Abide in God

               Abide in God

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”  John 15:5-6  

I am fascinated by the word ‘Abide’.  What does the word ‘abide’ mean: to obey, observe, follow, conform to and stand by? Isn’t that what we all want in our own personal relationships?  In a way it is like a marriage covenant between the bride and groom.  I am aware the wording of that has changed because women don’t want the word, “obey” in their ceremony. Biblically speaking, anyone who changes or removes the word obey is going against God’s plan.

If both husband and wife are Christians and are ‘abiding’ in God, there should be no problem with the word ‘obey’, because we would both be in agreement!  Now hold on, is this being realistic?  Not in today’s world, but in God’s plan the answer is yes. Did anyone tell you before you were married, that it’s a two-way street?  You both may have your own opinions and yet you need to come together in the middle and end up in agreement.  So many arguments over needless things end up in divorce because neither wants to give in to the other. 

I John 4:13 gives you so much insight on obeying God. “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”  Wow!  If we have the Spirit of God in us, there should be no question that we are abiding with him; we are agreeing with God and his plan for our lives.  It even goes on to say (vs. 15) “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”   The fact of the matter is, if you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, you are ‘abiding’ in God and He in you and that means you must obey God!

Now that we understand what ‘abiding’ in God the Father means, we can see that it’s not a choice if we are saved and filled with His Spirit.  He is already abiding in us.  Do we always obey what He tells us to do? No, because we are humans and as humans we err.  Therefore we must add another part of his meaning to this and that word is ‘Forgiveness’.  When we make mistakes in ways that are offensive to God and to the Holy Spirit, there is but one thing to do and that is to ask God’s forgiveness. 

God will not forgive our sinful ways if we don’t ask him.  If we ask for forgiveness, he’s ready right then to forgive you because He abides in you.  Who can know how wonderful his love is?  Whom of us would take our son or daughter and hand them over to be killed because we are sorry for someone else.  I know I wouldn’t do it.   However, God loved you so much he sacrificed his only Son so you could have the opportunity to ‘abide’ in him and have eternal life.

If we hold true to him until our time on earth is finished, we will spend eternity in heaven.  I John 2:28 tells us this: “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”  This is what we all should be striving for and building our confidence to be prepared for.  Jesus may be returning to this earth sooner than we think so considering your soul, be prepared to meet him when he comes.  Abide, abide, abide in God!

Breath of God - Part 2

The Breath of God – Part 2

“In whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every living thing.”  Job 12:10

Chapter 5 in Genesis is the written account of the descendants of Adam. When God created human beings, he made them to be like himself. The oldest man ever to have lived was Methuselah who lived 969 years.  He was also the grandfather of Noah. By the time Noah was 500 years old he had 3 sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

No one knows how many years passed and peopled multiplied on the earth, but they became so evil God was grieved in His heart. In Genesis 6:7 “So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

Then God told Noah that he was going to destroy the earth.  But because Noah was a righteous man, God told Noah that he, his sons, his wife and son’s wives would be saved from the great flood coming to the earth.  So Noah and his family did everything God told them to do from building the ark to bringing all living creatures into the ark before the flood began.

When it began and all was ready, God told Noah for all of them to come into the ark and God closed the door of the ark and sealed it. Noah was 600 years old, “When all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.” 

At last the day came when God told Noah and his family to empty the ark of both man and beast.  It was then the first altar was built and a burnt offering was made unto God!  Genesis 9:1 “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”  Genesis 9:8-11 “Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God Put a rainbow in the sky as His sign of the Covenant.  “And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.”  (Genesis 9:28-29)

Now, this was the end of all the people that had been on the earth before the flood and it was also the beginning of God’s covenant with a new mankind. Hundreds of years later, many people inhabited the earth and they all spoke the same language.  They decided to build a city and a tower to reach heaven.  God was not pleased with this for he thought that nothing could stop them from doing whatever they wanted, so he confused their languages so they couldn’t understand each other and scattered them out across the earth. So the building of the tower was stopped and it was called “The Tower of Babel” because the Lord confused their languages.

Out of Noah’s son, Shem were born many sons and daughters and from them were born many more.  Out of some born, was a man named Terah and had three sons, Abram, Nahor and Haran.  Then Terah took Abram and his grandson, Lot and Abram’s wife, Sarai and moved to a place called Harran.  There he lived until he died at age two hundred and five years.

From here we read the story about Abram whom God changed his name to Abraham and his wife Saria who was then called Sarah.  Thus begins the birth of Israel and whole story of God’s people whom he loved and still does. God blessed Abram and promised he would be the Father of a great nation. All this and more, came about from God breathing his Spirit into the man he made from dust and calling him man.  Then taking one of his ribs and making a women whom he called Eve.

                 From all of this came you and me!

The Breath of God!

The Breath of God

“In whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every living thing.”  Job 12:10

Many great scholars believe that the first part of Genesis shows there were two creations.  You will have to study this yourself, but here are a couple of things to think about.  In Genesis 1:27-28 “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (NKJ)

Now we go to Genesis 2:5-8 “For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.”

I personally have so many questions on these two passages of scripture and hope someday for some answers.  In the meanwhile, going on with this incredible story, Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree that God told them never to do and sin was BORN! God cursed the ground and cursed pain on Eve during childbirth.  Then they both were driven from Eden.  From then on they were to know a life of toil and a life of sin

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“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  (Genesis 4:1-2) This next part shows how far this little family had fallen.  Satan’s evil had poisoned so much that jealousy came into their lives.  Let’s stop here to consider the word; jealousy.

I believe that the word ‘Jealousy’ is the cause of every sin.  Out of jealousy comes forth ‘Greed’ which brings forth every criminal thought and action there is.  There was even jealousy in Heaven; Satan was jealous of God and tried to destroy God.  Satan still uses the same tactics he has always used; speaking jealousy in peoples mind.  If one allows it, the consequences are deadly.

Both Cain and Abel gave up an offering to God, but God only accepted Abel’s.  It appears that Cain did not follow God’s command.  This caused jealousy to rise up and murder rose in Cain’s heart and he killed his brother.  Cain was cursed and God sent Cain out into the wilderness, but God did put a mark on Cain so no one would kill him.  Cain wandered around until he came to live in the land of Nod. Suddenly he has a wife with him and she is pregnant and she bore a son, Enoch.  “And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son--Enoch.” (Genesis 4:17) (This Enoch is not the one that comes later and walks with God.)

Wow, where did Cain’s wife come from? I’ve heard the story that she was his sister and hundreds of years later, Cain married his sister.  I personally don’t believe that’s true.  Remember back in Genesis one, “male and female He created them.”  Then God told them to be fruitful and multiply the earth.  Where did those people go at that time? I believe they were still around and somehow, men always seem to find women.

Genesis 4:25-26, “And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed. And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.”   Far from Eden humans began to question and realize there was a mighty God, Jehovah who was there for them. He watched over them and loved them; there was a reason for them to go on and follow Him, so they began to worship Him.

To continue next week.

Acts of God's Power

Acts of God’s Power

2 Chronicles 20:15 and 17

“And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.”  Verse 17 “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.”

Now that we have begun the New Year and the tinsel, lights and dinners are over, let’s get serious about what God wants us to do now.  Over the Holidays I heard a pastor on TV talking about King Jehoshaphat and it made me so curious I thought I should look into it. What I found astounded me; although I had read it all many times; the absolute Power of God, Almighty!

Listen to this assurance, “Do not fear of be dismayed.” There was multitudes coming after King Jehoshaphat and his people in Jerusalem and God told him, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” The battle belonged to the Lord and the same is true today, the battle belongs to the Lord!  If you are going through something today like illness, financial problems, relationships, etc., the battle belongs to the Lord. Stand still and let God take care of everything.

It reminds me of another battle when Moses had led the Israelites to the Red Sea and there was no place to go.  The Egyptians were there ready to kill them all, when the sea parted and they all walked safely to the other side. “Then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained.” (Ex. 14:27-28)  The battle belonged to the Lord. 

I know you’ve heard all this before, but let’s concentrate on this: the power of God.  Do we really understand such power? Do you really understand that in one breath, God could wipe us all away; turn us to dust and be forgotten forever?  He doesn’t do that because of his great love for those who believe.  If you do not believe in the power of God, He will patiently wait for you to become his.  However, there will come a time when it’s too late.  We can’t always play around with our heavenly Father.

A good example of this is found in Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

Let’s look at this in a different way.  All the virgins knew about Jesus, but half of them didn’t want to be bothered to live the way the Bible tells us to.  They didn’t really believe that God is so powerful. They just wanted to play around with Christianity.  They thought they had all the time in the world to get serious.

  

There are really two messages in these scriptures and one is if we stand and believe He will be there for us and the other is, don’t play around with such a powerful God.  Remember what he did to those who wanted to kill King Jehoshaphat and Israelites.  Remember what he did to the Egyptians who wanted to kill Moses and God’s people at the Red Sea. Remember what happened to five virgins who did not make it into heaven; he said he didn’t know them.It’s time to stand up for God, believe in him, be obedient and he will have your back.  He will make all things right in his time.  My slogan for the year is this:        “May our hearts be made clean - in two thousand nineteen!”