vengeance on His terms. But it is a hard heart that can repay good with evil. Oh, the many good qualities of love! It is not jealous, nor envious, and it is ever-forgiving, ever seeking to restore amicable relationships. So the answer to that question I posed in the second paragraph is yes, even the evil and wicked are our neighbors. Let's look at one more selection; "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:43 - 48) As one understands the evil and wicked to typically be our enemies if we should interact with them, So Jesus says we are to love our enemies, even pray for them; for in praying we demonstrate love for them. And when we pray for them in private, as the Lord Jesus directed, then while our enemies do not see or know of our love for them on that plane, our Father hears our prayers and indeed does know when we demonstrate this form of love for our enemies.

You know, one of the fruits of the Spirit is love; " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." (Gal. 5:22 - 26) Note the quality "longsuffering" is also of the Spirit, just as love is. Also note that the new you who loves is not carnal in their love, but spiritual. 9 fruits of the Spirit, and the first and foremost is love.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:7 - 8) "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16) See that? John said it TWICE! God is love! It is His most encompassing quality! Anyone who hates a select group of people doesn't know God; the royal command from our Lord was to love, and if anyone go around hating this person and that one, then how is this a demonstration of being born again? " Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1) "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." (1 John 4:6) There will be some who say they know God, but under observation they will be found out. Whether they be false prophets or false believers, long observation will tell. Also, if we find a brother or sister in error saying or doing what would be hateful of another, and they not heed us when we try to reason with them, it would be as a sign that perhaps they are following the spirit of error. "If a man say, 'I love God', and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:20 - 21)

God's greatest demonstration of love toward us is the most famous verse in the bible; "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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16 - 17) All the world; every bit of mankind that God created He loves. What a travesty that so many people refuse to love Him back; refuse to believe in Him. One man I witnessed to of God actually demanded that I stop, because, in his words, talking about God was like "kiddie porn". If that soul has not identified himself as truly lost, I don't know how anyone could think maybe he might not be. Another woman I was witnessing to told me that if God judged her for using her mind in not believing the bible, then shame on Him, or her, or it! How profoundly does a person have to put it that they don't know God? She didn't even speak with any fear of Him! Yet, Jesus went to the cross, that even people like these two, perhaps at a later date, might have their eyes opened by the Spirit, believe in the love of God demonstrated on Calvary, and be saved.

Our love for our brothers and sisters should be particularly and consistently present in church; for we are in God's house! "Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." (1 Tim. 5:1 - 2) If we do have trouble between one of us and our brother or sister, loving church discipline is lined out in the gospel as well; "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." (Matt. 18:15 - 17)

Now here's a facet of the law of love anyone might have great difficulty with, because forgiveness is also a demonstration of love, and we are expected to forgive consistently, forever, and without malice; " Then came Peter to Him, and said, 'Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?' Jesus saith unto him, 'I say not unto thee, "Until seven times": but, "Until seventy times seven..." "...So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." (Matt. 18:21 - 22, 35) Verses 23 - 34 were Jesus' story of a servant who was forgiven, but failed to forgive a fellowservant. The point is, we are expected to forgive a brother or sister for the same trespass against us, for as many times as they should ask, and even if they don't ask, for Christ did not stipulate that they had to ask. Let me give you a perfect example of how far this is to extend, and note in this passage that they had no intention of asking forgiveness! "Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:57 - 60) How many people do you know that you believe would proclaim forgiveness in this manner as people were killing them? Stephen followed Christ's own example: "And the men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him. And when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face, and asked Him, saying, 'Prophesy, who is it that smote Thee?' And many other things blasphemously spake they against Him...And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' And they parted His raiment, and cast lots." (Luke 22:63 - 65, 23:33 - 34)

So let us try to be like Christ, and like Stephen; there will be plenty of tests through our lifetime. Maybe not to the death, as in these two examples, but let us pass the test for as many times as we are tested, and if we fail; try again! As it is written, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor. 13:5) If we fail and sin against this commandment, we know what to do; pray, confess, realize that He is faithful to forgive, and try to pass the test next opportunity!

Blasphemy

BLASPHEMY

It seems to me too few people realize what this means: let me start with the definition from the American Heritage Dictionary: "Any contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God. Any irreverent or impious act or utterance. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God. (Judaism) Any word or deed meant to dishonor or revile the being or the work of God, as a curse or profanity."

If you think about that, let it settle out in your mind, and remember your entire week, you may remember at least one instance where someone blasphemed. It's not hard for the worldly minded to do. I can't forget hearing one at a place where I worked before the station I work at now. Two were talking, one on either side of me, so I had to hear everything whether I cared or not. They were joking in a derogatory way about women, and then one of them came to a point where he said "God did something stupid and gave women a mouth." If I were a cartoon, my skullcap and scalp would have come off and hit the ceiling! I spoke up so both could hear me and said, "you know, that's blasphemy!" At that, both shut up the entire rest of the time I was there until I was ready to go to the street.

Another blasphemy I have seen twice was on a social website. Two different people posted a mockery of the Lord's prayer as a tribute to their favorite football team. I of course, deleted their posting from my wall, but when I posted on my wall in the site that what was being done was blasphemous, a woman barely older than me told me to lighten up and not judge people! Then she told me, "Sorry Ricky, don't want to seem mean, but not everyone has the same beliefs you do...I believe there has to be something, there is no proof tho, only the bible...If there is a god, then shame on him if he judges me for questioning, if anything he, she or it should be happy I have my OWN mind & thoughts, a gift that was given to us..." I told her I knew that, and that was why people who believe pray for those who don't. It is very obvious from her comment that she doesn't know the Lord (had Catholic upbringing), called Him a "she" and "it", and obviously considers the bible a mere storybook. Even blasphemed right there in her comment saying "shame on Him if He judges her!" Absolutely no fear of the Lord...and the bible calls her and those like her a fool! "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Prov. 1:7)

Then there's the famous Last Supper blasphemous picture that was on a news channel, and they asked for comments whether people were offended or not. The picture's heads of Jesus and the apostles were replaced with heads from the Looney Tunes' cartoons, such as Bugs bunny and Daffy duck. One person was foolish enough to post a comment to the TV station that they were a Christian, and they saw nothing wrong with it. To every Christian who knew who that was, this person sent them a different message than what they were saying. Really? Not outraged that a picture of the head of your Savior was replaced with the head of the cartoon character Bugs Bunny?! Not the least bit upset that He who died to save you from your sins and hell and eternal flames and the second death was depicted by someone with the cartoon head of a rabbit? Can you spell "insensitive"?

So what can we gather from my experiences with those who have blasphemed? Some say they believe there is a God, and yet they can speak of Him that way. They can make fun of Him. They can even say "shame on Him"?! I once interacted with an old military associate on the internet, and when I brought up God, he didn't want to talk about Him anymore, because he associated talking about God with being equivalent to "kiddie porn"! This, too, was an unusual blasphemy, as I never would have expected anyone to equate God with kiddie porn, as he said. I was a bit surprised that so many of my old friends and associates were so removed from God being around my age as they were, and so many of them, when you bring up God as a subject, would blaspheme about Him so casually!

Shall we see some biblical blasphemies, and learn what they were about? "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said unto Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' And Nathan said unto David, 'The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.'" (2 Sam. 12:9 -14) David would reap what he had sown in the deaths of his sons, and his son Absalom publicly appropriating his concubines, but as David's confession was immediate, so was God's gracious forgiveness, that David shoud not die; however, God's reputation was challenged by the sin of adultery, therefore God's judgment took the life of David's first child to Bath-sheba. By challenging God's reputation, being His anointed king of Israel sinning against God's law against adultery, this was a form of blasphemy, and so it was punished.

In the days of the Old Testament among the Israelites, people who heard a blasphemy took it deadly serious! "And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; and the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 'Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.'" (Lev. 24:10 -14) So this reflects how serious it was to rebel so profoundly against God!

Blasphemy has happened all throughout history, and it is a somewhat common thing among men; "But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, 'It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.'" (Acts 13:45 - 46) The gospel and salvation was initially meant only for the Jews (see Matt. 10:6, Rom. 1:16), as they were God's chosen people; unfortunately, many Jews refused to believe what Paul and Barnabas were telling them, and since they blasphemed against the truth about God, they were said of Paul to be unworthy of everlasting life by their own judgment! This was not the only time the Jews blasphemed before Paul, either! "And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, 'Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.'" (Acts 18:5 - 6)

Here is another example of a blasphemy, this one in the book of 2 Kings, and it comes from a king of Assyria, Sennacherib; "Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 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? 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? 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. 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. 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. 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." (2 Kings 18:33 - 35, 19:1- 4) As Hezekiah recognized the blasphemy before God, the Lord informed him through Isaiah that Sennacherib and his men would receive judgment from God for his reproach, and the Lord's angel killed 185,000 of the Assyrians in the camp! Sennacherib then went to Nineveh, where, while worshipping his false god Nisroch, his own sons killed him. Once again, it was a dangerous thing to blaspheme God!

Remember I wrote earlier that blasphemy is somewhat common to man; now hear it from a greater authority than I could ever be! "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." (Matt. 15:18 - 20) Here Jesus teaches us that things like blasphemies have an origin: the human heart! One who is saved will not normally entertain these temptations, while the unsaved bring them out on a regular basis!

Jesus' enemies, the scribes and Pharisees, were always making mistakes with Him. In this instance, they blasphemed in saying Jesus was in cahoots with the devil in order to cast out devils from people. Big mistake! "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." (Matt. 12:31- 32) While the special circumstances involved in this blasphemy cannot be duplicated today, there is one unforgivable sin; not accepting Christ as Savior to the last dying breath!

So here and now we understand about blasphemy and the severity of its nature. God guard us all to keep our tongues far from it!

What Do You Know About Baptism?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BAPTISM?

To understand what baptism is all about, one must find the roots of it. When should a person be baptized? What does it mean to be baptized? What is the significance of it? Do I really have to? Shall we see what Scripture says of it?

It doesn't take long in the New Testament for the teachings of baptism to be made known. Matt. 3:1 - 17, Mark 1:1 -11, and Luke 3:1 - 22 all cover the baptism of Christ, and each give us a little more about it. In Matthew, John the Baptist preached repentance, which is a change of mind bearing fruit in a changed life. One must repent the past sinful life and accept Christ as Savior before being able to be baptized. This excludes the baptism of infants, because they are unable to verbalize or conceptualize the need to repent or accept Christ Jesus. At the time, only Jews were being baptized, and there was no church to join, so for them, they were acknowledging the truth of his message and choosing righteousness. The people in those days found it shocking that John and Jesus should preach personal repentance over the typical teaching of the day about the merits of Abraham. John taught that baptism was symbolic of an individual's need to repent in order for their sins to be forgiven. When many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were noticed by John coming to his baptism, John spoke skeptically to them, knowing them to be hypocrites, self-righteous, and they were the most persecuting of Jesus. He urged them to demonstrate repentance, and not lean on Abraham as their father, but take personal responsibility of the need to repent. Christian baptism is performed in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38) as a witness to one's faith in Christ.

Jesus had His own personal baptism to be baptized into, and He spoke of it in Luke 12:50; "But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!" It can also be found in Matt. 20:22 - 23 & Mark 10:38 - 40, and the sons of Zebedee who were His apostles volunteered to be baptized in His baptism. Not the one we typically get baptized in, but rather the baptism of suffering and death. James was the first of the apostles to die, and his brother John was also martyred for Christ.

There is an instance of Christ using baptism as a problem for the chief priests, because He knew they could not admit the truth that it was from heaven; "And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, 'By what authority doest Thou these things? And who gave Thee this authority?' And Jesus answered and said unto them, 'I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or of men?' And they reasoned with themselves, saying, 'If we shall say, 'From heaven'; He will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe Him? But if we shall say, of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.' And they answered Jesus, and said, 'We cannot tell.' And He said unto them, 'Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.' (Matt. 21:23 - 27, Mark 11:27 - 33, Luke 20:1 - 8)

There are many among us today in the world who reject the counsel of God, who reject the need for baptism to repentance, and it was the same in John and Jesus' day. Gospel evidence is available to attest of this; "And all the people that heard Him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him." (Luke 7:29 - 30)

When John was baptizing, in the first chapter of John's Gospel, he makes a distinction between his baptism with water and Jesus' baptism; "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, "After me cometh a Man which is preferred before me: for He was before me. And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." And John bare record, saying, 'I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."'" (John 1:29 - 33)

Is baptism necessary for salvation? Consider this passage; "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." (1 Cor. 1:12 - 17) Paul is clearly saying here that baptism is not necessary for salvation, but this begs the question, "Then why bother?"

It is an instruction from our Savior! "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 'All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' Amen. (Matt. 28:18 - 20)

Peter explains in other words why be baptized; "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. (Acts 1:22) "Then Peter said unto them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'" (Acts 2:38) Does it seem to you that if you be baptized in the name of Jesus as affirming your belief in the resurrection of Christ, this is your public demonstration not only of your repentance, but that you accept Christ Jesus as your Savior to everlasting life in His resurrection? "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.' While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 'Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?' And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." (Acts 10:34 - 48) Here we have biblical proof that believing in Christ is a prerequisite for baptism, and to Peter's amazement, Gentiles were included in God's plan of salvation. Since the Gentiles with Peter spoke in tongues, a gift of the Holy Ghost, he perceived they were included in the salvation plan of God, and this is the first documentation of the baptism of Gentiles.

The early church had some confusion about baptism. Acts 18:24 - 19:6 tells of an eloquent speaker named Apollos who taught of the baptism of John, and later he was corrected privately by Aquila and Priscilla. Paul found disciples on his third missionary journey who were baptised into John's baptism, and Paul baptized these into Christ's baptism, and Paul laid hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. While John's baptism was with water for repentance, it was in contrast to Jesus' baptism, which stands for eternal life and salvation because of belief in Him.

So what was the necessity of John's baptism when the more perfect baptism is that of Christ? "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:1 - 11) John's baptism was the prototype of a concept of being condemned in sin transforming to salvation in eternal life. As the body is totally immersed in water (not sprinkled water on the forehead), it signifies burying the old nature, the sinful self, the washing away of your sins, the former life of rejection of Christ, the former self that was condemned by the holy and just law of God. When the body is lifted up out of the water, no longer fully immersed, it is symbolic of our faith in Christ Jesus that like the Father raised Him from the tomb and from death, so we shall be raised to eternal life with Christ to exist eternally with God. Coming up out of the water pictures coming back to life as a new creature in Christ Jesus. Let there not be confusion about baptism concerning infants, for they are unable to express faith in Christ Jesus, and I defy anyone to show me an example in scripture of godparents speaking for infants who are unable to grasp the concept of sin or salvation. Infants and toddlers are developmentally unable to grasp the concept of faith.

Here's a little more explanation of baptism; "And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Col. 2:10 - 12); " The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. (1 Pet. 3:21 - 22)

Okay, I see this coming; another question: so how many times should one be baptized? If one is baptized correctly, only one baptism is necessary; for you cannot lose salvation. If you find a way, you cannot retrieve it, for Jesus only died once. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (Eph. 4:4 - 7) Let me show in another scriptural passage the irretrievability of the loss of salvation; "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame." (Heb. 6:1 - 6) Arminians and others versed in Scripture rage a debate about this passage. They hold that the backslidden who've fallen into apostacy are able to lose their salvation, while others hold that these weren't genuine believers, but only professed believers. Nevertheless, it's also written here that to try to regain salvation lost is to put Christ on the cross another time, putting Him to an open shame.

I feel I have exhausted further explaining the concept of baptism. If one not understand still after all this, let we who do know pray for them, and may God bless them with enlightenment because of our supplications on their behalf!

YOUR HEART & GOD

YOUR HEART & GOD

How's your heart in relationship to God?  Do you feel it's close to Him?  Do you feel it's fervent toward Him?  Do you just give Him the minimum hour or so in church every week, then nothing?  Or maybe you only go to Him in the middle of the week for emergencies?  Maybe you know someone who doesn't even think He exists, and call themselves an atheist. There are all kinds of conditions of the heart that either offend or displease God, and others that make Him pleased. Let's see what we can find in the bible...

Gen. 6:5 - 6 has a displeasing side of man's heart. Man was so wicked with every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, continually on evil, that God was actually sorry He made man. Fortunately for us Noah found grace in His sight! As we know of the rest of the story, Noah and his family were the only ones to survive God's wrath. Even in the days of Jeremiah, the Lord spoke through His prophet in Jer. 17:9 - 10 and said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." So between the other side of the flood and the days of Jeremiah, God made note that man's condition of his heart did not change, that it was desperately wicked. But let a man or woman find control over such a heart, receive help from Him to change it, from Christ Jesus, our Mediator, and believe they will receive it. He is faithful in His time; trust Him with all your heart! For as verse 10 alludes to, better to receive the judgment of the saved, than that of one lost!

The Lord, through Moses, instructed the Israelites how to please Him in Deut. 11:13 -14, 18. He wanted them to obey His commandments, and love Him with all their hearts and souls, and told them He would reward them with rain in due season, good harvests, wine, and even to take care of their cattle's need for grass! So here we learn that God equates obedience with love, and rewards it with good things for those who comply.

Consider Hannah in 1 Sam. 2:1 - 10, 21; the woman sang a song of rejoicing in the Lord's holiness, knowledge, power, and judgment, and how did God respond?  He rewarded her that she no longer was barren, but bore three sons and two daughters, using her as an example for fervent prayer, obedience, worship, and devotion to family.  Her heart was in the right place with him, and He rewarded her well, didn't He?

Then there is to be considered the house of Eli and his sons in 1 Sam. 2:22 - 36.  The Lord God knew the heart of Eli, that he was aware of what his sons were doing dishonoring God with the women of the congregation and in other such matters, and while Eli told his sons that they were of no good report and told them to stop, he made no further moves against his sons for their behavior which dishonored the Lord, and in this he proved to God that his heart was more for his sons than the Lord, and for this sin, the punishment was foretold to Eli by the prophet who told him that his priestly family would come to destruction.  Oh, how God tries the hearts of men! (Ps. 7:9)

1 Sam. 7:3 has Samuel pleading with Israel; And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, "If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."  The bible is full of the Lord's counsel; if we are out of step with it, our punishment may be "a season long", or take up a period of time.  If our heart is not with the Lord, and we have made something a false god in His place, then our punishment is just, as the Lord is just.  However, if we return to the Lord, come to our senses, and put God back in His rightful place in our hearts, then He will forgive and may deliver us from our punishment, just as He did in this instance.  Heb. 12:5 - 8 says this of God's punishment when we let our hearts stray; "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, my son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."  So in 1 Sam. 7:4, the children of Israel put away the Canaanite fertility gods and goddesses, and wisely so.  Then the Lord kept the Philistines away from the Israelites all the days of Samuel!  So we, too, may be rewarded for repentance and returning our hearts to His rightful ownership.

Oh, the qualities and colors of the heart; Ps. 51:10 has David asking God for a clean heart.  You see, he had committed adultery with Bath-sheba, and worse, he had her husband killed to protect him and her from being found out by Uriah of her pregnancy to David, and about a year had gone by before David finally caved in and confessed to God.  Not that God didn't know already, for we know of His omniscience.  But the way it works is that our loving Father is waiting for us when we commit sins to confess to Him, to admit that we agree we made a mistake, committed a transgression, and then He displays His great mercy and forgives us our sin to His glory!  If we find ourselves in a sin we seem hardpressed to get rid of, it is good to be like David and confess it to God, and ask Jesus to help us be rid of repeating it!  Then the renewal of a right spirit will be within us.

Ps. 138:1 has David praising God with his whole heart. He challenges the reliability in false gods, pagan idols, in putting God in all his praise.  Oh, that we should always have this type of heart each and every time God answers prayer.  Consider the ten lepers of Luke 17:12 - 19: "And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' And when He saw them, He said unto them, ‘Go shew yourselves unto the priests.’  And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.  And Jesus answering said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.’ And He said unto him, ‘Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.'" See how the leper, and yet a Samaritan, gave his heart to God with thanks for His mercy?  I have thanked Him so much after Remy's total recovery from her brain aneurysm, and even after her first surgery, because she lived by His grace!

How different are the types of hearts that there are!  Ps. 147:3 has it, "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."  Is your heart broken, and do you go to Him for healing?  A death in the family, especially someone close, and even some friends are closer than family!  David also wrote in Ps. 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise."  If one's heart is humbled by guilt, and penitent for sin(s) committed, God faithfully forgives and heals the heart, that it might fly once more in songs of praise to Him!

Ps. 3:5 has written, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Among Christians this is famous for meaning that God is in control.  Know the old "fall back and I'll catch you" game?  With Christ, that's for real!  The devil may attack you with anything, even what you see in black and white, trying to drive a wedge between you and God.  Ponder James 1:2 - 7; "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."  The devil uses diverse temptations where our understanding doesn't make sense nor matter.  Job knew that.  He lost his children and all he owned, and on top of that, he got a bad case of the boils.  Neither his wife nor his friends knew what was happening to him, and all they could offer him was bad advice, and yet, his faith never waivered through his bad season of temptation to "curse God and die", and the Lord rewarded him in the end.  In Job's case, the devil afflicted the material things he had, but keep an open mind that the devil can attack on a mental level; only trust with all your heart indeed in Jesus!

There is a kind of heart that is very difficult to attain, but blessed is he that has it; 1 Kings 8:60 - 61 says, "That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.  Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."  Marvelous is the person who attains this at an early age, because the bible is a large tome, and many are His commandments, laws, policies and statutes.  Not only must the individual ambitious to attain this state memorize all His wants of us, but they must also apply all to their daily life.  It is unquestionable I have a heart for Jesus, but perfect I am not.  For I indeed stumble as to my imperfections, although I pray daily, at least once each day, if not more, that He guide me and protect me.

Jer. 29:13 - 14 also addresses a matter of the heart that applied to Israel in his day, but also still applies to us today.  "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.  And I will be found of you', saith the Lord: 'and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you', saith the Lord; 'and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive."  Often an unbeliever finds themselves captive of their worldly troubles, and they are enough that they cannot bear them.  At that time, they can call on Him, an Advocate whom they can trust, and search for Him with all their heart, and He will be found of them!

Can one imagine that the heart can be unclean more so than the hands?  Matt. 15:18 - 20 has it, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." As was written at the beginning of this message, so it remains, from the Old Testament into the New.  The heart of a wicked person is dirty down to the soul!  How good for them that we are encouraged, yea, even commanded, to pray for them, that they might find God (or is it the other way around?), and wash them clean in the blood of our Savior, Christ Jesus!

In Matt. 22:36 - 38 God made the heart with a duty to perform, according to Jesus' partial quotation of the Shema (Deut. 6:5); "...Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...'" Luke 10:25 - 28 has a similar version of the same thing.  Those of us who are saved and know Christ as our Savior attempt this as best we can, and isn't that all He can ask, knowing our imperfections?  So many of us didn't start out this way, but blessed are they who end up this way!  As each of us come to realize this, "...Thy will be done on earth..." becomes the reality He meant it to be!

To love the Lord with all your heart is to obey Him, and He asks you to believe with all your heart to righteousness in Rom. 10:1 - 11.