Quotes from the Book of Lacerations

There are many "Biblical" quotes from such books as Lacerations and Hezikiah.  Quotes which sound Biblical but actually are not.  Let's take a look at a few.

"Money is the root of all evil."
Close enough to sound good but wrong enough to be blasphemous.  There are no objects that are truly evil.  The evil comes from the heart of men in how they are used.  The true quote is found in
1 Timothy 6:10a "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,..."

"Love the sinner, hate the sin."
This is a Biblical truth but there is no Bible verse that says this.  Don't think you can quote this as if it is scripture.  One problem you will face with this truth is that today people identify themselves with their sin so that if you hate their sin, they see it as you hating them as well.

"God helps those who help themselves"
This quote is actually from Aesop's fable "Hercules and the Waggoner." Not only is it not from the Bible it is totally anti-Biblical.  In truth, when you try something on your own, God will let you.  You can trust your own strength and wisdom and you can fail all on your own.  The Bible calls upon us to trust Him to help us and not to lean on our own efforts.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "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."

Some others that I will let you look up and see that they are not in the Bible, but which many people think are Bible quotes are:

"This too shall pass."
"Just follow your heart and believe, and you can do anything."
"The lion shall lay down with the lamb."
"Cleanliness is next to godliness."
"Yea, verily, God wants you to be happy."
"God won't give you more than you can handle."
"If you work hard, you'll be successful."
"God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!"

Some of those follow the truths of the Bible but are not Biblical Quotes, while others are totally unbiblical.  You need to know the difference.

Never assume something that sounds good is Biblical.  Even from people you respect as a Christian leader.  We must know the Word of God or we will be deceived.  Do not become part of 1 Timothy 4:1  "Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,"

Photo Credit: the Bible, is this too overexposed? by Ashely Rose, 

The Second Eve

God created everything and the finale of His creation was man.  God created Adam and looked for a suitable helpmate but found none.  God put Adam into a deep sleep and took from his side a rib, which He formed into a woman.  This is how God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, who later fell from grace and brought the curse of sin to the world. Genesis 2:18-24

There is a second Adam, Jesus the Christ.  He came to this world to remove that curse and pay for the sins of the world.  His life was given freely so that we, who are under the curse which the first Adam brought, can be rid of that curse forever.

But if Jesus is the second Adam, is there a second Eve?  Just as Adam had been put into a deep sleep, Jesus went into the deep sleep of death.  Just as Eve came from the opened side of Adam, at the crucifixion Jesus' side was opened and blood and water spilled forth from him.  That blood is the cleansing agent for all of our sins, and from that cleansing is birthed new life in Christ.

God brought new life into the world by way of Christ's blood.   A life that is pure and righteous from all sin.  That new life is the Bride of Christ.  The Bride of the Second Adam.  We the Church are the Second Eve.

The name Eve means "life".  From the first Eve, all human life was birthed.  From the second Eve is birthed eternal spiritual life, found only in Jesus.  We are to bring the good news to others.  The good news of life.

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." Ephesians 1:7

Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

I want to run and win a marathon.  I am 66 years old.  I have sciatica so standing or walking can be painful.  I know that marathons are run by healthy young people, but if I claim Philippians 4:13 I can win that marathon.  Yeah!  Right!

I could practice my heart out and have complete faith in that verse, but I would still not win any marathons.  Why is that?  Why is it we can not claim this verse and do great things in our lives?  A Christian could claim this verse to become President.  A person could claim this verse to win a game.  Someone could have complete faith in this verse and become the greatest person ever in his or her own field.  So why doesn't it work?  Doesn't God keep His promises?

"I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:12-13

Paul is not saying we can do all things.  He is talking about accomplishing his mission in all circumstances.  As an Apostle, Paul was spreading the gospel whether he was hungry or not; whether he had much or in need.  No matter the circumstances he was content because he knew that He could do anything when Christ was in it and fulfilled his needs.

This is not a genie verse.  Say Philippians 4:13 three times and POOF you can do anything.  But it is a promise that when God gives you a mission, no matter how difficult it is or how inept you might feel yourself to be, He will provide all your needs to accomplish that task. 

God will never call you to a ministry and then leave you alone to accomplish it.  He will strengthen you with all you need to follow His will.

Photo by Mārtiņš Zemlickis on Unsplash

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

I just read a post from a friend of mine on Facebook.  She lost $20 which she had put in her pocket and then it was simply gone.  She was irritated at her foolishness for losing the money and things were financially tight at the moment. She retraced her steps.  She hunted high and low. She searched hard for that lost money but she found nothing.

Later a still small voice spoke to her, "Remember.  Remember the times you were in need and the right thing came along at the perfect time?"  She saw that God had always provided for her in the past and He was not going to stop now.  He had blessed her time and time again, but this one time something was lost instead of given.  Did that mean God had now stopped blessing her?  Of course not.

That money was not hers but God to use as He saw fit.  Perhaps there was someone out there whose need was far greater than hers.  That $20 was someone else's gain.  Perhaps it was found on that day. Perhaps a month from now it will be found in the melting snow, but it will be found at just the right time, by just the right person, to fulfill their need and show them that God has a plan for their life, and He will prosper them.  He gives to them more than $20 but also hope and a future.

"...The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;  Blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:21b

Rapture is This Sunday!!

An Angel of the LORD comes down to you (yes a real angel and not a demon disguised as an angel) and tells you, "Do not be afraid.  I have come to tell you that this Sunday Jesus Christ the bridegroom and lover of your soul will come to rapture you and all believers to Heaven.  Prepare for your Rapture."

What do you do?  Stop a moment and think about what kind of preparations you would take if you knew that you only had a few precious days to be ready for the return of Christ.  Before going on with reading, think a minute about what actions in your life you would take.

Is there someone, perhaps a friend or relative, you need to reconcile with?  Do you have someone in your life whom you really enjoy their friendship but you are afraid to tell them about their need for salvation found only in Jesus Christ?  Do you have a hidden sin you need to repent of?

The time is short.  God commands us to be ready.  We are commanded to tell others about Jesus.  We are told to reconcile our relationships.  God demands that our lives be holy, righteous and pure.

"It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,"  Titus 2:12-13

Is Rapture this Sunday?  Maybe.  Do you want to take the chance that it isn't?

Photo Credit: Second Coming Jesus 02 by Waiting For The Word

God Promises Joy!

God is a wonderful God!  He delights in blessing His Children. One of the great promises of God is that you will find delight and joy in Him.

"Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:  "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" Psalm 118:15

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior?  Then victory is yours!  You can rejoice with great joy because not only have you gained salvation and eternal life, but victory throughout your life because God is now in the battle with you. You and God will rejoice together in victory.

Are times tough? Are you going through some trials in your life?  Habakkuk talks about how even though he has nothing and everything looks bleak, he will rejoice.

"yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights."  
Habakkuk 3:18-19

Life can be a hard road to travel, but God is with us and we can rejoice because He gives us strength when we are weak.  And God gives us the stable and firm footing of His Word whether that road is an easy grassy one or a rocky dangerous trail.  We can rejoice in troubled times because that is when we will see God working in our lives.

The key to obtaining the Joy of the LORD is found in trusting Him.

"The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in Him;  All the upright in heart will glory in Him!"  Psalm 64:10

The righteous, those who have trusted in God for their salvation, take refuge in Him!  We are to depend upon Jesus Christ to provide all that we need; from salvation to blessings of clothes, a job, food, a home, and every little or big need we find.  Take joy for we are under His care

Joy is found by resting in the arms of Jesus.

Photo by Austin Schmid on Unsplash

Islam is a Lie and Allah is a False God.

There is only one God and Allah is not Him.  Mohammad was a false prophet led by Satan to create an abomination of a religion that has deceived 2 Billion people in the world.  The Muslim people are not to blame.  They are deceived by the lies perpetrated by Satan, using Mohammad to war against God.

We must love and reach out to the Muslims.  They are not the enemy.  This is a spiritual battle for the hearts and souls of people.  Never hate them.  Never get angry with them.  Pray that God will open their eyes to the truth of God and to the lies of Islam.  They need us to stand up and speak the truth, otherwise, they will never see the deception they have fallen into.

The real villain is Satan.  He created a religion where lying, cheating, stealing, raping, enslaving, and killing are not only accepted but encouraged against all who do not accept Islam.  Hatred and anger against Jews and Christians are seen as natural and appropriate.  Islam is a creation of the father of lies.

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  John 8:44

There is only one God and one LORD.  YHWH!  He is truth and love.  He desires for all to come to Him and live.  He is all-powerful, but tender to those who suffer.  He is all-knowing, but will never remind the repentant how evil they have been.  He is omnipresent but still allows you free will to do as you will. Proverbs 6: 16-19 says He hates a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet swift to run to mischief, a false witness and people who create discord.  All that Islam teaches, God hates.

We must stand up as a true witness for God.  We must or else the lives and souls of the Muslims will be lost.  Are you afraid of what others might say if you should speak against Islam?  Do you fear personal harm from the Muslims? 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love and of a sound mind."

The last words of Jesus while in this world was the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28: 16-20.
He commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations.  All nations means even to those who hate you.  It means to tell the truth to those nations who are deceived by Satan.  It means to stand up for Christ even when others persecute and kill you.

To do otherwise is to bow to the desires of Satan.

Photo by Izuddin Helmi Adnan on Unsplash