Whats in a song - Who is there like you V2

56:050123

What’s in a song:

Who is there Like You

   When as a Child I was told this to help bolster up, and help with my self worth. By having Faith in the Lord will help your self worth, giving greater motivation to over come what ever life throws at you. This is all, but truthfully this question is answered only by one. Because we all look different from each other. You’ll be told at some point you look just like or sound like you Mum or dad, as was told many times. For this study I have decided to post each verse separately.

   Only God truly owns the title ‘Who is there like you’, for example of the one true God who created the Heavens and the Earth, you should read 1 Kings 18. Today I want delve deeper into the song ‘Who is there like you’

1) Who is there like you?

And who else would give their life for me,

Even suffering in my place?

And who could repay you?

All of creation looks to you,

and you provide for all you have made.

2) So I’m lifting up my hands,

Lifting up my voice, lifting up your name,

and in your grace I’m blessed,

For your love has to come to me and set me free

I’m trusting in your Word.

3) Trusting in your cross, trusting in your blood,

All your faithfulness,

For your power at work in me, is

changing me Changing me

    V2] So I’m lifting up my hands
Psalms 134:2 “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the Lord”Psalms 135:1-3 “Praise the name of the Lord; Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! 2 You who stand in the house of the Lord, In the courts of the house of our God, 3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant”   

   When praising our Lord on high, we’re encouraged to raise our hands up to Heaven just we see many others do, aside from the fact that we are told to do so in the Bible, as here .. “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the Lord” .. I would recommend though you raise them on high ‘OPEN’. As have you ever tried to someone anything, when they have a clenched fist. Most must have seen a bird nature film, when a parent returns to the nest and all the chicks would stand to receive with their mouths OPEN wide, other wise they will receive nothing. So to help receive from our Heavenly Father, just as did when as a child we stood with our arms open-wide to receive, so we need to the same with our Heavenly father God.

‘Lifting up my voice, lifting up your name’
Psalms 5:3 “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up”
   God does not care if you sing off key, all that matters is that you do .. “My voice You shall hear” .. not to just hum some nondescript tune, which I have been guilty of myself, from time to time. Don’t let it just be in .. “the Morning” .. In our car the radio station called ‘Premier Praise’. They play, 24/7, old & new Christian songs/ Hymns & worship songs from a variation of artists. So on the whole you are bound to know a song that you can sing along too, before you know it your lifting your voice in praise. “I will direct it to you” ‘lifting up you name’. . 

* Please I recommend, don’t lift up your eyes or hands whilst driving * ...As I have just said you can find time during the day to worship Him .. Buss~ Train ~ Walking .. no matter there is always time, even in the shower. Just the other day whilst waiting in the car for Betty to do the shopping, I had the radio on singing my head off to some worship songs on the radio.

‘ And in your grace I’m blessed’ .. Being blessed could mean, having green lights all the on your journey, whilst singing praises to Him, or just doing someone a nice turn. Gods riches are limitless.

‘For your love has to come to me and set me free’
Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage”
God love for us is without measure, that is the price He has put on our soul. John 3:16 tells us . .
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son”
… that is how much He loves us. If this don’t convince you, you need Him more than you know or realise. He came to set us free from our bondage. See what Jesus tells us about He came to free us . . .
John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed”
… so .. you shall be free indeed” .. if you thought different let these words encourage you, for god is faithful all the time. I hear you say that ‘I’m not in bondage, I have to say you are. Do you smoke? ~ Do you drink? ~ Do you Gamble? Do you like looking at Porn? Are always low/angry/feeling lost? These are forms of bondage.. “the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed”
* The New King James Bible put the ‘made free’ statement in, which comes from the old Hebrew word: ‘eleutheroo’.which breaks down phenetically as the following .. ‘el – you – ther – ah – oh’. Strongs Concordance #1159 I.E. to liberate, acquit, set-free, deliver.

‘ I’m trusting in your word’
   We really must believe in His ‘Living-Word’. Why Do I call it so? It is because our Saviour lives, as does God. His Word has been a road map on how to live, since the day it was written. So it’s relevance for life will last forevermore. . .
Psalms 17:7 “You who save those who trust in You”
2 Samuel 7:28 “O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant”
… so what is there to disbelieve? Samuel has told us this as well as the Psalmist.

#V2 follows in a couple of days, so please listen to the song a few times. here is the link to the song, just past the link into your browser ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYkce-EhNuQ 

Prayer

I fear no one as I'm yours Lord. I was once lost cut a drift in a storm of no end, until I found you. You give hope to the hopeless, through your Word. Let my voice carry the love in my heart for you. I know I'm free from all bondage, for whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Thank you Heavenly Father, Amen

56:050123

What’s in a song:
New Every Morning

1) The Lords Lovingkindnesses

In me will never cease

And His compassion's

Will never fade away

They new every morning

They are new every day

2) For great is thy faithfulness

For great is thy faithfulness

Lord Have mercy

3) The Lords amazing graceful

(thank you Lord)

It abounds to us every day

And His great mercies

Never fade away

They are new every morning

They are new every day

4) Great is thy faithfulness [rpt x2]

   Just as the Sun breaks over the horizon, chasing away the darkness, like blowing away a feather. No matter what happens to you during the day before, no matter what countries are warring. As the sunlight lights up your bedroom, and the shrill of your alarm clock awakes you from slumbering.
   As we work our way down this song I will show where the song reference's the bible.

1] ‘The Lords lovingkindness – In me will never cease’

The Psalmist puts this way . .
Psalm 92:2 “To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night, [and day]”
. . just as your body should be fully rested and refreshed, so should your mind, and also your Faith.

   It can’t be stressed enough, for to give thanks in the morning to God for all His compassion’s, every morning. Just as we would wish and thank each day our loved ones, so to then should we not thank the Lord our God. In other words we are offering up our worship to Him, with thanks giving in our hearts.

   No matter how good the Lord has been for us the day before, His goodness & lovingkindness has been .. Laminations 3:23 “They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” .. did you see that, not just once a Week ~ Month ~ Year or even in a lift time, instead “every morning”, so ready to go again the next morning. God is never tired ~ bored or fed up, He will be there “every Morning”, ready to go again.

2] "For great is thy faithfulness,

     For great is thy faithfulnes Lord Have mercy"
Psalm 119:90 “Your faithfulness endures to all generations"

   Our Heavenly Fathers “Faithfulness” is not particular to one age group. It transcends to all ages, from the youngest to the eldest of us. There is NO restrictions, all you need to do is ‘have Faith & believe’. It is as simple as that! So when singing ‘Lord have mercy’, we are acknowledging that we are far from perfect, hence why asking Jesus to forgive our daily transgressions, and that is why we need to have Hiss tender mercies each & every Morning.

Q: What transgressions are we asking

His tender mercies for?

3]  "The Lords amazing graceful (thank you Lord), 

        It abounds to us every day And His great mercies 

       Never fade away They are new every morning .They 

       are new every day"
   What a verse, if you ever had any doubts as to what God has to offer, then this is the one, never has been made more clear for you. As I has just spoke of there are NO sacrifices needed .. NO Cattle .. NO Sheep .. NO Goats. ‘Only Gods amazing Grace’, free to ALL who have Faith in the only one true living God, who wants to show His wonderful tender mercies. . .
Psalm 84:11 “The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold”
(NLT) “the Lord bestows favour and honour”
… see that “grace and glory” or “favour and honour”. He wants to shower us with all the Heavenly riches in our lives, lets step out in Faith, and receive these Heavenly sent gifts. In saying thank you in Faith believing. . .
1 Chronicles 16:8 “Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name”
.. whenever someone gives a gift, with no strings attached, it only good manners that you say thank you? Isn’t it? How many times have you said thank you? Every times I think?

“It abounds to us every day”
[NLT] Philippians 1:9 “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding”
“And His great Mercies” .. His tender mercies are new every Morning/day, if we are not carrying any of yesterdays sin over into the next day. So we must be ready to respond to the conviction of the Holy spirit, thus taking responsibility for our sin that day, confessing it to the Lord, them trusting His mercy. . .
Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations”
.. By letting known .. “to all generations” .. meaning NO age or ethnicity exceptions, is the only way we can assure of spreading his great love. Because there is NO greater thing, when receiving His love/mercy. Remember always, just because His Mercy/Love is new every morning, that they are just going to stop suddenly, think again as they WILL be new every Morning, to never stop. Listen to Paul put here. . .
1 Peter 1:4 “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”
.. This is why we sing .. “will not fade away” .. who else make you that promise, and no matter of life trials, He will keep all promises made. Never become despondent, or down in the heart. Just because it did not happen there and then, His promise will come to florishon. Never let scoffers steel your Heaven sent faith, be stollen from you, instead stand firm ~ and proud ~ stand strong.

   Just because you come to end of another day, where all it seemed is you banged your head against a brick wall all the day long. Remember this . . .

“They are new every Morning

They new every Day”

.. So when settling down each night, remember His mercies are New Fresh every Morning, so don’t panic or worry.

4] “Great is thy faithfulness
      Great is thy faithfulness”
   How many times have we given our assurances, that others can count on us, only for when we are called upon, to let them down breaking the very promise we said we would keep. In doing so then telling them that your not faithful, or your not to be counted upon. Unlike God whose faithfulness is refreshed every morning , along with His tender mercies.
   So every Morning let us point our faces to Heaven, raise your hands up high, sing to Heaven and rejoice. . .
Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fi5S1PRvLA
(copy this link and paste into your browser)

Prayer
Heavenly father we thank you for saving us, we thank you for your tender mercies, may we not miss use your mercies, instead making the most of them each and every day. In Jesus name we pray.

56:250222

The Cost of being a
Friend

    Such a strong word, which sadly, we have used, and weakened, the word Friend, very lightly to the point of loosing it’s importance. We talk of our ‘host of friends’ meaning, all with whom we have relations, or even of being a pleasant acquaintance. We may a certain person is a friend when we only know them only from work, or socially, when their hearts and ours have never touched in any real communion. There may be nothing amiss in this wide application of the word, but we ought to understand that in the use of it, it’s full sacred meaning is not even touched.

Before carrying on . . .
Friend:~ [re’a or rah-ah] Companion, neighbour, fellowman, familiar person. In Hebrew [ra~ah] means ‘associate with’ or ‘be a friend of’. . . A friend should always love at all times. They should with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one whom is exclusive of sexual or familiar relations.. A member of the religious society of friends.. To add (someone) to a list of friends, or contacts on a social-networking website..
Acquaintance :~ A person one knows socially but who is NOT a close friend .. 2. A wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
   To become another’s friend. in the true sense, is to take the other into such close, living fellowship, that their life and ours becomes knit together as one. It is now more than an association of mutual interests, profit, or enjoyment. It is for more than pleasant companionship in the bright sunny hours. A true friendship should be entirely unselfish, in both parties. It should always seek NO benefit and good of it’s own. It looks for not what it may receive, but for what they can give. Your aim is not to be ministered unto, but rather minister too.
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times”
Proverbs 18:24 “A man who has friends, must himself be friendly. But there is a friend who sticks closer than another”

Be warned :

It Costs To be a Friend

   “For better for worse, For richer for poorer, In sickness and in Health.” These are words from the Wedding Vows, a true friend should be a strong form of friendship. As my wife and I did our dating via letters & phone calls daily. (as she lived in Northern Ireland, and I was living in South Devon), so we built up a strong bond. She has been my best friend since. When we take someone into our lives, as a friend, at this point we don’t know what it may cost us, to be faithful to our friend. Misfortune may befall our friend, and they may need our help in ways that will lay a heavy burden upon us. It may be in their business, or in their private life. Timely help may enable them to over come their problem, and thus turn around their misfortune.

   It is in our power to render them help, without which they would surely not have what it takes to turn things around. It will cost us though, personally, it will inconvenience us, and may bring trouble. But they are a close friend? BFF, if you will. (Best Friend Forever). It could be they been a close friend for a long time, thus becoming a partner in their affairs. So can we truly with hold the help they need. Which we are able to give, without breaking the Holy covenant of friendship and failing our obligations to them. My wife and I were watching a program called ‘Impractical Jokers’, whilst in the middle of a challenge one saw an old associate he once worked with, and so asked him to lend $100.oo, this guy said sure but instead of just $100, he handed over $200 without blinking, what an act friendship this guy showed. This is what I mean by a close friend.

Proverbs 17:17 “a brother is born for adversity”
   Sadly it may be the misfortune of sickness, or may be even broken health, (could be broken bones, mental health, or a disability), that befalls a friend. So at this point they are no longer to be of any help, able to contribute to the friendship, that does not mean we are to turn our backs. Just because we are the ones who are to minister to them, don’t turn your backs on them!

   Think not bad of your friend, that could not contribute their part in the friendship, and mutual ministering, giving as well as receiving. They could have been the one who had stood beside you in your time of trial. Our modern culture has cultivated the attitude of . . ‘Why should I care, it has nothing to do with me’, or, ‘What do I get out of it. . .
NKJV 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away”

. . . Now lets look at this in the Amplified version . . 
AMPC 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centred, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. 3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4 [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. 5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]”
. . . It is safe say to that we all know of people that have one or more of the above. These poor souls do need our prayers.
   The meaning of true friendship wherever it exists, is not based purely on helpfulness or service which it must receive as it’s condition, It’s source is in the heart itself. It’s essential desire is to help serve. It makes no nice calculation for so much to be given and so much received. It stops at no cost which faithfulness may entail. It hesitates at no self denial which may be necessary to the fulfilment of it’s duties. It does not complain when everything has given up. It only grows stronger & truer & more constant as the demands for giving and serving becomes larger.
   We need to be mindful of the cost of friendship, which should not be ignored, that which comes with revealing of faults and flaws and sins. At first glance, when we meet people we can only see the surface of the character that is projected. Thus we become attracted to the elements that win us over. At length our attraction goes out to them and eventually calling them friends. We walk with them in pleasant companionship that makes no demands on our unselfishness, this discloses little of their true nature. Even at this point we see/know beyond the surface. Sadly nothing has occurred in the progress of our friendship to bring out the things in their disposition which are altogether not lovely.

Be warned :

It Costs To be a Friend

   Over time, a closer intimacy, that reveals their faults. Then we can learn what lies beneath attractive exterior which so pleased us we find they to like us, have blemishes ~ spots ~ flaws, which sadly disfigure the beauty of life. We learn in them are elements or meanness, which in turn will cause us pain. Then learn that they have secret habits that we find repulsive. These highlighted things in their demeanour, that we never suspected, which are more evident the closer the friendship becomes. . .
Psalms 52: 2-4 “Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. 4 You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue”
. . . the longest and freest acquaintance previous to marriage only the better side of the life, for both of them. The same is true in the greater, or lesser, degree in all friendships.
   This then is a servier test of love. It is the rise into something of the Spirit of Christ that we are able to meet this test of friendship. He [Jesus] takes us as we are and never grows weary of us, what ever faults and sins discover themselves in us. There is infinite comfort in this for us. We are conscience of our unworthiness and the unlovelyness, this in our souls.
   Many of us have pages from our lives which we would not dare spread out before anyone else’s eyes. They are our inner feelings, even desires, jealousies & motives, which we don’t feel happy about laying bear to our dearest trusted friends. Yet Christ knows all of our sins & faults, which we keep only for Him to know. . Nothing is hidden. . nothing can be hidden God’s eye’s. To Him there is a perfect revealing of our innermost feelings such as ~ desires ~ longings ~ cravings, which we would not feel secure in laying bear to our dearest, in we trust the most with our dearest friends. . .

>> YET CHRIST KNOWS THEM ALL <<

. . . yet we need not feel afraid that His friendship for us will NOT change or grow less, or with draw itself, when He discovers in us all the repulsive things. This is the ideal of ‘Human-friendships’. They are not repelled by them being found out..
NKJ ~ Revelation 3:8 “I know your works”
NIV ~ Revelation 3:8 “I know your deeds”
AMP ~Revelation 3:8 “I know your [record of] works and what you are doing”
.. our Lord will not offer up our blemishes, even though nothing is hidden from His eye’s. True friendship is unconditional, though there are those relations that are toxic and do nothing but bring you down if your promoted. To the extent that they will smear your name to bring you down, hold you back. The tradergy is that you will have to cut these loose, like a cancer, because they'll stop you from being able grow.

Romans 16:20 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you”
Grace :~ Charis [Khar~ece]From the same root as Chara ‘Joy’, Chario causes ‘rejoicing’. It’s Gods grace as extended in sinful man. It signifies unmerited facour, undeserved blessing, or a free gift.

   In spite He continues to love us all, even because He found unbeautiful and unworthiness within us. He teaches us a form of friendship that is loyal. As He loves us, He would have us love others. We say many are unworthy of such friendships. True or not, niegh?? are worthy of Christ’s wondrous love of us. But, Christ loves us not according to the riches of our own heart. So it would be the giving of friendship, not as the person deserves, but after the measure of our own character.

   I hope that all these illustrations are enough to show just what it costs to being a ‘True Friend’. When we receive someone into being a ‘Faithful’, relation, all be it that we don’t know what responsibility, and what burdens we may be taking upon ourselves, and the sorrows it may cost our love. We accept a solemn responsibility when we do so. At this moment we have no idea the burdens we may be engaging to carry, also the cost of the unconscience pledging ourselves to.

   Let me say this in closing. When choosing our friends, we must be therefore, thoughtfully, wisely, prayerfully, before we open the doors to our inner self and pledging our friendship & love, we need to be faithfull what ever the cost may be.

Thirty days of Grace

53:181118

Thirty days of Grace

   Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?” And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.” Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. ‘And if a stranger dwells among you, and would keep the Lord’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land..”  Numb 9: 6~14

   In the scriptures there is Grace heaped upon Grace, wow just imagine that if you will for moment. What I’m talking about is of cause is the ‘Passover’. From this there is a question raised?...

Q  “ If a man was in a condition to observe that feast on the appointed day, was he to be debarred for a whole year? Some men found in this position were heard saying..’wherefore are we kept back” (V7)

   So, let’s look at FEAR, from 5 different points.

1) Unfitness. . . . . 2) Confession . . . . . 3) Provision . . . . .

4) Warning . . . . . 5)Invitation

   This was now a totally new difficulty, and Moses deal with it, just as in today, how we should deal with it all when it springs up before us. So without any hesitation Moses went out, and called upon our Lord God for direction.

   If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives to all, literally. The answer was plainly given, there has to be a special ‘Passover feast’, to be held on the fourteenth (14^th) day of the second day of the month. Though this has to be a special case, even all the provisions have been met. What would have to be made known, is that His Grace won’t always mean that these Riches’ are not of money, per-say.

1 Unfitness

“..Certain men were defiled that they could not keep

the ‘Passover’ on that day..”  (V6)

   The cause of their Unfitness to profit by the provision made by God on the fourteenth day of the first month was their uncleanness. There’ll be a number of you who will cry out, and profess they are without blemish. Here’s why we all have al sinned and so fallen short.  It’s what we do next on realization of committing sin. Due to this sin, we’re no longer in a place to receive God’s riches.

 “..If a person touches any unclean thing, whether 

it is the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean livestock … ‘Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.." Leviticus 5: 2

   Being already sinners, not them, but only help to show their sinfulness. By the law knowledge of sin, unbelief unfits a man from receiving the benefits of Christ Jesus redeeming death. The defilement has been their own doing/making.  

2 Confession

“..And those men said to him, “We became defiled..” (V7)

   Passover was one of (if not the..) the most important dates on a Jewish Calendar, and today it is still as important. It was and is time they confessed Unfitness, and sought not to justify themselves. So, they presented themselves as ones disqualified because of their defilement, and begged for mercy & grace that these might reach and satisfy their souls.

   So many them can only try and imagine what it must be & feel like to be stoned by you community, even close friends as well as Family! Some would welcome being stoned because then they can try to heal at last the broken bones, with bruises fading over time.

#Confession will finally open the door#

   The grace of God, like a river that flows down into every crevice, or like the light of the Sun, will illuminate every corner, no matter how dark and dirty the corner may be, if only there was an opening toward it? 

#If only there was a man who open the door,

I will come into him#

(1 John 1:9)

“..if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us..” 
(1 John 1:9)

3 Provision

"..Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.." (v9~11)

      I know what you’re thinking, boxes of chocolate, sexy clothes for your loved one. Cards professing our everlasting love, and so much more. Gentiles have taken this date ’14 February’, then told on this date told to spend a month’s wages. Just to tell and be told how much it is to be loved on this date.

#When truthfully it is Passover time and 

NOT valentines!# 

   Between the first and the second Passover there are thirty days, these are days of Grace. If you somehow were to manage to miss both, there was no possibility of receiving a Passover blessing for the coming year. That has to be unbearable? This little blessing was instituted for the benefit of those who were disabled, is a beautiful little picture of the grace of God devising a plan of salvation for the helpless sinful man.

   Moses was only able to say in V8 “..Stand still and hear what the Lord will command concerning you..”

#Salvation is of the Lord#

   The law was given unto Moses, but grace and truth come by Jesus Christ. It’s suggestive that this special grace for the defiled, or the man that was ‘a far off’ on an journey, and so could not keep the feast of Passover.

“..that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from

the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the

covenants of promise, having no hope and without God

in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were

far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ..”

Eph 2 : 13/13

  4 Warning

“..the man who is clean and is not on a journey,

and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be

cut off from among his people..” V13

   The Passover speaks of redemption. To those who willingly neglect this there is nothing for them but a fearful attitude towards ‘the Judgement day’.  There is no escaping this time when, all will be stripped bear, and all their life’s actions will be read out. Back then there was another action that was thought to be such a slight, that it would hold back all men that ‘not’ circumcised.

“..And the uncircumcised male child, who is not

circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut

off from his people; he has broken My covenant..” Gen 17: 14

 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Heb 10: 26/31

  Surely to despise or even to neglect Grace, is to choose death?  Hoe can it have been seen that they would have escaped if they neglected even salvation?

5 Invitation

“.. If a stranger will keep the Passover so..” (V14)

   By invitation a total stranger (Gentile), may come with them and may be a participant of the blessing of this memorable feast. This action denotes of redemption by the blood of the Lamb is offered to all who will come into the camp.

“..Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in My blood,

which is shed for you..”  Luke 22: 20

   How wonderfully fitting this is a typical of the great salvation, through the blood of the lamb of God. Through the sacrifice of our Lord, being covered by the blood has such power it should be one or the greatest gifts given unto us. But yet even today it still remains one of the most undervalued.

       “..And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.."   Rev 22: 17

  ^“.. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and 
to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members 
of the household of God..”

Eph 2: 17/19

Prayer

  In your love let all who are laden with burdens and worries, come freely and find shelter and rest. Let us ofer up our praises to the one true God in Heaven. No matter you concerns for today God has the answer. In our Lord Jesus' Name, Amen.

Christ Jesus is our Salvation pt1

54:020220

Christ Jesus is our Salvation

Genesis 7: 1 “..The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation..”

   Noah was truly a man of faith, because he did what the Lord told, not to mention building the ‘Ark’, in the first place. This in it’s self proved to God how much Noah was a man of faith.

   I’m sure Noah had to battle on despite his critic's and mockers. . .
Mockers … How are going to steer that thing without a rudder?
Noah … I don’t know but God does.
Mockers … Where are you going to go?
Noah … I don’t know never been on a cruise before.

   Noah’s wife is always over looked during this time in his life. As she is along with the whole family, has never been written about before. Think about it, a ship that has no rudder: sail or ships-wheel, would have no idea where they would be headed. How many of us as a child disagreed with their parent as they thought they knew it all when just 13 to 15? saying “I’m not a child anymore, declaring they are old enough and responsible enough.”

   You might think that ‘just’ praying for your parents, siblings, children, is all that needs to done. Or, you will never see them in the garden of Eden? (wrong). If they are not saved, or born again ,or have accepted Christ Jesus into their lives. Come see me and I’ll give the matches myself, to set them on fire. As this is what you are condemning them to, when they go to the ‘great-lake-of Fire’.

Rev 20: 15 “..Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire..”

Math 24: 37 “..As it was in the days of Noah..” Today the excuse is ‘well he had it so damn easy’… WHAT … Noah had temptations excuses, same pressures, these are the same today. Just as today, it was easy to give in to wickedness. How many times did he miss his dinner because he working on the Ark? How many times was he late for special dates? It would have been easy for Noah’s wife to say had had enough. All these things happen today! I do wonder what must go through Gods mind when He see’s the mess the world and us are in?

   A large population that knows of the Bible says, NO to it’s ways as it is too restrictive. Instead they prefer to sit on the side lines to judge those who want to be a Christian, just waiting for you to slip up. To many times God sees those who would rather ‘all-mod-cons’, than help those who have nothing, and would rather be a Christian. Too many times Gods sees a ‘Me, Myself, Mine’. One that never stops to help those less fortunate.

   A mind set that always thinks ‘my money I earned it – I worked hard for it, so I can spend it how I want I have asked this question many times, you see a glass filled half way, now do you see a glass half fall or half empty? (my wife asks what is in the glass?)

   On social-media is a video was shared, a while ago now, Of a guy who would, out of his own pocket, went around Spring-Summer-Autumn-Winter, would hand out a bottle of water a packet of sandwiches and a new T shirt. In the Winter he would give a thermal T shirt. I’m not saying you need to do this, something is better that nothing.

   We have become a generation that would rather ‘lie’ than being honest….
2Timothy 3: 1 “..But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come..
V2 ..For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy..
V3 ..unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good ..”
   Try and get your head around the fact, these are just 14 behaviours of many more, we endure today. It would scare you witless if I listed them all, it would take too long to list.
V5 “..from such people turn away..”

   I have an exercise for to try, and please do. I want you to go to your front door step out side, looking up and down. You can’t save everyone, instead turn around and look at your home, win them for Jesus, forgive them of any wrong doings. Tell them that you love them even when they don’t won’t to hear it, if on the phone to relatives, tell them ‘God Bless’, at the end of each call. I did this with my parents, my late mother knew how much this meant to me and so accepted. Dad to accepted this and always ended our call with God Bless too. So never give up on your family it will never be too late. Mum in our last visit we had together in her Hospital bed accepted Christ, dad sadly not and breaks my heart, should have done more. Noah saved his household as well.

   Remember faith conquers all, we are so consumed with keeping up with the ‘Jones’, we end up missing what truly is important. They have more money than you, but that is not what is important, they value higher-education’ because they have a masters/PhD degree. With all their education, they missed the point, as education does not mean your intelligent. For all her education I had to show a mid 20’s student Nurse how to make a cup of coffee, scary or what?

#Faith will always make the difference# 

   Just because you come from a ‘privileged’ background, have loads of money in the bank, believe me when I tell you this will not save. Sooner or later your finances will run out, then where will you be? When all things fail you’ll have nothing, that is unless your faith in Gods divine purpose for your life is true.

   Noah had so much faith in God, so much so .. Genesis 6: 8 “..But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord..” .. I wonder how of you have had so called ‘friends’, mock your faith saying things like ...”Where is your God?” … When your going through hard times … “How come your god has not healed you yet?” … “How can you have faith in something you can’t ‘see’ or ‘touch?” I’m sure Noah must have got all these and many besides. Despite the barrage of these insults, Noah’s faith never once faltered, and so did all of his family.

I wonder how many of us have had so called ‘friends’, that mock your faith by saying things like …

• Where is your God? (When going through hard times)
• How come your God has not heard you yet?
• Why have faith in something you can’t see ‘or’ touch?

… many more hurtful comments besides. Noah got all these and many more besides and like you many more. Despite the barrage of abuse and insults, Noah’s faith never once faltered, and so did his family.

   Noah believed … Methuselah (all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died) … that it was god who built the Heavens and Earth.
Genesis 2: 7 .. “And the Lord God formed man of then dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being..”

   Due to Noah’s faith, unwavering, Noah stood out from the wicked and deceitful. He very quickly stood out because Noah believed was alive God, and sitting on His throne on high. Noah also believed if you did wrong, expect to be punished, and so god gave ‘Grace’ to Noah.

   For you to receive God’s grace, it’s not your works .. It’s not your education .. it’s about how much monetary wealth you have .. it’s not about how much sway you have in your community like on social media .. You need to have unwavering faith.
Hebrews 11: 6 “..without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him..”

   You win 12 Gold medals at 3 Olympics, win the F1 20yrs straight, be Knighted by the Queen, be as rich Bill Gates, from Microsoft, and give away 100’s of millions of pounds away every year. It all counts for nothing ~ nought ~ zip ~ nicht ~ ничего ~ rien, are you getting the idea?? I hope so, this is what you get for no faith in God.

   Except his family, despite all those Noah knew that had lost, or, tossed aside their faith in God, Noah stayed true to his faith. Thus in return find grace in the Lord. You see no matter who, or and for how long, Noah’s faith unshaken, some could have been an old friend whom he grew up with. Too undertake the building of such a ship to day with all the tools and cranes it would take us, by ourselves, around a life time, literally. So imagine Noah and his son’s, cutting down by hand, this using axes and nothing else, cutting joints by hand as the ship, yes lets call it’s what it is .. monster ship, became larger and larger, with out Gods help would be impossible to do this.

When your ‘friends’ mock you for becoming a Christian, constantly calling you and your family names. Can your faith with stand such a barrage of abuse? Sadly many of you will not ..  Mark 11: 22 “..Jesus said have faith in God..” … I have to talk to you about having faith in things that are NOT of God, like your cars. You have faith in them to get you to work, or on holiday. You have faith in the toaster to cook your bread just the way you like. We have faith in many more things than I have room to write, but just please before reading on have a 2min think.

   There will come a time when you metal (faith) will be tested to the limit and beyond. Make sure daily that your faith cannot be compromised. You faith in finances will fail, in natural strength will fail, you will recognise when other people are going to fail you, but...

You faith in God will never fail you 

...when at work someone will ask you, ‘why do you pray’? Do you stick your head in the sand, or, do you hold fast to your faith and answer them?

part 2 coming in a couple of days

He's not on his Knees yet

2 Corinthians 6:2   “ . . In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. . "

Q . . "What of the multitude who have heard, but not believed, to whom the word of this salvation has come, but rejected it?"

   There are some men who have some kind of faith, and these are perhaps in a more dangerous place than those who have none at all. Because they opt to deceive themselves, and fancy that are in a state of grace. Where as really they are in a state of nurture.  Sadly a man only believes that which affect's his own life.
   

Prayer  "God grant that we may each one of us possess this real 'God given' blessing"

   With out faith you are with out God, with out faith you are with out hope, for a true hope can only spring out of 'true faith'. When you are with out faith in Christ, consequently you are with out a Savior, and with out the means of removal of sin, with out a help with which to fight daily the battle of life against sin. So with out faith we are indeed spiritually naked, poor and miserable lost and condemned, with out hope of escape.

   He who has missed this faith has missed the vital point. Had he begun with that, his amiability: his mortality: his benevolence: had been acceptable because in them there would have been the flower of life. The faith that makes them live, but with out this, they are cold & soul less, indeed a mere carcass of virtue void of life.
   
Paul said of love . .
1 Cor 13 v3  ". . And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.. . ."

Q "If a man prays to God, in whom from his own stand point dose not exist, has he not then engaged in an senseless exercise?

• Do you not believe in flexible justice?
• Do you believe in infinite mercey?
• Do you believe in an Omniscience that can not fail to see?
• Do you believe in the Omni-presence that can never failto be where you are?
• . . . Do you believe all this???

   Because if not you do not believe in God. You may believe in your own idea of God, but you do not really believe in God. If you would come to God, you must believe in ALL that he say's He is. In His Word, He reveals as one God, that He is The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit. Will you accept his statements about Himself? Then will you pray, will you cease delivering an oration to the air. Instead speak into His ear, believing that every word you utter, also believe that He is reading the thoughts that lye at the back of your words??    We should believe that, that if you preach the gospel God must bless you; that it is not a may-be or a mere possiblity that He will, but that if you deliver His message in the full convictiuon that somebody or other is going to get a blessing, there will be a blessing for someone. Very often just in proportion to our faith, it is done unto us.

   Without faith it would be be impossible to please God by the way you talk. Lets put plenty of faith into all we do. . .

• If I have no troubles where is there room for faith?
• How can I trust when I have nothing to trust?

. . You cannot swim in water only up to your ankles, you may go paddling about, but no swimming. But plunge into deep water, strike out like a mad man until you have faith that you will not sink but swim.

   I have heard of this doctor who was severe in his method of treating his patients, but he healed a great many of them. Then cam a man who had a bad leg.  "Well", said the doctor, "I will adopt such-and -such a course with that leg, and I will restore the use to you, so that you shall go away from this place perfectly whole". He told the patient what he was going to do, but the man said "NO, I could not bear to have that done. I shall have to go to someone else". "Just so" said the doctor, "you are not bad enough for me treat you yet. When you get bad enough for me, you will come back". Then say "do what you like to me so long as you gaurentee my retoration". There is many a soul that is not, in the sence, bad enough for Jesus Christ yet. That is to say he thinks he is too good to need to be saved in Christs way. I heard a well known story of a swimmer who went to rescue a man who was drowning. The man was sinking and the spectaters wondered why he did not strike out at once and lay hold of the man drowning. He swam near him, but kept clear of him, letting him go down a second time, and third, after that he swam to him and brought him to shore. Someone then asked "why did you let him sink?". To that he replied "He was to strong for me at first, whilst he was to strong he would have pulled me down with himself, so I let him sink and loose all strength, then I could rescue him". In like manner, some of you will have to go down for a second & third time before you get weak enough to be saved. It is not your strength that qualifies you it's your weakness, it is not your righteousness, it is your sin that qualifies you for Christ. So stop sinking and start living for Christ.

    
   That is the way to seak Him, to come to Him. We must come to Him as the one Living God, to have a real exsistance a true personality. Other wise we can't come to Him. God bestows upon us His Favour, His Grace and blessings of His covenant, as a gracious reward, NOT because of our merit, but because of the merit of His Son, Jesus christ. This we must believe or we have not really come to God.

NKJ . . Heb 10 v23  " . . Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. . "The Message " . . Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. . "

   No matter how we dress it up the lesson is clear, you must keep your faith in Him, even nudge Him to remind Him. It's not that God forgets, we have to remember "everything works to Gods time, not ours. Reminding Him just shows we are living in His accordance and have kept faith by praising Him, in the good times and the bad