“THIS BOOK!”

Joshua 1:8-9                                            (ESV)

“8 “THIS BOOK” of the Law SHALL NOT DEPART from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

9 Have I not commanded you? Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS. Do not be FRIGHTENED, and do not be dismayed, for THE LORD YOUR GOD is with you wherever you go."”

It can be easy to offer advice and give direction when we don’t have any “skin in the game”.  But whenever we have a friend or loved one who is in a life and death situation, being able to SEE clearly is not as easy!  I’ve always said, you can hurt me and it may be overlooked, but hurt my wife or my kids (GRANDKIDS!) and a new story has developed!  There is something about the ones that we love being hurt where we think we can protect them.  But ultimately, we are NOT IN CONTROL, GOD ALMIGHTY IS!

Many of you know that yesterday I celebrated my 59th birthday.  One would think that someone who is almost 60 years old would have enough maturity about themselves to not allow “the enemy” to infiltrate their business.  “THIS BOOK”, in actuality, is the character of ALMIGHTY GOD that we are allowed to carry with us wherever we go.   GOD told Joshua if he would meditate on “THIS BOOK” day and night, his way would be prosperous, and he would have good success!  GOD DID NOT PROMISE THAT HE WOULD MAKE HIS WAY SIMPLE!

Being STRONG and COURAGEOUS should, in fact, tell us quite the opposite.  We don’t need to STRONG and COURAGEOUS to fight battles that are simply cakewalks!  Reflecting “THIS BOOK”, HIS Character, should be what “the enemy” gets out of us when THE PRESSURE is put on us.  It has been said that orange juice can ONLY be made when oranges are squeezed, NOT whining and crying and taking my toys and running inside LIKE A LITTLE CHILD!

GOD instructed Joshua to “meditate on it day and night” when talking about “THIS BOOK”!  Instead, I usually run to “THIS BOOK” when I see “the enemy” coming to attack!  If I could SEE that “the enemy” is doing anything he can to get my EYES off of THE MASTER, then I wouldn’t be so quick to try and fight battles on my own!  Spiritual Maturity isn’t for the weak and immature.  Remaining in “THIS BOOK” will bring Spiritual Maturity, but it might be after we go through some trials!!!

“THEIR EYES WERE OPENED!”

Luke 24:13-35                                          (ESV)

“13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,

14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

15 While they were talking and discussing together, JESUS HIMSELF drew near and went with them.

16 But THEIR EYES WERE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING HIM.

17 And HE said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad.

18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered HIM, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

19 And HE said to them, "What things?" And they said to HIM, "Concerning JESUS of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before GOD and all the people,

20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered HIM up to be condemned to death, and crucified HIM .

21 But we had hoped that HE was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.

22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,

23 and when they did not find HIS body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that HE WAS ALIVE.

24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but HIM they did not see."

25 And HE (JESUS) said to them, "O FOOLISH ONES, AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN!

26 WAS IT NOT NECESSARY THAT THE CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER THESE THINGS AND ENTER INTO HIS GLORY?"

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, HE interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning HIMSELF.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. HE acted as if HE were going farther,

29 but they urged HIM strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So HE went in to stay with them.

30 When HE was at table with them, HE took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.

31 And “THEIR EYES WERE OPENED”, and they recognized HIM. And HE vanished from their sight.

32 They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while HE opened to us the Scriptures?"

33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

34 saying, "The LORD has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"

35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how HE was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

While this passage of Scripture is lengthy in comparison to most days, it must all be considered to grasp the TRUTH that is being revealed to us.  The “two of them” that were walking on the road to Emmaus were confused about the events of the preceding days.  Although JESUS had explained to them on several occasions that HE must suffer and die for the remission of sins, they could not SEE THE TRUTH of HIS demise because THEIR EYES WERE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING TRUTH until it was revealed to them!

These trusted men of GOD IN THE FLESH were prevented from SEEING JESUS, even though HE was right in front of them, HE was well known to them, and HE wanted them to recognize HIM for WHO HE was.  “O FOOLISH ONES, AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN!  WAS IT NOT NECESSARY THAT THE CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER THESE THINGS AND ENTER INTO HIS GLORY?" was HIS question for them.  THE PROPHETS were simply men used by GOD for HIS GLORY, but they weren’t familiar with what had been written about HIM to recognize the sacrifice that had to be paid by the spotless LAMB OF GOD!  

Imagine the disappointment, despair, anger, defeat and every other emotion imaginable the one’s who had Believed were experiencing since JESUS had been killed by the JEWS?  Now JESUS was walking right beside them and they couldn’t even recognize HIM.  

Can I recognize HIM when HE is right before me?  DO I STUDY SCRIPTURE ENOUGH TO BE READY TO SEE HIM?  Do I have a STRONG DESIRE to be used by and for HIM?    When the time came, “THEIR EYES WERE OPENED” to SEE TRUTH walking in their midst.  My prayer is that I will be ready, willing and able to SEE when “THEIR EYES WERE OPENED” for HIS GLORY!!!

“THE! WIND!”

John 3:8                                                           (ESV)

“”THE WIND” blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT."

The third chapter book of John is probably one of the most quoted in the Bible, if for no other reason, the sixteenth verse.  While led to write about being BORN AGAIN (John 3:7) recently, I was “exposed” to John 3:8, AND IT WILL NOT LET ME GO!  For me, John 3:8 has always been a verse that was between other verses that never was studied to the degree that some others were.  But over the past few days the LORD has caused my mind to be reminded of other Scriptures about “THE WIND” that are very interesting!  

When JESUS was in the hull of the ship, HE was “sleeping” and a storm arose with strong winds.  In Luke 9:24 it is written “And they went and woke HIM, saying, "MASTER, MASTER, we are perishing!" And HE awoke and rebuked “THE WIND” and the raging waves, and they ceased, and THERE WAS a CALM”.  The disciples were afraid of “THE WIND” and so they went running to the MASTER OF “THE WIND”!  

In Acts 2:2 Scripture states “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a MIGHTY RUSHING WIND, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting”. JESUS was crucified on Passover.  Many believe that Pentecost is 50 days later.  Whenever the day was, it was signified by a MIGHTY RUSHING WIND passing through the crowd.  “THE WIND” gave evidence that the HOLY SPIRIT was present at Pentecost.  

Did you ever wonder why the unbelievers didn’t acknowledge that the HOLY SPIRIT was moving during Pentecost?  Could it be that they were not part of EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT?  1 Corinthians 2:14 says “The natural person does not accept the things of the SPIRIT of GOD, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”  Maybe they could not SEE the things of the SPIRIT OF GOD because they SPIRITUALLY BLIND?  

“THE WIND” blows where it wishes, for humans can’t prescribe a WIND whenever they want it.  Neither can humans determine when certain events will happen in our lives.  When we finally understand that ALMIGHTY GOD controls our future???  Only then can we TRUST that HE will provide “THE WIND” when we need it!!!

“SO IT IS!

John 3:1-8                                                  (ESV)

“1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 This man came to JESUS by night and said to HIM, "Rabbi, we know that YOU are a teacher come from GOD, for no one can do these signs that you do unless GOD is with HIM."

3 JESUS answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of GOD."

4 Nicodemus said to HIM, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

5 JESUS answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter the kingdom of GOD.

6 That which is born of the FLESH is FLESH, and that which is born of the SPIRIT is spirit.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. “SO IT IS” with EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT."

There are many evidences of NEW LIFE in CHRIST.  Baptism, church membership, feeding HIS sheep, a giving heart, are just a few of them.  Being able to SEE when a person has been CONVERTED can be a tricky, even deceptive undertaking.  There are a long list of people, even those calling themselves pastors, who have been exposed as “false prophets”, never experiencing THE TRANSFORMATION.  Matthew Henry’s Concise Bible Commentary says “We must be entirely different from what we were before, as that which begins to be at any time, is not, and cannot be the same with that which was before”.  

In speaking with Nicodemus, JESUS explained that being born of water (natural birth) and being BORN of Spiritual Birth are totally different occurrences.  When you have been “BORN OF THE SPIRIT” the evidence is like when the “wind” blows!  We don’t know where it comes from and we don’t know where it is going.  We do know the cooling effects of the true wind.  We Believers also know the comforting effects of the SPIRIT, calming our nerves and giving assurance in troubled times.   Like a gentle breeze, it cools and comforts without us who benefit from it ever thanking GOD for its blessings.  

John 4:24 says GOD IS SPIRIT.  HIS Blessings are far too often attributed to chance or circumstance when WE SHOULD KNOW James 1:17 says “EVERY GOOD GIFT and EVERY PERFECT GIFT is from above, coming down from the FATHER of lights, with WHOM there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  

“SO IT IS” with the HOLY SPIRIT WHO REVEALS HIMSELF to we that are chosen by the FATHER to SERVE HIM.  HE hasn’t selected us to join the ranks of HIS servants to not SERVE!  All but one of the original twelve disciples were willing to die a martyrs death, and John survived being boiled in oil to write the book of Revelation!   “SO IT IS” that OUR CREATOR has CHOSEN me to serve HIM!  If it is persecution or death, who am I to question MY LORD???

“WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW?”

Luke 2:54-56                                           (ESV)

“54 HE (JESUS) also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens.

55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens.

56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but “WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW” how to interpret the present time?”

I’ve often thought that I would have been a might intimidated had I been alive during the time that JESUS walked on the earth.  GOD IN THE FLESH is right in our midst and we walk around like HE is one of the guys.  HE was seemingly always so gracious, saying words that caused people to ponder HIS point.  But this time HE didn’t beat around the bush with telling “the crowds” exactly what HE wanted them to hear, AND KNOW!

Knowing how the weather acts and reacts to certain happenings can be a valuable tool.  Knowing when a Hurricane is going to develop has become a science that many meteorologists are continuously trying to improve upon.  Tornadoes are studied almost as much.  Winter storms are tracked by everyone with great interest, because we don’t want to run out of milk, eggs and bread when the electricity goes out!

But JESUS IS COMING BACK, and very little attention is being paid to getting prepared for HIS return.  JESUS told “the crowds”, “WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW” how to interpret the present time?  Apparently we are more concerned with a hurricane, tornado, or some other weather related phenomenon that we are listening to the warnings of GOD IN THE FLESH?  HIS “forecast” has NEVER been wrong and yet we act as though HIS WORDS don’t apply to us.   

Everybody has been warned! Don’t say that you haven’t.  HIS WORD has been given to us so we can develop a more intimate relationship with HIM, yet we can’t search for answers to the questions of life daily, much less when we are in a crisis!  “WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW” might be because we don’t look at the answers enough?  

When I was going to junior high and high school, we occasionally had some of the answers to homework in the back of the text book.  They were there for everyone one to see, BUT WE HAD TO LOOK!  The answers for life’s questions in THE BOOK!  “WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW” to look for them???

“I AM HOLY!”

Leviticus 11:44-45                                            (ESV)

“44 For I am the LORD your GOD. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be Holy, for “I AM HOLY”. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.

45 For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be Holy, for “I AM HOLY”."”

One dictionary defines the word “au·to·bi·og·ra·phy/ˌôdəbīˈäɡrəfē/noun” as ”an account of a person's life written by that person.”  When GOD breathed the breath of LIFE into man (Genesis 2:7 ““then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”), HE Created us to be HOLY, for “I AM HOLY”!  The same dictionary lists THE “HOLY BIBLE” as “Bi·ble/ˈbībəl/nounthe Christian scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments."verses from the Bible" synonyms, the Holy Scriptures, Holy Writ, the Good Book, the Book of Books”!!!  Since JESUS said in John 4:24 that GOD IS SPIRIT, and we are flesh, it would stand to reason that GOD doesn’t operate exactly the way we do!  

Genesis 1:27 says “So GOD created man in HIS OWN IMAGE, in the IMAGE of GOD HE created him; male and female HE created them.”  So man, in his state of CREATION, WAS HOLY!  We were CREATED by ALMIGHTY GOD to be HOLY, for “I AM HOLY”, but man failed at being HOLY, so GOD sent HIS SON as a substitute for our wicked selves.  GOD’S WORD, THE HOLY BIBLE, is s without error and it is complete.  It has what hap happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen in the future!  And it ALL centers around BEING HOLY!  

Since we, HIS Creations, have fulfilled Scripture (because Jeremiah 17:9 says “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick (wicked); who can understand it?) by our actions, why do we think we can write out some Scriptures, or just totally ignore the TRUTH?  We are CREATED, not the creator!  “The enemy” has spoken this lie since Genesis 3:5 when he said “you will be like GOD”.  We are Created in HIS image, but we are not HOLY like HIM.  

GOD GAVE us HIS SON and HIS WORD which are the only examples of HOLINESS that we have, and we FAIL to keep our EYES on either ONE!  Freely HE gave them to us, but we act as though money, fame and possessions are more important.  “I AM HOLY” will return VERY SOON to claim HIS CHOSEN.  As evidenced by the lives being lived for HIM, the task will not be that difficult.  Matthew 7:14 says “For the gate is NARROW and the WAY IS HARD that leads to life, and THOSE WHO FIND IT ARE FEW.”  

Are you trusting in the ONE that lived the “I AM HOLY” life?  

“WHERE WERE YOU?”

Job 38:1-4                                                (ESV)

“1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

2 "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 

3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 

4 "”WHERE WERE YOU” when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”

The view “this world” has of ALMIGHTY GOD is continually growing dimmer and dimmer as we near the return of JESUS.  While some of us can SEE that we are becoming more wicked every day, others think that we are increasing in our knowledge and intellect.  There was recently a statement saying that “In the eyes of GOD, marriage is still ONE man and ONE woman”!  For me, I am wondering just who it is that defines marriage!  It would seem to me that since ALMIGHTY GOD CREATED us, HE is the ONLY ONE WHO can change HIS rules?  

“"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?”  Have we become so educated that we ignore what GOD says in HIS BOOK?  HE CREATED us giving HIM the privilege to lay out the rules, and we have to follow those rules.  If we want to make rules, we need to CREATE our own beings from dirt and then breathe into them the BREATH OF LIFE!  Yes, then we can change rules to reflect what we want.  We could be in charge, changing rules, doing what we think is best!

We think we are so intelligent and such masters of our own destiny when we are unable to add one day to tho feeble existence called life.  One of my FAVORITE quotes is “Life hasn’t gone as I planned, and that is okay”!  I’m not WISE enough to make decisions about my future.  We want to change rules for our lives, or on beings that we didn’t CREATE, without even knowing what they were CREATED to be.  But until we can CREATE LIFE from nothing, we are left answering “WHERE WERE YOU” when everything was CREATED from nothing???