The Miracle Worker

 A Centurion's Faith and a Dead Man Raised

 Book of Luke Chapter 7

 As we get into the miracles of Jesus Christ, let's talk about the Lord Jesus, the miracle worker.

 The Lord Jesus Christ was also a miracle worker, but we should understand that for the most part, He did these miracles to show the people He is God Almighty.

 Another thing we should see about the miracles of Jesus, He did things that only God could do.

 Such healing of a leper, the knowledge to heal a leper, is something only God can do.

 There is still no cure for leprosy even today.

 It is the same for a sinner; there is no cure for sin other than the "Grace" of God that comes in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can say that sin is a disease that only the Lord Jesus Christ can heal.

 Another miracle happened when the Lord Jesus gave sight to the blind man. There is still no cure for blindness today.

 Jesus came to this earth to open all our eyes to the truth of our Holy God.

 Psa 146:8  The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: 

 There is another prophecy that led the Lord Jesus to perform miracles. Isa 29:18  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 

The Bible must remain the truth of the Almighty God! 

Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 

Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

 What is the greatest miracle of Jesus Christ? Isa 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 

 Isa 44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. 

 The religious leaders of Jerusalem had no way to explain the miracles that were done by Jesus Christ without admitting He was truly the Messiah, which they were not about to do.

 They came up with a plan.

 Mat 12:22  Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 

Mat 12:23  And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 

Mat 12:24  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 

 This is the sin against the Holy Spirit.

 This sin cannot be forgiven because these wicked men had seen that Jesus had performed these miracles, His words, and His works.

 These Pharisees dogmatically reported that Jesus performed these miracles under the power of Satan.

 The miracles could not be denied, but they refused to acknowledge that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

 There will be no opportunity for repentance of this sin because it is the same sin of not believing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 Mat 12:31  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. 

Mat 12:32  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. 

 It is a great study just to study the miracles that the Lord did while He was on this earth.

 *****Luk 7:1  Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 

 We should understand one important thing about the Word of God.

 Once we have heard the Word of God, we can no longer remain neutral; we will be on the Lord's side or on the world's side.

 After the Lord Jesus was driven out of Nazareth, He chose Capernaum as the headquarters of His ministry.

 The city of Capernaum saw many great works of the Lord during His time there, but this wicked city never accepted the Lord Jesus as God's Messiah, and it does not exist as a city today.

 Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 

Mat 11:24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.  

The Lord Jesus had just preached a great sermon to those who had gathered to hear Him.

 Capernaum was important enough to Rome that a detachment of Roman soldiers stayed there at all times.

 It was this Roman commander who had provided the money to build a Jewish synagogue in Capernaum.

 *****Luk 7:2  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

 There is a clear lesson to learn in this passage.

 People with great faith also care for other people.

 Most people look down on our military, but I found that when I was a soldier, most soldiers care for people.

 Most soldiers respect others even when they are on assignment in other nations than their own.

 When we see the word slave, we do not usually see a person who is loved or cared for.

 This Centurion would have had to buy this person for him to be a slave, and he had grown attached to his slave.

 A slave in that day was nothing more than a tool to be used and abused by most of those who owned them.

 This slave had become deathly sick and ready to die.

 The lesson we are to learn is that God will not do for those who have no or little faith.

 *****Luk 7:3  And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 

 True faith will humble us because we know we are unworthy to approach God and certainly unworthy to ask God for His help.

 We should understand that once we understand we are saved from the wrath of God, why should we think God owes us anything else?

 This soldier had only heard about the wonderful things the Lord had done, and he believed these things were true, unlike most Jews of that day.

 The Book of Matthew said that this Centurion had approached the Lord Jesus.

 The Book of Luke says that this Centurion sent some religious leaders to approach Jesus.

 The truth is, if a commander sends someone with a message, then it is as if he had approached that person himself.

 Both Luke and Matthew are right in what they wrote by the Holy Spirit.

 No doubt this military man had heard of the wonderful things that Jesus had done.

 We had better believe that Rome had someone in the crowds who approached Jesus to put down any insurrection that occurred, but we know Jesus never preached for rebellion against Rome.

 This Centurion requested help, not for himself but for a slave in his possession.

 He sent priests who were the leaders of the synagogue that he had helped to build.

 Today, we do not need a priest on this earth to intercede for us; we can go straight to our Heavenly Father as long as we go in the name of His Son, Jesus.

 1) Once we are exposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must humble ourselves before the Lord if we want to seek the blessings of God!

 Mic 6:8  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?

 What was told to Jesus about this military man?

 *****Luk 7:4  And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 

Luk 7:5  For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 

 When we have faith in the truth of God, we will want to know more about Him.

 What we see is that some Roman soldiers did have true faith in the God of Israel.

 He did this knowing that his own nation and his own rulers despised the Jews.

 He helped these Jews because he loved the God of Israel, and it was not a fake love.

 The world hated the Jews just as most of the world hates the Jews today.

 When you are a hated person, you will strive to be better than those around you, and this will cause more hatred.

 We can truly narrow this down to the fact that the Jews served the One True God, and the world will always have many gods or be Anti-God.

 God said: Gen_12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

 Those who hate Israel and the Jews also hate the Word of God, no matter what they say!

 The world rejects that it is by faith that God works in our world.

 If there is one thing that the whole world has, it is that there is always someone to blame if things are not going to suit them.

 This is why there are no solutions to problems reached in this world.

 The Jews and the Gentiles have very few dealings with one another.

 The Gentiles were treated with less respect than a dog by the Jews, and so did the Gentiles treat the Jews. We know it is much the same today.

 Mar 7:25  For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 

Mar 7:26  The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 

Mar 7:27  But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 

Mar 7:28  And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. 

Mar 7:29  And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 

 This Roman soldier did not allow these things to interfere with his love of God and his faith in Christ.

 *****Luk 7:6  Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 

Luk 7:7  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 

Luk 7:8  For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 

 We can have faith in a lot of things in this world, and most of them have little or no real meaning because there is no real benefit for them.

 If our faith is real in Jesus Christ, then He knows it, and it means something to Him!

 That soldier of Rome had great faith in Jesus Christ.

 We see this Scripture a lot, but it is a truth we can depend upon: Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

 This is the faith of this soldier from Rome faith even the Jews did not have.

 This faith is believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord with all the power of Heaven.

 This faith is believing that the Lord Jesus Christ will reward those who diligently seek Him, and He will use His power on behalf of those who seek Him.

 This faith is believing that there is nothing impossible for the God of the Bible.

 This faith is believing that all God has to do is speak the Word, and things will happen.

 Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

 If we cannot believe this, then we will never get a prayer answered, and we need to question our salvation.

 *****Luk 7:9  When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 

Luk 7:10  And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. 

 When God has a great admiration for our faith, He will move on our behalf!

 This Gentile from Rome had stirred the heart of our Savior!

 There are only two places in the Scriptures where it is said that Jesus marvelled.

 Here in this passage about the Gentile Roman soldier and the people of Nazareth, His hometown who had no faith.

 Mar 6:4  But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 

Mar 6:5  And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 

Mar 6:6  And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

 There will be no great works in our life, in our church, nor in our ministries without "Great Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ!

 It did not matter if this man was a Roman.

It did not matter if this man was a Gentile.

It did not matter if this man was a soldier who had followed commands, even commands to kill.

It only mattered that he had great faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The Lord Jesus Christ has the power to do as He says He will do and the power to meet all our needs!

 Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 

Mar 11:23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 

Mar 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 

 This is the power to answer any prayer!

 *****Luk 7:11  And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 

 The city of Nain was only six miles from the city of Nazareth, and this distance could be walked in less than a day.

 This is the same area where Elisha had raised the son of a Shunammite woman, so this area had seen the power of God.

 There were many witnesses to this resurrection because it was a funeral procession.

 Many unbelievers had followed the Lord Jesus from Nazareth.

 The disciples of Jesus were with Him.

 The timing of the arrival of the Lord Jesus was perfect.

 *****Luk 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and many people of the city were with her. 

Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 

 We have stated before that for a woman to be left on her own in this day, it would be hard for her to survive.

 The women of that day were homemakers, while the husband and sons, if she had one, would provide for the home.

 We saw she was a widow, so her husband had already passed.

 In typology, Israel is a widow without a husband today because the Jews still reject the Lord of Glory.

 She is now attending the funeral of her only begotten son.

 All of Israel's hope lies in the only Begotten Son of God, the Son who will die for their sins as He did for all sinners. They must first admit that they are sinners.

 Was this the reason that the Lord Jesus had compassion on her? It was at least part of it.

 The crowd of people attending the funeral and the crowd of people following the Lord Jesus Christ all met together at the gates of the city.

 The crowd of the city walks with death.

 The crowd with Jesus walks with Life.

 What we will witness is that death will lose to the Giver of Life.

 Death has the last word for the unbeliever.

Life has the last word for the believer.

 Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 When death meets the Lord Jesus Christ, death will have to give way to Life!

 Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

 The Lord Jesus was touched by this whole scene. This mother was a type of the love that God has for His children.

 We should also notice that no one had asked the Lord Jesus for help.

 We see that God does act sometimes out of His own compassion. Why?

 Joh 3:16  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. 

 Compassion is a mix of passion, love, and sorrow.

 *****Luk 7:14  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 

Luk 7:15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 

 A bier was a flat wooden frame on which the body of the dead was carried from the house to the grave.

 The body of the Lord Jesus would lie on such a bier in a couple of years in Jerusalem.

 We know that contact with a dead body was forbidden by the Laws of Moses as a source of defilement.

 Num 19:11  He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. 

 Though God can do as He pleases, the Lord Jesus did not touch the body of this young man but only touched the bier, as written by Luke.

 Jesus then spoke: Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

 1) The Lord Jesus did have the power to bypass traditional beliefs. The Lord Jesus Christ possesses the right and the power to override all religious laws and beliefs and over life and death as our Creator, but He would never go against the written Word of God.

 2) The Lord Jesus Christ has the power to stop the death processional. The pallbearers stopped without Jesus saying a word to them.

 3) The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has the power to raise the dead. He commanded life to return to this young man. 

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 

Joh 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 

Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 

We should understand that everyone who was raised from the dead by Jesus while he was first on this earth later died again.

 The Lord Jesus Christ tells us exactly what will happen after the death of the believer and the death of the unbeliever.

 The souls of the believers will return with Christ.

 The souls of the unbeliever will be reunited with their mangled bodies in the Burning Lake of Fire.

 *****Luk 7:16  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 

Luk 7:17  And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. 

 These people in Nain had never seen such a thing as this.

The disciples of Christ had never seen such a thing as this.

All those who were following the Lord as spies for the religious had never seen such a thing as this resurrection of the dead.

 Many of them had a great fear of what they saw.

 This was a fear of reverence and awe. This is the same fear that we all should have.

 Jhn_6:48  I am that bread of life.

 Jhn_14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

As far as the human body is concerned, death has the last word.

As far as the Christian is concerned, death is the next step into God's Heaven.

When death is confronted with life, death loses.

Death has no right to the body of a Christian!

1Th_4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

There was only one thing left to do, and this was to glorify God.

All those present all knew one thing, and it was that only the Living God had the power to raise the dead back to life.

The Lord Jesus was not asked for any help.

The Lord Jesus saw this poor mother and had compassion upon her.

We serve a compassionate and loving God who can be touched by the suffering of His people.

Our God is the only source of true consolation.

The Lord's compassion is followed up with His "Grace".  The free, unmerited love and favor of God is the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from Him.

Why did God send His Son to save us to begin with? Because He had compassion on us and was willing to show His Grace to us.

Those words "God hath visited His people" mean they should have recognized that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but they did not have enough faith, and even this little faith did not last long.

They began to see the Lord Jesus as only a Prophet of God, though He was a Prophet, He was so much more than a Prophet. He was God's Son.

Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 

Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 

Luk 19:43  For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 

Luk 19:44  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 

The Muslims and other religions call Him Prophet, but I call Him Savior. I call Him God!

We can look forward to the Rapture of the Church or the day after our death when we hear the voice of the Lord calling us home.

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Amen

Born of A Virgin

  The Virgin Birth of Jesus

 Book of Luke Chapter 2

 We should understand that the word virgin means exactly what it says.

 The Lord Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, just as prophecy intended.

 Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

 There is no better way to describe this birth than to say a Virgin Birth.

 Mat 1:22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 

Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

 Mary was a virgin before the birth of Jesus Christ, and Mary was a virgin after she gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Many Christians today say Mary died as a virgin, but I trust the Scriptures.

 Mrk_6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

 I believe these are the sons and daughters of Joseph and half-brothers and half-sisters of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 We should also understand that the Jewish priests all had to marry virgins, and the Lord Jesus can only accept the Church as the Bride of Christ if it is without spot and without blemish.

The Lord Jesus Christ is right now our perfect High Priest!

 This is the reason He died in our place so that the Church to be not just forgiven but "justified".

 Just as if no sin had taken place.

 Rom_5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

 Chapter 2 Verse 1

 *****Luk 2:1  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

 Prophecy had said the Messiah of God would be born in Bethlehem.

 Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

 Bethlehem means the "house of bread".

Ephrathah means "fertile".

 Our Messiah is the true food of His people.

 Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 

 Seven hundred years before the birth of the Messiah, the prophet Micah said it would take place.

Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

 Mary lived in Nazareth with her family, and she was now heavy with child.

 We ask ourselves, does God have powers that we do not understand? It’s called the providence of God.

 God had given His message of the virgin birth through one of the most powerful angels that stood before Him, Gabriel.

 God, in His own power, caused the virgin birth through the power of the Holy Spirit, the greatest power upon this earth today.

 God used the most powerful man in the world at that time, Caesar, to get the Virgin Mary to Bethlehem before the Lord Jesus Christ was born somewhere else, making the Word of God have errors.

 There are no errors in the prophecies, and there are no errors in the Word of God!

 At this time, Caesar Augustus reigned in Israel because there was no throne of God upon this earth.

 God uses all the rulers of all nations to fulfill His own plan for this world.

 Pro 21:1  The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 

 Joseph also has to go to Bethlehem because King David was from Bethlehem.

Mary did not have to go to Bethlehem, but she was also a descendant of David through his son Nathan.

 *****Luk 2:2  (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

Luk 2:3  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  

 When Cyrenius was governor of Syria, Publius Sulpicius Quirinus governed the province of Syria, in which Judea was then included.

Cyrenius was second in command at that time, but he would still be referred to as governor, so this is not a mistake of Scripture as some claim.

 The one thing we know for sure is that the fullness of time that Jehovah had determined had come.

 Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

 Daniel wrote: Dan 9:24  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 

Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 

Dan 9:26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 

 So, these things took place just as God had said they would, and the priests of Israel should have recognized the hand of God in these things.

The High Priest had for many years been chosen by Rome and was not a descendant of Aaron, and they were more interested in their pocketbooks than the Word of God.

 *****Luk 2:4  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 

Luk 2:5  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 

Luk 2:6  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 

 Bethlehem Ephratah was only six miles from Jerusalem, and it is the same place that provided the sheep for the sacrifices at the Temple.

 Rachel the second wife of Jacob, had died giving birth to Benjamin there.

The story of Ruth takes place there.

The early years of the life of David were there.

 Today it is called Beit Lahm, which means "house of flesh".

 Today, those men in this place wear the green turban, which shows them to be the undisputed descendants of Mohammed.

 Much of Judah at this time showed signs of war, but the world of that day of Augustus was, for the most part, at peace under this cruel ruler who sat on the throne in Rome.

 In verse five, we see that Mary is still espoused to Joseph because they had not consummated their marriage, and they would not until after the birth of Jesus Christ.

 An espousal was considered sacred, though that marriage had not been consummated.

 We could say that the Church is espoused to the Lord Jesus Christ, waiting on Him to come get His Bride and take us home to show His Father His wife.

 *****Luk 2:7  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 

 The way the family of Jesus was treated in Bethlehem was a prophecy of the way the world has treated Jesus Christ ever since.

 Many disagree, but we see here that the Holy Spirit confirms that Jesus was considered the firstborn of the Virgin Mary.

 If there is a first, then there must be a second.

 The Lord Jesus was not born in pleasant surroundings. We all know the smell of stables.

 He was turned away by people from the very beginning, as He is today.

 If the world had cared, a room would have been provided for this young mother.

 This mother had only herself to bring for this birth, as she herself wrapped this child Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger.

 The Lord Jesus was born into a corrupt world under the rule of a Roman dictator, with Herod the false king of Judea.

 None of these things stopped Shiloh from coming.

 Gen 49:9  Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

 It is the simplicity of Luke's Gospel that is a mark of truthfulness.

 We know the Holy Spirit does not allow error in the Word of God.

 Much of the world missed the first coming of Jesus the Messiah, and most of the world will miss the Second Coming of the Messiah.

 Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

 *****Luk 2:8  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

Luk 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 

Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

 We could probably say that no one has actually seen a real angel, yet these same shepherds got to see a real angel; in fact, they got to see a Heavenly Host of angels.

 In the time of Christ Jesus, shepherds were seen as the lowest class of people in Judea.

 People just did not see shepherds praising and glorifying God.

 Shepherds just had a bad reputation, and they were snubbed by the religious groups.

 Religious groups have not changed since that time, and they still snub the True Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The Lord Jesus said Jhn_10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

 The Lord Jesus said Jhn 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

 Because of their work, shepherds could not attend the services at the Temple, and they were looked down upon for this.

 All people, but religious people, know that tending animals is a seven-day-a-week job.

 They could not keep the ceremonial laws of washing and cleansing, so they were despised.

 We can see that the Almighty God does not think much of religion, so He gave His first message of salvation to these lowly shepherds that everyone else considered to be dirty, rotten sinners.

 I was a dirty rotten sinner myself.

 The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God!

 What had Abraham said to Isaac? Gen_22:8  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:

 John the Baptist, the forerunner for Christ, said: Jhn_1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

 Again, John 1:36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

 John the Apostle wrote: Rev_7:17  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.

 Again, Rev_19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

 One more: Rev_22:3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

 Praise God for His precious Lamb that took away our sin.

 The shekinah glory of God, which symbolized the Divine Presence of God, had not been seen in over four hundred years.

 Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 

Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 

 Hab 2:14  For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. 

 The angel's message was a message of reassurance and "Good News".

 The Messiah was now among His people; it was time to go visit Him.

 The Jews required a sign, so the sign was that they would find Him lying in a manger, the feeding place.

 Angels make a great impression, so these shepherds now had the fear of the Lord.

 The bright light was the Shekinah glory of God and did not come from the angels.

 The Messiah had come for all people and not just the Jews.

 When the Messiah returns in the clouds, He comes for His own people. All those who have accepted His Messiah.

 Rom_9:26  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

 The Messiah came as our Savior, not our judge nor a politician.

 The Messiah came for miserable sinners.

 A wise man once said that the only thing we have to offer when we meet our Savior is a "dirty rotten sinner".

 This Savior, the Lamb of God, is the Lord Jesus Christ!

 He is the Anointed One of God and Lord of all creation!

 He is Yahweh, the God of the Covenant.

 On His first night, the Messiah could be found in the "City of David" because He is also the promised Son of David.

 Israel was expecting a Messiah who is a Mighty Warrior, dressed wonderfully and sitting upon a throne, but that Messiah has not yet returned; but He will.

 They would only see a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes who was so poor that He was born in a stable because He had come as a lowly shepherd and not as King.

 *****Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 

Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

 Suddenly, this angel of the Lord was not alone; there was an army of angels with him.

 There are many angels, and all of Heaven could have come down to glorify the God of Heaven.

 Rev_5:11  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

There are just too many to count!

 Angels do not really understand the salvation plan of God, but they do know who their Creator is.

 These shepherds got to see a little bit of Heaven and Heaven's power.

 They cried out for the glory of the Highest possible Being they knew.

They cried out for the One they know that dwells in the Highest Heaven.

They cried out for peace on earth.

They cried out for the goodwill of all mankind.

They cried out for all mankind to be reconciled to God.

They cried out for the sin problem on earth to be solved.

 Col 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 

Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 

Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 

 *****Luk 2:15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 

Luk 2:16  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Luk 2:17  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 

Luk 2:18  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 

All these things had excited these shepherds so much that they left their flocks and went with haste to Bethlehem.

If the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ does not get us excited, then we are missing out on the greatest event that happened on this earth.

These simple shepherds felt that the time to act upon that information was right now.

Once we realize we have a Savior, we need to act upon that information immediately!

Once they knew what the angels had said was true, they too began to tell the world about God's Messiah.

They had believed those angels, but they would not be believed.

No one yet knew that God was coming down to earth to live within His people.

Nothing is said about Mary and Joseph except that they were there.

To these shepherds, it was all about that babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.

When these shepherds told others about all the things the angels had said, it did not stir the people because they were still looking for a mighty king.

To them, it would be too shameful for the Messiah to be born in a nasty stable.

They had no faith in the truth of God!

Mary, the Virgin Mother of Jesus, would keep all these things inside her.

This is the sweet view of "Grace", which is silent and waiting upon the Lord.

The perfect gift from our Holy God!

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

Amen

John the Baptist is Born

 The Birth of John the Baptist

 Book of Luke Chapter 1 Verses 57 through 80

 Elisabeth's pregnancy goes full term without complications, naturally.

 John's life began to develop in his mother's womb, just as all babies do.

 Elisabeth already knew that she would have a son because the angel Gabriel had said that God had decided.

 God had decided the name for this son would be John and not Zacharias or another name from the family of Zacharias.

 The birth of John the Baptist brought great joy to this family because they had recognized that the birth of John was due to the mercy of God.

 The birth of John the Baptist was a significant event for every generation, including today.

 *****Luk 1:57  Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 

Luk 1:58  And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 

 Elisabeth had forgotten her baroness because it had been replaced with joy.

 We too can have joy because we live in a time when the Lord Jesus Christ could return in the clouds at any moment.

 The Lord Jesus Christ said His return could be somewhat compared to the birth of a child.

 Joh 16:21  A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 

Joh 16:22  And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 

Because the birth of John was a miraculous birth, many people wondered what manner of child he would be.

 Elisabeth had forgotten all those years she could not have a child.

 She was ready to give her love to this child of God.

 Her friends and family had come by to rejoice with her.

 The birth of John the Baptist was proof again that God will do what He says He will do.

 The birth of John was of God's power over nature.

 The birth of John was evidence that God is the God of life.

 Nothing is impossible for God.

 Luk 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible. 

 Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 

 Prophecy was fulfilled.

 Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 

 Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 

 The Lord Jesus said that John was the fulfillment of these prophecies: Mat 11:10  For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 

 The birth of every child is an awesome miracle of life.

 The birth of John showed us a merciful God who so loves us.

 The birth of John the Baptist is not much different from our own birth.

 It is our job to prepare those we meet to meet the Lord Jesus Christ.

 John was used in God's plan of salvation, and we have the same job on a smaller scale than John had.

 God allowed John the privilege of being the forerunner for the Messiah.

 1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

 All of the family and friends of Elisabeth rejoiced with her.

 The mercy of God was not just for Elisabeth but was for the entire world!

 God always does exactly what He says He will do!

 *****Luk 1:59  And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 

Luk 1:60  And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 

Luk 1:61  And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 

Luk 1:62  And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 

Luk 1:63  And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 

 It was on the day of circumcision, the eighth day after the birth, when a Jewish child was named, and most names came in relation to the father and the father's family.

 John was named by God Himself, and some of these friends of Elisabeth were confused.

 We should know that it is on the eighth day that the blood of a newborn will clot to stop the bleeding, naturally.

 This is why God chose the eighth day.

 Lev_12:3  And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

 Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God made with Abraham.

 Gen 17:9  And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 

Gen 17:10  This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

 We should also understand that circumcision is also a type of Christ.

 Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 

Col 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 

Col 2:11  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: 

Col 2:12  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.

 Those friends and family of Elisabeth and Zacharias could not grasp that something new was at hand, a New Covenant.

 John was circumcised as a sign of the New Covenant that God was about to make for His people.

 Most of the Jews have not accepted the New Covenant even today, but they will while going through the tribulation period of seven years.

 Rom_11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

 The Jews did not stumble to be rejected but once they stumbled, God offered His "grace" to the Gentile world with the purpose of provoking Israel to jealousy.

 The fact that this son was named John is enough proof that this whole event was true!

 Zacharias confirmed it by naming the child John.

 Immediately, the chastening of Zacharias ended, and his voice returned to him.

 *****Luk 1:64  And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 

Luk 1:65  And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 

Luk 1:66  And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

 Zacharias knows that John will be his only son, but he does not give him his own name, which was tradition.

 By doing so, he renounces his rights to John and acknowledges that he is giving him to God.

 He originated from God; he therefore belonged to God!

 Zacharias had a baby dedication by dedicating him to God.

 Unbelief had closed the mouth of Zacharias, but faith had made him free!

 Jhn_8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 Zacharias had not spoken in nine months, but the first words he had were to praise God.

 All those who were there did not understand what was going on.

 They could not explain it, nor could they deny it.

 They could not understand because they had no faith.

 The one thing they knew was that John was something special because they could tell the hand of the Lord was involved in these things.

 They went about all Judaea telling them what had happened on that day of John's circumcision.

 They would not forget what they had seen and heard but kept them in their hearts.

 After our salvation, we should be praising God continuously.

We should be amazed that the Lord would do such a thing as die for our sins.

We should be spreading this "Good News" everywhere we go.

We should see that our destiny lies in the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 1Pe 1:17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

 Psa 111:9  He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. 

Psa 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. 

 Psa 89:7  God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. 

 *****Luk 1:67  And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

 There is one thing we know for sure, and it is that God will never go against His own words.

 God will never break a covenant that He has with us as a group or that He has made with us individually.

 No sooner than when his tongue was loosed, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit.

 Once Zacharias obeyed God, God removed His chastisement from him, and he was healed of his dumbness, and he could speak again.

 1) Zacharias was forgiven for his sin of unbelief.

 We must be aware that every time we question the Word of God, we are committing the sin of doubt, doubting God, doubting our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Remember, it is by faith we are saved! 

 2) Zacharias being filled with the Holy Spirit is a great picture of what happens to every child of God who accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

 We believe and obey God, then and only then, are we filled with God the Holy Spirit.

 Act 2:38  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. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 

 *****Luk 1:68  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 

Luk 1:69  And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 

Luk 1:70  As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 

Luk 1:71  That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 

Luk 1:72  To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 

Luk 1:73  The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 

Luk 1:74  That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 

Luk 1:75  In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 

 The birth of John is the reason for this song of prophecy by Zacharias, but this song is about the yet unborn Jesus Christ.

 This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work.

 The Holy Spirit will always, ALWAYS, lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ!

 It is this same God of Israel who is God the Father of Christianity!

 Just as Jehovah will stand up for Israel as He has done many times already, He is now standing up for Christians throughout this world.

 Notice an important thing here: Zacharias is speaking as if these events are already fulfilled, while they are still in the future.

 Why, because God's promises are guaranteed. God will do just as He says He will do!

 It is God Himself who visited this earth in the person of the Messiah.

 God will not neglect this earth until He has taken all His children to our new home on the New Earth.

 Why has the Messiah come first?

 1) He came to redeem His children.

2) He came to rescue His children from sin

3) He came to save His children.

 Though it is wonderful for those who have faith and accept the Gospel, God paid a tremendous price.

 He paid a life for a life!

 Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 

 Just as promised, the Messiah would come from the House of David.

 Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

 That word "horn" is always a symbol of strength, power, and might.

 The Lord Jesus, the "Horn," is the Mighty One of salvation because He alone possessed the might, the strength, and the power to save.

 We should also add that He is willing.

 These are acts of "mercy and grace".

 These acts prove that God remembers His covenants.

 Every prophet of the Old Testament is proven to have told the truth, and they were murdered just because they spoke the truth of God, just as many are murdered today just because we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 God is working on His plan for this world at all times; He never rests from looking out for His children.

 Jesus is the same Messiah named in the Book of Genesis.

 Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

 The world may have driven a nail through the feet of Jesus, but He still walks through the lives of Christians, and He will walk again upon this earth.

 Satan will not overcome that blow to His head.

 God will remember the promises made to Abraham.

 Gen 26:3  Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 

Gen 26:4  And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 

Gen 26:5  Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. 

 We may think there is turmoil in and around Israel now, but things are going to get worse until the Lord sits upon the throne of David.

 God saves us so that we might serve Him and fulfill the purpose He has for each of us upon this earth.

God saves us so that we can live righteously and serve Him forever.

 We can be at peace knowing that we do not have to fear what the world can do to us because the worst thing the world can do to us is the best thing that can happen to us.

 We must have a clear understanding that we do not need to fear our enemies; we have been saved from them!

We will stand one day in the presence of our Holy God in a new world designed especially for us.

 1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 

1Jn 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us. 

 Now back to John the Baptist.

 *****Luk 1:76  And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 

Luk 1:77  To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 

Luk 1:78  Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 

Luk 1:79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

Luk 1:80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. 

 John would be a prophet of God.

 There had been no prophets for four hundred years, and John would be the first prophet since the prophet Malachi.

 Here in this same verse, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Highest.

 Jhn_10:30  I and my Father are one.

 Highest means the Supreme God, just so no one gets confused.

John was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the "Dayspring from on high". The morning light, the rising sun.

The Messiah, Our Lord Jesus, was sent to give light to those who had been in darkness.

The Messiah was sent to those who are in the shadow of death.

The Messiah was sent to guide our feet through this sinful world.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

The only place in Scripture we see anything about the childhood of John the Baptist is in verse eighty.

He was a boy with a strong heart and commitment.

He had a strong will and decisiveness.

He was strong in his convictions.

He was a servant of the Most High God!

He was committed to follow, obey, and serve God.

He separated himself from the world until it was time for him to preach.

John stayed in the desert till the day of his showing.

John is not told to form a political party.

John is not told to make known God's thoughts to His people.

John is not taught all the fighting methods of his day.

John is not told to form an army.

John is told to trust the Lord!

Our one greatest test is, "do we have faith in the truth of God"?

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

Amen

To Know Him is to Fear Him

 

Wisdom's Instructions About the Fear of the Lord

 Book of Proverbs Chapter 14

 What is the "Fear of the Lord"?

 If we go back to Adam, God's greatest creation, mankind, we know that Adam walked with God in the cool of the day. We can only imagine the conversations they had as they strolled through the Garden of Eden.

 Things changed once Adam had sinned!

 Gen 3:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Gen 3:10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

 Those private walks in the Garden were over because Adam now had a great fear of the Lord, and this fear came to him because of sin.

 We see that Adam's fear stemmed from his awareness of his sin.

 God knew where Adam was hiding, but he wanted Adam to admit that he was now a sinner.

 It is the same thing we must all do to improve our relationship with the Lord God our Creator.

 It is because we have sin in our lives that we must have a reverent "fear of the Lord".

 Then the Lord Jesus came to save us.

 Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 Today, far too many live in fear of what this world is doing to them, and they have forgotten to fear the only One who can send us to Hell.

 The Bible teaches us that we want to avoid Hell, and the only way to do this is to listen to what God has to say and be a doer of the Word of God.

 *****Pro 14:1  Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

 Remembering that wisdom comes from the "Fear of the Lord", we can see that a wise woman makes her home her priority. Her primary focus is on her family.

 She has not built with hammers and saws but with the qualities that make a home a home.

 She builds an atmosphere that supports and strengthens her husband and her children.

 This should be the priority in a wise woman's home.

 Today, with so many single mothers, these things cannot take place as they should.

 God has ordained this role of the wife and mother.

 1Ti 5:14  I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

 Tit 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Tit 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

 This does not mean that the husband should not be involved, nor does this mean that the woman cannot work or be involved in things outside the home.

 It just means her priority is the "Fear of the Lord," which makes her a wise woman, and then she can build with her husband a house that is a home.

 Today, there are far too many who destroy the home through neglect. The first thing they reject is the Word of God, which makes them foolish, and they have no "Fear of the Lord".

 This kind of woman will tear down the family because she puts everything else first before her family and her husband.

 Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Pro 31:11  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Pro 31:12  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

 It pays for the man looking for a wife to choose very carefully, and choose someone who has a reverent fear of the Lord.

 It is the same for a woman looking for a husband.

 *****Pro 14:2  He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

 If we have a reverent fear of the Lord, it will show in the way we live our lives.

 Remember, God will judge us by the way we look at His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 People who have truly placed their trust in the salvation and redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ will live their lives according to the written Word of God.

 We must declare the Lord with our lips and demonstrate it with our lives!

 That word walketh means the way we live our lives, our conduct, and our behavior.

 All those who claim to be Christian and walk like the world are not telling the truth!

 Many denominations are split over this very simple truth of God!

 1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 Repentance is still the great Doctrine of the Bible that we are to keep.

 True repentance is a change of mind and purpose and life, with remission of sin is promised.

 Remission refers to the penalty of sin.

Forgiveness refers to the person.

 *****Pro 14:3  In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

 We can say that the fear of the Lord is also demonstrated by the way people speak.

 The words of a fool will bring his own destruction.

 Psa 64:8  So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

 Whatever power that an arrogant fool thinks he has in the end will be a tool in the hands of the righteous.

 They may cause us pain for a season, but in the end, they will bring their own destruction.

 It can be said that a fool is his own worst enemy!

 Pro 12:6  The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

 *****Pro 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

 Nobody likes to clean up a stall where animals are kept, nor the feeding trough, which is a crib or a manger.

 If a farmer did not have an ox, he would have no crib to clean.

 The farmer who has to clean the ox's crib does so with a smile because the ox does all the hard work that allows his family to have plenty of food.

 The farmer who is taking care of hardworking animals is better off than using his own labor to provide for his family.

 A productive ox is far better than a barn that needs no cleaning.

 There is a great reward that comes from a well-fed ox!

 The same is true of Spiritual food. Walking by faith has its own difficulties, but we will not get to Heaven unless we do.

 1Co 9:9  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

1Co 9:10  Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

 *****Pro 14:5  A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

 A faithful witness cannot be convinced to tell a lie!

 A false witness is someone God hates!

 Pro 6:16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Pro 6:17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Pro 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Pro 6:19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

 One of the things that is wrong in our court system today is the fact that so many lies are told, and no one seems to care, and no one is held accountable.

 By the world's standard, this may seem to be okay, but God's standards are much higher than the world's standards.

 A foolproof test of a person's heart is whether or not he or she will tell the truth.

 A witness is someone who gives testimony in court or some official proceeding.

 A Christian will tell the truth no matter the circumstance.

 We even do wrong when we deal with our children at the time of Christmas and Easter.

 Being faithful should mean much more than some lie for any reason, and we know that our Lord hates a liar, and there is no such thing as a white lie.

 No amount of money should convince us to lie!

No promotion or promises should convince us to lie!

No threat of harm or danger should convince us to lie!

 We are to remain as faithful witnesses no matter the cost!

 Exo 23:1  Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

 Pro 10:18  He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

 Pro 12:19  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

 *****Pro 14:6  A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

 There are times when those who deny God and God's Word seek God's wisdom, but they will never find it.

 The Word of God will remain just another man-made book to them because they do not have the Holy Spirit to discern for them.

 Wisdom is given only to those who have a reverent fear of the Lord!

 Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1Co 2:11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

 *****Pro 14:7  Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

Pro 14:8  The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

Pro 14:9  Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

 God shares His wisdom with His children so we can know how to move away from foolish people.

 No wisdom can be gained from a fool!

 Time spent with fools is wasted time, and we are taught not to waste the little time we have on fools.

 Eph_5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

 Col_4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

 Fools are deceiving themselves, and they will deceive anyone who listens to them.

 When salvation becomes part of our lives, we can look back and see the flaws we were living with and do our best to fix those flaws.

 This is called repentance, and we will need the Holy Spirit to be able to do this.

 Spiritual blindness means the fool thinks he is acceptable to God just as he is and requires no change.

 This one thing is causing the split of many denominations, and we must not get caught up with fools.

 1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

 As we see into the realm of the LGBTQ movement, fools scoff at the concept of feeling guilty for their sins and the need for atonement.

 This applies to every person on this earth!

 They deny the need to repent of their sins!

 They deny that their lifestyle is living in sin and refuse to repent.

 1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

 There can be no righteousness unless we fully accept our accountability to God and are grateful for His mercy and His grace.

 God made a way for us to escape His wrath, and we must do the things He has commanded us to do to be saved.

 *****Pro 14:10  The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

 Neither our joys nor our sorrows can be wholly shared with another person.

 No one can know how we truly feel, to feel that which we feel.

 It is only our Lord Jesus Christ who can know these things about us.

 2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

2Co 1:5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

 This is the exact reason He took on that body of flesh, so He could know exactly how we feel in terrible or even joyous situations.

 We can be sure that as Christians, we will experience great times of joy, but we will also experience those times of mourning and heart pain.

 Those who love us and love the Lord will give us room to go through these times and be ready to come to our aid if we request their help.

 If we are in a Bible believing church, we can be sure that if we are going through some situation, there is someone in that church who has been through a similar situation, and this person will know the comfort that came from God when they needed it.

 It is only Jesus Christ who knows the truth about us!

 Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 We should have a routine that starts with the Lord every day to prepare ourselves to go out into this wicked world.

 We need that hedge of protection that God provides if we are His children!

 We need to spend some time in the Word of God.

 We certainly need to spend some time in conversation with God.

 We must consistently walk in obedience to the Word of God all day.

 We must not only avoid evil but also avoid looking like we are taking part in any evil or wickedness in this world we have become strangers to.

 *****Pro 14:11  The house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Pro 14:13  Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

Pro 14:14  The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

Pro 14:15  The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

 We must prepare for our own end.

 We must prepare for what will occur when our lives on this earth are over.

 We must prepare to meet our God!

 When our heart beats for the last time and our living spirit leaves our body of dirt, every individual will meet God in judgment.

 Heb_9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 Ecc 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

 Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

 Those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, their body is just a house.

 Those who have given their heart to the Lord Jesus, their body is a Tabernacle.

 A house is a permanent dwelling; a Tabernacle is just a temporary dwelling place.

A house is a place for those who are settled, a tent or tabernacle is a place for those on a journey.

A house is more stable than a tent.

A house is of earthly value and more expensive than a tent.

 To those who are lost, a house is more desirable, but the Word of God does not agree.

 An earthly house is the best a lost person can hope for.

 When they reach the end of their days without the Lord, that earthly house is destroyed, and they are homeless throughout eternity.

 That soul that cannot die will spend eternity in Hell.

 Those who love the Lord know their flesh is no more than a tent, and this life is only part of our journey, and we are only passing through this world to get to our permanent home in God's New Heaven.

 2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

 Those who are lost trust in their own judgment, which will lead to eternal torment and eternal death!

 Those who love the Lord Jesus trust in God's way, the way that leads to true life, which is eternal life!

 It is a tragic mistake to believe that there is no God who is our Creator, and we have to abide by His Word.

 All those who are deceived have been deceived by Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, and Shintoism, and the Dalai Lama, Joseph Smith, Charles Russel, and L. Ron Hubbard, and any salvation by works.

 Even those who are atheists have been deceived.

 Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 We may all travel the mountains and the valleys of this world, but to God's children, He will travel with them, and He is always ready to take them home at the end of that last breath here in this world.

 These things are not true for all the others who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

 These things are serious and not things that can be laughed at.

 The backslider in heart is the one who turns away from God, and he will reap the rewards of his wickedness: Pro 1:31  Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Pro 1:32  For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

 We must understand that we will reap what we have sown while we are in these earthly bodies!

 The backsliders are those people who seem to follow the Lord Jesus, but in their hearts, they have completely turned away from God.

 1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

 With the wisdom of God, we can take thought of our actions before we face them.

 Those without God will believe anything and follow anything.

 Even as Christians, it may be hard to see the concept of eternity, but it is real.

 How we spend eternity depends upon what we have done with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 If we are wise, we have prepared for eternity by believing the truth of God and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

 It is the Lord Jesus Christ who opened Heaven's doors to accept those who have placed their faith in the Gospel.

 The ones we are to reach with the Gospel are not the ones who have rejected the Gospel many times, but the ones we are to reach are those who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 *****Pro 14:16  A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

Pro 14:17  He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Pro 14:18  The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

Pro 14:19  The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

Pro 14:20  The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

Pro 14:21  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

 We all know that things are going on in this world and in the heavens that we just do not understand.

 We have seen things discovered that no one can explain.

 Those who believe in the evolution theory have us all beginning as apes.

They have simple-minded people who could do nothing more than hunt game and raise a few crops just to survive.

 God says that from the beginning of time, humans were city builders.

 Gen 4:17  And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

 Gen 4:21  And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

Gen 4:22  And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

 We also know that after the great flood of this world, all the pyramids and ziggurats were built.

 Gen 10:32  These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

 Gen 11:4  And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

 Gen 11:8  So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Gen 11:9  Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

 These things can be denied, but it does not make them any less true.

 Humans have always been able to build things!

 We who know the Lord fear sin because we now know the consequences of sin.

 Those who are fools are reckless and self-confident.

 Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

 Foolish people are quick-tempered and do not try to control their tempers.

 I know because I was one of them.

 Even later, with PTSD, I became worse, but the Lord Jesus has shown me the way out.

 Ecc 7:9  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

 A fool is someone who has heard that there may be a God who is our Creator, but they will not take the time to find out more about Him.

 This is part of our sin nature we inherited from Adam. We are foolish by nature.

 We can quit being foolish by choosing the "Fear of the Lord".

 The Word of God is our "hedge of protection" if we abide by it!

 We must understand that the Devil will certainly bow before God on the day God chooses.

 Evil will bow before the Church at God's appointed time.

 Evil will only profit in the world we live in now, but there is no evil in our future once God takes us home.

 Rom 16:20  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

 As the Church, we are to see every soul as equal.

 The rich may have many friends, but those friends are only there because of their wealth, and they all hate the poor man.

 It is not to be this way in the Church of the Living God!

 The Church will not be blessed unless the Church has "mercy" on the poor.

 The poor are all those who have need of help financially and spiritually.

 Psa 41:1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

 The ways of the world will make us angry, but we are to do our best not to follow the ways of this world.

 *****Pro 14:29  He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

Pro 14:30  A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Pro 14:31  He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

 It is not a sin to become angry; it is a sin to remain angry.

 By remaining angry, we become fools: Ecc 7:9  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

 It is called self-control; it could also be called being sober.

 Self-restraint means we are never to disregard the feelings of others.

 We cannot remain healthy without a healthy heart.

 He has a healthy heart, morally and physically, and is not cluttered up with anger issues.

 Pro_4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

 Envy will eat away at our strength like heart disease and cancer eat away at our lives.

 Envy is like a deadly plague trying to destroy our nation.

 To oppress is to offer violence to the bodies, to the property, or to the conscience of others.

 This happens to the poor more than it happens to any other group, though the oppression of Christ is rising in this world.

 We can also see that protests have become nothing but a means to oppress those who do not agree with the agenda that is being pushed on them.

 We can see that these things bring on the wrath of our Maker, our Creator.

 No one has the right to oppress someone else in this world, and this includes wicked governments.

 1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

 Those who are wicked do not even realize what is in store for them!

 ***** Pro 14:32  The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

Pro 14:33  Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

Pro 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Pro 14:35  The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

 Once we claim the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior with all our hearts, our future is set in stone. It cannot change!

 We can live in peace knowing that no matter when death comes our way, it means life.

 As Christians, we can look death right in the his face and say: 1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

 Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 Those who reject the Gospel have no such hope. They may not believe in Hell, but they are in for a rude awakening on the day of their death.

 Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

 Almost every politician campaigns on making our nation better.

 Some truly try, and others had no intention but only sought to make themselves prosperous.

 Our nation cannot prosper through illegal immigration.

Our nation cannot prosper through the drug trade.

Our nation cannot prosper through lawlessness.

Our nation cannot prosper through corruption.

Our nation cannot prosper through immorality.

Our nation cannot prosper through spending more than it takes in.

Our nation cannot prosper through the profits of sin.

 Only one factor determines whether a nation rises or falls, and it is righteousness.

 Nations that follow God's standards, that are governed by the Word of God, are great nations.

 For America to be a great nation again, it must stop its downhill slide to Hell, and this goes for every nation.

 Good citizens serve the best interests of their nations.

 The wicked serve only themselves!

 God's principles will do the same for families, co-workers, and friends.

 How Christians are to behave is written in plain language in the Word of God.

 Wake up Church!

 Amen