…regarding hatred towards the Jewish people and Israel…
“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” 1 John 4:20-21
“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'” Luke 2:10
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.'” John 4:21-23
…informative on prophetic events and on the Jewish roots of Christianity, visit: http://www.levitt.com
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. “May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, “May peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.
from Psalm 122
Blessed be the Lord from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Be a believer today… Don’t let negative thoughts get in the way.
Today, make sure you’re really being a believer… Correct any thoughts that lean towards agreeing with the deceiver.
All things are possible to him who believes… The one who believes is the one who receives!
Believe that God’s love for you is deep… Believe that His wonderful promises He’ll keep.
Be a believer today… Trust that He’ll answer (even if it takes a while) when you pray…
Be a believer today… Give the devil no place…rely on God’s amazing grace!
P. A. Oltrogge
“…do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” from Ephesians 4:26-27
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.'” Mark 9:23
“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.'” Mark 11:22-24
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17-18
“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:11-12
“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, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him… Psalm 103:11 NIV
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:15-16 NRSV
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, “It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus replied to him, “Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him. After Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus), and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!” Matthew 3:13-17 AMP
A step Jesus Himself took as being the right thing to do
was to be baptized, as His Father in heaven was leading Him to.
John, at the time, knowing that Jesus was the Holy One,
protested about being called to baptize God’s very own Son.
But Jesus said to John, however, that this should be permitted
as a fulfilling of all righteousness–a demonstration of sins remitted.
After Jesus was baptized, coming up from the water, He was met
by the Spirit of God, descending, like a dove, followed by words we can’t forget…
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased and delighted!”
Christ came from heaven on a mission–that sins, through Him, would be forgiven and relationship with God arighted.
P. A. Oltrogge
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-40 NKJV
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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 3:14-17
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
Jesus asked to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness.” By being baptized, Jesus would show His submission to the Father, identify (though sinless) with the sinners that He came to save, and be initiated into His ministry that began shortly. God’s voice coming from heaven confirmed that Jesus was His beloved Son.
A man with deafness and a speech impediment was in need of Jesus’ touch. Those who brought him begged the Lord to heal him, being confident of such.
Jesus led him, then, away from the crowd so that they could be alone. He put His fingers into the man’s ears—the beginning of his hearing tone.
Jesus spit upon His own fingers and touched the man’s tongue as well. “Ephphatha,” (“Be opened!”) He said, looking up to heaven—then the man instantly heard, clear as a bell!
The man’s tongue was also freed—his speech became perfectly clear. Jesus told the crowd not to spread the story, but they couldn’t help tell that the man could now speak and hear.
“Everything Jesus does is wonderful,” they shared, in relating this event. The deaf could hear, the dumb could speak. God’s goodness was being displayed wherever Jesus went!
P. A. Oltrogge
From Mark 7:31-37
“Everything He does is wonderful! He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” Mark 7:37 NLT
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NKJV
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
“The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
“For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
“As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
“The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
“Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul!” Psalm 103 NKJV
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:26
“Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord– For wheat and new wine and oil, For the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all.”
Jeremiah 31:12 NKJV
The above portion of scripture makes me think of time spent with Jesus, our Lord and King. Such time causes the soul to be as a garden– well-watered from His everlasting spring.
And gardens are always in need of guidance, or else, they will only run wild. Look to your life’s divine Gardener, trusting in Him, for you’re God’s beloved child.
P. A. Oltrogge
“…she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’
“Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).”
John 20:14-16 NASB
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 NIV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105 KJV
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6
…posting this yearly; regarding those who paid so dearly…
Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Through the years…
Many warriors have set aside the joys of life, to enter into battles that were born of strife. All gave their service, but some gave their all. With courage, they answered their country’s call.
We’re reminded of their sacrifice on Memorial Day. Death or injuries were the price that many did pay. As we go about our lives, we can tend to forget… for our freedom and stability, they’re owed a huge debt.
P. A. Oltrogge
…thank you to and God bless the families of the brave who’ve fought…
“The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we–in a less final, less heroic way–be willing to give of ourselves.” Ronald Reagan, Arlington National Cemetery, May 31, 1982
…from a Morning Glory to an Evening Primrose, God’s creativity and love of beauty shows…
P. A. Oltrogge
“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” Psalm 65:8 NIV
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night, That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Dear Father in Heaven,
You’ve told us that we should be bold in coming to Your throne of grace; so, Father, as Your child, I come boldly to that place.
Jesus taught us to pray, and we thank You for our daily bread; yet there’s something I’d like to add for the hours in the day ahead…
“Give us this day our daily”…miracles, is that for which I ask. You’re a miracle-working God; I know You’re more than up to the task!
“On earth as it is in heaven,” is prayed for Your will to be done, which is an appeal to see Your goodness, as stated perfectly by Your Son.
I wonder if a day went by, when Jesus was ministering on earth as a man, where His disciples didn’t see the miraculous within the day’s span.
If so, it might have been because of a lack of the faith to expect. To be expectant of daily miracles, is something I shouldn’t neglect.
P. A. Oltrogge
“And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Luke 17:5-6
“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah” Psalm 68:19
“But thanksbe toGod, whogivesus the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:15-23
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21
Matthew 6:8-13 The Lord’s Prayer
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
“There are only two ways you can live: by faith or by sight.” Quote/Keith Moore…See: http://www.faithlife.org
I Never Learned to Doubt, book by Jesse Duplantis, under Store, at: http://www.jdm.org
Thank you, Lord, for your care and even miracles in our daily lives and especially for any of your children who are going through difficult circumstances….
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:2
…and all of Psalm 91
Scriptures: NKJV
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On a walk through the woods, I hoped, one day, that I could expect to see…one of God’s beautiful creatures darting out by me… Likewise, may I learn to expect the answers I’ve been praying about. I may not know when, but I can expect that they’ll come darting out.
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“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:11-12
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
Perhaps, like myself recently, you were believing for something big, but things didn’t turn out as you’d hoped and prayed. At such times, I think we must persevere. As the old hymn goes, “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before…”
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 42:11
Rachel Shafer has written a book, Expect God. She also shares messages, such as “The Power of a Song,” via you tube and her website: www.rachelshafer.com
Peter and John went up together to the temple at the ninth hour, which was the hour of prayer. There was a man laid daily at the gate, lame from his mother’s womb, who asked charitable alms from those who entered there.
Seeing Peter and John about to enter, he asked alms of both of them, too. Then Peter, with John, looked directly into his eyes, telling him to look at them; and he began to tell the man of something better they could do.
That through faith in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, he could rise and walk–a far better gift than silver or gold. Then Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him up. He received strength in his feet and ankle bones upon Peter’s hold.
The exact words that Peter said to the man were “Silver and gold have I none…” Then he told him of that which he did have to give–a gift of healing, through the name of Jesus, God’s Son.
The man who’d been lame began leaping, walking, and praising God at the temple’s “Beautiful” Gate. He entered the temple with them, and Peter went on to share with the people that it was the power of Jesus’ name that had changed that lame man’s fate.
Excerpt from Acts: “Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: ‘Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, and faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.’” Acts 3:11-16 NKJV
Peter continued, saying that Christ had been crucified by them in ignorance, but that He had fulfilled all that the prophets had foretold. Now, forgiveness of sins and salvation could be theirs through Jesus–again, a gift from God far greater than silver or gold.
P. A. Oltrogge
The Greek adjective used to name the gate can be defined as ‘1. happening or coming at the right time —2. beautiful, fair, lovely’. Some scholars believe the word may refer more to ripeness than to beauty.
Lord, cause our faith to be ripe to believe we receive of Your help when we pray….(in reference to Mark 11:24)
As an important addition to this poetic account, see today’s post by Dutch Sheets: http://www.givehim15.com
You can also read of amazing miracles taking place presently at a tent crusade, conducted by Mario Murillo, in Tyler, Texas, at his blog. (I sometimes find that his website or blog do not connect from this blog, so it’s best to just find those via an internet search.)
While we are so grateful and thank God for healing through those working to help us in the medical field, this Porch post today is focusing on divine healing…Joseph Prince’s Daily Grace Inspiration today also reminds of healing through the partaking of communion, looking to Jesus and the cross: http://www.josephprince.org
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 (NASB, Ryrie Study Bible)
A portion of scripture to hold onto when things seem impossible or very dark….
is Psalm 27:13-14…it’s like suddenly hearing the song of a meadowlark.
God desires to answer your prayers far more than you would realize–
Believe in seeing the goodness of the Lord, rather than fearing that He denies.
And notice that it speaks of His goodness in “the land of the living;” it’s not pointing to after we die.
God has answers, and His love is great…He’s heard your heart’s every cry.
So be strong and courageous and wait on the Lord, as the Word has stated.
He has the perfect timing and plans–a truth which needs never to be debated.
P. A. Oltrogge
And if you’re going through something which is particularly stormy, it will be good to remember, too, “This I know, that God is for me.”
“Then my enemies will be turned back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.” Psalm 56:9
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11
The Porch of the Lord 