Treasures of God

God’s promises are likened to hidden treasure.  Most don’t even know what they are, or their value.  To know what they are means studying God’s Word to open your consciousness to them. With time and effort will come the greatest gifts one could ever want or need. 

Matthew 13:44 (TPT)  44 “Heaven’s kingdom realm can be illustrated like this: “A person discovered that there was hidden treasure in a field. Upon finding it, he hid it again. Because of uncovering such treasure, he was overjoyed and sold all that he possessed to buy the entire field just so he could have the treasure.

10/1//2023

Even the Very Best of Us

Seeing the work before him, Solomon asked God for wisdom. God gave it to him and he used it well.  Despite honoring God most of his life, he lost his humility and turned to sin of all kinds. Even one of the very best of mankind could not resist acting on his sinful nature.

1 Kings 11:1-11 (TLB) 11 King Solomon married many other girls besides the Egyptian princess. Many of them came from nations where idols were worshiped—Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from the Hittites— 2 even though the Lord had clearly instructed his people not to marry into those nations, because the women they married would get them started worshiping their gods. Yet Solomon did it anyway. 3 He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines; and sure enough, they turned his heart away from the Lord, 4 especially in his old age. They encouraged him to worship their gods instead of trusting completely in the Lord as his father David had done. 5 Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the horrible god of the Ammonites. 6 Thus Solomon did what was clearly wrong and refused to follow the Lord as his father David did. 7 He even built a temple on the Mount of Olives, across the valley from Jerusalem, for Chemosh, the depraved god of Moab, and another for Molech, the unutterably vile god of the Ammonites. 8 Solomon built temples for these foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods. 9-10 Jehovah was very angry with Solomon about this, for now Solomon was no longer interested in the Lord God of Israel who had appeared to him twice to warn him specifically against worshiping other gods. But he hadn’t listened, 11 so now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept our agreement and have not obeyed my laws, I will tear the kingdom away from you and your family and give it to someone else.

9/24/2023

What is Repentance?

Sin is a breaking of divine law. Divine laws are written in God’s Word. To repent is to want to know these laws and change to God’s better way. The genesis of many human laws have, or should have, a basis in these immutable divine laws.  They are the way to true peace.

Ezekiel 33:12 (TLB) 12 For the good works of a righteous man will not save him if he turns to sin; and the sins of an evil man will not destroy him if he repents and turns from his sins.’

9/17/2023

Depression

 

Heroes of the Bible weren’t always brave and wise. Elijah obeyed God and offended Jezebel. When she threatened him, he fled in panic and that deteriorated to depression.  As a prophet of God you expect he would be above that, but no one is. 

 Kings 19:1-10 (TLB)  19 When Ahab told Queen Jezebel what Elijah had done, and that he had slaughtered the prophets of Baal, 2 she sent this message to Elijah: “You killed my prophets, and now I swear by the gods that I am going to kill you by this time tomorrow night.” 3 So Elijah fled for his life; he went to Beersheba, a city of Judah, and left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day, and sat down under a broom bush and prayed that he might die. “I’ve had enough,” he told the Lord. “Take away my life. I’ve got to die sometime, and it might as well be now.” 5 Then he lay down and slept beneath the broom bush. But as he was sleeping, an Angel touched him and told him to get up and eat! 6 He looked around and saw some bread baking on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the Angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, for there is a long journey ahead of you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God, 9 where he lived in a cave. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have worked very hard for the Lord God of the heavens; but the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you and torn down your altars and killed your prophets, and only I am left; and now they are trying to kill me too.”

9/10/2023

Called of God

 

Moses, Jeremiah and the Apostles were called by God to represent him.  All felt unworthy and protested. They were indeed capable as God gives those he calls the right things to say, where to go and what to do. He gives you all you require to fulfill your calling.

Jeremiah 1:5-10 TLB) 5 “I knew you before you were formed within your mother’s womb; before you were born I sanctified you and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” 6 “O Lord God,” I said, “I can’t do that! I’m far too young! I’m only a youth!” 7 “Don’t say that,” he replied, “for you will go wherever I send you and speak whatever I tell you to. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I, the Lord, will be with you and see you through.” 9 Then he touched my mouth and said, “See, I have put my words in your mouth! 10 Today your work begins, to warn the nations and the kingdoms of the world. In accord with my words spoken through your mouth I will tear down some and destroy them, and plant others, nurture them, and make them strong and great.”

9/3/2023