“GOD IS ABLE!”

 2 Corinthians 9:8                    (ESV)

“And GOD IS ABLE to make ALL GRACE ABOUND TO YOU, so that having ALL SUFFICIENCY in ALL THINGS at ALL TIMES, YOU MAY ABOUND IN EVERY GOOD WORK.”

“WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK!”

 John 9:1-7                    (ESV)

JESUS Heals a Man Born Blind

“[1] As HE passed by, HE saw A MAN BLIND FROM BIRTH. [2] And HIS disciples asked HIM, “RABBI, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” [3] JESUS answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the WORKS of GOD might be displayed in him. [4] We must work the works of HIM WHO sent me while it is day; night is coming, “WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK”. [5] As long as I AM IN the world, I AM the light of the world.” [6] Having said these things, HE spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then HE anointed the man’s eyes with the mud [7] and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and CAME BACK SEEING.”

It is very telling to WE WHO have been CHOSEN to understand that when JESUS changes a life, THINGS will never be the same!  

There are certain things/events that leave an impression on some people.  Others hardly ever notice the same.  When JESUS gave SIGHT to a man who was born with no sight, it might have occurred where it went unrecognized by those outside of the surrounding area of Israel?  But when the blind man CAME BACK SEEING, his world was completely changed!!!

The verse of Scripture that I feel is imperative to NOT read over though is verse four which says “We must work the works of HIM WHO sent me while it is day; night is coming, “WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK”.  

Humanity has NO IDEA how much time each of us have before THE LORD calls us HOME!  I should EXPLICITLY understand that better than anyone!  Being placed into a medically-induced coma should give an unmistakable reminder that WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL…….OF ANYTHING!!  Being RESTORED to great health is such a BLESSING!  But when I read this passage of Scripture and SEE “WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK” I am able to SEE things that others might miss???

Without a doubt, there IS coming a time “WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK” to make a better life for themselves!  My time that remains could be today, or I might live to be an older man!  My life will be better spent acknowledging that NONE OF US is guaranteed tomorrow!!  We need to FULLY UNDERSTAND that there is coming a time “WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK”!!!  Are your labors going to be in vain???

“TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE!”

 John 19:28-30                    (ESV)

The Death of JESUS 

“[28] After this, JESUS, knowing that ALL WAS NOW FINISHED, said (“TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE”), “I thirst.” [29] A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. [30] When JESUS had received the sour wine, HE said, “IT IS FINISHED”, and HE bowed HIS head AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT.”

For those who have been exposed to the TRUTH contained in the SCRIPTURE, acknowledging that JESUS was/is THE WORD (John 1:1), and JESUS was with GOD from the beginning!!  With this in mind, JESUS had FULL AUTHORITY and TRUTH (John 14:6) to speak for THE FATHER as THEY were ONE!

Since JESUS was THE WORD and TRUTH, even in death HE HAD “TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE”!  Doing ANYTHING short of fulfilling every “jot and tittle” of what had been prophesied would have “fallen short” of HIS PERFECTION.  

It is IMPERATIVE to grasp that JESUS (GOD IN THE FLESH), even in the most excruciating death imaginable, HE was required to FULFILL ALL OF SCRIPTURE!  The last thing HE did before HE yielded HIS LIFE was drink a mixture from a hyssop branch, a reportedly bitter drink that was spoken of by King David in Psalm 51.  HE drank “the hyssop” and then said “IT IS FINISHED”, and HE bowed HIS head AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT”!

JESUS was mandated by SCRIPTURE to suffer ALL of the PAIN and SUFFERING “TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE”!  HIS PLAN didn’t allow HIM to escape, even when the final “sentence” would be the last thing HE performed before HIS death!  HE is THE WORD, and “TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE” was WHO HE WAS!!!  HE lives in me, so do I have any choice???

“DO NOT!”

 Job 1:6-12                    (ESV)

Satan Allowed to Test Job

“[6] Now there was a day when the sons of GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. [7] The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” [8] 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?” [9] Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear GOD for no reason? [10] Have YOU not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? YOU have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. [11] But stretch out YOUR hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse YOU to YOUR face.” [12] And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him “DO NOT” stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”

The story of Job isn’t a “fairy tale”!! It is TRUTH written about Job’s FAITH in the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE!  Job KNEW that GOD WAS IN CONTROL, but he also was certainly about to find out that GOD created Satan to be used to GLORIFY HIS SON, especially when the so-called “odds” were stacked against HIM!!!

Making sure that the TRUTH is plainly seen by more than me, Satan ONLY has POWER that is bequeathed to him by ALMIGHTY GOD!  Satan asked in verse ten above “Have YOU not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?”  Satan KNEW that Job has been DIVINELY protected previously, so he requested “leniency” from the THRONE!  And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him “DO NOT” stretch out your hand” in verse twelve!  The LORD KNEW that Job would pass the test, and HE wanted to prove HIS SOVEREIGNTY to Job and anyone else watching, including Satan!!!

In Matthew 19:26 GOD IN THE FLESH says “With man this is impossible, but with GOD ALL THINGS are possible.”  Yes, this same JESUS was around back when Job was being tested.  HEAVEN KNEW that Job would “pass” his test!  Satan surely knows that he is a defeated foe and that his fate has been sealed when CHRIST overcame death, hell and the grave!  “The enemy” also knew that when GOD said “”DO NOT” stretch out your hand” against Job that Job was safe and secure from him.  When GOD says “DO NOT”, the issue has been settled, and that’s saying everything that needs to be said!!!

“LET EVERY PERSON BE QUICK”!

 James 1:19-21                    (ESV)

Hearing and Doing the Word

“[19] Know this, my beloved brothers: “LET EVERY PERSON BE QUICK” TO HEAR, SLOW to speak, SLOW to anger; [20] FOR THE ANGER OF MAN DOES NOT PRODUCE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. [21] Therefore PUT AWAY all filthiness and rampant wickedness AND RECEIVE with meekness THE IMPLANTED WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS.”

Humanity as a whole seems to always be interested in “coming in first” at everything we do?  I highlighted the words “LET EVERY PERSON BE QUICK” because that is the angle most people tend to operate.  Just “doing” something seems to be the “modus operandi” that “this world” would have us defaulting to……but is that what THE IMPLANTED WORD would have us be doing???

THE IMPLANTED WORD are extremely powerful and transformative WORDS!  Capitalizing words that refer to DIVINITY is a common practice for me.  THE IMPLANTED WORD had to have been referring to JESUS because WHO else IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS???  

James, the half-brother of JESUS, wrote these words having grown up living around the SON OF GOD, so he would have an inside track of identifying the faults of JESUS???  But when James says “LET EVERY PERSON BE QUICK” he immediately says TO HEAR!  He doesn’t say  “LET EVERY PERSON BE QUICK” to conquer foes or win a race, BUT TO HEAR FROM JESUS!!!

BELIEVERS that JESUS IS GOD IN THE FLESH are NOT just another piece of the human race.  We are CHOSEN to spread the GOOD NEWS to a lost and dying world. We ALL have the distractions of life to deal with and overcome, but THE MAIN THING that we are CALLED to do is “LET EVERY PERSON BE QUICK” TO HEAR from JESUS CHRIST!!!!

From Bishop Robert E Smith, St!

 From Bishop Robert E. Smith Sr.!

“Be ready (Matt.24:44) and worthy (Luke 21:36).  It will be a quick departure (Rev. 22:7,12,20).  Don't get left behind (Luke 17:34-36).”

“WHO MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH!”

 Acts 14:15-18                    (ESV)

“[15] “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living GOD, “WHO MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH” and the sea and all that is in them. [16] In past generations HE allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. [17] Yet HE did not leave HIMSELF without witness, for HE did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” [18] Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.”

Humanity can be a fickle CREATION, changing our minds about our CREATORS goodness versus HIS JUDGEMENT based solely upon what “lense” we view the circumstances of our “trials”.  I recently viewed a video of a nice rain being received from a drought area, apparently from a place that needed rainfall?  I have also observed torrential rainfall in a flooded area that seemed to have more precipitation than the area could handle at the time?  

But humanity, in all of its supposed glory, has NO business trying to be a god by making it rain, or stay dry, according to our own wishes!  We do not have the level of intelligence to satisfy our needs, or even our desires.  We are not able to SEE what lies ahead of us, not like the ONE “WHO MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH” does!  

While we may attempt to live our lives in a manner that draws honor and glory to our CREATOR, we don’t have the intelligence or wherewithal to prepare for our daily lives.  Can anyone plan for a heart attack?  How about a Brain Hemorrhage?  However, I can SEE how GOD used BOTH of these “trials” to display to HIS servant that HE ALONE was in CONTROL of this world and its trials!!!   

The CREATED must remember that GOD IN HEAVEN is the ONE WHO CREATED us, and NOT we ourselves!  HE “WHO MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH” is still capable of changing hearts and minds of people, and HE doesn’t have to WAIT for the obedience of HIS CHOSEN!  In Revelation 20:6, Scripture records “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of GOD and of CHRIST, AND THEY WILL REIGN WITH HIM FOR A THOUSAND YEARS!!!  We, HIS CHOSEN, and the ONE “WHO MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH” will CELEBRATE HIS VICTORY as HE SEES fit!!!