Monthly Archives: December 2020

Without a Prayer

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How can anyone make the decision not to pray unto the great “I AM,”

who wants to be their Good Shepherd and care for them as His lamb?

Jesus humbly came to earth, as told in the cherished Christmas story,

simply to share God’s love, leaving His home up in Glory.

He demonstrated unconditional love, serving those upon earth

and told all of us about our need to experience “the new birth.”

Likewise, we can be blessed…by serving as He leads,

knowing we have peace with God through Him–not by our own deeds.

For by grace we have been saved–His grace has been poured out.

Please don’t be deceived by demonic spirits who spread doubt.

The thief (who is the devil) comes only to kill, destroy, and steal…

Jesus came to die for our sins and, as Divine Physician, to heal.

I can’t imagine the void in a life of one who can’t seem to pray

to the Father in heaven, through Jesus Christ, who had so much to say…

on the goodness of God and how, just like lambs, we can always depend–

upon the Good Shepherd’s love for us, from beginning of life to its end.

So don’t be caught without a prayer, one day, before the throne of God–

Put your faith in our Savior and Shepherd, who bears both staff and rod.

Jesus not only was God’s sacrificial Lamb but also trusted, as a lamb,

His Father in heaven, who, from a burning bush, had said to Moses, “I AM
THAT I AM.”

P. A. Oltrogge

During His ministry, Jesus spoke of the “I AM”…John 8:58 and that He and the Father are one…John 17:11 and “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9

“I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.”  John 10:9-11 NKJV

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

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

“And God said unto Moses, ‘I AM THAT I AM,’ and He said, ‘Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.’”  Exodus 3:14 KJV

“Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58 NKJV

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Psalm 90:2 KJV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”  Ephesians 2:8

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it,but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  (From John 3:1-21) NASB

As White as Snow

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“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
These are gracious words that the Lord has said, and only He would know,
whatever sins have been in your life that you have come to regret.
What peace it is to know that God will forgive…and will also forget.

We read in the Bible of Peter, James, and John being led up by Jesus on a mount, where His clothing became radiant—white, like snow, it’s told in that account.
This spoke of His glory and was a demonstration that He was the Holy One—God’s voice, coming out of a cloud, said to listen to Jesus, His beloved Son.

This brings to my mind the garment of salvation that makes us white as snow.
In Him, we become new creations—sinners cleansed by His blood’s outflow.
To any who take Him as Savior, the One who died for sin on the cross in their place—any guilty stains are thoroughly lifted; no sinful spot can leave a trace.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Now after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up on a high mount apart by themselves, and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.” Mark 9:2-4 NKJV

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10 NIV

“Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’” Matthew 26:27-28 NKJV

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NASB

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12 NKJV

“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17 NASB

“For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14 KJV

Psalm 103:12; John 1:29; Hebrews 1:1-4; 1 John 2:1-2

Get Extraordinary

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“Now, men, don’t try this at home,” are words that Jesus never said.
“I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions,” were His words, instead.
“Whatever you bind (or loose) on earth will be bound (or loosed) in heaven,”
were just as much His words as those that said to “forgive, seventy times seven.”

“Peace, be still,” He spoke, with authority, to the fury of wind and wave.
And a disciple is one who closely adheres to the example that his teacher gave.
“Greater works than these he (the believer) will do” was a bit jarring, by the way, since keeping things “normal” tends to be the way we often prefer to stay.

We’re commissioned to send the Word, with authority, as Jesus, our Lord, did–
Yet we sometimes hesitate, as if this is something that our Lord would forbid.
Some circumstances make us want to concede, when they seem to be too tough. But that’s when we must enforce the enemy’s defeat–that we have had enough!

“It is written,” which Jesus said, is a prime example of Him using the powerful sword…of the written Word of God.  In resisting the devil, it must be underscored.  Let’s turn this whole world upside down as in the new Testament book of Acts–Those accounts aren’t fables; no, instead, they’re God’s “truths” that overturn “facts.”

P. A. Oltrogge

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 KJV

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19 KJV (and Matthew 18:18)

“Then came Peter to him, and said, ‘Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?’ Jesus saith unto him, ‘I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.'” Matthew 18:21-22 KJV

“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39 KJV

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
John 14:12 KJV

“Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.” Luke 7:7 KJV (from Luke 7:1-10, the story of the healing of the centurion’s servant)

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV

Encouragement at http://www.sidroth.org and also http://www.billyebrim.org for “The Authority of the Believer and How to Use It” booklet for $2 in “Store”