TRUSTING OUR SOVEREIGN

That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” II Chronicles 1:7

Wow, if God were to ask you this, how would you reply? How would most people on this planet respond? Would they want a better house, car, job or more wealth? Would they ask for better health, more healthy family relationships or friends in high places? Would their asking be self-centered or others centered? How about you and me?

“Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!” (II Chronicles 1:10-12).

Our greatest desire other that our relationship with the Lord God Almighty should be for the best interest of others. Solomon did ask for wisdom and knowledge for himself but it was to be able to govern people properly. He wanted to do what was right as he led God’s people. Because of this desire which God did answer, God also gave him for more than what he had requested. God gave him “wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before (him) or will ever have in the future!” Wow…

So, what would we ask for? May we ask God for wisdom to fulfill the work He has for us. Oh, that we would not be self-focused, but others focused. May it be so…

Dear Father, I am so grateful to know that You will give me what is best according to Your plans and purposes. May I be faithful in what you have for me… May it be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.

I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS

Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. —I Chronicles 29:12

Why do some people become people of great influence and others of some influence? It is because of God’s plan and purposes. He is the One who rules over everything and everyone. He gives wealth to whom He desires to give wealth. He gives honor to whom He desires to honor. He gives power to whom He desires to give power. He is the One who makes people great and He is the One who gives people strength. He does all of this and so much more to further His plans and purposes.

Where do you fall into His plan? We need to be faithful with the life He has gives to us. Wherever we fall into the socio-economic and circumstantial pattern of His plan we need to seek to grow in our relationship with Him and seek to do His will. May we truly be faithful in this!

Dear Father, thank You for who You made me to be. Now, may I earnestly be faithful in growing to know You and to do Your will in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6vHHbUOCQA

THE GIFT

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. —John 10:28

I give— When somebody gives someone something it is a gift. They give it because they desire to give it and not that the receiver deserves it or has earned it. Jesus gives the greatest gift that could ever be given. Have you received it?

Jesus gives eternal life— This is unending life, a life that will never, ever end. As this gift unfolds it is filled with glory. Eternal life starts when a person calls on the name of the Lord Jesus and has the Son (John 3:16,18, 36; Romans 6:23; 10:13). Then it continues beyond the grave in Heaven with Jesus and all who love Him. All who have called on Jesus or will call on Jesus will be in that eternally joyous place. Rejoice in the gift of eternal life that Jesus has given you and all who love Him!

Receivers of eternal life will never perish— Jesus took the judgment for our sin and those who have called on His Name will never perish in Hell, that is, they will never experience the horrors of hell… never.

What a tremendous gift to all those who have called on His Name. Brother and sister, rejoice, we’ve got forever before us! Forever with Jesus and all who love Him! Forever in a place where there will be not more sorrow, sickness, pain, death, tears or any of the negative things we experience in this life because of sin. Heaven is our home and we are headed there! Yes, rejoice, trust Him now, live faithfully for Him now and one day we will all be in glory… forever! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElVC6rfX3Z8

Dear Father, thank You for the gift of eternal life through Jesus. Oh, may I truly be rejoicing with all who know You through Your Son and proclaim this in the power of Your Holy Spirit. May it be so!

DOING RIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE

So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. —I Chronicles 18:14

To have a leader who is looking to be “just and right for all his people” is indeed a rarity. Most often the leader is looking out for their own interests and not that of the people.

An example of not caring is that is a dear brother who leads a ministry and has the opportunity to bring over 150 tons of food to Uganda to the needy refuges there. The government leaders want to charge 60% tax to do so. Here are people in their own country in desperate need of the basics and the leaders are more concerned about lining their own pockets with profits instead of help coming to those who they cannot or will not even help… despicable!

Praise God for leaders like King David who “did what was just and right for all his people.” It was what was right for “all” the people and not just favorites or special interest groups. Oh, to have a leader like that! But it is not just the top leadership. It is a blessing to have these type leaders at any level. But… these type leaders are a rarity!

May these leaders not be a rarity in the Church, the Body of Christ. Oh, that we would have leaders that are concerned for all the people, not just their favorite group… May it be so!

Dear Father, may I faithfully lead all those You have given me responsibility for and not have favorites. Oh, please help me to be the type of leader You desire in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.

SING…PRAISE… PROCLAIM…SHARE & DECLARE!

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. —I Chronicles 16:23-24

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. —I Peter 2:9

Are you singing to the Lord today? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuuZMg6NVeA Are you ready to “proclaim the good news that he saves” today? Will you bear testimony to “His glorious deeds among the nations” today? Will you “tell everyone about the amazing things he does” today? Brother and sister, we are His “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” As His people are we doing so?

Glory of glories that the Lord Jesus Christ left the splendor of Heaven to come to this sin infested world so we could be saved from our wicked sin and to a relationship with Him. Praise be to His Holy Name that we can not only know Him, but serve Him as well! What!— He is preparing a place for us and we will be with Him one day in that perfect place. Praise His Name that a dear brother, Pastor Tim is now with Jesus now, having won the race the Lord marked out for Him. Ahhhh, he is one perfectly rejoicing child of God today! May we join with him! May we also finish the race the Lord has marked out for us! Run, yes, run well!

Dear Father, may I be a child of yours that lifts my voice in song to You today, a child that proclaims the Good News of Your salvation to those in my sphere of influence today, a child that tells people about the amazing things You do. Thank You that You rescued me from Satan’s domain of darkness and transferred me into the Kingdom of Your Son Jesus. Out of gratitude may I live faithfully in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. May it be so!

FULL OF FAITH OR NOT

So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord’s command, and he even consulted a medium instead of asking the Lord for guidance. So the Lord killed him and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. —I Chronicles 10:13-14

To be faithful is to be full of faith. To be unfaithful is to be not full of faith. The choice is to be trusting or not to be trusting in the Lord God Almighty. Are you full of trust toward Him today? Have you fully put yourself in His care?

Saul was unfaithful to the Lord, not obeying His Word and it cost him his life. Unfaithfulness also cost Ananias and Sapphira their lives as well. Instead of trusting in God’s Word they sought to trust in their own ways and made it look like they were full of faith. They were not and their hypocrisy led to their deaths (Acts 5:1-11). So it was in the Corinthian Church as well. Unfaithfulness led to the consequences of sickness for some and death to others. These were believers that were not being faithful to the Lord’s ways, but sought to do things in their own way. It cost them greatly (I Corinthians 11:17-34).

Oh, that you and I would seek to be faithful to King Jesus. It is a serious thing to “play the part” while all the while doing what we desire. May we truly seek to obey the King, showing that we indeed do love and fully trust Him (John 14:21). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_aVFVveJNs

Dear Father, may I truly trust You as I walk through this day. I am grateful to know that I can trust You fully and that I am safe in the Lord Jesus. May I honor His Name today in the power of Your Holy Spirit.

QUICK TO JUDGE
Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked. —John 7:50-51
How many times do people make rash choices before they have all the information? This is what the Jewish leaders were doing. They did not take the time to check into the details about Jesus and His origins. Therefore they came to a wrong decision. Instead of becoming children of God, they remained children of the devil (John 8:44).
Dear brother and sister, we have been allowed to know the information about Jesus and act upon it. The Lord God Almighty drew us to Himself. We are children of God… rejoice! We should be the most joyous people! Thank You Dear Father for making me Your child through Jesus! https://www.facebook.com/VoicesofLeeOfficial/videos/10155290579973627/

NO TURNING BACK!

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. —John 6:66-69

There are those who profess they believe in Jesus, but when they do not like a teaching from Him they desert Him. Some professing “disciples” only stay with Jesus when things are going well for them from their perspective. When things get difficult or do not go the way they believe they should then they desert the Lord Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fZ-tBR7LJ0

But, for those who truly believe, there is no turning back. Where else are we going to go? Only Jesus has the Words of eternal life. Only He can give eternal life. Only He died in the stead of sinful man, taking the punishment for the sin of the whole world. He only is the Savior. Where else would a person go for eternal life? How grateful, brother and sister, to know that we can trust our Lord Jesus Christ fully! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI

Thank You Dear Father for Your Son, Jesus. I am grateful to know that I can trust Him fully. May I do so today and for the rest of my life. Yes, may this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.

THE TERRIFYING JUDGMENT OF GOD

That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. —II Kings 19:35

The pompous and arrogant king of Assyria was threatening Jerusalem and King Hezekiah with destruction. He spoke as if he were invincible and said the Lord would not save Jerusalem any more than any of the other gods could save other nations that he had victory over. But the other gods of the nations were no gods at all. Now the King of Assyria was confronting the Lord God Almighty and things were not going to go well. He would truly find out who he was fighting against and he would not win. No, before the next morning the Assyrian army would be destroyed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYbX-3_a98U&list=RDrYbX-3_a98U#t=10

That very night the Lord killed 185,000 soldiers. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31) and there is no escape from His judgment. When He decides to judge an individual or a nation… it will be done.

Judgment is coming to every single person who has not trusted the Lord Jesus. “And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Actually, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). People who do not know Him should shutter in terror at the coming judgment. The demons do! — “Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (James 2:19). Yes, the demons believe in God and they also know that judgment is coming to them and they are terrified of it! “”What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Matthew 8:29). Yes, they know judgment is coming! Yet, warn people of their coming judgment if they do not trust Jesus and the majority shrug it off. Yes, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Brother and sister rejoice that we will not be judged because Jesus took our judgment. But, let us warn those around us and encourage them to trust Jesus as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkHqaBxPoAM&index=4&list=RDrYbX-3_a98U

Dear Father, I am so grateful that Jesus was willing to take my punishment in my place so I would not have to. Oh, out of gratitude may I live faithfully for You. Please forgive my stupidity and sin. May I truly be the servant You desire in the authority of the Holy Spirit and Your Son.

ETERNAL JESUS

So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God. —John 5:16-18

Not here is a concept that is hard for us to fully understand. Yet God’s Word is very clear that Jesus is equal to God the Father and is one with Him (John 1:1). The Jews wanted to kill Jesus for this statement of calling God His Father and not for only breaking the Sabbath. They knew what He was saying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2KB-7QzE9s

These Jewish leaders only saw Jesus’ physical side of His being, thinking He had a beginning like they did. They believed that his conception began His existence and could not grasp that He has existed from eternity past. “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds” (John 8:57-59). Yes, the Jews knew exactly what He was saying… do we? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRVYg-UH6Cg&list=PLcHqC9YNzSaD-O-rkP9o8hDA9jJ_oja4l&index=23

Truly amazing that the Eternal Son, one with the Father, Creator of all, was willing to come to this teeny, tiny speck of a planet because He loves us so much. It is Astounding that He would let His creation kill Him after torturing Him first. All for this He left the glories of Heaven that we might be saved! Proving Himself to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead. Yes, He proved who He is! We should be the most grateful people on the planet and full of Joy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ONVG8DaREA&list=PLcHqC9YNzSaD-O-rkP9o8hDA9jJ_oja4l&index=24 May it be so!