Death of The Flesh

Mat 10: 38. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Taking up “our” cross is often not fully understood by new Christians. Is Jesus telling them that they were to be crucified as Jesus was in order to please God? Was it only by becoming a martyr that a person could be saved? Proper understanding of scripture always requires that we look at the scripture in the context of, who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and what comes before and after what is being said.

Mat 10: 38. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

In the preceding verses of chapter ten, Jesus explained very clearly that following Him would lead to divisions between a follower of Jesus and the world of unbelievers. Father against son, mother against daughter, division between the believer and their families including their in-laws. Jesus warned them that becoming a disciple of Christ would bring persecution and separation between not only families and loved ones, but also those in the synagogue and what was taught by the religious leaders of the day.

Mat 10:35 For I have come TO ‘SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW’; 36. and ‘A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THOSE OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD.’ 37. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Crucifixion was a punishment was borrowed from the Assyrians and refined by the Romans. The Jews clearly understood what crucifixion was, how it was used, and the slow and painful death that ended the life of the criminal. The most common place of execution was on the roads leading into Jerusalem. The criminal would be stripped naked, nailed to the cross, and left there until the body decomposed. Anyone entering the city would see the criminal(s) hanging there as a warning to those who violated the laws of Rome. It was, to the Jews, the most cruel, humiliating, and horrible manner of execution.

Jesus was not requiring His disciples to follow Him literally to the cross on Calvary Hill. At this point in His ministry Jesus had not given His disciples even the slightest hint that His manner of death would be by crucifixion administered by the Roman government. The cross that Jesus is referring to is the cross of self-denial. It is a sacrifice, that in order to serve Him, requires us to stay true to Jesus even when we must suppress our own desires in spite of trials, persecution, even to death if needed.

According to the “Pulpit Commentary”, “Cross-bearing was a commonly used figure of the day and stood for “doing a thing that was disagreeable to do, or bearing a thing that was painful to bear, because it was right.” In that sense Christ used it in our text. Christian duty is sometimes painful, involves crucifixion of self, sacrifice of natural feelings.”

Becoming a Christian does not mean that our struggles in life become a soft feather bed, and everything we face, sickness, poverty, finances, and trials of life suddenly fade away like the proverbial dust in the wind. In the Garden of Gethsemane where in a short time Jesus would face the trial of history, He reminded the disciples that they would face tribulations and hardships. In spite of what they faced they were to have “Good cheer” because He would be right beside them in all that they would face. Jesus promised, and millions of Christians have confirmed, that Jesus will bring comfort and peace regardless of what we face. (John 16:33)

We might want to choke our tormenter until their face turns blue, but Jesus tells us to love even the people who persecute us. That goes totally against what our brain and our flesh wants to do. And honestly, some of us are not programed that way by nature and we fail miserably. It took me years to overcome some of my human nature and there are still things I wish I had better control over. I am not by any stretch of the imagination suggesting that a Christian should let people bully them, or harm them or their family. We are not called to be doormats in the House of God. Only if persecuted for the Lord’s sake, are we to imitate Jesus in our actions. In fact, scriptures tell us that the man who fails to provide* for his family is worse than an infidel or an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)

• Greek: Consider in advance, care for or lookout for.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Taking up the cross and following Jesus simply means that, after considering the costs and following the example He set, we make a conscious effort to turn from sin and become His disciple. This is not a frivolous decision, nor is it joining a religious social club. It’s not doing it for grandma’s sake, or because it would please momma. Becoming a Christian means, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God. It is believing that He came to earth, bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God, lived a perfect holy life. He was crucified on the Cross giving His own life as a sacrifice for the sins of all who believe in Him. He was buried, and after three days in the tomb, He was raised from the dead by the power of God and forty days later ascended back to heaven to stand at God’s right hand. (Acts 7:55-56)

Jesus clearly taught that an unbeliever should count the cost before they make the decision to follow Him. It is not a road easily traveled. Jesus once said that the man who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.

Luke 14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29. lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30. saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31. Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32. Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

We all have a cross, or crosses, that are difficult to carry. But the cross is not sickness, or a grumpy neighbor, or even a mother-in-law who interferes in our life. Bearing the cross is denying what we want to do in order to do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do.

“It’s all about Jesus.”

Diver Dan

Trust But Verify

2Ti 3:1  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2.  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3.  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4. traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5.  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 

The Bible is unique, when compared to other books, in a number of ways. Not only does it record the history of the Israelites, and the early Church, but it also presents their history in a manner so that future generations can learn from their victories and their mistakes. In spite of the naysayers in the world, the Bible does give us advice for the future in prophecy and warnings.

Almost three hundred years before Alexander the Great came on the scene, the Jewish prophet Daniel wrote about him in the eight chapter of Daniel. He not only predicted that this leader would come from Greece, he also noted that this king would die young and that his kingdom would be divided among his four generals.

In the third chapter of his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells this young preacher that although there was persecution and death for followers of Christ during their time, things would be much worse in the future.

When Paul refers to the “Last Days”, he is speaking of a time many years in the future. In fact, the Greek implies that the Last Days began when Jesus began to preach at thirty years old and extends to His second coming. The Greek word for “Perilous” is often used in the sense of a wild animal attacking or a raging sea storm. It can mean furious, violent, or troublesome.

Paul is certainly not writing to frighten Timothy or anyone who reads his letter. Like the Apostle John writing in the Book of Revelation, Paul is telling us to be alert, to be cautious, and as the Apostle Peter writes in his letters, don’t let those things surprise you or upset you.

1Pe 4:12 “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13.  but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part, He is glorified.” 

It is easy to become frustrated and angry or maybe we want to just throw up our hands in surrender when we see the condition of the world and our own government today. There has never been a time since the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem until this time in which we live, that the Church has not been hated and despised around the world. The world hates us because they hate Jesus. The world hates Jesus and the preaching of the Gospel because they are so filled with the devil and evil. The world is so blinded by the evil deceptions of the Prince of Darkness that they conform to the lies of the devil.

Read again those five verses at the top of this page. In those few verses, we see not only the world around us, but we also see what is happening in so many churches today. People are looking for someone to tickle their ears; preacher who will preach only things that make people feel good.

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, (a desire to feel pleasant and comfortable) they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4.  and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. 

So, what should we do? Study to show yourself approved using the Bible as the benchmark. The true Gospel is not a gospel lotto where we strive to build material wealth on earth. True Gospel is not a relationship where God responds to you every time you snap your fingers. When you hear anyone preach, even your own pastor or Sunday school teacher, (including me) check out the scriptures they use. Is the scripture used in the proper context. Do you know to whom the scripture is speaking? Is the scripture quoted written directly to us or is it written for us?

We are entering difficult times. Evil will increase, people will become more disobedient, unthankful, unholy, despisers of good, without self control. As these things increase we are not to attack them, slander them, or ignore them. When the church and government authorities tell us that things are just going to get better and better on this earth. Even if your denomination tells us that we don’t have to strive to defeat the lusts of the flesh, or that God’s grace allows us to live in sin as a Christian.

A line from the movie “Forest Gump” will suffice. “Run, Forest, Run”. Or as Paul told Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts and strive for righteousness “. (2 Timothy 2:22)

Fountian of Life

John 4:1-2 (NKJV) [1] Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John [2] (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples were).
(John 3:22,23)

The Pharisees, who had just interrogated John about who gave him the authority to baptize, had just heard a blistering sermon about their failure to follow the Commandments of the Torah.
Luke 3:7-9 (NIV) [7] John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? [8] Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. [9] The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
They were not at all happy with John. A preacher wearing a camel hair tunic with the smell of bugs and wild honey on his breath, who seemed to come out of nowhere had the nerve to question these educated men?

Once the Pharisees became aware of Jesus baptizing people, (The actual baptizing was being done by His disciples) Jesus left the area to avoid any conflicts. Quite possible, and more likely probable, was that Jesus knew the questions might cause the Pharisees to discover His mission before it was time to reveal who He was. The road already laid out for Jesus was to spend the next three years preaching the Kingdom of God and verifying who He was by the miracles He would perform.

John 4:4-6 (NKJV) [4] But He needed to go through Samaria. [5] So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. [6] Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Jesus needed to go through Samaria? A typical Jew avoided Samaria like it was a plague but John the Apostle tells us that Jesus needed to go through Samaria. The English word “needed” is translated from the Greek word “δεί” (pronounced die), implying that there was an urgency for Jesus to travel through Samaria in order to complete God’s plan.

What’s behind the Jews hatred of the Samarian people?
When the Jews were taken into Babylonian Captivity, around 700 BC, the king of Assyria took only the brightest, most educated from the nation of Israel. Babylon left the uneducated, unskilled as well as the farmers and sheep herders in Israel. To further punish and humiliate the Jews, the king of Assyria brought people from all the lands he ruled and placed them in Samaria and they intermarried with the Israelites who were left there.

Soon Samaria was filled with lawless, profane, idol worshipping people who went so far as to incorporate the teachings of the Torah into their religious practices. When the Jews began to return to Israel when the seventy-year captivity had ended in Babylon, the Samarians acted as though they wanted to help rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. In actuality, they wanted to prevent Israel from rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. Recognizing the deception, the returning Jews rejected their help and the feud began. The Samarians wanted the land of Israel for themselves and wanted to annihilate the Jews just as the Palestinians today.

John 4:7-9 (NKJV) [7] A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” [8] For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. [9] Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Every action Jesus took was a lesson and example to the people He was teaching. The route to Galilee was shorter going through Samaria but no good Jewish person would set foot on that route. But Jesus “needed” to go that route because there was a person in need and God had a plan for her life. It has always amazed me that God does not always chose the most righteous, the brightest, or the person well versed in the Bible. God chose some of us, in spite of our faults, to demonstrate His love, and grace, so that the world would see that the message of the Cross came from our Heavenly Father and not by human design.

The disciples went into town to buy food but Jesus went to Jacob’s well (to rest since it was noon time) and to fulfill a divine appointment. Although it is called a well in the scriptures, it’s actually fed by a number of flowing springs that are still there today. The water is cool, clear, refreshing water that never stagnates and never goes dry. What a set up to teach a spiritual lesson.

John’s Gospel over and over reminds us that Jesus was a human being with physical needs just like us. He was the Son of God, and thorough Him all things were created. But Jesus lay aside His divine nature to experience what we, as His creation, experience. Jesus knows what it means to be tired and weary. He knows what it’s like to be hungry and thirsty. Having experienced life as one of us, there is nothing that we face, no temptation that we face, that Jesus Himself has not already experienced.
Heb 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Three violations of the oral law were committed by Jesus as the woman approached Him at the well.
1- He was in an area the Jews considered to defile anyone who even walked through that area
2- A Jewish man alone with a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that.
3- He asked her for water which would violate the traditional laws the religious leaders had established as not being touched by a Gentile.
There actually was a forth violation. He was speaking to a woman with a less than virtuous background.
We might give Jesus a break here and say He didn’t know her jaded past. But that doesn’t make since he already knew in His spirt who she was, where she had been, with whom she had been.

Jesus was there on a mission to bring the Gospel to the people that He would later tell His disciples to avoid until all Israel had the first chance to hear the word.

John 4:10-15 (NKJV) [10] Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
[11] The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? [12] Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

The Samaritans only accepted the first five books of the Bible known as the Torah. She would have had no knowledge of the “Living Water” of which Jesus spoke. And just like the Samarian woman, millions of people today have never heard of the living water that Jesus spoke about. The church as a whole has avoided people who are not just like them. Homeless people, drunks, drug addicts, prostitutes, bikers, people at work or in places where we shop.

The last words of Jesus commanded us to go into all the world, but the church as a whole has avoided the unsaved of the world. We cannot win people to Jesus if we on tell them to “Have a blessed day” in the Walmart. We are not witnessing if we stick a tract on their windshield. We are not exposing them to the Gospel when we wear a cross around our neck or wear a “T” shirt that has a gospel message printed on it. These may be good things, but our personal experience with Jesus requires a personal interaction with others.

Jesus sat down to eat with sinners, gentiles, tax collectors, and those considered unclean by the Jewish establishment. Yet we seem to be afraid that sin might be like an infection that will rub off on us or that they might use words that are offensive to our sensitive righteous ears. Day by day, week by week, and month by month, people go to hell for eternity because we are afraid to share Jesus outside the walls of the Church. Anyway you slice it, God’s people are cowards and failures in making disciples. It has been said there are only two kinds of people in the world. “Saints and Ain’ts”. If we are truly the Saints we need to be turning the Ain’ts of this world into Saints of God.

[13] Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, [14] but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” [15] The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

Without natural water, a person will die within three to five days. Without the spiritual water of the Holy Spirit, a soul will die forever. We’re carrying around an almost empty water jug with only enough water for ourselves. We are watchmen on the wall but we’re sitting in the shade, sipping our water, and ignoring those men and women like the Samarian woman who is dying of thirst.

In this living water is peace for a parched soul. In the living water there is a fountain bubbling up that will clean and purify a lost soul. Water taken into the body removes the toxins and harmful things in the blood. Water regulates the temperature of the body and balances the pH of the blood. Water is essential to life.

“There is a river, and it flows from deep within
There is a fountain, that frees the soul from sin
Come to this water, there is a vast supply
There is a river, that never shall run dry” (Max and David Sapp 1969, recorded in 1972 by Jimmy Swaggart)

The water that Jesus spoke of was the Holy Spirit
John 7:37-39 (NKJV) [37] On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. [38] He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” [39] But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

As Jesus shared the message of God’s kingdom, the woman quickly ran back to the village and excitedly told everyone who would listen about a man who “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Could this be the Christ indeed? The whole village came out to hear the man of which the woman spoke. In fact she holds the prize for being the first evangelist in the New Testament.

Just as we need natural water to survive, we need the spiritual water of the Holy Spirit to revive us and flood our souls. And although they don’t yet know the truth, the unsaved of the world need the living water in order to live a life filled with joy and peace in a relationship with our Creator and heavenly Father.

John 6:35 (NKJV) [35] And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Water of the Holy Spirit feeds our soul, removes the impurities from our mind, and gives us a greater desire for righteousness.
Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) [6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

Water of the Holy Spirit guides us, satisfies our soul like nothing else will, and gives us spiritual strength.
Isaiah 58:11 (NKJV) [11] The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
The world is dying of thirst while Christians sit in our comfortable pews and complain about how hot or how cold the building is, or how long the preacher preaches, or all the things we have to do next week.
We should be concerned about the people we meet who are lost and dying without God in their lives while we keep the living water all to ourselves. We used to have a saying back in the Jesus Movement days. “Don’t keep the faith, share it”! We are commanded to bear witness of Jesus to others. (Matthew 10:32-33)
Psalm 145:10-12 (NKJV) [10] All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, And Your saints shall bless You. [11] They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, [12] To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

Maranatha, Double D

Praise Defeats the Power of the Enemy

Exodus 17:8-10 (NKJV) [8] Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. [9] And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” [10] So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Some folks might question, in these modern times, why do we even study the Old Testament or the history of Israel. The primary reason is because we are seeking knowledge of where we all came from and how we got here. The second reason is, we are looking at the ancestors of our Lord and Savior. Jesus was not a White man, a Black man or anything in between. He was a Jewish man who was a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Because he was a Middle Eastern Jew, he probably had olive colored skin. Another reason to study the history of the Bible is so that we will remember that what God has done in the past, he will still do today. He is truly the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV) [8] Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Israel had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years when the Exodus took place. They had moved to Egypt during a time of extreme famine in the land of Canaan. Egypt was the only country in the Middle East, at that time, who did not have a shortage of food. A young man named Joseph, seventeen years of age, had been sold as a slave by his brothers, and sent to Egypt many years before. They thought they were getting rid of a pesky younger brother, but they were actually being led by God. Ten brothers, jealous of Joseph’s love for his father, and the special love that Jacob demonstrated to Joseph. But through their evil plan, they prepared the way for Joseph to deliver this very small tribe of people, who were the sons of Jacob. The group was so small that at the time Jacob (Israel) and his family entered Egypt, there were only seventy members of what would become the nation of Israel. Four hundred years later, at the time if the Exodus, the family had grown to six-hundred-thousand men of fighting not including women and children. The total number of people whom Moses led out of Egypt has been estimated to be between one and three million people based on archeology records.

The mysterious thing about God is, that He does not always reveal to us all the details about His purpose and plan for our lives. Certain things happen and we think it is just a coincidence, or luck, but those words do not exist in God’s vocabulary. Was Joseph in just the right place at the right time? Was it just luck when Moses was saved from death because his mother placed him in a reed basket in the Rive Nile? And what are the chances that the daughter of the Pharoah, just by coincidence, came down to bathe in the Nile Rivers as baby Moses floated by? I think not. Everything happens according to God’s plan.

Nothing about the trip out of Egypt had been easy. The Israelites left Egypt in the middle of the night following then plagues God had sent on the nation of Egypt. The last plague was the death of all the firstborn from the Pharoah’s son to the firstborn of the livestock as the death angel passed over. Only those protected by the blood of the lamb survived. Then at the Red Sea, the people of Israel were in a panic with the Red Sea before them and Pharoah’s army hot on their heels. Just as it seemed that all hope was gone, God parted the waters of the Red Sea and the people walked through to the other side. God had kept the Egyptian Army at bay by a pillar of fire until all the Israelites crossed over to dry land. As Pharoah’s Army pursued them, God allowed the water to return and Pharoah’s Army was drowned.

God led the people by way of an indirect route toward the Land of Canaan. It has been said that the trip to Canaan could have been made in just a few weeks. Why did God lead them along the route that he led them? Did I say, “God has a plan”? God’s plan had a purpose. God told Moses that He was leading them along a route that would avoid conflict with the peoples that inhabited the land of Canaan. Because they were farmers, craftsmen, and herders of cattle or sheep, they had no fighting experience.
Exodus 13:17-18 (NKJV) [17] Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” [18] So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

When Moses and the people arrived at a place called Rephidim, a group of people known as the Amalekites attacked them without a justifiable reason. Israel didn’t come to this place in the desert of Sin (Seen) seeking a fight. They came here because there was no water in the desert where they were traveling.

Rephidim was, and is, an oasis with plenty of water and tall palm trees stretching for miles through a valley. The Amalekites had long claimed this area for themselves and camped here to water their sheep. However, at this particular time of the year, the water source was dried up and their was no water for such a large number of people and their animals. This caused the Israelites to rise up against Moses. God responded by telling Moses to use the staff that he had used to roll back the Red Sea and strike a nearby large rock. When the staff struck the rock, water rushed out in such a quantity that the thirst of the people and animals was satisfied.

The Amalekites, apparently fearing that Moses and the people of Israel had come to take their watering hole and pastures, attacked without provocation. The sin of the Amalekites was that they attacked the innocents. Those who were at the rear of the troop. Those who were old, weak, tired and the weary.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (NKJV) [17] “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, [18] how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.

Isn’t that the way the devil always attacks? Those who because of age, or health, are tired and weary and just trying to hang on. He attacks those who feel their life is no longer important. Those who feel life has run off and left them by the wayside. Those in nursing homes, hospitals or prisons who have been abandoned by society and often their own families. Those who feel they have no strength in themselves to go on. The adversary (1 Peter 5:8-9) is looking for those kinds of people. And we see the fruit of the devil’s work. Depression, oppression, sadness, and the loss of the will to live.

So, when we see the devil attacking the innocent, as Moses did, what do we do? God uses those who are strong in the word of God, strong in the Holy Spirit, and willing to be a useful vessel, to become first responders and rescue the weak and downcast. We are our brothers and sisters keeper. God expects us to respond to their needs if we have the means to respond. Moses had a big stick, and he knew how to use it. His staff represented the visible manifestation of God’s Power. (Exodus 4:1-5) This is the staff that became a snake and destroyed the vipers Pharaoh’s magicians conjured up. The staff that changed the waters of the Nile into blood. The staff that created a plague of frogs, and changed dust into gnats. The staff that brought hail and lighting, locusts, and darkness over Egypt for three days. There was so much of God’s power represented by the staff of Moses, that it rolled back the waters of the Red Sea.

So what would we expect Moses to use to subdue the Amalekites? You guessed it. The staff that represented God’s power. The staff was most likely the shepherd’s staff that Moses used when herding his father in law’s sheep. But the staff had come to represent the Great Shepherd and His protection of His sheep.

Exodus 17:9-13 (NKJV) [9] And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” [10] So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. [11] And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. [12] But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. [13] So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

As Joshua and him men fought the Amalekites, Moses sat on a hill overlooking the valley and held the “Staff of God” stretching toward heaven. As long as Moses lifted the staff, representing worship and praise to God, the Israelites were winning. If Moses lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed. The battle lasted all day until sunset. At some point Moses became so tired that Arron and Hur sat him on a stone and held up his hands, one on either side of Moses. In that position, Israel won the battle.

There is much to learn from this story from the history of Israel. Even though the Children of Israel were following God’s leading, the enemy still attacked. Even though we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, the devil will attack us. It’s not “if he attacks”, it is “when he attacks”. Experience proves that the closer we walk with God, the more aggressive the devil becomes. Expect an attack, but do not fear the attack.

Jude 1:9 (NLT) [9] But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

James 4:7-8 (NKJV) [7] Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

When the attack comes, we are to lift up our hands to God, with the word of God as our staff, and begin to praise God for the victory that comes only through Him. Failure to praise God for victory in our battles maybe the cause of our losing the battle.

Jude 1:9 (NLT) [9] But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

Just as Israel defeated the Amalekites, we can defeat the devil. Not in our own power, but by faith in the power of God. Zechariah 4:6 tells us that victory is not by “might or power” but by the Spirit of God.

1 John 5:4-5 (NKJV) [4] For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. [5] Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Maranatha,

Double D

Do I Really Need to Read the Bible for Myself

I know I probably bug people half to death by my constant pestering them about spending more time reading the Bible. This book has been one of my greatest companions and sources of inspiration since I discovered it over fifty years ago. Just a wild guess, but I suppose I have spent close to seventy-five thousand hours in Bible study over my lifetime. And I know people who probably have more time in study that I have. I don’t say that as a brag, but to make a point. When a person dedicates themselves to something they really enjoy, that activity become a part of their life. At some point the activity becomes a habit. We know we have developed a habit when missing a few hours or a couple of days pursuing that obsession, it can affect us mentally and sometimes physically.

Imagine how many hours Tiger Woods has spent over the years preparing for a golf tournaments.  Even a person as talented as Tiger, still has to practice over and over to be successful. We see interviews with young people who are preparing for the Olympics. They get up in the early morning, long before sunup, and go to the gym, skating rink, or similar sports venue . Thousands of hours of practice go into a song or a musical instrument before a musician or singer walk out on stage and knock our socks off with their music. To be good at any sport or activity requires commitment and dedication to reach the goal of successful performance.

Now imagine how that same commitment and dedication to the study of God’s word would prepare us to become a victorious and successful overcomer of the flesh. One would think that a book that is so vital to Christian living would occupy more of our time. There has never been a time in history when so few people actually open their Bibles except on Sunday morning. The American Bible Society, who collects statistics on religious activity, released the results of their survey in 2020. Out of over three thousand Christians surveyed in the United States,  they found that only nine percent (9%) of those who responded, read their Bible on a daily basis. The research reported, “that’s the lowest figure in the decade that the research has been conducted”.  Other research has shown that number to be as low as nine percent! Thirty-four percent of people in another survey had never read the Bible at all.  And only Christians were surveyed folks. Does that help us understand why so many Christians are depressed, unhappy, full of hate and vengeance and turn to drugs and alcohol to try and deal with their emotional pain?

 Okay, so what’s the big deal about reading the Bible on a daily basis? Don’t we pay preachers in our churches who will read the Bible to us as we sit all comfy on our padded pews? That’s the preacher’s job so why should we have to do his job? And look at the television and radio preachers. Can’t we get our knowledge from them? Yes, we certainly can. But what we are also getting is their opinion, filtered through their knowledge and experience. If we never read the Bible for ourselves how will know what we are hearing is truly what the scripture says. Since the beginning of the Christian Church, false teachers have been trying to lead God’s people away from the truth of the Bible. Do the names David Koresh, Jim Jones or  Charles Manson ring a bell? They were all alleged Bible teachers and preachers. And they all followed the same leader, known as Satan, the Devil, or Lucifer.

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) [8]  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

No one is free from the attacks of our adversary, whose only goal in life is to destroy our lives and prevent us from enjoying an abundant life in Jesus Christ. Life can be difficult for a person who follows Jesus because of the attacks of the adversary. Even though we are walking with Jesus, we are still subject to the troubles and trials to which every living person in this world are subject. Without the word of God to guide us we soon discover that we slowly begin to act just like the unsaved people in the world when things go wrong. If we have the devil trying to destroy us, what’s the solution? We are to ground ourselves in God’s word at all times, especially when things go wrong. With a knowledge of the Bible, we are prepared when we are attacked by the Devil.

1 Peter 5:6-7,9 (NKJV) [6]  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, [7]  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. [9]  Resist him, (the Devil) steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have felt the attacks of the Devil and scriptures like these have given me the strength to continue on. Humbling ourselves before God means that we must admit that we can’t handle a situation by ourselves. When the devil attacks is not the time to try and be tough and think we can defeat him under our own power. Humility is a quality that a believer needs to exercise more often. Humility does not make a man less of a man, nor a woman less of a woman. Submitting to God is a perfect example of faith. Faith literally means that we submit to God and seek His strength and guidance. Our Heavenly Father’s desire is that we not bear our burdens alone. Because of His love and His concern for His children, we can be assured that He wants us to cast all our cares on Him. The Amplified Bible translates like this;

1 Peter 5:6-8 (AMP) [6]  Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, [7]  Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. [8]  Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

How much anxiety and worry could we avoid if we only studied and read the scriptures daily? When enemies, both spiritual and physically come against us, we can raise the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and defeat our foes rather than allow them to defeat us.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NKJV) [10]  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

In the Book of Zechariah, we discover that God’s Holy Spirit provides the source of His power.  [6]  So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

Only through the word of God do we become aware that our battles, although sometimes fought in the flesh, actually have an underlaying spiritual cause. God has provided an armory full of weapons to defeat all our enemies whether spiritual or physical. He tells us to use all that He provides in his armory.

Ephesians 6: [11]  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

I’ve ways considered myself to be pretty strong emotionally but  very few people besides my wife know what goes on inside my mind. Only by the grace of God and the promises in His Holy Word do I hold things together at times. Like most normal people I have bouts of depression, sorrow, and stress in my life. Like most people, I don’t hang my laundry out for all the world to see. Only by the scriptures do I understand that I am not alone in this battle. And I also know life happens and we need to be ready for it.

I can cope with all these things when I remember the scriptures remind me that the enemy of my soul is hell bent on destroying me spiritually. By the word of God I take comfort and strength in the truth that we are surrounded by unseen forces. I am convinced that if God were to roll back the veil for just a few moments, many of us would be so terrified of what we saw we might not survive.

Ephesians 6:  [12]  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6: [17]  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; [18]  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–  

The Sword of the Spirit is the only weapon we need to fight and win spiritual battles.

King David recognized the importance of God’s word. Psalms 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, (176 verses) and every single verse mentions the word of God. If we are to grow and mature in our walk with the Lord, we must use the Bible as the light that leads us in the right direction. David defines the word as a lamp, not only where we stand, but the word also illuminates and reveals the pathway ahead of us.

Psalm 119:105-106 (NKJV) [105]  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. [106]  I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments.

The word of God blesses us with His promises and provides examples of those who faithfully walked in the word and who sought Him with a heart devoted to God and His word.

Psalm 119:1-2 (NKJV) [1]  Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD! [2]  Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!

So important is the role of scriptures in our walk that just reading the Bible is not enough. The Bible is like the food we eat. Just looking at food will not satisfy our body’s need for nourishment. Food must be consumed daily. So also the word. If the word is hidden in our heart, it is providing spiritual nourishment when we need the strength the scriptures will bring.

Psalm 119:11-12 (NKJV) [11]  Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! [12]  Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes!

As has been said many times in the past, “this world does seem to be falling apart.” We are tempted on every hand. Wrong has become right and right has become wrong in this twisted, upside down world. Our prayer everyday should be “Lord teach us your statutes”. “Open my heart and mind that I may see Wonderous things from your law”. (Psalms 119:18)

What’s wrong with God’s people today? At one time the Bible was known as the “Good Book” and held a place of respect in the home. Today, the Bible is relegated to the back room and is opened only on Sunday or perhaps not at all. Many preachers today subscribe to a “Sermons for the week” software. They don’t have to study or read the Bible themselves. They just download the sermon outline, including all the related scriptures on Saturday night and bam, they are ready to go on Sunday Morning.  Maybe this is just the musing of an old man, but I thank God for the sound of His voice brought to us through the men who were inspired of God to write our Bible,  which is in my opinion is still the Book of books and will remain the “Good Book” for all eternity.

Maranatha,

Double D