Tue, Nov 3rd - 7:07PM

Fear not:  for i am with you:  I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west;

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back:  bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth.

Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears(43:5-8).

God states here in clear language that He shall regather the nation.  It has in fact happened.  God also states here that even those who are called by His name, Christians, shall be gathered.  This speaks to the time of the end which is described in the Book of Revelation. 

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

You are My witnesses, says the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen:  that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He:  before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me(43:9-10).

God invites all the peoples of the world to get together and find anyone who can show us former things, who can produce witnesses who may justify their claims.  If mankind cannot do this then they need to hear God and just admit that it is truth.  The purpose of choosing the Hebrew people was so that the world could know and believe God and understand that God is the Living God, the one and only.  This also speaks to us as Christians today, we have the same purpose given to each of us.  We have been chosen so that the world can know and believe in God.

I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no saviour(43:11).

Here is a clear declaration by Jehovah that there is only one way to obtain salvation:  through Him.  Out of all of the religions of our world, only Christianity guarentees personal salvation.  Other religions have quite a program, but they do not guarentee salvation of your soul.  They may offer alternate realities, regeneration so that you may try to correct the mistakes made in previous lifetimes, or even coming back as an animal, but they do not claim to give you reunification with any god.  They can't conceive of such a thing. 

I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you:  therefore you are My witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God(43:12).

In plain English God is saying that as long as believers do not go into idolatry nor give into sin that He shall bless them.  It held true for the Israelites and it holds true for us today as believers.  We are to witness to the world that He is God, that He is Jehovah. 

That is all for today my friends.  God willing, I shall look into the verses that deal with future judgment, deliverance, and redemption of Israel.  Until then, may Christ's grace envelop you and your family, may the Holy Spirit speak to your heart each and every night while you sleep.

~Eric

Tue, Nov 3rd - 12:40PM

"Who is he that condemns?  It is Christ that died, yes rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34)."

Who can intercede for me today?  My biological father, or mother?  Perhaps in some matters they are capable to do so.  Perhaps a lawyer in a courtrooom of law may intercede on my behalf before a judge.  Perhaps a good friend may intercede for me in a personal conflict with another person.  But who is able to intercede for me in the case of spiritual sin?  Who has the ability to cover the cost of my debt to God?  Is there any mortal man who can do this for me?  The answer is no, there is no one who is capable, nor probably even willing, of interceding before God on my behalf.

One of the most glorious truths of the Christian life is that the Lord Christ Jesus, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, now lives to intercede for us before God the Father.  In John 17 we can find the greatest example of intercessory prayer in the Bible.  Christ Jesus poured out His heart for His disciples, "I pray for them,I pray not for the world, but for them which You have given Me, for they are Yours(John 17:9)."  But that was not the end of His prayer!  "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word (John 17:20)."  That's us today people!  Hallelujah!  Christ Jesus prayed for us away back then, and He prays for us today!

Then what is it He prays for us?  First, He prays for our security.  "Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one, as We are (John 17:11)."  That is security in numbers!  I've got you and you've got me.  And God has us all in His safe keeping.  Then He prays that we might have real victory over sin and the devil.  "I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil (John 17:15)." 

Christ's next request through prayer is:  "Sanctify them through Your truth:  Your word is truth (17:17)."  Our sanctification therefore comes through God's Word, not through some special experience or feeling.  He prays for our unity with each other and with Him.  He sends us out into this current world just as He sent out His disciples long, long ago.  Christ desires us to become the carriers of the glory of which He gives us.  As we become perfect in unity it allows the world to become aware of of the fact that God sent Jesus to us and that God has loved all of them just as much as He loves Jesus. 

Finally, He prays for our ultimate glorification.  "Father, I will that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which You have given Me (17:24)."  God wants us to be with Him where He is.  We are not to left behind once we accept Christ as our Savior.  Right now we cannot behold God's glory and survive the experience.  But once we have been given glorified bodies that are just like Christ's, then we will be able to gaze directly upon His glory and we shall smile broadly and bow down low in giving Him all praise, honor, power, and glory!  We shall be able to walk in His Holy presence, hear His voice, see Him as He really is.  What a glorious day that shall be, beloved!  It is a day that I yearn for even now. 

So what?  We can be assured that God will grant these requests of His beloved Son, and these things shall come to pass for us once we accept and trust in Jesus Christ.  That is the door to heaven, the door to truth, the door to love, the door to eternal life.  All that is left to do is to go, grasp the handle, and open the door.  It is up to each of us to decide...

~Eric