Here are words to a song called "If My People's Hearts Are Humbled." It is from the Hymnal for Worship and Celebration based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. I hope you are touched by the words in such a way that you humble your heart and repent of yours sins!
Verse 1:
If My peo-ple's hearts are humbled, If they pray and seek My face;
If they turn a-way from e-vil, I will not with-hold My grace.
I will hear their prayers from heav-en; I will par-don ev-'ry sin.
If My peo-ple's hearts are hum-bled, I will surel-ly heal their land.
Verse 2:
Then My eyes will see their sor-row, Then My ears will hear their plea.
If My peo-ple's hearts are hum-bled I will set their na-tion free.
If My peo-ple's hearts are hum-bled, If they pray and seek My face;
If they turn a-way from e-vil, I will not with-hold My grace.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Fulfilling Righteousness
When we have repented, it becomes us like Jesus to fulfill righteousness (Matthew 3:15). With Jesus in our hearts, we become a new person moved to steer clear of Satan and sin and moved to become closer to Jesus each day. In the gospels, we will learn the wisdom of Jesus that moves us to fulfill righteousness. Jesus' first step was to become baptized by John the Baptist.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
'Repent Ye'
Today, Jesus is ushered into our presence in Spirit, but John the Baptist had the privilege of ushering Him in person through preaching repentance in the wilderness of Judaea. John the Baptist said, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2 KJV). "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins" (vs. 5, 6).
Even the Pharisees and Sadducees attended the baptism. John the Baptist said to them, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from wrath to come" (v. 7)? The wrath to come was described metaphorically in verses 8 and 10 that a person (tree) would be cut down and cast into fire who (that) did not repent (produce good fruit).
According to Layman's Bible Encyclopedia, "...[r]epentance affects the whole man. It is not merely a substitution of one set of external actions and observances for another set, but an inward turning, a recognition and disavowal of one's sin coupled with the embracing of a new way of life, a life in conformity with the teachings of Christ...".
John the Baptist proclaimed that he 'baptized with water unto repentance' and Jesus baptized 'with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (v. 11). John the Baptist also described Jesus as coming with a "...fan in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (v. 12). These words are another way of describing the wrath to come. The wheat in the day of wrath will be the people who have repented. The chaff will be those who have not repented.
"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (vs. 13-17).
Even the Pharisees and Sadducees attended the baptism. John the Baptist said to them, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from wrath to come" (v. 7)? The wrath to come was described metaphorically in verses 8 and 10 that a person (tree) would be cut down and cast into fire who (that) did not repent (produce good fruit).
According to Layman's Bible Encyclopedia, "...[r]epentance affects the whole man. It is not merely a substitution of one set of external actions and observances for another set, but an inward turning, a recognition and disavowal of one's sin coupled with the embracing of a new way of life, a life in conformity with the teachings of Christ...".
John the Baptist proclaimed that he 'baptized with water unto repentance' and Jesus baptized 'with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (v. 11). John the Baptist also described Jesus as coming with a "...fan in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (v. 12). These words are another way of describing the wrath to come. The wheat in the day of wrath will be the people who have repented. The chaff will be those who have not repented.
"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (vs. 13-17).
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Safety of Many Ensured through Miraculous Events
God's miracles abound before and after the birth of Jesus to ensure that we have a Savior for our sins. Just think of all the people God is looking out for in His will. This includes you and me! Amen.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, Herod was the king. King Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled when wise men from the east came to inquire of the birth of the King of the Jews. The wise men had seen Jesus' star in the east and had come to worship the newborn King.
King Herod assembled the chief priests and scribes of the people to demand an answer to where Christ was to be born. "And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall rule my people Israel" (Matthew 2: 5, 6 KJV).
King Herod privately met with the wise men to ask of them the time when the star appeared. "And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also" (v. 8).
The wise men left Jerusalem to follow the star to the young child Jesus who was "...with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (v. 11).
The wise men were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod. Heeding God's warning, the wise men traveled a different way to their country. "And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son" (vs. 13-15).
"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not" (vs. 16-18).
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene" (vs. 19-23).
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, Herod was the king. King Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled when wise men from the east came to inquire of the birth of the King of the Jews. The wise men had seen Jesus' star in the east and had come to worship the newborn King.
King Herod assembled the chief priests and scribes of the people to demand an answer to where Christ was to be born. "And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall rule my people Israel" (Matthew 2: 5, 6 KJV).
King Herod privately met with the wise men to ask of them the time when the star appeared. "And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also" (v. 8).
The wise men left Jerusalem to follow the star to the young child Jesus who was "...with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (v. 11).
The wise men were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod. Heeding God's warning, the wise men traveled a different way to their country. "And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son" (vs. 13-15).
"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not" (vs. 16-18).
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene" (vs. 19-23).
Friday, April 20, 2012
Jesus, Savior of His People
Now that we have been introduced to Jesus through a hymn and a spiritual song in the previous two blog entries, let's move on to the Word of the Lord which endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). The first chapter of Matthew has the genealogy of Jesus going all the way back to Abraham up to Joseph who was espoused to Mary, Jesus' mother.
It was discovered that Mary was with child conceived of the Holy Ghost. This discovery was confirmed to Joseph in a dream by the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord told Joseph not to fear to take Mary as his wife that the child of the Holy Ghost will be a son for Joseph to name "JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
"Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (vs. 22, 23).
Joseph received the angel's message and took Mary as his wife and called Mary's firstborn son, JESUS.
While I was reading this first chapter of Matthew, verse twenty-one, which pertains to Jesus saving His people from their sins, really absorbed my attention. I thought how happy I am to be among Jesus' people. How about you?
It was discovered that Mary was with child conceived of the Holy Ghost. This discovery was confirmed to Joseph in a dream by the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord told Joseph not to fear to take Mary as his wife that the child of the Holy Ghost will be a son for Joseph to name "JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
"Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (vs. 22, 23).
Joseph received the angel's message and took Mary as his wife and called Mary's firstborn son, JESUS.
While I was reading this first chapter of Matthew, verse twenty-one, which pertains to Jesus saving His people from their sins, really absorbed my attention. I thought how happy I am to be among Jesus' people. How about you?
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Jesus, Our Lord, Our Friend,...Our King of Glory!
Let me bring another song to your attention before venturing into the gospels. I believe the song called King of Glory by Third Day will introduce you to Jesus or bring you closer to Him! Every time I listen to it, my heart is touched in a special way! In November, I had blogged about how the song ushered in Jesus' presence. I hope you have the same experience. Enjoy:
Who is this King of Glory
That pursues me with His love
And haunts me with each hearing of His softly spoken words
My conscience, a reminder of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory who offers it to me
Who is this King of angels
O blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of heaven and
all it mysteries
My spirit's ever longing
for His grace in which to stand
Who is this King of Glory
Son of God and Son of Man
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart,
the King of Glory
Who is this King of Glory
with strength and majesty and
wisdom beyond measure the gracious
King of kings
The Lord of Earth and Heaven
The Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory
He's everything to me
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart,
the King of Glory
The Lord of Earth and Heaven
The Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory
He's everything to me.
Who is this King of Glory
That pursues me with His love
And haunts me with each hearing of His softly spoken words
My conscience, a reminder of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory who offers it to me
Who is this King of angels
O blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of heaven and
all it mysteries
My spirit's ever longing
for His grace in which to stand
Who is this King of Glory
Son of God and Son of Man
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart,
the King of Glory
Who is this King of Glory
with strength and majesty and
wisdom beyond measure the gracious
King of kings
The Lord of Earth and Heaven
The Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory
He's everything to me
His name is Jesus
Precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart,
the King of Glory
The Lord of Earth and Heaven
The Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory
He's everything to me.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Jesus, Our Lord, Our Friend!
Without elaborating, I must say that Satan is out full force to try and keep God's work from being done. Any Christian has to be cautious of Satan all the time! He tries to keep relationships/friendships with Jesus from forming or continuing! Beware!
Now, moving on to today's blog entry:
Before beginning the study through the gospels, I want to point out the blog entry for January 13, 2012 with the words of the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." If you meditate on the words of that hymn, you will discover that you can take your problems to Jesus in prayer. Prayer, in addition to God's Holy Word, is necessary to building your relationship/friendship with Jesus. You can talk to Jesus about anything! Amen!
The Lord even has the perfect manner of prayer to follow in Matthew 6:9-13:
Our father which art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Any attempt that Satan makes to keep you from your relationship/friendship with Jesus can be handled by Jesus. Jesus who lives inside you is stronger than he (Satan) who is of the world. Jesus will deliver you! Praise Jesus!
Now, moving on to today's blog entry:
Before beginning the study through the gospels, I want to point out the blog entry for January 13, 2012 with the words of the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." If you meditate on the words of that hymn, you will discover that you can take your problems to Jesus in prayer. Prayer, in addition to God's Holy Word, is necessary to building your relationship/friendship with Jesus. You can talk to Jesus about anything! Amen!
The Lord even has the perfect manner of prayer to follow in Matthew 6:9-13:
Our father which art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Any attempt that Satan makes to keep you from your relationship/friendship with Jesus can be handled by Jesus. Jesus who lives inside you is stronger than he (Satan) who is of the world. Jesus will deliver you! Praise Jesus!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Building Relationship with Christ
Thank you for your patience while I have gone through a temporary spiritual dry period. During this dry period, I continued to search the scriptures. This is a good thing because had I stopped searching, I would not have received God's revelation. God wants me to "[l]et the word of Christ dwell in [me] richly in all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16). This is to be done by going through the gospels. This will not be a fast track through the gospels because God wants the Word to dwell in me richly. This will put Christ's Word into my heart and a more intimate relationship will develop as well. Besides myself, there are others who God is speaking to and this will be your opportunity to build your relationship with Christ through the gospels. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you and I can learn the wisdom of Christ and build our relationship with Him. Amen!
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