“TURN TO ME AND BE SAVED!”

Isaiah 45:18-25                                            (ESV)
“18 For thus says the LORD, WHO created the heavens (HE is GOD!), WHO formed the earth and made it (HE established it; HE did not create it empty, HE formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the LORD, and there is no other.
19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right.
20 "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.
21 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! WHO told this long ago? WHO declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous GOD and a SAVIOR; there is none besides ME.
22 "”TURN TO ME AND BE SAVED”, all the ends of the earth! For I am GOD, and there is no other.
23 By MYSELF I have sworn; from MY mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'
24 "Only in the LORD, it shall be said of ME, are righteousness and strength; to HIM shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against HIM.
25 In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory."”


A brief message to a world that is too busy trying to solve its problems through the wisdom of man!  The LORD says “TURN TO ME AND BE SAVED”!!!

“TEST THE SPIRITS!”

1 John 4:1-6                                             (ESV)

“1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but “TEST THE SPIRITS” TO SEE WHETHER THEY ARE FROM GOD, for many FALSE PROPHETS have gone out into the world.

2 By this you know the SPIRIT of GOD: every spirit that confesses that JESUS CHRIST has come in the flesh is from GOD,

3 and every spirit that does not confess JESUS is not from GOD. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

4 “LITTLE CHILDREN”, you are from GOD and have overcome them, for HE WHO is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and THE WORLD LISTENS TO THEM.

6 We are from GOD. Whoever knows GOD listens to us; whoever is not from GOD does not listen to us. By this we know the SPIRIT of truth and the spirit of error.”

Often I have written about RECOGNIZING when GOD is speaking to me.  One of the best examples I can remember was on the beach five years ago and a bird was chirping so beautifully.  My mind almost instantly went to the book of Luke when JESUS told the Pharisees “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."  GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED, even if rocks have to cry out!  (Psalms 46:10b). 

1 Corinthians 13:11 states “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”  As I have Spiritually matured I have become more and more adept at RECOGNIZING and IDENTIFYING FALSE TEACHERS.  Some of the FALSE TEACHERS are listened to by friends who may not have been through the same trials that I have experienced.    Others I hear espousing things that sound good to the natural man, but doesn’t contain TRUTH that is verified by THE WORD!  

We don’t have to look any further for TRUTH than to the passage of Scripture above, where it says “By this you know the SPIRIT of GOD: every spirit that confesses that JESUS CHRIST has come in the flesh is from GOD, and every spirit that does not confess JESUS is not from GOD”!  If a person tries to distort Scripture by inserting their own beliefs into what GOD says, they are preaching their own gospel, for their own gain (Philippians 1:15-18).  

It is our RESPONSIBILITY to “TEST THE SPIRITS” TO SEE WHETHER THEY ARE FROM GOD!  If they don’t line up with Scripture, then they are FALSE PROPHETS or are Spiritually immature.  1 Timothy 3 tells us the qualifications of those who are qualified to be a leader.  Listening to everyone who claims to be called to be a servant is IRRESPONSIBLE of us, something that we will have to answer for one say!  We MUST “TEST THE SPIRITS” and confirm they are from GOD, or suffer the consequences for being IRRESPONSIBLE!!!

“YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME!”

John 15:15-17                                  (ESV)

“15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my FATHER I have made known to you.

16 “YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME”, but I CHOSE YOU and appointed you that you should go and BEAR FRUIT and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the FATHER in MY name, HE may give it to you.

17 These things I command you, SO THAT YOU WILL LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”

There is no logical reason why a HOLY, MAJESTIC GOD should, or would, select a sinner such as I to serve HIM, for what can I possibly do for HIM?  HE literally “spoke” and everything that exists was, and HE CHOSE me out of everyone HE created to be one to spend eternity with HIM!  It is not because of anything good in me (Deuteronomy 7:7-8), but because HE loved me, just as HE loved Jacob........and hated Esau (Malachi 1:3)!

Esau was rejected by GOD, maybe because GOD (in HIS foreknowledge) knew that Esau wouldn’t love HIM?  Esau and Jacob were born from the same pregnancy.  What made GOD “choose” Jacob over Esau?  Their father, Isaac, preferred Esau because “he ate of his game” as Esau was a hunter.  Esau sold his birthright to Jacob one day when he was hungry for a bowl of stew, in an obvious admission that GOD would not supply his needs.  

Fast forward almost two thousand years and JESUS is telling HIS disciples “YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME”, but I CHOSE YOU!  Just as Esau CHOSE a bowl of stew to satisfy his hunger pains over his ancestral birthright, our EYES cannot SEE the treasure available to us unless our EYES are opened by the SPIRIT OF GOD!  We get so fixated on what we “see” is our immediate need that we become like Esau, one who says “YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME”!  

JESUS is trying to explain to us that HE is the ONE that has CHOSEN us, even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)!   We are NOT better than the Esau’s of our time in that we follow HIM.  “YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME” is a statement that unless HE CHOSE us that we would be damned to eternity in hell just like Esau and those like him.  “YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME” will be heard right before “DEPART, I NEVER KNEW YOU” at the Judgement Seat.  Be certain that HE HAS CHOSEN YOU before GOD says time is up!!!  

“HOLY SPIRIT!”

Acts 2:37-41                                                 (ESV)

“37 Now when they heard this they were CUT TO THE HEART, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of JESUS CHRIST for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the “HOLY SPIRIT”.

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the LORD our GOD calls to HIMSELF."

40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation."

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added THAT DAY about THREE THOUSAND SOULS.”

Most who are familiar with the writings of this humble servant are aware of my affinity to Psalms 46:10 and BE STILL.  For me there is no match to being alone with GOD and allowing HIM to gently CHANGE our hectic paced lives through HIS “HOLY SPIRIT”.  The “HOLY SPIRIT is able to CHANGE a single heart (as HE did mine on January 08, 1978), but HE is also able to CHANGE 3,000 souls at one time as HE did on the Day of Pentecost.  

GOD is not limited by the limitations of our finite, corruptible minds.  The “HOLY SPIRIT” is as much GOD as the FATHER and the SON.  The HOLY SPIRIT “.... is fully divine, yet He subordinates Himself to Jesus (John 14:26. John 16:13). Furthermore, the submission of the Holy Spirit is seen in the fact that He was sent by the request of God the Son (John 14:16. John 15:26. Acts 2:33). The Holy Spirit seeks only to glorify the one He is submitted to – God the Son – Jesus (John 16:14,15)”, as pointed out in this Bible Study.   The “HOLY SPIRIT” never performs outside of the Glory of JESUS.  Regrettably, the same cannot be spoken about me!

When we act outside of our “calling”, we are essentially telling GOD that our plan might be better than HIS PLAN!  GOD uses HIS “HOLY SPIRIT” to act on HIS behalf because HE is DIVINE, unable to act outside of HOLINESS.  Like the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 7:15-20, I do the very things that I hate, sinning against GOD!  However, our NEW Heavenly bodies will be no longer “natural” bodies, but “Spiritual” bodies!  The “HOLY SPIRIT” has a part in the PLAN of GOD, whether it is to transform 3,000 on Pentecost, or only one on the road to Damascus, or only one in a bedroom by himself 42 years ago!  My desire is to stay within my calling and to do everything GOD has for me to do, and let the “HOLY SPIRIT” do HIS part!!!

“I AM THE LORD!”

Isaiah 42:5-8                                                (ESV)

“5 Thus says GOD, the LORD, WHO created the heavens and stretched them out, WHO spread out the earth and what comes from it, WHO gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 

6 "”I AM THE LORD”; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 

7 to OPEN THE EYES THAT ARE BLIND, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 

8 “I AM THE LORD”; that is MY NAME; MY glory I give to no other, nor MY praise to carved idols.”

Recently I was thinking about what things must have been like when the settlers come to the “new world” from all over the world in the 16th and 17th centuries, my mind sees a peaceful, tranquil, almost solitude scenario.  Worshipping GOD was paramount as distractions were limited, a more conducive atmosphere for people KNOWING there was a CREATOR, and actually SERVING HIM!

Nowadays we HAVE a bullish stock market mentality, give me all you can and then I will dump you and see what someone else can do for me.  We seem to always be doing whatever is necessary to move up the social ladder, to make more money, and even to build bigger churches that will contain more parishioners and give more money!  We have become so BUSY with accumulating more wealth (even in the church) that we have neglected GOD, our CREATOR!  

It has been said by many of the founding fathers, and statesmen since,  that the United States of America is the last, best hope for FREEDOM!  But we who serve the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have allowed this “experiment” to be hijacked by those who serve anything except GOD, mainly “the enemy”!  Acknowledging that “I AM THE LORD” is now more taboo for “radicals” than used for our nations mantra.  Those who proclaim that “I AM THE LORD” are thought of as people who are out of touch, lacking in knowledge!

OPENING THE EYES THAT ARE BLIND is a task that can only be done by “I AM THE LORD”!  Those who claim to be WISE are BLIND to TRUTH and are unable to SEE the LIGHT!  It is extremely humbling to be CHOSEN by “I AM THE LORD”, and it is a task that cannot be hidden or ignored.  “I AM THE LORD” commands we who have been CHOSEN to go and tell the world about HIS mercy and grace!  The FATHER “MUST” draw them, but we “MUST” go and tell about “I AM THE LORD”!!!

“ALL SCRIPTURE!”

2 Timothy 3:16-4:2                             (ESV)

“16 “ALL SCRIPTURE” is breathed out by GOD and profitable for TEACHING, for REPROOF, for CORRECTION, and for TRAINING in righteousness,

17 that the man of GOD may be COMPLETE, EQUIPPED for every good work.

1 I charge you in the presence of GOD and of CHRIST JESUS, WHO is to judge the living and the dead, and by HIS appearing and HIS kingdom:

2 PREACH THE WORD; be ready in season and out of season; REPROVE, REBUKE, and EXHORT, with COMPLETE PATIENCE and TEACHING.” 

Certain people are gifted by GOD with an understanding that Colossians 1:17, which says “And HE (JESUS) is before all things, and in HIM ALL THINGS hold together”, is more than a memory verse to be used when our path becomes troubled.  “ALL SCRIPTURE” has been written for around two thousand years, so we don’t have the excuse that we didn’t know that it should be adhered to!  Even former President Ronald Reagan is quoted as saying “Within the covers of the BIBLE are the answers for ALL THE PROBLEMS men face."  I trust you are noticing that common word ALL that has been used in these three instances???

ALL THINGS, “ALL SCRIPTURE”, and ALL THE PROBLEMS are just a few occurrences that use the word ALL.  One dictionary describes the word ALL as “Being the utmost possible of; or representing the total extent or the whole”.  Our CREATOR says that “ALL SCRIPTURE” is breathed out by HIM to “TEACH, for REPROOF, for CORRECTION, and for TRAINING in righteousness, that the man of GOD may be COMPLETE, EQUIPPED for every good work”.  “ALL SCRIPTURE” means the entire BIBLE, not just what verses we select to get us through a difficult time of our lives.  

Using “ALL SCRIPTURE” to COMPLETE us, to round off our rough edges, to bake our dough until we are perfected, and is EQUIPPING us to be used by GOD to Glorify HIS NAME!  We ARE going to go through some “REPROVE, REBUKE, and EXHORT, with COMPLETE PATIENCE and TEACHING”, but it is to Glorify HIM, just as JESUS prayed in John 17:4.  Sure, we ALL desire to experience a life free of trials and tribulations, but as JESUS prayed in Luke 22:42b “....Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." We are here to endure our time on earth for HIS GLORY, not to build the largest church and NOT TO EDIFY OURSELVES.  

“ALL SCRIPTURE” is not just the answer to ALL problems facing mankind today,  it is the answer to LIFE!  The book of John says “HE must increase, but I must decrease." When we “REPROVE, REBUKE, and EXHORT, with COMPLETE PATIENCE and TEACHING”, we are getting closer to decreasing ourselves.  The more I think on things that center on me, the less I am able to think on things related to HIM.  HEAVENLY FATHER, cause me to lose myself in the things of the SPIRIT and allow YOU to use “ALL SCRIPTURE” to edify YOUR KINGDOM!!!

“YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME!”

Job 42:7-9                                                     (ESV)

“7 After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.

8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For “YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME” what is right, as my servant Job has."

9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them, and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.”

GOD permits differing things in our lives to grow us into tools that will be used to Glorify HIM.  Now my understanding is limited compared to HIS all-knowing view, but sometimes I get to thinking that HE must be making a mistake with some of HIS actions.  Then later down the road I SEE how HIS Plan is all coming together and I have to reaffirm that “HIS ways are higher than mine” (Isaiah 55:8-9) and I need to BE SILENT and watch the MASTER work!  

Job had just been through a torturous time, losing his family, his fortune, his health and his friends, all because GOD was proving a point to Satan.  In Job 1:8 Scripture records “And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is NONE LIKE HIM on the earth, a BLAMELESS and UPRIGHT man, who fears GOD and turns away from evil?" With this compliment, Job was set to lose everything, all to prove that his relationship with GOD meant more to him than everything else that he had.  His friends, “Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite”, all were mistaken with the reason behind his condition, and ALMIGHTY GOD dealt with them accordingly!  

We need to be very careful and deliberate about the actions that allow to proceed from our lives when others are being dealt with by GOD.  Like I previously said, Isaiah 55:8-9 says “For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways and MY thoughts than your thoughts”.  Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar had to learn this the hard way when GOD told them “YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME”!  Maybe I need to slow down and let GOD be GOD so HE will not have to tell me “YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME”!!!

“FULLY CONVINCED!”

Romans 4:16-25                                                 (ESV)
“16 THAT IS WHY IT DEPENDS ON FAITH, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17 as it is written, "I have made you the “father of many nations”"-in the presence of the GOD in WHOM he believed, WHO gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
18 IN HOPE HE BELIEVED AGAINST HOPE, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."
19 HE DID NOT WEAKEN IN FAITH when he considered his own body, which was AS GOOD AS DEAD (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
20 NO UNBELIEF made him 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."
23 But the words "it was counted to him" WERE NOT WRITTEN FOR HIS SAKE ALONE,
24 BUT FOR OURS ALSO. It will be counted to us who believe in HIM WHO raised from the dead JESUS our LORD,
25 WHO was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”



THE PROMISE that GOD made Abraham in Genesis 12 has been written about and discussed for eons.  Abraham lived around two thousand years before CHRIST was born.  He was PROMISED to be the “father of many nations”, yet he and Sarai (Sarah) were childless when Abraham was almost 100 years old!  His and Sarai’s time for having offspring had passed them by, in the eyes of man!

We humans seem to think that ALMIGHTY GOD is constrained by what our eyes can see, or our minds can conceive or explain.  JESUS says in Mark 9:23 “.... ALL THINGS are possible for one who believes."  Having a child at 100 years old must fall into ALL THINGS, for Genesis 21:5 states “Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him”.  SEEing GOD perform THE MIRACULOUS changes those who the unexplainable happens to more than others because they have not only seen it, but experienced it!

Abraham was PROMISED to be the “father of many nations” when he was 75 years old.  These days many people don’t live to be 75, much less have children at age 75!  Yet GOD promised what HE promised and GOD never changes HIS mind!  Abraham was roughly 100 years old and Sarah was roughly 90 years old when Isaac was born.  But although Isaac was his son by birth, Isaac and his son Jacob were sons of Abraham because they too BELIEVED in ALMIGHTY GOD.  Jacob even wrestled with GOD and was renamed Israel (Genesis 35:10), or the CHOSEN people of GOD!

THAT IS WHY IT DEPENDS ON FAITH who is called to be CHOSEN OF GOD!  To be CHOSEN one has to Believe that GOD is able to do anything, at anytime, in anyway HE so elects!  Abraham was “FULLY CONVINCED” that GOD was going to provide him a son, even though he was 75 years old when THE PROMISE was given to him.

Would my FAITH be as devout as Abraham’s?  Would I Believe after I was old and broken down that GOD would bless me with such a MIRACLE?  Once you have WITNESSED and been exposed to a MIRACLE from GOD, you learn NOT to limit your expectations of what HE can, or will, do!  To say that I am “FULLY CONVINCED” that GOD is not through performing MIRACLES is a vast understatement.  Exodus 14:14 says “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."  

I AM “FULLY CONVINCED” THAT GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH BEING GOD!!!

“YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME!”

Amos 4:6-13                                 (ESV)

“6 "I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”," declares the LORD. 

7 "I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; 

8 so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”," declares the LORD. 

9 "I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”," declares the LORD. 

10 "I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”," declares the LORD. 

11 "I overthrew some of you, as when GOD overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”," declares the LORD. 

12 "Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your GOD, O Israel!" 

13 For behold, HE WHO forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth- the LORD, the GOD of hosts, is HIS NAME!”

How many times do we get a MESSAGE from GOD and we blow it off as a coincidence or happenstance?  Sometimes GOD speaks to us in ways that we have to listen carefully to determine what HE is saying.  The passage of Scripture above isn’t one of those times!  The central MESSAGE in this Scripture is “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”!  

The CHURCH, our nation, and the entire world has had these writings from GOD for almost three thousand years.  It was written in 760 and 753 B.C., yet how many people ignore WORDS that our CREATOR gave to us through the prophet Amos?  These WORDS are straightforward and plain spoken, yet most are TOO BUSY today to hear what GOD is saying to us.  

“YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME” could be a warning to the CHURCH that GOD will not always be as patient as HE has in the past.  Five times in these eight verses we are told “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”!  It is not coincidence!  I’m afraid that we have CONFORMED to the priorities of “this world” instead of allowing ourselves to be TRANSFORMED?  

When a few people that surround us die from an illness, the authorities tell us what “they think” we should be doing to prevent the sickness from affecting us.  People, WAKE UP, the sickness of SIN is devastating “this world” and GOD is saying “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”!!!  When we realize that the WAGES (paycheck for what is owed to us) OF SIN IS DEATH and the ONLY way to escape the certain punishment is through Believing in JESUS CHRIST!  It appears that HE will once again have to say “YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME”!  Will you hear these words???

“THE THINGS YOU WANT!”

Galatians 5:16-18                                    (ESV)

“16 But I say, walk by the SPIRIT, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

17 For the desires of the flesh are against the SPIRIT, and the desires of the SPIRIT are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing “THE THINGS YOU WANT” to do.

18 But if you are led by the SPIRIT, you are not under the law.”

As I drink my coffee this morning and the world comes to life around me, my thoughts are captive to several things.  How and what I allow to grow and mature in my mind will determine whether I live in THE SPIRIT today, or in the flesh!  The ones of us who are BORN OF THE SPIRIT have an ability to SEE things that the natural person (1 Corinthians 2:14-15) isn’t able to understand.  Allowing ourselves to be distracted by the things of “this world” is liken to ingesting small doses of poison until our Spirit becomes so toxic that we are ineffective for the Kingdom of GOD!  

Gratifying the desires of the flesh is in direct opposition to THE SPIRIT living inside of us.  I have been known to say that we are crucified to the flesh, but then spend the rest of our lives giving CPR to the corpse!  The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 7:15 “For I do not understand my own actions. FOR I DO NOT DO WHAT I WANT, but I DO THE VERY THING I HATE.”  Why do I DO THE VERY THING I HATE when I have the SPIRIT OF GOD living in me (John 17:23)?  Because we are “bent” toward sin (Psalms 51:5), our only option for being “made whole” is the righteousness of CHRIST being substituted for our wickedness.  We have NO HOPE outside of HIM!

The enemy (Satan) joins with the weaknesses of our flesh and battle against THE SPIRIT living in me in an effort to gain control of my life. “THE THINGS I WANT” (my SPIRIT wants) is to walk after JESUS.  Colossians 1:15-20 says that JESUS is the glue that holds everything together.  We can’t allow our flesh and the enemy to rob us of “THE THINGS YOU WANT”!  

“THE LORD SPOKE!”

Jonah 2:10                                   (ESV)

“And “THE LORD SPOKE” to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.”

Every now and then I wake in the middle of the night and the ability to get back to sleep escapes me.   Recently this occurred and the book of Jonah was on my mind.  As I begin to read Jonah, the verse above stood out to me causing me to ponder deeply on it.  

Most are familiar enough to understand that Jonah was running from the command of GOD to proclaim their shortcomings and neglect of GOD’s ways.  Whether GOD “verbally” said something to “the fish” or not can be debated, but one thing is certain, GOD wanted Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh to hear GOD’s WORD and repent, drawing honor and Glory to HIS NAME!  Although Jonah initially resisted, after his time inside the fish, he was expelled and OBEYED GOD, even though it was against his will.  

People living inside of a fish doesn’t make a lot of sense?  They are unable to move about and socialize inside of a fish and can have no sunshine.  Remembering JESUS speaking about HIS future to the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 12:40, JESUS says “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”  We are not able to fathom someone living in the “heart of the earth”!  A scientific website says that the temperature at the core of the earth is 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit!   Living inside of a great fish would be a lot easier to believe than living “in the heart of the earth” for three days and nights!!!

Believing “THE LORD SPOKE” creation into existence takes FAITH!  Believing “THE LORD SPOKE” and a great fish vomited Jonah onto dry land takes FAITH!  Believing “THE LORD SPOKE” and JESUS was raised from the tomb takes FAITH!  As a matter of fact, without FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE (Hebrews 11:6) to please GOD!!!  “THE LORD SPOKE” can make UNBELIEVABLE things happen!  But I Believe the unbelievable, especially when “THE LORD SPOKE”!!!!

“BE SEPARATE!”

2 Corinthians 6:14-18                                         (ESV)

“14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

15 What accord has CHRIST with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

16 What agreement has the temple of GOD with idols? For we are the temple of the living GOD; as GOD said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their GOD, and they shall be MY people. 

17 THEREFORE GO OUT FROM THEIR MIDST, and “BE SEPARATE” from them, says the LORD, and touch no unclean thing; THEN I WILL WELCOME YOU, 

18 and I will be a FATHER to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to ME, says the LORD ALMIGHTY."”  

The CHURCH (in growing numbers) is allowing “this world” to commandeer its place to keep the “flock” in line with what Scriptures dictate.  Many so-called Pastors so squeamishly try to not offend big money parishioners in the name of unity that “the salt has lost its savor”, as JESUS spoke about in Matthew 5.  

No longer do a lot of Pastors preach on sin being wrong.  To grow a congregation many Pastors feel that “concessions” must be made to draw people into the fold.  However JESUS says in John 6:44 “NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM. And I will raise him up on the last day.”  Why is it that some think we can do that which ONLY THE FATHER is able to do, according to JESUS?  Maybe the reason our churches are so Spiritually immature is that we are attempting to do the impossible, to do the work ONLY GOD CAN DO!  

We must remember who we are, and WHO we are NOT!  We CANNOT think we are responsible for getting the mood just right, or contemporary enough, or traditional enough!  We don’t need to have the air conditioning just the right temperature, the lighting bright enough or dark enough, or my favorite, the sound system at the right decibel!  What we do need is the HOLY SPIRIT to visit our churches and do a work that ONLY HE can receive GLORY for!  

In order for the CHURCH to be revitalized we must “BE SEPARATE” from them!  We have to SEPARATE ourselves from the things that “this world” is doing, not try to meet the world halfway.  This message is sure to not set well with some, but it is time that the church “BE SEPARATE” from “this world”!  We can do what “feels right”, or we can do what GOD’S WORD instructs us to do!  “BE SEPARATE!!!”

“CONFORMED!”

Romans 12:1-2  (ESV) 

“1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of GOD, to present your bodies as a living SACRIFICE, holy and acceptable to GOD, WHICH IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP.  

2 Do not be “CONFORMED” to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND, that by testing YOU MAY DISCERN what is the will of GOD, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

When we slow down and discover exactly WHAT Scripture is telling us, it can open our EYES to SEE precisely where our lives are woefully inadequate!  Romans 12:2 instructs us to “Do not be “CONFORMED” to this world...”.  The dictionary says that the word “CONFORMED” means “to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group”.  In other words, we are to guard against the standards, attitudes, practices of this world because our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20)!  

How many of us (mainly me!) do our best NOT to alienate or ruffle the feathers of those who are not CHOSEN, who are living a life that is diametrically opposed to the WORD OF GOD?  Our INSTRUCTION MANUAL (HOLY BIBLE) says that we need to be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWAL OF OUR MINDS, and the ONLY WAY our minds can be TRANSFORMED is Supernaturally by JESUS!  The thing we have to guard against is NOT wanting to offend.  JESUS says that the world will HATE us because we are HIS (John 15:18-25)!  

We cannot be concerned about whether the world rejects WHO is in us.  Are we willing to have less of JESUS displayed in our lives just to appease those that are headed to Hell?  That doesn’t show very much love for their condition?  Do we want to be known as a Believer who encouraged non-Believers to spend eternity in torment because of our weakness?  

Having our MINDS Supernaturally RENEWED will strengthen us to where we are NOT “CONFORMED” to this world!  To be “CONFORMED” to those who are doomed to eternity can only be described as ludicrous, unless people can’t SEE the magnitude of their choice?  My EYES have been OPENED (Ephesians 1:18) and I vow to NOT be “CONFORMED” to this world, but to be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWAL OF YOUR (my) MIND, that by testing YOU MAY DISCERN what is the will of GOD, what is good and acceptable and perfect, for GOD’S GLORY!!!

“DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN!”

Ecclesiastes 5:1                                               (ESV)

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of GOD.  TO “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” IS BETTER THAN TO OFFER SACRIFICE OF FOOLS, for they do not know that they are doing evil.”

Can you remember the last time when you just LISTENED to GOD, maybe with great expectation that HE would give you direction about a decision that was before you?  When I experienced the Brain Hemorrhage in 2007, my conversation abilities were greatly curtailed, and that is being kind.  Previously, I always had something to say, even if it was wrong!  Hindsight reveals that there wasn’t very many times that I would simply LISTEN, even when communicating with the Heavenly FATHER.  Adjusting to my “word recall” being greatly hindered caused me to be extremely hesitant in conversations.  It was as if GOD said HE would get me to be quiet in HIS OWN way!  

King Solomon, the wisest man born, is named as the author of Ecclesiastes.  Since GOD says through Solomon “TO “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” IS BETTER THAN TO OFFER SACRIFICE OF FOOLS”, we should probably “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” more often?  Yet a majority of the time we seemingly run into the THRONE ROOM and throw our wish list on the altar of beggars hoping that GOD is also in a hurry and will grant our desires with no questions asked.  

ALMIGHTY GOD doesn’t work quite like that though!  Psalms 46:10, one of my favorite verses, says “BE STILL, and KNOW that I am GOD.  I WILL BE EXALTED among the nations.  I WILL BE EXALTED in the earth”.  GOD WILL BE EXALTED, whether we slow down or someone else slows down to acknowledge HIM.  When we “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN”, we have to slow our lives enough to hear a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12).  

It has been said “you cannot listen to someone while you are talking to them”. When we “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” we probably need to be quiet?  My emotional reactions are another form of NOT LISTENING to GOD!  Our HEAVENLY FATHER is Glorified when we “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN”, not when we berate others!  “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” is a characteristic that I need to yield to more often!!!

“HE SAYS!”

Romans 9:1-16                                                    (ESV)

“1 I am speaking THE TRUTH in CHRIST-I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the HOLY SPIRIT-

2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from CHRIST for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, is the CHRIST, WHO is GOD over all, blessed forever. Amen.

6 But it is not as though the word of GOD has failed. For NOT ALL WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM ISRAEL BELONG TO ISRAEL,

7 and NOT ALL are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "THROUGH ISAAC SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE NAMED."

8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of GOD, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

9 FOR THIS IS WHAT THE PROMISE SAID: "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son."

10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,

11 THOUGH THEY WERE NOT BORN YET AND HAD DONE NOTHING EITHER GOOD OR BAD-in order that GOD's purpose of election might continue, NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS but because of HIM WHO calls-

12 she was told, "The older will serve the younger."

13 As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

14 What shall we say then? IS THERE INJUSTICE ON GOD’S PART? By no means!

15 For “HE SAYS” to Moses, "I will have MERCY on whom I have MERCY, and I will have COMPASSION on whom I have COMPASSION."

16 So then IT DEPENDS NOT ON HUMAN WILL OR ON EXERTION, but on GOD, WHO has mercy.”

Fanny J. Crosby was an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and musical composer.  She was one of, if not the most prolific hymnists in history, writing more than 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, with more than 100 million copies printed, despite being blind from shortly after birth.  Although her physical eyesight was removed from her, she had something far more valuable that many cannot understand, her Spiritual Eyesight!  There are many, many people whose EYES have not been OPENED (Luke 24:31) to SEE just how JESUS CHRIST can transform their lives.  Not being able to Spiritually SEE is far worse than what Fanny Crosby experienced.  The sad thing is that they think their vision is fine, that we who have our EYES OPENED are deranged.  

The Apostle Paul in the letter to the Church of Rome laid out rather distinctly that simply being of Jewish heritage would NOT get you into Heaven.  In this letter to the Roman church, Paul writes that it is THE PROMISE that GOD makes, nothing else, that separates us from “the rest of the world”.  GOD says HE has “MERCY on whom I have MERCY, and I will have COMPASSION on whom I have COMPASSION”, and it DOESN’T DEPEND ON HUMAN WILL OR ON EXERTION”, (or effort)! You can’t try to be good enough and get into Heaven!  Only JESUS can validate your entrance into the Kingdom of GOD!  

Disregarding THE TRUTH (John 14:6) has become accepted so prevalently these days that people who do their best to live according to THE WORD (or TRUTH) are considered out of touch, or misinformed!   “This world” HATES JESUS, and the things of JESUS.  HIS followers HATES SIN but LOVES the people who HATE them, for we couldn’t SEE the things of the SPIRIT (John 15:16-25) without HIS supernatural work in our lives.  THE TRUTH is that we cannot understand the things of the SPIRIT until and unless our EYES and MINDS are opened by GOD to SEE.  

SEEING the things of THE SPIRIT is a gift from GOD, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9).  You cannot understand (Job 33:8) unless the SPIRIT OF GOD reveals things to you.  Fanny J. Crosby had her Spiritual EYES opened to SEE things that we probably still cannot SEE.  Abraham KNEW that THE PROMISE GOD made to him was based on his FAITH that GOD would do what “HE SAYS”.  GOD has never made a PROMISE that HE has forgotten or changed HIS mind about.  We MUST remember what “HE SAYS” and not listen to the lies of the enemy.  What “HE SAYS” HE will do........IN HIS TIMING!!!

“HIS SAINTS!”

Psalms 116:15                                             (ESV)

“PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD is the death of “HIS SAINTS”.”  

There are many people who would argue that Moses was a murderer and was disqualified from anything society claims as being good.  Moses “struck down” an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew man.  Moses evidently felt the punishment was unjust, therefore he “struck down” the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. (Exodus chapter 2)

King David would be another.  As king of Israel, he committed adultery with Bathsheba then had her husband killed in a battle, all in an effort to cover his sin.  2 Samuel 12:15 says “And the LORD “afflicted” the child that URIAH's WIFE bore to David, and he became sick.”  The child conceived and born to King David would die, and according to Scripture, it was because the LORD afflicted the child!  

Isaiah 55:9 says “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways and MY thoughts than your thoughts.”  Don’t try to encapsulate our GOD by the standards that we want to see.  GOD “afflicted” the child of David that Uriah’s wife bore and the child died as a result.   We see death totally different than GOD SEES it.  Psalms 116:15 plainly states “PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD is the death of “HIS SAINTS”.”  

The characteristic that so often we undervalue is being one of “HIS SAINTS”!  We can commit unthinkable atrocities and still be used by GOD to Glorify HIS NAME!  Moses was used by GOD, King David was, and the Apostle Paul was.  While I have never caused another person to die, the sinfulness that JESUS died for in my life was just as bad!  GOD uses “HIS SAINTS”, even though we are not just imperfect, we are all from the bottom of the barrel!  Being named one of “HIS SAINTS” is the only thing in my life that gives me value.  The only thing that I am able to Glory in is that I have been CHOSEN to be one of “HIS SAINTS!”

“MARTHA WAS DISTRACTED!”

Luke 10:38-42                                                (ESV)

“38 Now as they went on their way, JESUS entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed HIM into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the LORD’S feet and listened to HIS teaching.

40 But “MARTHA WAS DISTRACTED” WITH MUCH SERVING. And she went up to HIM and said, "LORD, do YOU not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."

41 But the LORD answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are ANXIOUS and TROUBLED about many things,

42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."” 

Many times we get “caught up” in DOING THINGS that we convince ourselves are SERVING others, maybe even JESUS?  Martha was “caught up” in serving JESUS (and possibly others) and even complained to JESUS (ours and her CREATOR) that Mary wasn’t doing her part.  She was ANXIOUS and TROUBLED about many things.  

Personally speaking, I am guilty of getting my EYES off of what JESUS has for me AT THE MOMENT and onto what I would prefer to SEE happening!  Usually when I get to the point of excruciating frustration, only then do I realize that since GOD IS IN CONTROL, HE is perfectly capable of doing anything HE wants to accomplish WITHOUT me interfering!  The way I think things should work out isn’t always the same way GOD intends for them to happen.  While I am ANXIOUS and TROUBLED with the way I think things should be done, JESUS is calmly working HIS WILL... in HIS TIMING!  

A Bible Scholar on social media recently said “Perhaps the lockdown has taught us that we need to cultivate more of Mary's calm worshipful spirit, and less of Martha's scrambling busy fuss.”  Can you imagine how JESUS must have felt knowing that Martha was consumed with getting things done the way “she thought” they should be done, when all Mary doing was listening to THE MASTER?  Mary was being CHANGED by the MASTER, while “MARTHA WAS DISTRACTED”!!

JESUS says in Matthew 19:26 "With man this is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible."  GOD is perfectly capable of doing the menial things that I sometimes get “caught up” with doing.  Don’t allow the enemy to cloud your mind with how he wants you to think that you should be SERVING JESUS.  “MARTHA WAS DISTRACTED”, but I want to be busy being CHANGED BY THE MASTER!!!

“I WILL GET GLORY!”

Exodus 14:4                                                            (ESV)

“And I WILL harden Pharaoh's heart, and HE WILL pursue them, and “I WILL GET GLORY” over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." And THEY DID SO.”

Exodus 14:8

“And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly.”

Exodus 14:10

“When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.”

Exodus 14:26-28

“26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen."

27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.

28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.”

Recently I wrote about GOD telling Moses and the Children of Israel that YOU SHALL ENCAMP by the Red Sea.  Some scholars say that they had to WAIT a week.  What were they WAITING for though?  They couldn’t have known that the Egyptians were coming after them.  A week of sitting with the Red Sea in front of you, mountain ranges on either side of you, and knowing that ALMIGHTY GOD had directed you to this spot had to cause some anxiety, to say the least!

Anxiety is most often NOT understanding what GOD is going to do, or when HE is going to act, or how HE is going to accomplish that which HE has promised that HE WILL DO!   FAITH is the antithesis of anxiety, for when one lives the fact that GOD IS IN CONTROL it is difficult to be anxious.  GOD told Moses and the Children of Israel that “”I WILL GET GLORY” over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." And THEY DID SO.”  FAITH would tell us that GOD was going to make sure that HE GOT GLORY over Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  Anxiety would cause the Israelites to “fear greatly” (Exodus 14:10)!  

In hindsight, it isn’t hard to Believe GOD delivered on HIS Promise.  But with the mightiest army known to mankind at his behest, Pharaoh’s heart WAS hardened, Pharaoh DID pursue the Israelites, and just like GOD said, “I WILL GET GLORY” over Pharaoh and all his host.  

When GOD says that HE will do something, it WILL happen!  HE IS COMING BACK!  Do NOT be deceived!  That day HE will once again be saying “I WILL GET GLORY”!!!