Angels (Is your faith misplaced?)

Some of my friends have told me that they have little angels watching over them, angels who help them in times of need and keep them from harm's way.  I believe that's true, and there's nothing wrong with believing in the existence of angels.  The Bible says they exist. But, I wonder if we forget the God who made the little angels (or as it says in the Bible, the mighty angels!).  Are we giving more reverence to the pot than the Potter who made them and us?

I have watched people give great reverence to  leaders of the faith, religious leaders, servants of God - the Pope, bishops, priests, pastors, evangelists, etc. I have seen people kiss the ground these religious leaders walk on, clamor for an opportunity to get close to them, kiss their hands, and even pray to them and to other sacred religious icons.  It's good and well to respect our spiritual leaders, but again we need to ask ourselves, are we giving more reverence to the pot than the Potter?

Recently I was reading the book of Joshua and came across a passage in chapter 5 that made me wonder - are angels our friends or foes? Or do they care one way or another about us? One day during the Israelites 40 years journey to their promised land following their release from Egypt, the Israelites and their leader Joshua (following Moses' death) had to cross over the Jordan river to the city of Jericho. We read that God stopped the flow of the river so that Joshau and the Israelites could cross over.  As Joshua approached the city of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man facing him with sword in hand.  Joshua went up to him and asked, " Are you friend or foe?"

"Neither one," he replied.  "I am commander of the LORD'S army."  At this Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence.  "I am at your command," Joshua said.  "What do you want your servant to do?"

The commander of the LORD'S army replied, "Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." And Joshua did as he was told. (Joshua 5:13-15.)

In my mind I could almost hear the dispassionate voice of the angel.  The angel's posture with drawn out sword and manner of reply to Joshua's question made me wonder what would he have done if Joshua had disobeyed and refused to take of his sandals.  Why was the commander of the LORD'S army there in the first place? Why was it that the ground (ahead) that Joshua approached to meet the man with the drawn sword in hand, holy ground?

The answer could be seen in what happened to David for his numbering sin - for taking a census of his men. When David forgot that it was God who went ahead of him and it was He who gave him all the victories, he vainly ordered a census of all the able bodied men of his kingdom, thinking it was his own might that had been leading him victoriously. God punished David!  Seventy thousand (70,000) Israelites perished at the hands of one angel before the LORD relented...2 Samuel 24:15.  When David looked up, he saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, stretched out over Jerusalem...2 Chronicles 21:16.  David was a man whose heart was fashioned after that of the LORD's, the Bible says.  But even in his case, the angel's allegiance was to the LORD, not David!

In the case of King Hezekiah of Judah under seige by King Senacherib of Assyria, the LORD sent an angel to help Hezekiah, who we read in the book of Isaiah 37:36, killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. 

Angels are neither your friend nor your foe. They carry out the orders of their master - the LORD GOD Jehovah.  The angel carries out the command of the LORD whether it's in your favor or against you. Don't forget that it is the LORD who watches over you. It is He who gave his only son, Jesus Christ, as a price for our sins. It is to him that our worship, our praise, our adoration be raised.

The Bible teaches, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through him...(John 14:6).  Know the Truth by reading the Bible and studying it so that you won't be misled!

In Christ alone by the News Boys

Fear and Faith

It seems there are two factors that affect our faith:  Fear and Pride.  Fear uproots faith and Pride does not allow for faith to take root.

Here I want to write on Fear. (I had previously written a blog on Pride please click here to read.)

The book of Isaiah, chapter 7 speaks of King Ahaz of Judah and his great fear of his enemies.  Through his prophet Isaiah, the Lord speaks to the king to not worry about his enemies, but Ahaz's great fear gets the better of him.  The Lord refers to Ahaz's enemies as "two burned out embers."  The Lord says to him, "If you want me to protect you, learn to believe what I say." (In other words - HAVE FAITH!)  The same chapter reminds us of an omniscient and omnipresent God who knows exactly where you are and exactly where your enemy is, and what your enemy is up to. Isaiah 7:3 speaks to the omniscience of the Lord, for he tells Isaiah, " Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet King Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub.  You will find the king at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is bleached."

Against the LORD's promise of safety, King Ahaz decided to get help from the Assyrian King - Tiglath Pileser III and in turn invokes God's anger on himself.  Lord speaks to Ahaz through Isaiah and tells him that the help he thought he could obtain by paying another king was going to be an albatross around Ahaz's neck.  For Isaiah 7:20 (NLT) says, 'In that day the Lord will take this "razor" - these Assyrians you have hired to protect you - and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.' The one he hired to help, fleeced him off of everything he had.  There is a steep price to pay for disregarding God's instructions.

Be like Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, bold in the face of certain death for not worshipping the statue of the king, who told King Nebuchadnezzar, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.  He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.  But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)

Be like Daniel, who upon hearing that his enemies were successful in passing a law that required King Darius' subjects to worship no other gods but the king for thirty days, went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem.  He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. (Daniel 6:10)

Though Shardrach, Meshech and Abednego where thrown in to the fire and though Daniel was thrown into the lions' pit, in the middle of their trials their LORD GOD stepped in to protect them.  The Bible says regarding Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego that "Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched.  They didn't even smell of smoke!" (Daniel 3:27). And regarding Daniel, the Bible says, God sent his angel to shut the the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt him.  "Not a scratch was found on him because he had trusted in his God." (Daniel 6:22-23)

Trust in this Lord, and He will see you through. For apostle Paul in  Romans 8:11-17 reminds us that the spirit that lives within us is the Spirit that raised up Christ. It is not a spirit of fear or timidity, but might. Therefore, Paul encourages us to stop acting like cowering slaves, instead act as the children of the Almighty God.

I would like to encourage you, as the Bible does, to pray continuosly so that Satan who roams around roaring like a devouring lion will not have an opportunity to use your weakness. God bless you!

Casting Crowns - Fear

Jars of Clay - Two Hands


The Sidewalk Prophets - Words I would say

Our Destiny is secure in his hands

"Listen to me, O family of Jacob, Israel my chosen one! [it's to you and I it's being addressed, the children of Abraham through faith - Romans 4:16-17]  I alone am God, the First and the Last.  It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth.  The palm of my right hand spread out the heavens above.  I spoke, and they came into being.  (Isaiah 48:12-13)

Come closer and listen.  I have always told you plainly what would happen so you would have no trouble understanding.  (Isaiah 48:16)

Do you have no respect for me? Why do you not tremble in my presence? I, the Lord, am the one who defines the ocean's sandy shoreline, an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross.  The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the bounds I set.  (Jeremiah 5:22) [The same applies to your trials in life.]

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. (Psalms 37:7)

The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.  Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.  The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.  Your throne, O Lord, has been established from time immemorial.   You yourself are from the everlasting past.  The mighty oceans have roared, O LORD.  The mighty oceans roar as they pound the shore.  But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore - the LORD above is mightier than these!  Your royal decrees cannot be changed.  The nature of your reign, O LORD, is holiness forever. (Psalms 93)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.  (Proverbs 3:5)

In conclusion,

King David writes, "You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.  Every moment you know where I am. (Psalms 139:3)

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.  Thank you Lord for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - and how well I know it.  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.  How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! (Psalms 139:13-17)

Faith enables you to stand firm, though sometimes alone...

Hebrews 6:17-20,

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given us both his promise and his oath.  These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence.

This confidence [faith] is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.  It leads us through the curtain of heaven in to God's inner sanctuary.  Jesus has already gone in there for us.  He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek.

Hebrews, chapter 11 teaches us that when our faith is strong,

• it enables us to give our best to the Lord, as Abel
• Faith enables us to walk with God regardless of what's IN (popular) for now, as Enoch
• enables us to obey though stats aren't favorable and withstand ridicule while obeying, as Noah
• enables us to trust in God's promises regardless of known facts, as Abraham trusted God for a son knowing fully well that Sarah was barren.
• enables us to give up our treasured possessions as we realize that it was God who in the first place gave it to us and he can provide again, as Abraham's obedience was tested with Isaac (also, tests of Job)
• enables us to persevere as Isaac
• enables us to give reverence to God like Jacob as he leaned on his staff and worshiped God before he died.
• gives us hope of freedom and a better tomorrow, as for Joseph who while the Israelites were in bondage asked that his bones be carried to the Promised Land when the Israelites will be freed
• faith gives us courage as the little boy David faced down the giant Goliath
• it enables us to forego the niceties / fleeting sinful pleasures of this world as Moses
• it enables us to press on when times get hard as Moses, and later Joshua, led the children of Israel through the desert for 40 years to the Promised Land
• it enables us to obey God's instructions/commands in circumstances where there is no precedence to assure the desired result as when Abraham left his father's home
• it takes us through unimaginable / seemingly impossible routes as God parted the Red Sea and a flood swollen Jordan river for the Israelites to cross over.
• it tears down impregnable barriers in our path, as the Walls of Jericho
• it enables us to take great risks as Rahab in the assurance that Christ is the Sovereign Lord

In faith, you stand alone sometimes. Lord, complete our faith for your glory!

Brooke Fraser - Soon and very soon

Faith, tailored for you and I as we put our trust in Jesus Christ

Isaiah 28: 16-17, Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem.  It is firm, a tested and precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.  Whoever believes need never run away again [anyone who believes in him will not be disapponted.]  I will take the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness to check the foundation wall you have built."


Isaiah 28:23-29, Lisen to me; listen as I plead! Does a farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting it? Does he not finally plant his seeds for dill, cumin, wheat, barley, and spelt, each in its own section of his land?  The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.  He doesn't thresh all his crops the same way.  A heavy sledge is never used on dill; rather, it is beaten with a light stick.  A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten sofltly with a flail. Bread grain is easily crushed, so he doesn't keep on pounding  it.  He threshes it under the wheels of a cart, but he doesn't pulverize it.  The LORD Almighty is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom.

Lamentations 3:22-27, The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! BY his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline.

vs. 31-33, For the Lord does not abandon anyone forever.  Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love.   For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

May God's Word and your experience of its truth build you and strengthen you to the end. God Bless you!

Casting Crowns - East to West


Casting Crowns - Does anybody hear her

Brooke Fraser - Think about Albertine (A tribute to Rwanda)

Pride (and prejudice) tears apart families, husbands from wives, fathers from their children, brother from brother, sister from sister, tears a country apart, causes ethnic cleansing/violences around the world, and prevents man from recoganizing God; if only we would recoganize PRIDE in our lives! My God, we need your grace!

Think about Albertine

Faithfulness

Recently my prayer life has not been what it used to be though it is not absent from my daily life. As our prayer life weakens, our old nature has a chance of getting the best of us.

I'd been reading the Book of Esther from the old testament of the Bible and want to write down some thoughts that came to me.  As I'd written some time earlier, I've been walking this walk of faith for a little over 3 years. I've had my ups and downs and continue to have them. But one thing I don't need any convincing of is, there is a God and that God is Jehovah. He is a faithful God who picks me up when I 'm down and restores me when I'm broken.

As I was thinking over the Book of Esther and the character - Mordecai, the Jew (that's how the Bible calls him), I wandered into the Book of Chronicles and happened to read some notes I had written in the margin about King Saul - who was annointed and appointed as the King of Israel by God himself through his prophet Samuel (ref. 1 Samuel 9:17). As I sat in my children's room, our prayer room, these two lives - started streaming by in my mind.

Both King Saul and Mordecai the Jew were from the one and same tribe of Benjamin. One had a great beginning and a lousy end, while the other had a lousy beginning and a great ending. King Saul became arrogant, jealous, self serving and distant from God.  There was Saul, the king chosen by God, who consulted a medium when he was in trouble and there was Mordecai the lowly Jew living in exile in Babylon who fasted without food and water when he and all jews were in trouble.  The results were quite drastic.  We read in the Book of 1 Samuel, chapter 31, King Saul fell on his own sword and took his life to escape from his enemy, while Mordecai's enemy, Haman was hung on the same gallow Haman had prepared to kill Mordecai (ref. Esther 7:10).  How the tides had turned for both - for one LIFE and for the other DEATH!

2 Chronicles 10:13 - So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD. He failed to obey the LORD's command, and he even consulted a medium instead of asking the LORD for guidance.  So the LORD killed him and turned his kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Regarding Mordecai, the Bible says in the book of Esther 10:3 - Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.  He was very great among the jews, who held him in high esteem, because he worked for the good of his people and was a friend at the royal court for all of them.

The Lord rejected King Saul, but exalted Mordecai the Jew. FAITHFULNESS was the key!

This life is so full of treacherous traps that each day, every moment, we need to pray as David prayed in Psalms 139:23-24,

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Mary Mary - Can't Give Up Now

Casting Crowns - Lifesong



Find us Faithful by Steve Green



May God bless you!