The Beauty of Scripture

Now turn to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen ~ Ephesians 3:20, 21 How do you convince someone that God is not done with them yet, that there is more planned for them, and that who they are now is not who they will yet be? We cannot change ourselves, or, at least what we can do is always limited by what we have within us. God, on the other hand, is able to do immeasurably more with us than we can ever imagine! When God comes into the factor, He is able to do all things! All we may ask or think, every good we have heard, or read, every good promise from God we can imagine and ask for. We can ask even for more than even what God has specified in His word, and beyond our own limited imaginations! God is not only able to bring these about, but He is willing! What we must ask for though, is the good,...

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation ~ Isaiah 12:2 God is my source of salvation. I cannot save myself, or redeem myself. Barnes says God is the author or source of our salvation and I think this is very apt. Jesus, our Saviour, and part of the Godhead was sent by God the Father through His covenant promise, to save the whole world. I trust in Him for my salvation, and as such, I can rest secure that I am safe from all His wrath and condemnation, and from every enemy of my soul. I am not afraid of Satan, the world, death, eternal separation from God in hell, for my soul is safe in the power of Christ through the blood of Christ! I need not depend on any other for my salvation; not friend, or spouse, or parent or child, for not one of those can save me. There is no earthly relationship I can trust in to defend me the way the Lord will defend me, or strengthen me the way I...

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness ~ 1 John 1:9 Sin exists in the soul in guilt which requires forgiveness or pardon, and in pollution which requires cleansing. Guilt, to be forgiven, must be confessed, and pollution, to be cleansed, must also be confessed. In the act of confession, we admit we are a sinner, and our acts, whether involving another or not, always involve God. It is not only to the other we must confess and seek forgiveness, but we must confess before God! When we come to Him that is sinless, holy, pure, just and faithful we can apply for pardon just as we would in a court of law before a judge. In order to get a clean heart, we must acknowledge our wickedness before God, we must condemn it before God, so He may purify our soul. How many are not cleansed from their sin because they do not feel they have to confess the sickness which has settled in the heart by sin? Oh, that people wo...

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy ~ Micah 7:18 There is no God like our God! And if you have placed another god above the God of the Bible, you are worshipping the wrong god. There is none like the God who sent his Son, Jesus Christ into the world to take our sin. And for those who take a false view of the true God, here to is a challenge for you. The God I worship pardons my sins when I ask, for Jesus paid my price. The God I worship heals me when I slide back in my faith, and He restores me. The God I worship, though He cannot bear when I sin, will not stay angry with me forever, but will pour out His mercy upon my life, and draw me back to Him. No matter my sin, big or small, He will cast all of them into the depths of the sea, and never more remember them. I read, or heard the other day there is a deep channel in the ocean. Its depth is so great Mou...

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea ~ Habakkuk 2:14 Nature is beautiful, and in it I see God’s handiwork, but it still only gives me a small glimpse into the God I love and worship. Nature can tell me nothing of His mercy and forgiving love. It tells me nothing about the Son sent to take my place on the cross. Nature tells me nothing about how to draw closer to my God in relationship, or in following Him, or in obeying Him. But as nature surrounds us all, so the universality of God will one day be celebrated throughout this whole world. Nature is near me, the universe is around me, and it is here where any and every region will come to know the fullness of the God of heaven. The world now is ever more closer in the state it was when Habakkuk wrote these words: a state in which because of the world’s sins, God was hidden. A time will come when God will again be known, when sin will reap its reward, and when God will ...

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures ~ James 4:3 It sounds a bit like a contradiction from Jesus words which tell us to ask for anything and it will be given (Matthew 7:7). It is not a contradiction, but a deeper explanation. It all comes down to the motive. God does answer prayer, but not all prayer, not when it is a prayer for selfish gain, selfish gratification. Then God will not answer. If one asks without submitting to the will of God, or to do good to your brother or sister, or with thankfulness, you will not receive. If your prayer is for yourself and your own lusts (a better home, a bigger paycheck and you can add what your lusts may be), then you are not desiring to show God’s kingdom, but your own. It isn’t that you should not pray for yourself, but what we pray for is the desired closeness of God, to be more like Him, to show His love to those around us, and that our life might glori...

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken ~ Psalm 55:22 I don’t know what could be simpler, yet so difficult for us as humans. We want to fix it, simple as that! I can do it on my own! One of the worst songs I know is the song, “I did it my way!” but the plain truth is, we cannot fix anything! We plunder our way through life without the God who is the Great Fixer! We stumble in the dark without the Great Light! So, today…whatever care you may have, whatever trial may afflict you, whatever hurdle you have to jump, don’t do it alone! Place your burdens on Jesus and He alone can help you through the muck of it all, He alone will bear both you and your burden! His promise is the righteous will never be shaken, never be moved. You will be as safe as if you were in heaven for He will not allow anything to permanently remove you from your hope! You will not fall away, you will not perish, no matter the trial which will come upon you...

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have receive it, and it will be yours ~ Mark 11:24 Jesus said, “whatever you ask for in prayer,” meaning that we need to ask specifically. “Bless mom and pop” is okay, but how about asking in a definitive way for mom and pop. Are they dealing with cancer? What kind? Where is it located? Can you visualize its spot, what needs to happen for healing to take place? I believe the clearer we pray for something the more direct will be the answer we receive. Be simple and direct with your pleadings, making straight aim at the object of your petitions. Be honest in your desire. If we come before God with half-heartedness, why should He listen? Would you, if your child came and limply asked for something from you? More than likely, you would put the thought aside, believing they were asking for the sake of asking, and not because they truly needed or wanted that thing. Then, you must have faith! Faith in the God who ans...

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servant of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord ~ Isaiah 54:17 The Lord protects his children. This is not to say we will not go through the fire, but it is to say that no matter what the world throws at us, we will be vindicated by the Lord either in this lifetime, or the next. No weapon forged, not the spear, or sword, or any “modern” weapon the enemy of our soul may create will prosper and have final say. There might be, for a time, affliction permitted, but there will not be complete success which would remain final. And no one will be able to injure you with words of accusation. If you stand in truth, Truth will prevail. The enemy of our soul may have command of the earth’s principalities and powers, he may be skilled in hostility, and he certainly aimed these at Jesus Christ, but he did not win! Jesus has overcome the ene...

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 Human fear binds us, imprisons us, keeps us from the adventure of life! We hide behind the timid demeanour and are afraid of everything and anything, and life passes by. Sometimes this fear, from whatever it may be, keeps people imprisoned in their home, away from friends and family. Some fear they don’t work hard enough to gain God’s favour and love, and thereby do not receive His grace as authentic. This fear is bondage and cowardice. The Christ follower is given a three-fold gift. First, we have the spirit of power. We have the power to teach and speak about the Kingdom of God, to not fear a world which would persecute, but to stand boldly in the name of Jesus and proclaim Him. Second, is the spirit of love. God is love, and all He does toward us stems from His great love. Genuine Christians are kind and caring, looking out for the one for whom life is a struggle. ...