Tag Archives: deliverance

11/14/13

Where is Jesus? Rev. Billy Graham via Devotions Daily

 

Where Is Jesus  by Billy Graham, from The Reason for My Hope

 

Editor’s Note: In what could be his final book, Billy Graham presents in The Reason for My Hope the core message that has guided his life and calling for more than 70 years. Filled with new stories and timeless truth, Dr. Graham once again calls the world back to its spiritual priority as only he can. 

* * *

 

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. — Acts 4:12

 

 What is the ultimate victory of the cross? That it could not hold the Savior of the world, who triumphed over sin and death, winning salvation for mankind. The resurrection story of Jesus Christ is what gives meaning and power to the cross. What a failure Christianity would be if it could not carry our hopes beyond the coldness and depths of the grave. You see, the resurrection means the salvation of our souls.

 

What does the resurrection mean to you? Many have never thought about it. Some believe that Jesus died leaving a legacy of “Do good to your neighbor,” never believing that He was raised from the dead. Others think the resurrection was a hoax. There are those who question whether Jesus even existed.

 

True believers in Jesus Christ have no doubt that He lived among us, died for our sins, and after three days was resurrected to life, conquering the sting of death, offering the human race the greatest gift— His sacrificial love.

 

Several months ago an entertainment network carried a story on the Billy Graham Library, highlighting it as a point of interest in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. The show’s cohost, Kristy Villa, arrived on the property along with her crew and was met by a colleague who explained what visitors might experience while there. She drew the journalist’s attention to the many crosses displayed, including the forty-foot glass cross through which visitors enter the building.

 

Halfway through the presentation Villa said with a sense of awe, “I see all the crosses, but where is Jesus?” The colleague smiled and said, “He’s in Heaven, and He is also present in the lives of those who believe in Him and follow Him as their personal Lord and Savior.”

 

The journalist threw her hands around her face and exclaimed, “Oh, that’s right! Some worship a crucifix, but Christians worship a risen Christ.” After a moment Villa said, “I have been in church my whole life, but I have never heard the emphasis put on an empty cross.”

 

She may not have realized it, but she had just proclaimed the heart of the Gospel, as I have done for more than seventy years, and later told her viewers, “This destination [the Library] is a place you must come and see!” When I heard this marvelous report, it made my heart leap, and I thought about the words of the psalmist: “Come and see what God has done . . . for mankind!” (Psalm 66:5 NIV).

 


The question we must all answer is, “What does Jesus’ work on the cross and His resurrection mean to us, and what does it mean to be saved?”

 

Many people, including some who claim to be Christians, do not fully grasp the impact that the crucified and risen Christ makes upon the human heart. How do I know this? Because there is no change in them. Have you asked yourself, “What do I believe about the empty cross and the empty tomb?”

 

The foot of the empty cross is the ultimate destination in life. Your acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice, or your rejection of it, determines your future life. If you do not believe that Jesus died for you, then you will remain the same, being gripped by sin and dying by its penalty, with certainty of eternal judgment in Hell and banishment from God. But if you believe that Jesus rose from the grave, achieving victory over the cross of death, and you accept that He paid your penalty, you will never be the same.

 

 

The Empty Cross Is Full of Hope

 

The cross represents doom for sin and hope for sinners. It condemns sin and cleanses souls. The cross is where Jesus was crucified in our place and where Christ brings resurrection life to mankind. The bloodstained cross is gruesome to some, but the empty cross is full of hope.

 

Satan, overly eager to thwart God’s purposes, overstepped his bounds, and God turned what seemed to be life’s greatest tragedy into history’s greatest triumph. The death of Christ, perpetrated by evil men, was thought by them to be the end, but His grave became but a doorway to a larger victory.

 

The resurrection empowers faith in Jesus Christ. If I did not believe that Christ overcame death on the cross and bodily rose from the grave, I would have quit preaching years ago. I am absolutely convinced that Jesus is living at this moment at the right hand of God the Father and reigns in my heart. I believe it by faith, and I believe it by evidence found in the Scriptures.

 

 Luke, a physician and disciple of Jesus, was one of the most brilliant men of his day; he made this startling statement about the resurrection in the book of Acts: “He . . . presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

 

These “infallible proofs” have been debated for two thousand years. Many people have come to know the truth while they tried to prove Jesus’ resurrection a lie and failed. Others ignore the facts recorded in the best-selling book of all time, the Bible.

 

 

http://www.faithgateway.com/where-is-jesus/?utm

 

 

Your Turn

 

As Billy Graham asked in this excerpt, what does Jesus’ work on the cross and His resurrection mean to you? And how has this truth transformed your life?  Share your thoughts and comment on our blog! We would love to hear from you!  ~ Devotionals Daily

 

 

 

 Credit: Devotions Daily

Charlene’s  Source: www.faithgateway.com

 

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05/16/13

Zephaniah 3:14-17

The purpose of Holy Scripture is to inform, warn, convict, exhort, encourage,  and comfort. When it seems as if all is lost, and there appears to be no end to the sadness and hunger within you–depend on God’s Word to comfort you through His Holy Spirit. All knowledge is His, therefore depend on His wisdom to lead and deliver you.   Zephaniah 3:14-17

 

Charlene

 

 

Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

 

 

Scripture retrieved  from www. Bible Gateway.com

04/17/13

Words of Life: Unresolved Disappointment

Unresolved Disappointment

by Linda Godsey

 

I remember a time when someone disappointed me so deeply that I didn’t believe that life could ever be the same again. My heart also broke for others involved who were hurting that caused another whole level of pain. When I finally realized that I couldn’t physically or emotionally carry it any longer, I gave it to the Lord to carry it for me.

 

I was driving my car when a wave of emotion came over me that was overwhelming. I pulled to the side of the road, my body fell across the steering wheel of my car as I wept and cried out, “Jesus, help me! I am so disappointed – I bring that disappointment to you. I can’t carry it anymore!” And He took it, just as I asked him to. I felt the emotional pain lift from me and my body relaxed for the first time in days.

 

I’m sure you have experienced disappointment – we all have! Just as we have all experienced regrets that we wish we had the power to change. We’ve all thought, “If only” or “What if”.
Disappointment has been called the twin-sibling to regret. Regrets stem from our human nature to question the path our lives have taken because of the decisions we’ve made. Here is a helpful way to distinguish between regret and disappointment.

 

Regret focuses on the personal choices that contributed to the poor outcome.
Disappointment focuses on the outcome itself: such as failure, non-fulfillment, defeat or setback.

 

I challenge you to consider the “what ifs” and “If onlys” in your life? They will keep you stuck in the past until you deal with them. Does anything come to mind? Have you grieved those losses? Have you asked God to carry the pain? Have you asked God to show you how he sees your regret and disappointment? Jeremiah 33:3 says,“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

 

Let God show you his heavenly panoramic perspective of what you are going through. I think you will be amazed!

 

Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows (This represents both physical and emotional sickness and pain). Isaiah 53:4

 

Linda Godsey is the author of Letting Go

 

Charlene’s Source: LifeToday

 

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04/3/13

Psalm 34 NIV

Psalm 34

 

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

 

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.

 

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

 

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

 

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.

 

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

 

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

 

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

 

Footnotes:

 

Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.

 

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

04/2/13

Carman [High Praises] Lord of All, I’ve Made Up My Mind, Holy, Holy, Holy, They That Wait…, I’ve Been Delivered

As we continue to pray for Carman and his family–always remember that fervent, effectual prayer yields Godly results… All music credit to Carman Ministries    Charlene

Upload credit: thetamilianponnu+revscott06

Charlenes Source: youtube

02/4/13

Psalm 18: David: A Song of Deliverance

Psalm 18

 

 

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

 

 

1 I love you, Lord, my strength.

 

 

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

 

 

3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

 

 

6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

  

13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

 

 

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

 

 

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

 

 

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

 

 

30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

 

 

  37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
I trampled them like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
44 foreigners cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

 

 

46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.

 

 

50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
to David and to his descendants forever.

 

 

  Footnotes:

 

 

Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out

 

 

New International Version (NIV)

 

 

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

01/15/13

Psalm 32 A Psalm of David: Forgiveness For Sin

All of us have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of GOD. His Grace is what is extended to us and what makes us able to live to be repentant and to ask forgiveness for our sins. What is remarkable is the fact that GOD uses us in our sinful state. Yes, we are saved; yes, we are saints; but we are also human beings who do not always make the wisest choices . Jesus came to make a bridge between GOD and mankind so that despite our faults we could have help and intercession in our goal of making it to the Heavenly Throne of GOD. The Holy Spirit dwells in all His saints making intercession for us daily. He directs our paths, comforts us as we live this earthly life, and will be there for us in Heaven.

 

 

Praise Ye The LORD!!!    Charlene

 

 

Psalm 32

 

 

New Life Version (NLV)

 

 

Joy of Being Forgiven

 

1 How happy he is whose wrong-doing is forgiven, and whose sin is covered! 2 How happy is the man whose sin the Lord does not hold against him, and in whose spirit there is nothing false.

 

 

3 When I kept quiet about my sin, my bones wasted away from crying all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My strength was dried up as in the hot summer. 5 I told my sin to You. I did not hide my wrong-doing. I said, “I will tell my sins to the Lord.” And You forgave the guilt of my sin. 6 So let all who are God-like pray to You while You may be found, because in the floods of much water, they will not touch him. 7 You are my hiding place. You keep me safe from trouble. All around me are your songs of being made free.

 

 

8 I will show you and teach you in the way you should go. I will tell you what to do with My eye upon you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the donkey which have no understanding. They must be made to work by using bits and leather ropes or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the sinful. But loving-kindness will be all around the man who trusts in the Lord. 11 Be glad in the Lord and be full of joy, you who are right with God! Sing for joy all you who are pure in heart!

 

 

 

New Life Version (NLV)

 

 

 

Copyright 1969 by Christian Literature International

 

11/19/12

The Importance of Wisdom Revisited

     “And He said to the human race, “The fear of the LORD–that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”   Job 28:28 NIV

 


This roller coaster ride on planet Earth is a temporary one. You get on the ride at birth and you get off the ride when you die. For those of us who believe in life after death, the way that we live out our time here determines whether we enjoy the ride and/or make the ride unbearable for ourselves and others around us. It determines whether we achieve Heaven or Hell. It determines whether we dwell in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

 

A New Heaven and a New Earth

 

 

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

 

 Revelation 21: 1-4

 

 As we see events unfolding around violent natural and man-made disasters,we are reminded that life is fragile. Nothing is permanent on this earth–all is subject to change.  The earth revolves day after day, and mankind hurries about doing what mankind loves to do most–learn and progress, yet this is not permanent; it can change. New ways of doing things emerge everyday, and unique, never-presented ideas are an everyday occurrence also. Searching for new methods and ideas is a good thing as long as it is in the area of  true progress–for to invent something new based on a proven standard has no merit of its own if the original invention is still highly functional. Why reinvent the wheel?

 

     Nothing that we do on this earth is going to stand forever. Landmarks crumble and fade away; civilizations rise and fall, and mankind still struggles on in the hope that the next era or the next invention is going to secure peace and prosperity for generation after generation to come. Each new government enters into existence with high ideals considered new and different from the former ruling state. They quickly discover that there is a reason why events unfold in a certain way. It is called lack of wisdom or poor foresight.

 

 

“For The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.”

 

Proverbs 2:6


      Notably, because of both the human tendency to desire change, and the natural progression of life on earth as witnessed in natural disasters, everything has a season. This has been recorded throughout history and in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8.

 

 

1 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

 

 

Nothing remains the same, especially in this 21st century that welcomes new innovations that come and go so rapidly. As an example, Windows 8© is now on board. Many people have not completely grasped Windows 7© yet. Each new technology eventually brings about the demise or retirement of the previous technology.  Planned obsolescence works. Vinyl records bowed out to the tune of eight track tapes to cassettes to CDs to Midis to MP3 players; VCR tapes gave way to DVDs of many varied types.  Now we are seeing 33 rpm records returning.

 

 

     Life is hurrying along so fast that it leaves us breathless and unsure whether to jump on board the new train or to remain on the old train.  I get the impression that this may not result in our own choice–life is hurrying each one of us along on a swift track that may become dangerous at any moment. It is so swift that we have forgotten how to pay attention to the important things, such as the state of our souls and spirits, as each new adventure rushes by. We get so caught up into what everyone else wants for us that we forget to think about what we want for ourselves. So here comes the question. Exactly what do  we want for ourselves? This is undeniably an individual thing. Everyone, from the time that they begin to perceive the way of the world, starts to weigh and evaluate what portion is most interesting and advantageous for them. Where do I fit in? Why am I here? What’s in it for me?

 

 

      It is your own attitude, perceptions, and choices that fix a value to your experiences. Even negative events are teachers. They help  you to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. If you choose to learn from past mistakes you can make an effort to dodge those obvious pitfalls that make life hard to bear and which may have an everlasting influence on your future.

 

 

     The concept here is of using wisdom, which is knowledge gained through either your own experiences, or the experiences of others. Wisdom guides through understanding into application. When we speak of wisdom, we speak of making wise choices based on the direct observation or engagement, or the influence of those who have gone before us. Unwise choices can lead to destruction or death. At the very least,  unwise choices can cause us to have to suffer the painful consequences of our actions. Responsible people think and act responsibly.

 

 

     It can be frustrating to share your life experiences with someone in an attempt to help them to avoid some of life’s obvious traps–then have them declare that they would rather learn through their own mistakes. They are not wrong in this choice, they are simply opting to disregard the wisdom born of trial and pain that is meant to be shared as a witness to others.  Joy is also meant to be shared. We walk this journey in the company of others, and whatever we can do or say to make that load brighter and lighter will be beneficial.

 

 

     You are never alone in this journey through life. You did not come here alone, and you will not leave alone. Why is this? Each one of us is tied into each other’s existence as either family, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. Everything that we say or do affects those around us even if we imagine that our actions influence no one but ourselves. It is possible to be alone physically or mentally while performing an action, yet it does affect others because it becomes a part of who you are. You carry that knowledge or revelation wherever you go, good or bad, and others are influenced by it.

 

 

     This is a generation that prides itself on being mentally and physically independent. That independence extends to all areas of life. Older mores and values are considered out-moded; new ways of thinking and doing things predominate. While mankind continues to seek and pursue avenues of life that are self-centered and not for the common good, we are faced with a growing disregard for what will help our neighbors to thrive and survive in a world that is shrinking every day and providing little hope for the masses.

 

 

     Do we have an individual right to have our own way in all things? I think not. Earth has many inhabitants and there is no room for one or two individuals to dictate to all the rest. We are all in this together. What is crucial is that we seek truth, for truth sets us free. The argument could be, “what is truth?” Truth is found in undeniable standards, methods, and ideologies that have stood the test of time as producers of  a happy-spirited people [if they have been willing to embrace that truth]. This truth manifests itself in a personal relationship with us all. GOD is Truth. Does this mean that every day in Christ is flooded with joy? Is there never a moment when our world seems threatened by all of the chaos around us? Absolutely not. The Christian walk can be painful. There are no guarantees found in the Word of GOD that state that sorrow, tragedy, loss, sickness, or death will not touch us. What we do find are scriptural passages that speak of a Savior who has sent The Comforter to walk with us throughout this earthly existence.

 

 

“And I will ask The Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever; The Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.”

                                                               

                                                           John 14:16  NIV

 

 

 To Be Continued…

 

 

All scripture quotes retrieved from Bible Gateway.com via the world wide web. 

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide

 

 

 

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Charlene Kirst
09/24/12

Hebrews 10: Christ’s Sacrifice Once For All

        

          Sacrifice is hard, and it is not a part of the natural ways of mankind. As people, we tend to prefer the easier roads to travel, and sacrifice involves traveling the hardest roads without knowing where they may lead, just having a surety that the way will be hard. So how do we obtain the surety that our sacrifice is not in vain? We find it in clinging to Christ, the ultimate Gift of Sacrifice, where we find our joy and stability. It is through His Holy Spirit that we find the key to happiness–living for Him as our sole source of hope and strength. GOD the Father knew before the beginning of time that we would need a Savior, and Jesus, the son of GOD, volunteered to become the sacrificial lamb. Our sins can be forgiven; our hope can be restored.

Is life easy. Absolutely not. People often envy those who appear to have it all, but this is appearance only. Happiness evades those who are dependent upon the world for their identity and substance. Let us cling therefore to Him who is our everything, our identity, and our substance.

 

Praise Ye The LORD.     Charlene

 

Hebrews 10

 

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

 

10 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshippers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

 

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

 

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;
6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a]

 

8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

 

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

 

16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
    after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”[b]

 

17 Then he adds:

 

“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.”[c]

 

18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

 

 

A Call to Persevere in Faith

 

 

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e] 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

 

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,

 

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming will come
    and will not delay.”[f]

 

38 And,

“But my righteous[g] one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”[h]

 

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

 

Footnotes:

 

  1. Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)

  2. Hebrews 10:16 Jer. 31:33

  3. Hebrews 10:17 Jer. 31:34

  4. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:35

  5. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:36; Psalm 135:14

  6. Hebrews 10:37 Isaiah 26:20; Hab. 2:3

  7. Hebrews 10:38 Some early manuscripts But the righteous

  8. Hebrews 10:38 Hab. 2:4 (see Septuagint)

 

New International Version (NIV)

 

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08/10/12

Psalm 46 A Song of Asaph NIV Version

Psalm 46[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

 
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]

 

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

 

7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

 

8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

 

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
  2. Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 46:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 11.
  4. Psalm 46:9 Or chariots

Retrieved from the worldwide web August 10, 2012  www.biblegateway.com

05/5/12

Psalm 57 When David Fled From Saul Into the Cave

Psalms as Songs. I believe that we sometimes forget that Psalms were the original hymns of the Old Testament. They still apply today, but are mostly used as Biblical poetry endowed with wisdom. David, especially, wrote Psalms as praise of God’s deliverance and as inspiration for others. That is why in this present age we can personally relate to the Psalms and hold them dear to our hearts. Psalms are an expression of the inner workings and intentions of the heart, therefore they still stand the test of time.  Psalm 57, which we have here, is a Psalm which expresses David’s gratitude for the shelter of God’s wings. Saul was in pursuit of David, which placed David and his followers in a defensive position. Through the grace of GOD, David was able to turn the tables and to become a victor. We all have that ability in Christ today. We are truly loved.

 

PSALM 57

 

Psalm 57[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
    until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c]
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

4 I am in the midst of lions;
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They spread a net for my feet —
    I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.

7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.

  2. Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

  3. Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.

 

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 57:1 : 57:7-11pp — Ps 108:1-5
  2. Psalm 57:1 : 1Sa 22:1; 24:3; Ps 142 Title
  3. Psalm 57:1 : Ps 2:12; 9:9; 34:22
  4. Psalm 57:1 : S Ru 2:12; S Mt 23:37
  5. Psalm 57:1 : Isa 26:20
  6. Psalm 57:2 : Ps 138:8
  7. Psalm 57:3 : Ps 18:9, 16; 69:14; 142:6; 144:5, 7
  8. Psalm 57:3 : Ps 56:1
  9. Psalm 57:3 : Ps 25:10; 40:11; 115:1
  10. Psalm 57:4 : S Ps 35:17
  11. Psalm 57:4 : S Ps 55:21; Pr 30:14
  12. Psalm 57:5 : ver 11; Ps 108:5
  13. Psalm 57:6 : Ps 10:9; 31:4; 140:5
  14. Psalm 57:6 : S Ps 38:6; 145:14
  15. Psalm 57:6 : S Ps 9:15
  16. Psalm 57:6 : S Est 6:13; Ps 7:15; Pr 28:10; Ecc 10:8
  17. Psalm 57:7 : Ps 112:7
  18. Psalm 57:8 : Ps 33:2; 149:3; 150:3
  19. Psalm 57:10 : S Ps 36:5
  20. Psalm 57:11 : S Ps 8:1; 113:4
  21. Psalm 57:11 : S ver 5

 

 New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Charlene’s Source: www.biblegateway.com

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