‘Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 Today I am considering the sparrows. And not that I’m better than a sparrow, but that God loves sparrows. He also dresses the lilies with beauty and splendor, and, you are of more value than many sparrows , even the hairs of your head are all numbered! Is it because we’re bigger? I don’t know what gives humans more value then sparrows. Indeed the birds never disobey God, as far as I can tell. The Lily goes and grows and has great value to God. They reflect his glory in their beauty, in their coat. Perhaps it is our great need, or neediness, that gives…
Healing at the Cross Posts
“for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. “Revelation 12:10b Many people do not discern the battle of life, not knowing the Accuser. Perhaps they have related to this Accuser in a cartoon format, perhaps in a scary movie. Nevertheless for every Christian there’s something about your life that comes under accusation and we do well to discern it. Indeed, our Christianity gives us the opportunity to discern. Psalm 94:19-21 teaches us, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy (God’s) comforts delight my soul. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. “ Brothers and sisters, there are two kingdoms, one of light, glorious light. The other is the Kingdom of darkness. The verse in Psalm 94 reveals how…
But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Job 32:8 Job 32:9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding. Why do we need wisdom? We need wisdom for courage to face the challenges that come our way. Wisdom is too high for foolish people. There is a wisdom that is from below spoken Of in James chapter 3. That wisdom is earthy, sensual, demonic. This kind of wisdom is all too prevalent in our country today. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy. It’s easy to be entreated. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace unto them who make peace. Wisdom indeed is a person,…
‘For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. ” 1Corinthians 1:18 “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” Galatians 5:11 ” (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.” Philippians 3:18 Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. By the cross of Christ, becoming my cross, ends that terrible enemy — my ego. Ego runs wild with delight, wisening by each successive strain or constraint, but battles a constant foe, a crucifying agent, a killer extraordinary, that…
The soil of my heart, or the heart of any person, must be good and honest. This is what the parable of the sower of seed teaches in Matthew 13. Good and honest must consume my frame of reference, my supreme center for all soul activity, my source of all motivation. My emotions , conscience , mind and will , all must be saturated with this goodness and honesty. It implies God consciousness. However, the heart of man is deceitful, indeed, desperately wicked , who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9. A clean heart with truth in the inward man, and wisdom in the hidden man, is the formula of Psalm 51, created by God . Renewed in this man we find a right spirit , a sense of God’s presence , the Holy Spirit, and even joy and rejoicing. This man is renewed often , and is restored to the…
” I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. “John 17:9-10 “Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, whom Thou hast given to me, that they may be one as we; when I was with them in the world, I was keeping them in Thy name; those whom Thou hast given to me I did guard, and none of them was destroyed, except the son of the destruction, that the Writing may be fulfilled. ‘And now unto Thee I come, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves; I have given to them Thy Word, and the world did hate them, because they are not of the world, as I am not of…
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1Corinthians 13:12 As we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses our conscience. It began in Genesis, “God said, let there be light.” “The greater light ruled the day, the lesser light ruled the night. “See Genesis 1. In the book of Exodus, God led the children of Israel with fire by night, and a cloud by day. God himself adjusted the daylight with a cloud, and the night light with a fire. Next, in Exodus 25, oil was needed for the lamp inside of the Tabernacle. Indeed, oil was burned continually. producing the light, and pictures for us the precious Holy Spirit. The spirit…
A man ventured to sail solo on a trip which would take him completely around the world. It was a contest and the feat had not yet been accomplished in the known world. The rules put him in a sailing vessel alone and he was never to touch land until the entire voyage was over. Others were making the attempt simultaneously; the first returning would receive a great amount of cash. This man was a novice at seafaring challenges, yet proceeded at seeking financial backing to build an ocean-worthy vessel. The money came and he built his one-man sail boat. However the financing of others pressured him to sail at the earliest possible time so as to insure victory. He agreed to a time but it was premature, he would have to abandon certain desired features in order to insure enough time to compete and win. He was leaving behind…
“Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?” Galatians 4:21 The Apostle, Paul, hoping to show the Galatian Christians their error in desiring to place themselves under the Law, reaches for the allegorical picture of Isaac and Ishmael from Genesis 16-18. Born of Hagar, Ishmael was the result of a vain attempt of Abraham to produce a promised child with Hagar, who was the servant of Sarah. In Genesis 16:2, Sarai had offered Hagar to Abraham saying, ” it may be that I may obtain children by her. ” In Paul’s illustration in Galatians 4, Ishmael is said to be born after the “flesh,” or of natural means. “And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened…
“Nay, we have renounced the secrecy which marks a feeling of shame. We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God’s Message. But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience. ” 2Corinthians 4:2 Weymouth translation “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” Acts 2:23 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24 “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks…