POWER FROM CONFIDENCE

Cast not away … your confidence, which has great recompence of reward. For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. Hebrews 10:35,36

Be confident: you can understand the Bible.  What you do not yet understand, the Holy Spirit is in the process of revealing to you. Be like Daniel.  He was confident and focused. Still young, he was brought to the palace of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

Because of the sins of others Daniel suffered along with them, was brought captive to a foreign land, but there he thrived.  Daniel, in the Bible, had such an excellent spirit that the king of Babylon noticed and promoted him - - He excelled.  He overcame the wicked culture by purposing from inside: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” Daniel 1:8

 His power came from within. “He believed in his God…” (Daniel 6:23) We can do this too through the personal, intimate relationship with God through Jesus.  We can do this today!  We can have the understanding that comes because the Holy Spirit “dwells,” lives, abides in every Believer.  “But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him.” 1 John 2:27

How amazing is this!  Power from within. Today, “out there” are elitists claiming to have special knowledge.  You and I have the Holy Spirit to teach us:  “abide” is what we can purpose to do.  In Him lies the power to be close to God. "Abide (continue) in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me." John 15:4

 We can do this, too!  We can change the world around us and who knows how far out.

POWER FROM WITHIN

The man, Daniel was young, taken captive into Chaldea because of the sins of others.  But Daniel had a power within.  The envy, jealousy of the princes in his new country, changed nothing of the focus he had.  He had always prayed to God three times a day.  Then the controlling powerful presidents and princes decided as one to get rid of him.


What caused this was jealousy, a common problem for gifted, good people.  The Great and powerful king had promoted Daniel above all the princes.  Yet he was a Jew, an immigrant, a young and strange newcomer.  He prayed to the God who claimed to be the One True God.  So, Daniel, in a strange land, with a strange idol worshipping culture kept his focus on Jehovah.  He continued his habit of praying with an open window toward Jerusalem, where his fathers had at one time worshipped.


The jealous princes, flattering King Darius, coaxed him into making an unchangeable law that no one could make any request of any god except to him.  For one month every person in the kingdom must pray to him alone or be thrown into the den of lions.


What Daniel did is what we should always do:  pray to the Lord the Creator of the Heavens and the earth, no matter the risk.  Daniel continued opening his window and praying to the Lord three times a day.  The princes were watching for him and reported it to the king.  Now the king was in a fix; he saw his mistake:  he was about to lose his best counselor.  He had promoted Daniel above the rest because “an excellent spirit was in him.”  But now the king would be forced to throw Daniel to the lions.


You know the story; the princes had their way - - to a point.  Daniel was cast into the den of lions, stayed all night, and came from there unscathed.  “And no manner of hurt was found upon him because he believed in his God.”  In relief, the king glorified the God of Daniel.


That same powerful focus can be within us.  Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to us. You and I, Believers in Jesus, have power within; this from the same All Powerful God as Daniel's.  Jesus said: “And lo, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the world.”  “You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…”  The gifts and power of the Holy Spirit are available to us. God gives direction that is personal, it is to you for the moment you need it. "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand...’" (Isaiah 46:10).

WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN, O MY SOUL?

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It finally got to me:  the bad news, the differences in medical opinion, the news, the condemning verbiage, “How dare you..." (not think like I do!)

And then my husband and I had an argument about the bicycle saddle. For many weeks now it has caused pain, a lot of pain, halfway through a long ride.  He thought I would get a good one that would be dependable for a long time. I suggested, once too many times, that we should go to Amazon for a cheap bicycle seat.

It was converging … the bad news, the fear, the “what if” and the possibility of more violence happening in our Country.  I lay down, closed my eyes and wondered, “Am I backsliding, growing spiritually lukewarm, losing hope.  I lay down on the couch, my soul cast down, then I thought of something.

In the past, when I was discouraged, this had come to mind, now it did again, a Scripture. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted (great commotion, moan, troubled, etc.) in me? Hope in God.” KJV.

This powerful prayer is written three times in two Psalms: 42 and 43.  The prayer is powerful because it works. Today, it worked again…and here I am: hoping again, faith again, pursuit of a life growing in the Spirit.

All three verses are there for the same reason.  Sometimes we are hit in the soul and need immediate attention from the LORD. And the hope and "life" came.

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." KJV Psalm 42:5

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why do you moan within me? Hope in God; for I shall praise Him, the salvation of my face, and my God." MKJV Psalm 42:11

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why do you moan within me? Hope in God; for I still praise Him, the salvation of my face, and my God." Psalm 43:5 MKJV

WHAT IF?

There is an unusual wind blowing in the USA.  It is bringing uncertain sounds and whirling clouds and skies that are darkening.

My husband, Eric, and I were reading Ezekiel this morning.  The Prophet is with his people in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar when a stunning vision came upon him. The heavens opened and he saw visions of God. “The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest…”

The back story is that God’s people are in captivity in Babylon because of total rebellion.  Remember the first Commandment? “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart and soul and strength and might”? Then this Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”? Exodus 20. They did not obey. Ezekiel’s Book tells us why they were extracted from their homeland.

Ezekiel was sitting in his house in Babylon and the Elders of his people were sitting before him, and a message from the Lord came again. “And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

 

“Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger…” Ezekiel 8:16,17.

What if we are in danger here in the USA! What have we been up to? Walking away from the LORD:  the fear of the Lord, His goodness, His mercy, His love, His sacrifice for all mankind.  He was/is/forever will be the perfect, sinless sacrifice who died so we would not be helplessly doomed to hell.

We are privileged to know and accept the sacrifice of Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

We can step up, Believers! We can seek out someone to testify to.  Let’s be part of bringing our Nation back to the Bible, to Jesus Christ.

This morning as I woke, my phone had these verses for me: 

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” Proverbs 14:34.

“Seek The LORD, all the meek of the earth who have done His justice; seek righteousness; seek meekness. It may be that you shall be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.” Zephaniah 2:3.

We will have no defense if we live superficially.  If we care not, if we live in ignorance of the LORD’S commands, if we don’t get serious with the Bible and learn to step up, speak up, live in happy obedience to the LORD, we deserve discipline in our beloved USA. But it is not too late.  We are still here and free to some extent, Covid-19 masks and all. 

DABBLING IN DANGEROUS STUFF

To live this life with a foot half in and half out of the world that dismisses our Creator is to live dangerously.  Naming your business with a heathen religion (“it’s cool”) is dangerous.  Giving credit to the “wisdom of the world” that denies “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Is dangerous.  Choosing to believe the “science of evolution” leads to denial of what is seen all around you.  From a blade of grass to the endless Heavens…“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse…”  If you choose to you can have an outcome without the promises generously given by your Creator, Jesus.  He said, “And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20

New morals, different kind of “family” or different kind of “marriage” or different kind of “sex or gender” dismisses the Bible as “the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7.  Take a hard look at the outcome: Lives that fail; empty souls.  Marijuana “edibles” will be a good excuse to become a drug addict.  Hard drugs are escape mechanisms for empty souls.  Alcohol and unbiblical sex are a way to avoid emptiness inside.    

Real Science knows a male or female even after long dead.  Forensic science discerns not only the sex but the culture of the person.  Male and female DNA never changes. Men are born with twice the muscle mass to women.  (I’m so glad I’m a woman! “Hubby, will you get the snake out of the garage?”)

What is “half in and half out” of being Christian? It’s a scheme.  It’s an agenda that leaves the Bible out. Anything that does not agree with the Bible cannot be true because the Creator wrote the Bible and created the heavens and the earth.  What agrees with the Bible and what does not? Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…” which means the way to eternal heaven with the Father.  It also is the way to a life that always turns out to be successful in God’s sight. You must focus on Jesus and the Bible.  The Holy Spirit is always inside you, leading, comforting, giving words and wisdom.  This is the way to true Science. Christians are tuned in to truth.  Newton, Linnaeus, Copernicus, and many of the Founders of the United States of America believed in The Creation and The Bible.

When you are wholly and passionately into Scripture, seriously and with all your heart, you won’t be fooled or deceived.   As the Bible says, the Holy Spirit lives inside every believer: "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you." John 14:26  

I’d take a second look at a “health” plan that recommends anything that is not natural, balanced, or takes a very long time to “get to the point” on the internet. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, 'He takes the wise in their own craftiness.'" I Corinthians 3:19

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Proverbs 9:10

It’s down to this in the end:  with one life to invest, let’s do our best with all of the wisdom and truth we can find.  Get in, stay in Scripture with passion.  We know it is from our Creator, Jesus, and He made sure you and I would have it.