Weeping May Endure for a Night...

But joy comes in the morning...

Psalm 30

1I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

2O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

6And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

7LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

8I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

9What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

10Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

11Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Bold in the Truth

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;” 2 Timothy 2:15-17, KJV.

Isn’t it amazing how many non-believers are allowed, even prompted, to say whatever derogatory things their hearts so desire and Christians are expected to remain quiet? How disheartening it is to turn on the television to watch an old show and when commercials pop up, they totally disrupt your spirit. One could be viewing a documentary and the next minute here comes a commercial that drops profanity like it’s the natural thing to do. Well, I guess it is natural in this world.

It appears that the further we go along, year to year, decade to decade, it becomes progressively worse. It has become the norm to not only use profanity, but to use God’s name in vain. It is because many don’t truly believe that God will do what He said He’ll do. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,” Exodus 20:7. But many are ready to fight if another profanes the name of their mother or father. Why aren’t many who are professed Christians just as angered, or even moreso, when our heavenly Father’s name is degraded?

As we share God’s Word, we are to not be ashamed. Those of us who rightly divide the Word of truth, studying to show ourselves approved, must be bold. If we’re not bold or feel that we don’t have it in us to speak up ask God to develop it in you. Not everyone is outspoken although we may have a burning desire to serve Christ. Those of us who are shy, I implore you to ask God for it—I did. He is there to provide our needs. No good thing will God withhold. Many of us have not because we ask not. Ask and you shall receive according to His will. And this is definitely in God’s will because Jesus instructs us to share the Gospel with all.

There are many who are bold in unrighteousness that could care less about Christ and Christians. But Jesus warned us of these things. Jesus knew that we would have trials and tribulations. He knew that we would face adversity, but He equipped us. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword,” Matthew 10:34. Jesus is peace and the sword is the Word of truth. He came to send a sword because He knew we would have to fight.

Put on your armor and be prepared to fight, remembering that we fight not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places. Despite those wiles of the devil, there is victory in Jesus!

Controversy over the Sabbath (revisited)

It is interesting that many view Christians who go to church on Sunday as Sabbath breakers, although our Sabbath is Christ. We are to rest in the finished work completed on the Cross. While many acknowledge the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, has it truly been accepted?

We must be careful not to fall into legalism, merely observing a set of rules to be saved because works do not save us—Christ does. We do works because we ARE saved. We no longer have a desire to sin, although we’re not sinless. As Christians we place our trust and faith in Christ, not in our ability to keep this rule or that law. This does not mean that we run around shouting, “God knows my heart!” using this as some sort of escape clause to obeying His commands, rather understanding that God examines our motives to see if they are pure. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” Matthew 5:8. Are we truly seeking His kingdom and His righteousness? Are we truly loving one another and obeying His commands?

This point here, obeying His commands, takes us back to the fourth commandment where so many question our purpose for worshipping collectively on Sunday versus Saturday. Many view this as not obeying His commands. Well, even Jesus was questioned about His actions on the “Sabbath” (Matthew 12:3-8). But what many fail to realize is that Jesus came to fulfill the Law. His IS the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). “For while the Law was given through Moses, grace ([a]unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ,(A)” John 1:17, AMP.

“And that through Him everyone who believes [who [a]acknowledges Jesus as his Savior and devotes himself to Him] is absolved (cleared and freed) from every charge from which he could not be justified and freed by the Law of Moses and given right standing with God,” Acts 13:39, AMP.

As we rest in Christ, we open ourselves up to be led by the Holy Spirit. “When Gentiles who have not the [divine] Law do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, since they do not have the Law. They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their [moral] [e]decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving [f]thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse [them],” Romans 2:14-15, AMP.

There were hundreds of laws and commandments written in the Old Testament where yearly sins had to be atoned for, but there came One who made the ultimate sacrifice where those others were no longer needed.

Rest in the finished work on the Cross and be led by the Holy Spirit. He will never lead you astray.

Recommended reading: Controversy over the Sabbath—original posting