August 2020 – Lift Up Your Eyes!

What About Job’s Friend Elihu?

Four friends of Job came to him in his affliction and tried to speak helpful words to Job. But God said that three of them did a lousy job.

⁷And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” ⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; for the Lord had accepted Job.
Job 42:7-9 NKJV

Therefore I don’t think the passages spoken by Bildad and Eliphaz have wisdom I can apply to my life, though I have heard some of them used used in sermons.

“Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.”
Job 8:7 NKJV

“You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.”
Job 22:28 NKJV

These are true statements – Bildad and Eliphaz said them. But they are not statements of truth – they don’t have God’s wisdom in them, anymore than these words from Judas Iscariot. (Hat tip: Charles Capps.)

“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
John 12:5 NKJV

(See the full story to see Jesus refuted Judas’ question.)

But what about Job’s fourth friend Elihu? Though God didn’t say yea or nay about what Elihu said, in the past I haven’t had a good opinion about what he said, mostly because Elihu seemed so full of himself:

“But please, Job, hear my speech,
And listen to all my words.
²Now, I open my mouth;
My tongue speaks in my mouth.
³My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
⁴The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
⁵If you can answer me,
Set your words in order before me;
Take your stand.
⁶Truly I am as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
⁷Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.”
Job 33:1-7 NKJV

Elihu also proceeded and said:
²“Bear with me a little, and I will show you
That there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf.
³I will fetch my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
⁴For truly my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.”
Job 36:1-4 NKJV

But reading through Job this year one verse spoken by Elihu stood out to me in my TS2009 Bible.

“For truly my words are not false;
the One perfect in knowledge is with you.”
Iyoḇ (Job) 36:4 TS2009

Perhaps Elihu wasn’t as arrogant as he seems in most translations! I carefully read Elihu’s words and noticed many cross references to accepted Scripture. For example, this passage is like a summary of Deuteronomy 28.

^11 “If they obey and serve Him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures.
¹²But if they do not obey,
They shall perish by the sword,
And they shall die without knowledge.”
Job 36:11-12 NKJV

“^28:1Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. ²And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: …

¹⁵“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: …
From Deuteronomy 28 NKJV

These words remind me of Psalms 107.

“And if they are bound in shackles, caught in the cords of affliction, then He reveals to them their work, and their transgressions, that they behaved proudly.”
Iyoḇ (Job) 36:8-9 TS2009

¹⁰Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
¹¹Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
¹²Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
¹³Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
¹⁵Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.
Psalm 107:10-16 NKJV

I’m not yet ready to say that Elihu’s words are always right like Isaiah’s or Jeremiah’s, but I don’t automatically reject them as not applicable to my life as I once did.

You do your own research and make up your own mind. 🙂

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 NKJV

³²“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! ³⁴Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Matthew 24:32-35 NKJV

³⁴“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. ³⁵For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36 NKJV

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

“We Do Not Know What To Do, But Our Eyes Are Upon You”

In 2 Chronicles 20 king Jehoshaphat and Judah are facing an invasion by a huge enemy force. At one point Jehoshaphat says this in prayer.

“Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
2 Chronicles 20:12 BSB

Sometimes I face situations where I literally don’t know what I should do. When this happens, here is what I do. I pray for wisdom.

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8 NKJV

¹⁵Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: ¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Ephesians 1:15-21 NKJV

I pray honestly.

I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
²I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
Psalm 142:1-2 NKJV

I ask God to bring relevant Scriptures to my mind.

²⁵“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:25-27 NKJV

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
John 10:27 NKJV

I read the Word looking for guidance and direction.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Psalms 119:105 NKJV

I pray in the Spirit.

²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:26-28 NKJV

²⁰But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:20-21 NKJV

I prepare myself to wait for the answer.

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 NKJV

I remind myself that even if I mess up, it is not past hope.

²³The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
²⁴Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV

I remember Who is in charge.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
²He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:1-3 NKJV

I turn everything about the situation over to God. (Over and over, if necessary.)

²⁸“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

⁶Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22 NKJV

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah
²⁰Our God is the God of salvation;
And to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
Psalm 68:19-20 NKJV

There’s more, I’m sure, but these are what I recall now. As is often the case, this post is first for me, for a situation I’m facing now. 🙂

How did Jehoshaphat and Judah do against the enemy horde? They didn’t know what to do, but God did. He won the battle for them!

²²Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. ²³For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

²⁴So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.
2 Chronicles 20:22-24 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Comfort For Loneliness

Masks, “social distancing,” lockdowns. It’s easy to feel lonely and downcast. Fortunately the Bible knows all about this and has solutions.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
Psalms 25:16 NASB

Even if my father and mother should desert me,
you will take care of me.
Psalms 27:10 CEV

God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
Psalms 68:6 NASB

Seek fellowship with God Himself.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ²the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
1 John 1:1-4 NKJV

¹⁵“If you love Me, keep My commandments. ¹⁶And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:15-18 NKJV

²³Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
John 14:23-24 NKJV

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21 NKJV

Keep looking up!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NKJV

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ²Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

⁵Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

⁶And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:1-8 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Rejoice At The Beginning Of Good Things!

Simon got excited at the baby Jesus, because he knew God’s salvation was a good as done.

²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³²A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Luke 2:25-32 NKJV

God said there was rejoicing at the plumb line at the temple – the beginning of construction.

⁸Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

⁹“The hands of Zerubbabel
Have laid the foundation of this temple;
His hands shall also finish it.
Then you will know
That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
¹⁰For who has despised the day of small things?
For these seven rejoice to see
The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
They are the eyes of the Lord,
Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”
Zechariah 4:8-10 NKJV

Elijah knew the small cloud was the beginning of the promised rain that would end the drought.

⁴¹Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” ⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, ⁴³and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”

So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

⁴⁴Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”

⁴⁵Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:41-46 NKJV

Therefore, we who are ready for Jesus’ return should be rejoicing at these beginnings! We are near the end of the era of death and sin, and the beginning of the kingdom of righteousness!

²⁵“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; ²⁶men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
Luke 21:25-28 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

The End of Groaning is Coming!

The Bible says that we the saved, and the whole creation, are groaning for Jesus to come and and redeem us.

¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Romans 8:18-25 NKJV

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, ³if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. ⁴For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NKJV

I have been noticing Psalms that promise the end of groaning is coming. Here are two passages.

¹¹Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
¹²Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice
¹³ before the Lord.
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.
Psalm 96:11-13 NKJV

⁷Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell in it;
⁸Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together
⁹ before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with equity.
Psalm 98:7-9 NKJV

These Scriptures from Psalms remind me of part of one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, Isaiah 55.

¹²“For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Isaiah 55:12-13 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

God Is For Me!

I’m reminding myself of some truth today.

⁸You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
⁹When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
¹⁰In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
¹¹In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
Psalm 56:8-11 NKJV

⁵I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
⁶The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:5-6 NKJV

“‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”
Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV

³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39 NKJV

^14:1“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

²⁷“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:1, 27 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

2nd Ephesians? Imitate God – WWJD

I have been reading Ephesians for a few days, and this verse has been standing out.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Ephesians 5:1 NKJV

I think I would have started chapter 5 somewhere else.

^4:32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. ^5:1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ²And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Ephesians 4:32-5:2 NKJV

So when I’m not sure what to do, trying to understand what God would do is a good place to start. This is especially true of forgiveness and walking in love. “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD) is Biblical. 🙂

³Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
1 John 2:3-6 NKJV

This passage “jumped out” in last night’s reading.

³how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, ⁴by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
Ephesians 3:3-4 NKJV

Huh? Paul had already written a letter? So Ephesians is really 2nd Ephesians, though we don’t have the first letter as far as I know. I flipped to the book of Acts to see if I could find a mention of that first letter, but got distracted by the story of Peter raising Dorcas from the dead.

³⁶At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. ³⁷But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. ³⁸And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. ³⁹Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. ⁴¹Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.
Acts 9:36-42 NKJV

I thought verse 40 was very similar to something Jesus did. I didn’t remember which gospel had the story. I turned to Mark, flipped one page, and found it. 🙂

³⁵While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

³⁶As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” ³⁷And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. ³⁸Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. ³⁹When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

⁴⁰And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. ⁴¹Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴²Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.
Mark 5:35-42 NKJV

Wow. Peter in Acts 9 was imitating what he saw Jesus do in Mark 5. Meditate on that for awhile, then meditate on this passage.

¹²“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
John 14:12-14 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

The Serenity Prayer

When I first heard the serenity prayer, I wondered if it was Biblical.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.

Well, the Bible does teach I should be minding my own business.

Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me.

²Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

³O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Psalm 131 NKJV

“Blessed is that servant whose master returns and finds him doing his job.”
Matthew 24:46 BSB

²⁰Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” ²¹Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

²²Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
John 21:20-22 NKJV

No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
2 Timothy 2:4 NASB

I am also to have peace in this life.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27 NKJV

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NKJV

⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

So yes, I think the serenity prayer is Biblical. It has helped me understand what I should be doing, and what things “are above my pay grade,” that are the responsibilities of others.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.

The long form of the serenity prayer is good too. 🙂

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Image credit.

Quoted Photos — Psalms 91 – 103

Free to use and share!

How God used photography to change me: Learning To See Beauty

Jesus is coming soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Focus On Future Joy!

I asked in prayer what to write about today and immediately this Scripture from Hebrews came to mind.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

Jesus got through the crucifixion by focusing on His future joy. And so should we.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ²And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJV

We can focus on our future joy to get us through whatever is happening. If this promise of being with Jesus forever isn’t a cause for joy, I don’t know what is.

¹⁵For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NKJV

There is coming an eternity of joy and happiness.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ²Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:1-4 NKJV

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalms 16:11 NKJV

If joy is lacking, join the psalmist David and pray.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Psalms 51:12 NKJV

Joy also comes through the Word.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15:11 NKJV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ²the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
1 John 1:1-4 NKJV

God’s joy is is our strength!

Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV

Trials should be joy too, but I have to admit I’m not 100% on this aspect of joy yet…

²My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2-4 NKJV

We do have a very blessed hope, the appearing of Jesus.

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹²teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11-14 NKJV

This hope purifies us!

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ²Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
1 John 3:1-3 NKJV

Rest in that blessed hope.

¹³Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ¹⁴as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; ¹⁵but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:13-16 NKJV

It has blessed me to write about joy. I hope you’ve been blessed too. Trust Jesus to bring it all to pass!

²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
²⁵To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
Jude 1:24-25 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can,and Wisdom to know the difference.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can,and Wisdom to know the difference.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.