Believe The Witnesses!

 

"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:14 KJV

The disciples did not believe that Jesus had risen because they had not yet seen him. When they did see him, he chewed them out for being so stubborn; so bullheaded. They had not really believed the witness of Mary or the others who had, in fact, testified that they had seen him alive and walking around.

That is the reason for many not believing it today, either. What they cannot see with their own eyes; what they cannot touch with their own hands, they refuse to accept as truth. In their stubbornness they will not accept what they have not witnessed themselves. Even then, some will continue in their bullheadedness. A man walking on the moon is still a fabricated myth to some. Others still believe the earth is flat. Sadly, some even deem the Holocaust during World War II as a fabrication.

How hard-headed are those who refuse to believe the testimony of those who have seen Jesus! How hard-hearted are they who would follow in their own self-centered and self-motivated ways rather than the Way that Jesus prepared for us; for all people, into the Kingdom of God. Their bullheadedness will harm only themselves in the end when before the throne of God every knee will bow.

There was a man named Job. He lost everything. Yet, his faith; his belief, in God did not waiver. He trusted the Lord. He had not seen God with his own eyes, yet. But, he was convinced that he would. He was convinced that he would see him with his own eyes and not just through the testimony of others. Job, too, was in a sense very bullheaded. Although, he suffered much; he never gave up hope in his Redeemer.

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27)

May God help us to trust the testimony of the saints before us, as found in the Holy Scriptures, so that we might have hope in the one who died and yet lives for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Beware of the Ditch

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? (Luke 6:39 KJV)

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

Do you remember the children's song that reminds us to be careful about what we see, what we hear, what we say, what we do, where we go?" 

When young people use the excuse "everyone does it" for doing what they should not do, they are often asked if they'd jump off a cliff if everyone else did it. Of course, most would not. We do have to be cautious regarding who it is we are following. We must ask ourselves if the path we are following end in a ditch or at the bottom of a cliff; where we will find ourselves destitute. Or, will the path we are following lead us to a place in the eternal presence of God where we will definitely know peace?  

There are times when we must see or hear things; times when we must go to places that can be quite dangerous in order to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. But, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of following those who would lead us away from the path that the Lord has shown us. The Lord has a good plan for us. When we choose to follow in the ways of those who are heading for the ditch we are going to end up in the ditch with them. 

There is always the hope that through us the Lord might speak to those who are heading for a ditch and they just might turn around and follow Jesus. There is always that hope. We should always pray that would be the result. But, we must be careful that we do not end up following in the ways of others that would lead us astray.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Good Soil + Good Seed = Good Fruit

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

                                                                        (Matt 13:3-9 KJV)

So many times I have been told by people that they just do not understand the scriptures when they are read to them during worship or even when they read them themselves. They do claim to understand what the preacher says in his or her sermons; but, not the word of God. At times like that I cannot help but wonder what the preacher is saying. Is the preacher really proclaiming the word of God or speaking to please the itching ears? Could it possibly be that the itching ears will hear only what they want to hear?

Good soil is soil that will receive a good seed helping the good seed to be fruitful.  The good soil is our hearts and minds. The good seed is the word of God. When the word of God is planted in an open heart and mind; the word which is planted will bring forth much fruit for the Kingdom of God. 

Alas, when the word of God is planted in a stony heart or mind, it just may catch hold for awhile but will soon wither away bearing no fruit for the Kingdom of God.

May God our Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit open that hearts, minds, eyes and ears of us all that we might have a greater understanding of all that our Lord Jesus, who is the Word, loves us and has done for us so that we in turn might glorify His Holy Name in all that we say and think and do. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Vision Of The Multitudes

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

                                                                                                (Rev 7:9-12 KJV)

What a vision the multitudes praising God must have been. I cannot wait to see it for myself with my own eyes. That great multitude who have come though the tribulation and have been sealed by God are promised:

"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." (Rev 7:16-17)

Thanks be to God for salvation belongs to our God and we will live with Him in His kingdom forever!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wisdom From The Beginning

The Lord possessed wisdom before anything was created; without it
not a thing would have been made that was made. 

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

                                                                                       (Prov 8:22-23 KJV)

Wisdom tells us that she existed from the very beginning. She is very, very old. Sometimes, it seems as though wisdom may have been evicted from the earth. Sometimes, it seems like along with wisdom went common sense! But, then again, common sense would probably mean what is the common or prevalent wisdom of the day so that would make common sense alive today; but, not necessarily wise. 

Personally, I prefer the wisdom of old. The wisdom of today somehow seems like a lot of exaggeration and even lies; stories to encourage one to do what one pleases for themselves without thought to the way that the Lord's wisdom would have us go; without thought to the consequences of not following in that way.

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isa 5:21)

The Lord's wisdom existed from the very beginning. It existed before any of creation. That wisdom is probably worth listening to.

God's Peace - Pr. J