Power with God and Man

praying man on beautiful sky background

Has anyone in here done any wrestling?

Has anyone in here found yourself wrestling with a problem in your life?

Has anyone in here ever wrestled with God?

A couple weeks ago I did a message titled “What are you clinging to?”

And I used the reference of Jacob wrestling with the Angel of the Lord and looking at it further I missed something in the event, Gen 32:28, “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

POWER WITH GOD AND WITH MEN!

I asked myself why and how did Jacob get to this point that something special would happen in his relationship with God and man.

If we look back, we know Jacob had a twin brother named Esau who was the firstborn entitled to the blessings from his father Issac. But his mother and him tricked Issac to giving the blessing to Jacob and as result Jacob found himself fleeing and working for his uncle Laban for 20 years.

Gen 31:3, “And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.”

Jacob then gathered his family and possessions and headed back home. When uncle Laban found out he wasn’t very happy and got together a posse to pursue Jacob. I’m not sure what his original intent was but for Labans sake the Lord spoke to him in Gen 31:24, “And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.”

Then as Jacob and the crew precede further he sent word to Esau and when they returned Gen 32:6-7, “And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;” 

Gen 32:9-11, “And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.” 

Looks like Esau is going to get that long awaited revenge against his deceiving little brother so, Jacob thought a little bribery would work.

Gen 32:13-18, “And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.”

The scene is now set for “The Holy Wrestling Match of the Century”!

Gen 32:24-28, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. (what was so important about that statement) And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

POWER WITH GOD AND WITH MEN!

 Jacob was able to rebuild his relationship with Esau…

I asked everyone earlier if they ever been a wrestling match with God?

Did you give up before the match was over? I’m sure on the side of that wrestling mat we will find many of souls that surrendered, some maybe at the very brink of getting that victory!

Jer 29:13, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Music to me is what leads me into a place that gives me the ultimate victory in the wrestling matches I sometimes enter into.

This is my desire to honor you, Lord with all my heart I worship you, and all I have within me I give you praise…

Draw me close to you, never let me go, I lay it all down again to hear You say that I’m Your friend…

This is the air breathe Your holy presence living in me, this is my daily bread, your very word spoken to me, And I’m desperate for you

Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Savior, I know for sure all of my days are held in Your hands, crafted into Your perfect plan…Take me, mold me, use me, fill me…

Act 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

POWER WITH GOD AND WITH MEN!

Many times, we wrestle with things we need to get rid of in our lives.

Act 9:1-6, “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” 

We wrestle with many things and its not just sin, sometimes its our own self-righteousness. For me it was the standards established at a previous church I attended.

Whatever it is that you’ve been wrestling with, its time you get it pinned down to the mat. You can’t imagine what it will do for your life, it can rebuild relationships, it can get rid of a judgmental attitude, and it can even free you from the guilt you may have been carrying.

POWER WITH GOD AND WITH MEN

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Strength out of Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

All my life I’ve been fascinated with strength, I remember watching the Worlds Strongest man as a young man. To see these men pull airplanes, carry cars, throw kegs, pick up atlas stones and put on pedestal I found fascinating.

I got my first weight set probably when I was twelve or thirteen and would lift very regularly though I was a fairly skinny kid, I think I was 170lbs when I graduated high school, I desired to get bigger and stronger.

When I could afford it, I would go to the athletic club in Milwaukee and later in Janesville. I wasn’t planet fitness material then as I lifted heavier and heavier weights, I put a lot of effort into it if you know what I mean.

I remember they had a set of dumbbells that weighed 125lbs each and that was my goal, I was ecstatic the day I was able to bench press those a couple of times and felt like the strongest man in the gym at that moment.

Today, that is just a memory as many of us know as you age you not only lose strength, but the risk of injury goes up, though I still enjoy pushing that iron it’s a fraction of what I once did.

Our strength is fleeting!

I recently saw a story of Bill Kazmaier who was a three-time winner of Worlds Strongest Man that he had a GoFundMe account to raise money for a heart valve replacement, stents, and a pacemaker.

Our strength is fleeting, it one day fails us, Samson must have felt for years that his strength would get him out of trouble, his was a miraculous birth proclaimed by the angel of the Lord who was to be a Nazarite and would deliver Israel from the Philistines. He had several battles with the Philistines and once slew a thousand of them with a jawbone of an ass. He had one weakness though; he had a love for women and not the women of the Israelites.

One particular love interest named Delilah became his downfall and after several attempts to find out the secret of his strength Samson, spilled the beans, lost his hair, lost his strength and his eyesight.

A while later after his hair had grown back Samson cries out to God in Judges 16:25-30, “And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” 

When we try to compare mans strength with God’s, there is absolutely no comparison.

We have very little power over sickness even with all the medical advances man has made, at Matthew 8:14-16, “And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:” 

We have absolutely no power to keep others from dying, Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

We don’t even much power over sin in our lives, Romans 7:18-20, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” 

But when we recognize our weakness, that in our own strength not much is attainable. Gal 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” 

One of my favorite parables is Luke 18:9-14, “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” If we are honest, we can be both of these people in this parable

Romans 8:31-39, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Rom 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

When we finally can put all our trust in Jesus we can proclaim as Paul did…

2Co 12:9-10, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

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What are You Clinging To?

Romans 12:9, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

The word cling means to hold on tightly, and we all have things that we keep that if someone else would look at they would consider as having no value.

That is why you have storage lockers going up everywhere as our closets, attics, basements get filled up, have you ever watched the American Pickers?

It may be a tool that was passed down for several generations, a piece of clothing that has many memories attached to it, pictures of grandparents long gone, or parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren. A souvenir of a special vacation you had, cards, videos of friend and family. Our computers continue to get more and more stuffed as we need bigger storage and on and on, we go!

Memories are important to us and we cling to them very closely.

We also can cling to things that are not good for us like unhealthy relationships, possessions that possesses us rather that we possess them, and probably the most harmful, unforgiveness.

Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

I once heard a story of a husband and wife who had a heated argument. When the service began the wife just sat in the pew and stewed in anger, but the husband stood up and as the worship began participated with all he had which just angered the wife even more. After service she did not hesitate to call him out and call him a hypocrite because of his display. The husband just turned to her and stated that he was not angry with God just her.

It amazes me how quickly our anger can turn from our circumstance toward God, this world is not fair, but our God is always fair. God did not bring war, hate, sickness, fear, or death into this world, man did!

Jesus came to save and I have learned that when things are going poorly that I need to cling to Jesus even more than I had before!

Romans 12:9, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” 

Joshua when he knows the time is near for his death calls the Israelites together and gives them this speech, Joshua 23:3-10, “And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.” Cling to God!

Jacob when he finally decides to return home after spending 17 years in Egypt has an event on the way back, Genesis 32:24-30, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.  And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Jacob clung to God and would not let go!

 When Jesus was born there was an old man in the temple that clung to one day seeing Jesus, Luke 2:25-32, “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” Simeon clung to that promise!

The Old Rugged Cross hymn has a verse that describes what is important in our lives.

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross, The emblem of suffering and shame  And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best, For a world of lost sinners was slain          And I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross, And till my trophies at last I lay down                      I will cling to the old rugged Cross, And exchange it some day for a crown

What are you clinging to?

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The Promise that Comes with Jesus

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

In our world we experience broken promises all the time and its not just from our politicians, salesmen, advertisement is filled with promises that when it comes down to it are downright lies. Drug companies, supplements, exercise equipment all make promises that can’t be kept. Sadly, sometimes we have family and friends that make a promise that gets broken and even worse sometimes the man in the pulpit makes an untrue statement.

Num 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” 

Titus 1:1-2, “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”

We find many people that God gave promises too that were fulfilled like Noah, the Israelites, David, Solomon, the Prophets, but the one that is mentioned over and over again is the one God made with Abraham.

Hebrews 6:13-18, “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:”

Heb 11:17-19, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 

With the birth of Jesus, we have a whole new set of promises being fulfilled. In Josh McDowells book, “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” he takes 61 messianic prophecies concerning the birth, life, death of Jesus (refer to book page 167) gives the odds of Jesus fulfilling just eight of these prophecies is 10 to the 17th power.

Let’s look at this promise Jesus made to His disciples.

Luke 24:44, “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” Luke 24:49, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

 Act 2:32-33, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”

Act 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

2Corinthians 1:19-22, “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

Promises that come with Jesus includes Peace, Joy, Comfort, Hope, and Eternal life that comes with a reunion

John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

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Thankful for the Scars

John 20:27, “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”

Jesus, even after His resurrection still possessed the scars He received during His trial.

I don’t know if when we see Jesus in heaven if he will still have those scars but in the book of Revelations when referring to Israel it is written that they will look upon Him who they had pierced.

Who in here does not have a scar on their body?

Who in here does not know the story behind that scar?

I’ve had many and I know the story behind every single one (bicep, hand, finger, eye, knee, chin, abdomen, thumb).

But we also have scars that cannot be seen that have more of an impact on us than any of those scars that we can see.

Luke 5:27-32, “And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

Can you imagine the label this man named Levi had carried, the tax man doesn’t get much of liking in our day, can you imagine the scars they carried back then, a publican and a sinner. I’m not afraid to say that I am not whole, but in need of a physician, because I’m a sinner.

But these are the ones God chooses, in Matthew West song “Broken Things” he has a verse that says “That its never the perfect, its always the ones with the scars you use”.

1 Corinthians 1:25-29, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

We can look at those that Jesus chose to take His message of salvation to the world and none would have been the first choice of the religious world today. They were men with callouses on their hands, the look of people that have been out in the wind and storms providing a living for their families. Their speech wouldn’t be as eloquent as those who that find themselves on the airways today.

Luke 14:16-24, “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”

Most of us in here if not all of us were not born into this faith, we were found on the streets, we’re poor in spirit if not in the physical, were maimed (scarred), halt and blind. But when we heard the good news, it drew us to Him and though we weren’t much, Jesus accepted us and gave us a promise of life and that more abundant than we ever had.

Probably the main reason God choses the foolish is that there is one thing that God does not take fondly to, PRIDE!

I am a man with many scars that you cannot see and some I have to admit are not healed, but that has given me such a love for Christ and His people that I will go to the ends of the earth for anyone of you.

When I put many of these messages together, its not me speaking, it’s Jesus Christ speaking through me. I’m simply amazed at how things have happened in my life, how God has put certain people in my life, how He has opened doors to me, and I’m not the only one here that can say that.

Many in here including me have been through a lot and when someone I going through a trial that they think they cannot endure, we are the testimony that says that you can make it.

Do you have scars? Then let God use them to further His kingdom!

 Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

We are indeed the foolish of this world and that’s a great thing!

Be thankful for the scars.

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Occupy Until I Come

Luke 19:9-13, “And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”

We all agree in here that we are very near the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and are excited that we are part of His Kingdom.

In the meantime, we are required to “Occupy” but what does that mean? Do we just sit idly by and let the world go down the toilet?

The word “occupy” means in the Greek “to busy oneself with, that is, to trade”. So, the word itself tells us that we are not supposed to just show up once a week for service then do your own thing the rest of the week.

After we have come to Christ, we have several things to do to increase the Kingdom of God, we all know there is no greater joy than being part of someone coming to Christ. Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

Romans 10:13-15, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

To be a good witness of the Gospel, we need to be able to share what it says, 1Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 2Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

To “occupy until He comes” we also need to be a people that pray, prayer is defined by Miriam-Webster is, an address (such as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought.

Luke 18:1, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

1Thessalonians 5:14-18, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

We also need to keep us from being affected by this world to the point that is affects our walk with Jesus Christ, Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The bible calls this sanctification,

Leviticus 20:7-8, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.”

1Peter 2:9-12, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,: a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Occupy until He comes is investing in God’s Kingdom, as we read on in the parable we can see the importance of that.

People often wonder what he highest calling from God is?

Its not preaching the best sermon ever, it’s not being a pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet, or even an apostle. Its not sacrificing your life or giving every penny you have to the poor.

What matters is not the size of our service, but the One for Whom we do it for! 1Co 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Jesus Christ is coming back and in spite of how evil is rampant in our world I have an excitement in my heart because this world is not my home, my life is but a vapor, a speck in eternity. They can pass laws that we have to accept things that are contrary to the word of God, they can strip us of our tax-exempt status, can put chains on our doors.

The dollar can crash and the digital currency can be forced on us, our government can turn completely communist and remove all the rights that our constitution once gave us.

This will have no effect on my worship and love for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

John 4:19, “The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

Let’s Occupy Until He Comes!

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Keep Looking Up!

Luke 21:28, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

It’s a sad time to live in our world today especially in the eyes of our youngsters.

Children from the ages of 3-17 six million are diagnosed with ADHD, 5.8 million w/anxiety, 5.5 million with behavior disorders and 2.7 million with depression.

With 12-17, year olds we have 18.8% considering suicide, 15.7% have a plan, and 8.9% have attempted suicide.

We presently live in a time in which stress, anxiety, and depression are going through the roof, according to the American Psychiatric Association in estimated $236 billion in 2018 (before covid) is spent on major depression disorder on adults.

Luke 21:26, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

There are thousands if not millions of self-help books, motivational speakers, videos, podcasts, and the like out there that try to get us to feel good about ourselves.

There is good money in motivational speaking for in 2024, Joe Rogan has made $60 million, Tony Robbins $50 million, Magic Johnson $40 million, Daymond John $25 million, Dave Ramsey $15 million, Robert Kiyosaki $10 million, Joel Osteen $5 million.

The bible in my opinion is one of the most positive books in the world, it’s the only one that gives us a promise of a future of beauty, hope, and love. 1Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Sadly, it has become diluted in the eyes and ears of the world.

A Pew research poll from 2021, of the top 5 important things in Americans life, we find family first, friends second, material well being third, occupations fourth, and faith fifth, of all the developing countries America is the only one that had faith that high in the poll in fact in the total poll it only made 2% of 19,000 people polled.

Listen in this world we are not promised that we won’t suffer, physically, emotionally, or even mentally, in fact it can be quite the opposite.

John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

In the verse that we started with it comes near the end of Jesus telling us the condition of our world closing on the end of the Gentiles being giving the opportunity to obtain salvation and immediately telling us to understand the parable of the fig tree.

No matter who wins or loses the election this November you know what I’m going to do? Look Up!

No matter what happens to the stock market, interest rates, you know what I’m going to do? Look Up!

No matter how much gas prices go up or go down, you know what I’m going to do? Look Up!

No matter what the government or what laws they pass that may prohibit my worship of Jesus Christ, you know what I’m going to do? Look Up!

No matter what the doctor may tell me, you know what I’m going to do? Look Up!

No matter what happens to me in the future, Apostle Paul said in 2Timothy 3:10-12, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

You know what I’m going to do? Look Up!

Many in the bible went through hardships, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David,   Heb 11:35-39, “Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:” 

Luke 21:28, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

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Choose This Day

Joshua 24:14-15, “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Choices, we make several each day and according to the experts the average individual makes between 33,000 and 35,000 choices each day.

If you figure you sleep 7-8 hours per day that means in your waking hours you make approximately 2000 choices per hour or 33 choices per minute. A lot of those choices you can say are made from habits or unconscious choices but we do have the option to change those.

Just think of the things you do in the first minutes of your day, you open your eyes, look at the clock or don’t look at the clock , choose if you will close those eyes again, roll over, lay on your back, pull those covers up and try to go back to sleep, do you check your phone for any messages or calls, do you get up, turn off your sound machine, find your glasses, put some shorts or pajama bottoms on, go sit on your comfy chair, or go to the bathroom, do you do #1 or #2 or maybe both?

Some decisions are still choices even if we make the same ones every day out of necessity, like going to work, “I owe, I owe, so its off to work I go”.

The experts also tell us that 226 decisions we make every day are concerning food, this I think is under estimated as 5 minutes after we taken the last bite of our lunch my wife is asking what are the plans for dinner.

Have you been to the grocery store lately? The prices are not the only thing that’s shocking, the variety is also mind blowing, I like frosted mini-Wheats, but do you know you can get them strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, smaller size or even with no frosting. Mountain Dew you can’t get the original but you can get berry, orange, red, diet, and even a surprise flavor.

When it comes to our religion you also have literally thousands of choices out there on what you want to align your beliefs with, many of them watered down versions, 2Ti 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Galatians 6:7-8, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” 
From the very beginning man had a choice and choose the flesh, Genesis 3:6-7, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

There are many choices we make that we think and feel are right especially if we do not have Christ in our life or adhere to sound doctrine.

Pro 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Pro 16:9, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” 

Our choices we make on a daily basis should line up with God’s word and God’s voice, Pro 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Our savior Jesus Christ made the supreme choice to become a man, live under the laws He gave man, suffer, die and thank God was resurrected for us!

Heb 12:1-3, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Jos 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

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The Contrast

When I was a kid a long time ago, I remember the color TV we had back then had to two dials, one went from 1 to 13, had a uhf setting that you then used the other dial went for higher channels. You also had three more dials which one controlled volume, another for tint and then another for contrast. I could never figure out what the contrast did so never played with it.

Now adays we find the “contrast” on everything from your tv, computers, your phone camera that you can use to adjust pictures you have taken.

Contrast, websters dictionary; a: juxtaposition of dissimilar elements (such as color, tone, or emotion) in a work of art b: degree of difference between the lightest and darkest parts of a picture

I want to look contrast as it pertains to wisdom, you have man’s or worldly wisdom and Gods wisdom and there is huge difference in them even though we apply the word “wisdom” to each.

1Corinthians 3:19-22, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;”

Nothing to me is more apparent of the contrast in mans wisdom to Gods as when it comes to the evolution theory versus the account given in Genesis 1-9. Scientists like Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawkings, Carl Sagan, Neil DeGrasse Tyson look at the world and see no God in it and come to the conclusion that since there is no God so man evolved from an event that happened billion years ago. We have no one to answer to, so we make the decision on what is right or wrong. Bill Nye when questioned from Ken Ham on who decides what is right or wrong, he stated that it was up to society to decide so without a God to answer to there becomes no moral absolutes and if society decides something that was once considered immoral is now ok then it becomes acceptable. I don’t care if its 99.99% of this society saying something that is blatantly against this book is ok, it is wrong!!!

Man’s or worldly wisdom according to AI is a persons experience in the world that makes them difficult to deceive or shock, if that’s true it really is a scary thought.

James 3:13-18, “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

Did you see the drag queen mockery of the last supper at the 2024 Olympics in Paris? Sensual and devilish are the least of the comments I can think of. If Genesis 6:5, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” If that does not describe this generation it blows my mind that it will become eviler in that. The thing that bothers me the most is that this stuff no longer shocks people!

This sensual and devilish wisdom has even permeated the church as a see more and more so-called leaders of churches even mega churches needing to step down because of sin and many of those of the sexual nature. Some of us remember Jimmy Swagart but now you have leaders of Gateway, Hillsong, LexCity a Kentucky mega church that just closed its doors because of sexual misconduct.

Why?

Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

But what about Godly wisdom?

Psalms 111:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”

Fear, reverence for our lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the key to begin to gain wisdom.

We also need to acknowledge that our God is sovereign.

Isaiah 55:6-9, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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.”

Those with worldly wisdom can’t acknowledge this and its why many will blame God for the troubles that is in this world. They cannot see any good in any suffering that happens to them or others.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The word “purpose” here means “shewbread” and literally “bread of the face” the bread through which God is seen.

So, to those who of us who understand the wisdom of God we find that even in those horrible things that happen in our lives to us or those around us we can see God in it and find peace in it.

James 1:2-6, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” 

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Dependent and Dependable

We live in a world that puts much emphasis on individuality or independence. We just celebrated our countries freedom from England 248 years ago but it looks like we have forgotten the reason our country sought that freedom.

The word dependent is an adjective which is defines as relying on someone or something else for aid, support, etc., conditioned or determined by something else.

In spite of the emphasis on being independent we have in this nation one of the most dependent generations in our country’s history, in 2022 we have 81 million people in Medicaid or 24.3% up from 12.4% of the population in 1975 and 41 million receive Food Stamps.

We have an epidemic in a country that is dependent on pharmaceutical drugs with 66% of all adults using prescription drugs, 2012 research from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association found that 81% of adults use some kind of drug as a first response to minor conditions.

21% of adolescents between the ages of 12-17 have experienced symptoms of anxiety in a two-week period of a survey given in December of 2022, more than 42% felt persistently sad or hopeless, 22% considered suicide, and 10% attempted suicide in 2021.

Our world especially the USA is a dependent nation.

As Christians, we are too dependent, but dependent in an entirely different way. As the world tells us to be independent not reliant on one another, the bible says differently.

Heb 10:24, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

1Co 12:12-14, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

God has built His church to be not a kingdom governed by one or a few individuals, Jesus Christ is the head and everybody else is part of the rest of the body.

We need to have dependence on one another in our Christian Walk but where should our total dependance be put on?

Psa 62:1-8, “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

John, “15:4-7, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” 

Our hope is built in nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness!

Dependable means to be trustworthy and reliable, we all have a dependable God, but are we not supposed to be dependable as well?

1Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Luke 16:10, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

I don’t know about you but the more I realize that I’m not that super-Christian that I thought I once was, that the forgiveness Jesus Christ has given me through the blood He shed for me, I have a debt I can never pay.

Luke 4:41-48, “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.”

1Co 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 

It doesn’t matter what task it is, whatever it is, do it as you are doing it for the Lord! We don’t labore to earn anything but only because we love Him!

Matthew 25:21, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

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