Tag Archives: Bible

Psalm 27, a Psalm of David

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27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

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The following is yesterday’s message by Dutch Sheets at Give Him 15 and is stated to be shared with family and friends:

I have always loved Psalm 27. The Holy Spirit, through David, shows us how to navigate between intense spiritual warfare and uninterrupted intimacy with the Lord. David declares his faith in God, speaking of the source of this faith as his intimacy with Him, yet follows this with acknowledging the real-life challenges of believing when the circumstances shout otherwise. Then, He crowns this great psalm by declaring a great promise.

David’s Decree

This was a very challenging time in David’s life–he was being pursued by King Saul and his army–but he didn’t open this psalm by complaining to God about how big his problems were. Nor did he lead with his feelings, as impactful as they were. He led with a declaration of faith. Verse 1 says: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

This was more than the religiosity some believers fall into when trying to maintain a “good confession,” nor was it mere wishful thinking. David knew the significance of stating what he believed in his heart. By doing so, he was allowing God’s words to define his reality rather than the adversity he was facing. David was personalizing God’s promises, declaring who God was to HIM. Notice his language: “my” light, “my” salvation, the strength of “my” life. David was laying claim to the covenantal protection promised him by Almighty God.

When David declared that the Lord was his light, he was stating that not only would God lead him, but He would also expose the enemy’s hidden traps. When he declared the Lord as his stronghold, he was announcing that those attacking him would not be able to break through and overcome the Lord’s defenses. We should do the same, declaring our faith in God’s protection over our lives, health, homes, family, businesses, and yes, our nation.

In verses 2 and 3, David got pretty graphic and spoke of evildoers advancing to “eat up my flesh” – describing an enemy intending total annihilation. He looked at Saul’s army encamped against him, yet his response is one of strong faith: “In this I will be confident.”

Where did this audacious faith come from? It came from an understanding of covenant with God, and an unshakable confidence in His faithfulness. 

The Intimacy Factor

Right after describing this intense opposition, David recorded a verse that seems completely out of place:

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (verse 4).

Naturally speaking, if a person is under siege, he or she should be watching his enemy vigilantly. If a nation is under siege, the leader should be in the war room looking at maps, conferring with military advisers, etc. But David’s strategy was different. He went into the Lord’s presence. He traded the war room for the tent of meeting, the holy of holies! This wasn’t a retreat into denial; it was an anchoring of himself to the reality that his help came from God. This was strategic!

The Hebrew word “dwell” in this verse is significant; yashab implies permanent residency, living in God’s presence.(1) When we do so, our minds become insulated from the panic our problems can bring. There in the secret place,  David said he could “behold” God. When we behold Him, the enemy loses his ability to intimidate us. Giants look like grasshoppers up against the majesty of God.

And notice the word “inquire.” David went there, not just to behold the Lord, but to inquire of Him. The temple was a place of divine counsel. David went into the presence of God to receive wisdom and revelation–the heavenly blueprint for battle, the intelligence report, the exact battle plan needed to defeat the adversary. Seeking intimacy with God is not running from spiritual warfare; intimacy is essential during our warfare.

In verse 5, David reveals that not only would he find guidance in the Lord’s presence, but protection: “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”

In ancient culture, if a leader or king welcomed you into his tent or dwelling, you were protected by the strength of his military power. An enemy couldn’t touch you without first going through the king. By dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, David was in a place of protection and strength.

The Good Fight of Faith

In verses 7, 9, 12, and 13, the tone of the psalm shifted once again. Holy Spirit motivated David to share with us not just his faith-filled decrees but also the emotional struggle he was facing.

Some commentators believe this represented a breakdown in David’s faith. I completely disagree. This pictured the reality of the fight of faith. This is what it looks like to share our frustration and feelings with the Lord, while also standing firm in faith. When doing so, David affirmed his connection with the Lord: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek’” (verse 8).

David wrapped up this great psalm by once again referencing the tension every believer faces: the time between the promise and its fulfillment. In verse 13, he stated: “I would have fainted (lost heart), unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” 

David was stretched, but maintained a stubborn, unyielding faith that God was going to give him the breakthrough…here…now…not just in heaven one day. 

Then David issued a final command to himself and to all of us: “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!”

Many misunderstand this word “wait.” In our language, waiting means sitting around doing nothing. But the Hebrew word here is qavah. It is a word meaning to braid, to bind together by twisting.(2) It is used to braid hair or make a rope from multiple threads of cord.

When we qavah on the Lord, we are braiding ourselves to Him. His strength becomes ours. We are infusing His infinite power into our finite strength, enabling us to make an expectant, aggressive stance. We can stand our ground, refusing to waver, holding fast to our faith until the promise manifests.

In summary, Psalm 27 encourages us to declare our faith, enter the secret place of God’s presence, receive His strategy, be strengthened with His power, and then stand our ground with tenacity until we see His goodness manifest.

Pray with me:

Father, it is impossible to live life without experiencing great challenges. Help us, by the power of Your Spirit to maintain the right perspective. Help us to keep our faith anchored in You and Your promises, even in dark times. And remind us that a strong heart connection with You is the key to overcoming.

We pray for those struggling, whether it be over personal issues or struggling to believe for Your turnaround in our nation. Give them strength to believe that they will see Your goodness in their lives and in our nation.

And we pray for our governmental leaders, as You commanded us. Give them strength when they face adversity. Remind them that victory is guaranteed in Your presence. Give us leaders like David who seek Your face and trust in You. Teach them Your ways, and how to hear Your voice. Keep them from deception and from harm. We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our decree:

We decree that the Lord is our light and salvation; we will not fear!

God Meant it Unto Good–Joseph of the Old Testament

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“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20 KJV

from Genesis 37:

An inspiring account in the Bible is of the life of Joseph of old; which is a story that turned out well, though his brothers gave him up to be sold.

Jacob, his father, had great love for him, and Joseph’s mother was dear to Jacob’s heart. Through others, he had had sons, too, but he’d really loved Rachel from the start.

To this son of his later years, he provided a colorful, distinctive coat–which gave his favoritism away. Due to seeing this, Joseph’s older brothers hated him; and then his dreams caused an even greater fray.

Joseph told them of those dreams. In one, they were binding sheaves in a field. Then, his sheaf stood up straight–while theirs gathered round in a circle and bowed down to his, as if prophetic of something at a future date.

Another dream that he shared, including his father on the telling, was of seeing the sun, moon, and eleven stars. These, too, were all bowing down to him, Joseph said. So Jacob pondered this, but told him it was going too far.

One day, Jacob sent Joseph out to meet his brothers, who were in Shechem, watching over the flock. He looked for them there but was told they’d gone to Dothan. They saw him coming and began to mock.

“Here comes this dreamer!” Then they planned to kill him, until Reuben put a stop to their schemes. He told them to leave Joseph in a wilderness pit, intending to rescue him from their anger over his dreams.

But when Reuben was away, they came up with a new plot–to sell Joseph to some traders in a passing caravan. The Ishmaelites purchased Joseph from his own brothers then, putting twenty shekels of silver into their hands.

Jacob’s sons took Joseph’s tunic and stained it with blood from a goat they’d killed–then brought the coat back home. There, they asked their father, Jacob, if it was Joseph’s coat and allowed him to think a wild animal had been responsible alone.

This was a crushing moment in the life of Jacob–he refused to be comforted in his mourning for this favorite lad. Meanwhile, Joseph was sold in Egypt to an officer of Pharaoh’s; but God had a plan amidst something so bad.

P. A. Oltrogge

If interested to read the entire (poetic) story of Joseph, it can be found in the archives…

Looking to Jesus, Our King of Kings

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I’m so glad God’s given us His Holy Word, though many seek its exclusion. Is it any wonder, then, when we hear their views, which have obvious confusion?

They see evil as good and wrong as right, rejecting the Bible as their guide. They need to recognize Jesus as Lord and turn from the one who has lied.

Then there are those who do revere God, but who haven’t yet found the way…the truth, and the life, revealed through Christ–for them, we also pray.

It’s evident that there are just two kingdoms–one of darkness and one of Light. It truly is the time of decision–men must choose to be on the side that’s right.

So, we pray for their awakening by God’s Spirit and for the restoration…of common sense, love for and obedience to God, in this and every nation.

God’s Word proclaims that, in the last days, He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. With that promise of His grace, we persevere–with faith renewed and hope afresh.

P. A. Oltrogge

“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:16-18

“…’Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts.”
Zechariah 4:6

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6

And in John 8:42-47, Jesus speaks of the devil as being “a liar and the father of it.”

“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.” …said by Jesus in John 10:10

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Insightful prophecy: http://www.hankandbrenda.org

…and other ministries previously mentioned on this blog

Claim the Name

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Claim the name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus that was shed.
When we enforce His victory over the devil, we’ll find that the devil has fled.
Use the Word, “NO weapon formed against me shall prosper (or succeed).”
“Jesus, the Son, has made me free; and I am free indeed!”

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, Proverbs has stated.
That, and our God-given authority have largely been underrated.
More widely now these things are taught, with an emphasis on praise.
Trust God’s goodness and mercy to follow you, throughout all of your days.

P. A. Oltrogge

“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

“NO weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’? Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’” John 8:31-36

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

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

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 

“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.” Philippians 2:8-10

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.” Psalm 23:6.

“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19 

“If we say we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7 

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 NLT

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,” from Psalm 103:1-5

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 

“Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down, the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens.” Psalm 113:1-4

“The Name of Jesus” (book) by Kenneth E. Hagin is available at: www.rhema.org

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

In the Twinkling of an Eye

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“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 NASB

At God’s appointed time, I’ll be saying goodbye.
That time is getting close, and I’ve tried to explain why.
I love you so much–please come along;
Don’t neglect Jesus for that would be wrong.
He’s preparing a party, and it will be grand.
Please don’t miss out because you don’t understand.
He’s made it so plain in the true Gospel story–
He, the Christ, is our way to Glory.
One thing’s for sure–all lives draw to a close,
so it’s best to put faith in the One who arose.
But we could see Jesus more quickly than we think
for the Bible speaks prophetically of what’s on the brink.
“In the twinkling of an eye…we shall be changed.”
Take Jesus and your place in Glory that He has arranged.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and the mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 NASB

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” words of Jesus in John 14:2-3 NKJV

Visit: http://www.christinprophecy.org

A Paralytic and Four Faithful Friends

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Jesus had been back to Capernaum for some days, and the news of this became known. Many people gathered at the house to hear Him speak, and the crowd had really grown. In fact, there were so many who wanted to come inside that you couldn’t get near the door. But there was a paralytic, with four friends who had a goal–to hear Jesus say, “Restore!”

So fervent were they in their earnest goal, that though it didn’t seem possible to get through, they weren’t downcast, but instead looked up–gaining entrance through the roof was what they’d do. Their faith in the Lord, their tenacity to attain, moved them to hoist their friend and his pallet up. They made a rooftop hole and let him down to the Lord–it didn’t matter to them to interrupt.

Jesus, seeing their faith, immediately was moved. “Son, your sins are forgiven,” He then said. This prompted thoughts in some scribes who were there, that He was blasphemous and clearly misled. Jesus knew in His spirit the things they were reasoning and confronted them before they could talk. He asked which was easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk.”

But so that they would know He really did have this authority, He further went on to say–that the man who’d been paralyzed should get up and take his pallet and be free to go on his way. Immediately, the man arose and picked up his pallet and walked out in the sight of all who were there. The people were amazed and glorified God, saying they’d never seen anything like this anywhere.

After that, Jesus went out to the shore of the sea, which can bring to mind the “waves” of God’s grace. The people followed Jesus to the shore, as well, and He continued to teach them at that place. A fitting scene it was to conclude this narrative, for God’s grace does come in wave upon wave. If a problem seems insurmountable, look up, not down–He’ll help you, just be bold and be brave.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

“Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.” Matthew 4:23 NLT

“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 43:5

“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33

…a version of the hymn, Rock of Ages:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 
let me hide myself in thee; 
let the water and the blood, 
from thy wounded side which flowed, 
be of sin the double cure; 
save from wrath (salvation) and make me pure (whole).

…a double cure–forgiveness and healing–from a double curse–sin and sickness. In the communion service, the cup (Jesus’ blood) has covered the forgiveness of sins. The wafer/bread (Jesus’ body was broken for you) by whose stripes, we were/are healed.

“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

“He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.” Psalm 103:3 NLT

Scriptures NKJV or as noted
From the Biblical account in Mark 2:1-13

The Light Falling Upon the Ocean

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On the ocean, full of shining light, changing the colors of waves–
Oh light, where did you come from and where will you go?
From the hands of God into the deep of human souls.

In a grassland, full of dancing light, which heightens the colors of flowers–
Oh light, where did you come from and where will you go?
From the hands of God into the height of human souls.

M. Kimura

This inspirational poetry came from friends in Japan, one of whom was visiting her uncle who lived by the sea.  There on the beach, she noticed beams of light over the ocean, which reminded her of the creation account in the Bible. The other friend shared the poetry with me in the form of a written song and that is how this post came about. P. A. Oltrogge

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light!’; and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3

“And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:10 (account of creation, Genesis 1 and 2).

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5 NKJV

“Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.’” John 8:12

Photos/Unsplash

Thoughts Gathered from the 23rd Psalm

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“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he 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 10:7-11 NKJV

The Lord is my Shepherd–my faithful guide;
And through His leading, He always will provide.
He causes me to rest in pastures so green,
Beside quiet waters that speak of the serene.

He encourages my soul if I should ever feel down,
Reminding me I’m wearing God’s “lovingkindness” crown.
Knowing the wisdom of following as Christ leads,
I walk paths of righteousness, sowing Kingdom seeds.

If at times there are valleys, with storms very dark,
I’m safe with my Shepherd–He is my strong ark.
I refuse any fear–His rod and staff keep me stable;
And before any enemy, He prepares me a table.

With divine Kingly oil, He’s anointed my head;
My cup overflows, as by His Spirit I’m led.
Of His goodness and mercy, He always will give;
And in the house of my Shepherd King, I forever will live.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:3-5 NKJV

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

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Jesus, our Good Shepherd…the Lion of the tribe of Judah and, Himself, the Lamb of God:

“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 NKJV

“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

“So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’

“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.’

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

“Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

Revelation 5 NKJV

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(Search: You Tube Chris Tomlin Is He Worthy? …or You Tube Sounds Like Reign Is He Worthy?)

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“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” Psalm 23 KJV

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller,
Book available at: http://www.christianbook.com

Visit: http://www.christinprophecy.org

Be a Believer Today

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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

Scriptures NKJV or as noted

Cross Over to the Other Side

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Jumonville Cross, Photo by Josh Matthews

A cross on a hillside beckons for our attention,
and can bring to mind something that Jesus Christ mentioned
when He and His disciples launched out for a sail–
“Let’s cross over to the other side,” were His words that didn’t fail.

Have you been on the side with those who have apprehensions,
or reject that Christ is Lord or doubt God’s intentions?
Look thoughtfully to the cross, for a strong message it bears–
God wants you to cross over to knowing that He cares.

Any other “religion” hasn’t the cross’s personal touch–
God sent His Son to die for you because He loved you that much.
There, Jesus made the sacrifice for your well-being and sins–
so you could cross to the place where new life in Him begins.

Despite a storm, His words didn’t fail in that Biblical account recorded.
They won’t fail in your destiny either, but you’ll be greatly rewarded,
as you come under the shadow of the Almighty and cross to the other side.
You’ll be so thankful you heeded the message of the wonderful cross as your guide.

P. A. Oltrogge

“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”

Mark 4:35-41 (NKJV)

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” 

John 5:24 (NIV)

“…that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” 

Romans 6:4 (NKJV)