“ON THAT DAY!”

1 Samuel 3:9-14                 (ESV)

“[9] Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

[10] And the LORD came and stood, CALLING AS AT OTHER TIMES, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for YOUR servant hears.” [11] Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I AM ABOUT TO DO A THING in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. [12] “ON THAT DAY” I WILL FULFILL against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. [13] And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming GOD, and he did NOT RESTRAIN them. [14] Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.””

There are times when GOD speaks to me in a WAY that is unmistakable and I want to wake up the next day ready to continue HEARING from HIM???  But GOD just doesn’t seem to be as PRESENT as HE was before??  

Did I say or do something wrong for GOD to NOT be SPEAKING TO ME as before?  Can I just go to sleep now and wake up later and HE not still be PRESENT?  

The SPIRIT OF GOD IS NOT to be taken for granted, and HE IS NOT automatically going to LISTEN when we ARE NOT BEING STILL (Psalms 46:10!).  We CANNOT dictate that we will ever be where we need to be to HEAR from GOD again!  We MUST be WILLING AND READY to SUBMIT OURSELVES (James 4:7-10) to HIM and SEEK HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR (Isaiah 55:6)!  

Eli and his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were Priests of THE LORD at Shiloh.  But the “sons of Eli” were NOT CHOSEN, and they were set to be REMOVED (killed) by GOD! 

HEARING FROM GOD isn’t something that that can be done at the whims of the hearers!  “ON THAT DAY” has to be in the PLAN OF GOD!  I need to be READY to HEAR when HE SPEAKS!!!

“HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY!”

 

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭6‬                 (HCSB‬‬)

““Your heart must not be troubled. BELIEVE IN GOD; BELIEVE ALSO IN ME. In MY FATHER’S house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to MYSELF, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” “LORD,” Thomas said, “WE DON’T KNOW where YOU’re going. “HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?“” JESUS told him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”

In the Scripture above, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES (JESUS) had just COMMUNED with HIS Disciples in the Upper Room.  It was a somber and private moment that would carry DEEP THEOLOGICAL and PROFOUND MINISTERIAL TRUTHS!  

Working out the details regarding the payment of sins FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME would require planning unlike any known to humanity.  “BELIEVE IN GOD; BELIEVE ALSO IN ME” is a statement that JESUS made above that EXPLAINS everything, IF ONLY YOU BELIEVE!!  But you CANNOT BELIEVE unless you have been CHOSEN “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4)!  With GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE (Matthew 19:23).  

Because the question asked by Thomas to JESUS in the Scripture above is “HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY” is SO consequential, the answer needs to be PRECISE, because mankind would surely get the answer wrong!!!  Mankind has NO POSSIBILITY of going to GOD without the Sacrifice of JESUS being made on the Cross of Calvary!!  HE IS THE ONLY WAY!!!

Mankind has NO valid answer to Thomas’s question!  We have NO OTHER way except for FAITH in JESUS!!  So JESUS explicitly said to Thomas “NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME” and whether it is BELIEVED or not depends on whether or not we are CHOSEN by HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4).  JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY ….. PERIOD!!!

“IT IS FOOLISHNESS TO HIM!”

 ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭16‬ ‭                (HCSB‬‬)

“Now GOD has revealed these things to us BY THE SPIRIT, for THE SPIRIT searches EVERYTHING, EVEN THE DEPTHS OF GOD. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, NO ONE KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF GOD EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Now we HAVE NOT received the spirit of the world, but THE SPIRIT WHO comes from GOD, so that WE MAY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS BEEN FREELY GIVEN TO US BY GOD. We also speak these things, NOT IN WORDS TAUGHT BY HUMAN WISDOM, but in those TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. But the unbeliever does NOT welcome what comes from GOD’S SPIRIT, BECAUSE “IT IS FOOLISHNESS TO HIM”; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually. The spiritual person, however, CAN EVALUATE EVERYTHING, yet he himself CANNOT be evaluated by ANYONE. For who has KNOWN the LORD’S MIND, that HE may instruct HIM? But we have the MIND of CHRIST.”

The TRUTH of Scripture can ONLY BE SEEN by those who are CHOSEN by ALMIGHTY GOD, and NO ONE ELSE!!  “This world” entices with only the “things” of it’s own environment, and that is because they don’t have the SPIRIT to discern TRUTH, because it is from GOD!

BELIEVERS aren’t better than those who haven’t been CHOSEN, it is just that “this world” CANNOT understood THE TRUTH!!!  It just doesn’t make sense to them.  Their EYES have yet to be OPENED, as they are BLINDED by the SUPPOSED beauty of the current world.  

“This world” seems to have their vision focused on what they can attain through their efforts and knowledge, but that will one day be burned up (2 Peter 3:10)!  Could it be that this humble servant doesn’t do an adequate job of showing THE PROMISES OF GOD?  If they are CHOSEN, then they WILL have their EYES OPENED and declare TRUTH to the HIS CHOSEN!

What “this world” exhibits in its most “beautiful” light is all of the glitz and glamour of today, but he CANNOT SEE TRUTH, for “IT IS FOOLISHNESS TO HIM”!  Make SURE that you are chasing THE TRUTH and are not being deceived the enemy of “this world”!!!

“THE PEOPLE REPLIED!”

 Joshua 24:16                 (HCSB)

“THE PEOPLE REPLIED”, “We will certainly NOT abandon the LORD to worship other gods!”

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????

“JESUS SAID TO HIM!”

 John 13:27                 (ESV)

“[27] Then after he (Judas) had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. “JESUS SAID TO HIM”, “What you are going to do, do quickly.””

With JESUS being GOD IN THE FLESH, HE possessed not only the knowledge of what Judas was preparing to do, but JESUS selected him knowing that he would be used to have JESUS arrested, and ultimately CRUCIFIED!  

Without getting into a theological quagmire, MY SALVATION was paid for by MY SAVIOR, but JESUS actually had to direct Judas “What you are going to do, do quickly.”!!  It wasn’t as if JESUS had a weak moment, Judas was selected BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4) to do what he did!!!

JESUS CHOSE we who BELIEVE on HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, and Judas was selected to be the betrayer of JESUS and turn him over to the Chief Priests!  

ALL of this was apart of THE PLAN to save my soul from the sinful lifestyle that I live.  JESUS CHRIST not only KNEW that Judas was going to sell HIM out, but “JESUS SAID TO HIM” to do it!!!  HE DID IT ALL FOR ME!!!

“HEALING POWER!”

 This was initially written August 23, 2012.  I share it today in humility, because I remember what happened in July/August 2007.  I am SO grateful for the HEALING POWER of GOD in my life!!!

I get ridiculed from time to time for relating seemingly everything to the brain hemorrhage I experienced in July 2007.   When something "life changing" occurs in your life, it is a BIG deal and HAS to be shared.  

Yesterday, my wife and I were reminiscing, and I remembered being in Rehab five years ago.  I remember trusting her for EVERYTHING in my life. She would go home at night and I would wait until she got back….. to do anything.  It was as if she WAS my life!  I could hear her voice in the hall and a sense of relief would come over me because the one I trusted was there for me.  

The joy and peace that JESUS brings is just like that.  HE brings a calmness over me when I hear HIS voice that is INDESCRIBABLE!  

In John 10:1-6 JESUS speaks a parable that explains what I felt.  HE says  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

But HE who enters by the door is the SHEPHERD of the sheep.  To HIM the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear HIS VOICE, and HE calls HIS own sheep BY NAME and leads them out.  When HE has brought out all HIS own, HE goes before them, and the sheep follow HIM, for they know HIS VOICE.  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."

This figure of speech JESUS used with them, but they did NOT UNDERSTAND what HE was saying to them.

Even when the CREATOR of the universe was speaking to the Pharisees, they apparently could not understand HIM.  They were not HIS sheep!  They heard HIM talking, but they didn't HEAR what HE was saying!! 

I still rely on my wife for a lot of things.  She is still my best friend!  But the voice that I listen for now is a different voice!  

Romans 2:22-24

 Romans 4:20-22                 (ESV)

“[20] No unbelief made him (Abraham) waver concerning the promise of GOD, but he grew STRONG IN HIS FAITH as he gave GLORY TO GOD, [21] fully convinced that GOD was able to do what HE had promised. [22] That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”