A Child Is Given

 

A Child Is Given

Isaiah 9:6-7

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Many of you may have read this verse or heard it spoken; especially at Christmastime.

The “Child”, is none other than Jesus Christ. What you may not have realized is that this passage of scripture was written approximately 739-690 B.C.; that is about 700 years “BEFORE” Jesus was even born! God foretold of a child to come that would change the world. Not only would this child be a “world-changer, but look at the titles He is given:  Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace! These are divine titles, belonging only to God alone!

This was no ordinary child to be born, but God come to earth and to mankind in human flesh. Could this have been someone other than Jesus? What else was prophesied about the Messiah to come?

1. GOD WOULD COME TO EARTH

John 1:1-3, 14 [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  [14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

2. BORN OF A VIRGIN

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  700 B.C.

Mattthew 1:20-23 [20] But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.   [21] She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."  [22] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: [23] "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."

3. FROM THE HOUSE OF JUDAH

Isaiah 37:31 Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.  700 B.C.

Matthew 1:1-2, 16 [1] A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son [descendant] of David, the son of Abraham: [2] Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, [16] and [a later] Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

4. FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID

Isaiah 16:5 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it--one from the house of David--one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.  700 B.C.

Matthew 1:1-2A, 6, 16 [1] A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: [2] Abraham was the father of Isaac, ... [6] and Jesse the father of King David. [16] and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

5. BORN IN BETHLEHEM EPHRATHAH

Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.  700 B.C.

Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem

Over the years there have been a number of "Bethlehems" in Israel.  At the time of Jesus' birth, Bethlehem Ephrathah, referred to in Matthew as "Bethlehem in Judea", was a village about five miles south of Jerusalem, and there also was a town named Bethlehem about seven miles northwest of Nazareth.  (Per footnote Matthew 2:1 of the Zondervan NIV Study Bible, 10th Anniversary Edition, (c) 1995)

6. BE FROM NAZARETH OF GALILEE

Isaiah 9:1-2 [1] Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan -- [2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.  700 B.C.

Matthew 4:13-16 [13] Leaving Nazareth, he [Jesus] went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali-- [14] to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:  [15] "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles -- [16] the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

7. HIS BIRTH WOULD TRIGGER A MASSACRE OF INFANT BOYS

Jeremiah 31:15 This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more."  625 B.C.

Matthew 2:16-18 [16] When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. [17] Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: [18] "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

8. COME OUT OF EGYPT

Hosea 11:1  When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.  725 B.C.

Matthew 2:14-15  [14] So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, [15] where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

9. MISSION WOULD INCLUDE THE GENTILES

Isaiah 49:6 he [the Lord] says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." 700 B.C.

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6 [1] "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. [2] He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.  [3] A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.  In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; [4] he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." [6] "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,  700 B.C.

Matthew 12:14-21 [14] But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. [15] Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, [16] warning them not to tell who he was. [17] This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: [18] "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. [19] He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. [20] A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. [21] In his name the nations will put their hope."

Note that in Biblical usage the Gentiles are often referred to as "the nations."

10. MINISTRY WOULD INCLUDE MIRACULOUS HEALINGS

Isaiah 29:18 In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.  700 B.C.

Isaiah 35:5-6a [5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.  [6a] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.  700 B.C.

Luke 7:20-22 [20] When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, `Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' " [21] At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. [22] So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."

11. MINISTRY WOULD DELIVER SPIRITUAL CAPTIVES

Isaiah 61:1-2 [1] The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, [2] to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  700 B.C.

Luke 4:16-21 [16] He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. [17] The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: [18] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  [20] Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, [21] and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Not too shabby, considering it was His first sermon!

12. DESPISED AND REJECTED BY MEN

Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  700 B.C.

The Crucifixion narratives in all four Gospels show this prophecy fulfilled.

13. HATED WITHOUT CAUSE

Psalm 69:4 Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.  1000 B.C.

Isaiah 49:7 This is what the LORD says-- the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel-- to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."  700 B.C.

John 7:48-49 "Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? [49] No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law--there is a curse on them."

John 15:24-25 [24] If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.  [25] But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: `They hated me without reason.'

14. REJECTED BY RULERS

Psalm 118:22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone [cornerstone of a building]; [23] the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  before 400 B.C.

Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:" `The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes' ?

John 7:48-49 Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? [49] No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law--there is a curse on them.

15. REJECTED BY HIS OWN BROTHERS

Psalms 69:8 I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons  1000 B.C.

(Side note: this pretty much kills the Catholic Church's claim that when the Gospels name Jesus' brothers they are talking about His cousins.)

Mark 3:20-21 [20] Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. [21] When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

John 7:1-5 [1] After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. [2] But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, [3] Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. [4] No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." [5] For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

16. BETRAYED FOR 30 PIECES OF SILVER

Zechariah 11:12 I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.  500 B.C.

Matthew 26:14-15 [14] Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests [15] and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.

17. SILVER RETURNED
SILVER USED TO BUY POTTER'S FIELD

Zechariah 11:12-13 [12] I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. [13] And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"--the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter.  500 B.C.

Matthew 27:3-10 [3] When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. [4] "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." [5] So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. [6] The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." [7] So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. [8] That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. [9] Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, [10] and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."

 18. DISCIPLES WOULD SCATTER

Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones."  500 B.C.

Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: " `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'"

ONLY Jesus accomplished this and it was foretold 700-1000 years before His birth and death. These are just a mere “sample” of prophecies written about the Messiah and fulfilled by Jesus!

So what’s the point? Jesus was more than a man, but God AND Man! God’s Word is true and accurate from 1000 years out to your prayer you uttered last night! He is real and YOU are His child! He will do what He says and has the Power to accomplish it! TRUST HIM!

This holiday season, remember WHO Jesus is, WHY He came to live and die, WHAT He accomplished for you and can do for you, WHERE you are ultimately going, HOW your life can be changed!

Have a blessed Christmas, because you ARE Blessed! No matter what you may be facing, if you are God’s Child, Saved by Jesus’ Blood, everything will be alright. This life is temporary and there will come a day when ALL your wrongs will be righted!

And if you are Not…YOU CAN BE! Just turn away from your past sins and accept the Savior born to save you!

God Bless You

Love Brother Edward

Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.

What Is Christmas?

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16 is one of the most recognized, most memorized and most spoken verse in all of Scripture. It can be seen printed on T-Shirts, Banners and even on signs at sports events. This one verse sums up all of Scripture: God loved humanity, but humanity sinned and thus, is condemned to Eternity in Hell, but because of God’s great love for us, He sent His only unique Son, Jesus Christ, God in human form into the world that thru Him. His death and His resurrection, whoever comes to Him in faith and repentance will not die, but have Everlasting Life!

This is the Christian message. This is the Christmas message: the birth of this Savior coming down from Heaven into the world to save as many as are willing to turn to Him.

The whole world marvels at the holiday of Christmas, but many miss the message of Christmas. We long to give extravagant gifts to family and friends, but overlook the greatest gift that has ever been given.

God created Christmas. Christmas or Christmas Day (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, literally "Christ's mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated generally on December 25.

Without salvation from our sins, the whole world is condemned to Hell. No matter what kind of life we would have lived; even if we were to become the richest person who ever lived; to die and spend eternity in Hell would not be worth it. Beyond death, there is no second chance; no repentance, no forgiveness.

Hebrews 9:27-28

It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Jesus Christ is God’s FREE GIFT of Salvation! We cannot earn it nor do we deserve it. It is unmerited (not earned) grace (undeserved favor).

Ephesians 2:4-9

But God, who is rich in MERCY, because of His great LOVE with which He LOVED US, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His GRACE in His KINDNESS toward us in Christ Jesus. For by GRACE you “HAVE BEEN SAVED” through FAITH, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES; it is the GIFT of God,  NOT OF WORKS (not good deeds), lest anyone should boast.

Examine the words I capitalized; meditate on these. Think and see how very much God loves a world gone wrong; how much God loves you! God has made a way for us to escape the judgment to come. He has provided a sacrifice for our sins. It all started that night in Bethlehem, Israel, where Jesus lay in a lowly manger. This is the event that would change the world forever!

So many of us get depressed at the time because we get caught up in what we cannot give and do not have. I urge you to focus on what HAS BEEN DONE for you! Heavens gates are wide open, accepting anyone who would turn from their sins and towards Jesus Christ. Salvation is for ANYONE who would put their faith in Christ. No matter what you have done, where you have gone, where you are now, there is Forgiveness for you! Come just as you, where you are and grab hold of God’s Free Gift of Salvation!

For all those who trust in Christ, the day is coming when everything will made new, corrected, made clear. This is the greatest news for the poor, the lame, the diseased, the hopeless and all those who ruined their lives and desire another chance. This world is temporary, it is fading; Eternity is forever and Heaven is perfect! Don’t let the troubles of this life bring you down. What God has for you in Heaven makes ANYTHING you can possibly go through down here to get there…worth it! Look at the amazing verse:

 1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

WOW!!

God says you can’t even imagine the awesome things He has prepared for those who follow Jesus. Nothing can explain it, nor can you compare it with ANYTHING great you can think of. Think about it! Think about ALL the tings you could possibly wish for if God granted you EVERY and ANY wish you desire…ANY…are you seeing this is your mind? Money, Fame, Health, Peace, Rest, Food, Amazing Travel, ...ANYTHING!

With all that dreamed up…your every wish…God says “IT DOESN’T EVEN COME CLOSE” to all the things He has prepared for you! WoW! Makes you want to stop focusing so much on all the things you Don’t Have, and focus on all the things you have to look forward to!

God has given the world a PRICELESS GIFT: JESUS CHRIST!

This Christmas, think on these things. Put your mind and heart on God’s Gift…to YOU! Think about what all this means. I know life can be hard, but God has made a way. Let Christmas remind you of why you celebrate and who’s child you are and where you are going.  When Jesus’ disciples were amazed at the power given to them to cast out demons, Jesus replied:

Luke 10:20

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Likewise, REJOICE! Because YOUR NAME  is WRITTEN IN HEAVEN!

Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.

IF GOD CARES, WHY DO I SUFFER?

Throughout mankind's existence, no question is asked more frequently than this. Suffering and evil seem to plague our every aspect of life. Some seem to suffer more than others, but we all at various points in our lives will experience pain and suffering. If there is a God, surely He did not intend this to be; or does He enjoy watching us hurt in pain? Maybe He's punishing us or maybe He doesn't care or doesn't exist at all.

I also have experienced pain and suffering many times in my life. I have examined all the evidence for and against the existence of God and have settled it in my heart that He surely as you and I, does exist. So where is He when life is beating us up? Why does He allow rape and poverty and injustice? Why do we see the starving and diseased?

If there is one major thing I have learned is that the viewpoint of God and man are polar opposites. What we think is think is the right way, is not usually God's way. Humans are limited in knowledge and ability, but big on ego; we "think" we know and can do anyting and everything better tan even God Himself. We do not wish to accept that we have a limited view of our situations and cannot fully see the end result. Everyone views their particular situation through "their own eyes". Each person wants to believe that their situation is unique only to them and no one else can understand what they are going through. What does God have to sat about all this?

EVIL

Many people think the existence of evil is proof that God does not exist, but without the presence of good, there would be no knowledge of evil. Without God, there is no good or frame of reference for good or evil. Without God, there is no moral standard and hence no good or evil; hence, there can no judgments of right or wrong, even for the murderer, rapist and thief. Simply put, the existence of evil proves there is a higher moral good; God.

From scripture, we read that evil came to existence when Lucifer, God's chiefest angel rebelled and has since waged war on those whoi God loves; people. God gives "free choice" Without free choice, you would be nothing more than a robot, not human with freedom of expression. Evil exist because we "choose" to do evil. We do things our own way, following Satan's lead in rebelling against God. For God to wipe out ALL evil everywhere, He would wipe out the whole human race since we ALL are guilty to some degree at one point or another. A Just and Righteous God cannot punish the rapist but let the sexually immoral go free.

In short, evil exist because man is fallen. It's in our blood. Bad things WILL happen, but this is the price we pay for being sinners. We have ourselves to blame for this, not God.


Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.

...Cast The First Stone

God says there is none good, no not one. We in America, have experience that reality so vividly this past week when a gunman who had just killed his mother walked into an elementary school killed 26 innocent people; 20 of which were children, ages 6-10.

Nothing can explain the depths of the pain that those closest effected are feeling, nor can we fathom the reasoning behind such an unspeakable act of violence. There are no words of condolances great enough to soothe the wounds left or give us spectators rational.

What happened that fateful day was indeed a great tragedy, but needn't be looked at as something foreign from God's perspective. God sees all and knows all. He knows the heart of manking and knows that in its fallen state, is evil. The shooter just gave into all the evil that was inside him, rather than continue to fight against it.

Many evil deeds are perpetrated daily all over the world. From your Hitlers and Satlins, to the Ted Bundy's and Mansons. You have the pedophiles that prey on the young, to the serial killers who stalk their vitems. The rapist hides in the shadows and the gangs roam the streets. Neighbore fights neighbor and husband abuses their wives. From fights, lies, backstabbing, cheating, stealing and yes, muerder, we are ALL guilty.

On one level or another, we are all the Hitler, the rapist, the shooter. Some do a better job of supressing the evil within, while others control the full force of it or hide it all together. Whatever plane you are on, it still exist in each of us; breathing, living, waiting for its chance to lash out.

As we mourn for the latest victems in a long list of tragedies, take a minute to mourn the shooter who gave into the evil within and ultimately was consumed by it. Mourn for yourself and society, knowing that the same potential lives in you and lurks around each smiling face you meet and greet.

Mourn, yes, for humanity is fallen. Mourn the fact that despite of fallen nature, God in His mercy sent us a Savior...and we killed Him also. We are all guilt. No one is clean. We all must bear the responsibility of contributing evil to a world filled with evil.

Jesus gave many commandment when it came to judgments: "Before you try to take out the speck in your brother's eye, first take out the plank in your own eye" and "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone." This is not to excuse the hideous and atrocious act of the gunman in that school, but wake us up to the reality that we live in a world gone wrong and if you are not part of the solution, you ARE the problem.

So let us pray to God and and ask for forgiveness for the murderer and ourselves also. Pray for the families of those who are slain and that we do not let evil overtake us as it did here. Turn to God and follow Jesus and not the sinful desires of our own hearts. At least then, we will be doing our part in combating the evil around us instead of contributing to it.

Love God, love people. Let us live by this.


Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.

 PRAY FOR NEWTOWN

Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.

As A Man Thinks

As A Man Thinks

Proverbs 23:7

For as she thinks in her heart, so is she.

What do you think? What do you think about yourself? What do you think about deep inside your heart? Do you know that you help create your destiny by your thoughts? What woman holds in her heart, or thinks, has a great effect upon her spiritually, mentally, and physically and will affect all areas of her life…YOUR LIFE!

This proverb has unbelievably huge and universal implications. This wisdom of truth from God acts as a universal law. No matter what race, gender, social status, origin of birth or education level, it hits the mark every time!

Some call it the law of attraction. In 1937 Napoleon Hill wrote a book based on this principle called, “Think And Grow Rich”. It sold millions globally and is still selling today. Why? Because it works!

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE.

That’s it in a nutshell. In its simplest form: You are what you think you are. It doesn’t matter if what you think you are is correct or incorrect, self labeled or something you believed from another. If you accept something as true in your thinking and act upon it, you will become what you are thinking about.

This is not random thoughts the Bible is talking about, but deep rooted thoughts that have set up home inside your heart. The thoughts that you guard with your very life. These are the thoughts you fight for and sometimes even die for.

The most astounding thing is, it works for your good or bad, it has not prejudice. What is more amazing is; “YOU can control what you think deep in your heart!”

When the religious leaders tried to accuse Jesus’ disciples of breaking ceremonial laws by eating wheat with unclean hands, Jesus replied:

Mark 7:18-23

So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Jesus said the things that defile and hurt us are the deep “heart” issues within us. So, if you go back to Proverbs 23:7, we can understand that if we think in a certain way, we produce certain results; either defiling ourselves or uplifting ourselves. God wants you to be uplifted. Is it any wonder why certain verses appear steadily in the Bible? Such as:

Genesis 26:24           “….do not fear”

Deuteronomy 1:21    “….do not fear or be discouraged”

Leviticus 23:40         “….rejoice before the LORD”

Numbers 13:20         “….Be of good courage”

There are many others, but the point is; God wants you to think in a certain way because He knows how it will affect you and He knows what He speaks is Truth! Maybe if you started to believe God more and yourself less, you will achieve everything God made you to be, instead of being who you have made yourself to be.

Gideon was a farmer in a city that was being attacked by a powerful enemy. He spent his time sneaking around as to not get caught and was afraid of being killed. In his eyes, he was a nobody, but when God sent an angel to give Gideon a mission, observe how the angel addressed Gideon:

Judges 6:12

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”

Mighty Man Of Valor? To a guy who is hiding from the enemy? God saw Gideon as HE sees things, NOT as we see things or ourselves! God instructed Gideon to put together an army of farmers and narrowed it down to only 300 men against thousands upon thousands of highly trained enemy soldiers. God gave Gideon the victory!

So Gideon as it turned out, was a mighty man of valor. He believed what God SAID, NOT what he THOUGHT! Maybe you too need to start believing what God says about YOU.

David, Samuel and  Daniel, were all youths when God appointed them to be great. It didn’t happen overnight, but their trust in what God said OVER their circumstances caused them to hold on to God’s Promise and eventually saw that promise realized! Joseph was given a dream by God that caused jealousy amongst his brothers, who sold him into slavery, then as a slave he was falsely accused and thrown into prison for three years, until the Pharaoh of Egypt heard of his ability to interpret dreams and when Joseph  did so accurately, Pharaoh elevated Joseph to second to no one but him over all Egypt.

Joseph suffered about 14 miserable years of his life, but in the end, God’s word held true…and so did Joseph’s thoughts towards God’s promise.

HINT: The sooner you start learning God’s Word for you and begin thinking it in your heart, the sooner you will become who God says you are and achieve all the fullness He has for you.

STOP! Letting your negative and wrong thinking continue to rule in your life and bring hardship upon you. Listen to the voice of God and follow in His ways and you too will taste and see how good God is!

You ALL want change, I know you do, you’ve told me. Every time you think it may be possible, your negative thoughts creep back in and steal your hope. You believe that what you have now is all you can ever hope to obtain. You tell yourself every excuse not to try or to stop hoping. You have to change your thinking!

Grab a Bible and ask God to give a verse that you can “THINK” on. Think about this daily and meditate on it. See this verse being lived out in your life. When you have it deep-rooted, go back and pick another verse. Try It and tell me what happens!

God Bless,

Love Brother Edward

Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.

...No Not One

...No Not One

     It always amazes me that we as fallen and weak-willed human beings stumble upon God's grace or at least get dragged to his throne kicking and screaming, only to turn, in time and think we did the Author and Finisher of salvation a favor.

     I can be like that sometimes; looking over my past good deeds and thinking i'm something special. Don't worry, this self indulgence only last a minute; then I screw up again, or at best fail miserably.

     Anyone else in this boat? You are not alone! No matter how hard we try, we will never be 'good enough'. It's a hard pill to swallow, but true.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 

Psalms 14:1-3

     It's not that you are worthless or hopelessly lost, just that our whole nature is the nature of the 'screw up'. Try as we may, we will never be perfect. That's what I'm beginning to learn; maybe when we learn to stop trying, God will work in us and through us in spite of our fallen nature.

Psalm 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,In those who hope in His mercy.