Category: Worship

“LOVE” & “HATE”

The two most powerful, yet polar opposite words on the face of this earth!

The word “LOVE” is appears 310 times in the King James Bible, 348 times in the New American Standard Bible, 551 times in the New International Version and 538 times in the New Revised Standard Version. KJV Bible, which was translated from the Greek, has the word LOVE mentioned the least of any other translation. For the sake of this blog, we’re going to use the KJV – King James Version of the Bible.

The word hate is mentioned in the KJV of the Bible 87 times (3.5 times fewer than the word LOVE) and so far from my reading of scripture it doesn’t say that Heavenly Father hates mankind, however; He does make it clear that he hates the actions and deeds of mankind that proliferates evil and idolatry.

I’m starting this blog today to “focus on Biblical LOVE”. The 2nd half of the blog will focus on “Biblical hate”

“LOVE”

It’s pretty obvious to me that Love is a ceaseless conviction and theme throughout the Old and New Testament. And if you believe that Jesus is the WORD made flesh then you must also believe that HE was the ONE who perpetuated this theme called LOVE. The fact that Jesus – Yeshua came to this earth and died for us because He Loved us that much should make those of us who wish the worst for our enemies hang our heads in shame. I’m so sad to say that in today’s world, Christians seem to make more noise about hate than they do LOVE! I believe that some of us have forgotten that Jesus said:

Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The Bible translates the Greek word Agape (agapo) for LOVE. It’s a selfless word that originates from God to mankind, it’s meaning is unconditional and springs from a heart of charity. It’s all about seeking to find the best in others and not putting yourself first, but always putting others ahead of yourself. In some ways it truly makes the world go round, because when we “love one another” as Jesus tells us to do when he’s with his disciples in the Upper Room for the “Last Supper”, like when we share the Gospel (GOOD NEWS) we are fulfilling another of God’s great commissions.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

*** PLEASE NOTE: the day after Jesus told His disciples these things, Jesus Messiah – Yeshua Hamashiach laid down his life for us – for ALL sinners – so that if we believe and trust in HIM we may inherit eternal life with HIM and our FATHER in HEAVEN! Through faith, we become brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s our commission to share that Gospel so that others have the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior.

There are 4 other Greek words that translate to a type of Biblical love.

Here are four types of biblical love separate from AGAPO:

1. Phillia Love – A love that is affectionate but not romantic. This love is usually shared between family and friends.
2. Eros love – A love that is romantic between a man and woman.
3. Philautia Love – Is a love and respect we should have for ourselves and the Holy Spirit indwelling within us.
4. Mania Love – This is a love in which we are obsessed. This love leads to false idols and putting things on a pedestal higher than God.

According to Christian thought, Charity is the highest form of love. It’s the love between God and man that is made manifest in unselfish love of one another.

Paul’s description of charity is found in the New Testament (KJV):

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

The apostle John, a faithful disciple of Jesus, thought to be the youngest and one of the original 12 disciples had a lot to say about LOVE:

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 4:20-21 If any man say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar: for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we of him, that he that loveth God, should love his brother also.

“HATE”

I can only find one place in the Bible that it specifically names a person that God hates; When it came to twin brothers, Jacob and Esau, God makes it perfectly clear why he loves Jacob and harbors a hate for Esau.

This is what God had to say:

Malachi 1:1-3 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Hebrews 12:16-17 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Along with the disrespect of his birthright and blessing, Esau had many other vices. He went against the wishes of his parents, Isaac and Rebecca, and married pagan Canaanite wives which Scripture unmistakably forbade. There’s actually not one little bit of good light shown upon Esau in terms of his relationship with God or family (although according to Scripture he was Isaac’s favorite). Many years later, it appeared that he had let go of his anger and his desire to kill his brother for what he considered to be trickery by Jacob when he lost his birthright and blessing.

In Genesis 33 when Jacob (now renamed Israel by God) returns to his homeland of Canaan from Haran where he found his wives, he is wary of Esau and even after their meeting and with the embrace of Esau and the refusal of Esau to take the offering of animals from Jacob as an apology, ultimately Jacob settles in Canaan some distance away from his brother. It’s the generations after Esau, that the Edomites (the descendants of Esau) who are in constant conflict with “ISRAEL” (the descendants of Jacob). The Kings: Saul, David, Solomon, Jehoram, Amaziah, and Uzziah all had conflicts with the Edomites.

However, God says to the Israelites as they are entering the Land of Canaan after their captivity in Egypt:

Deuteronomy 23:7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.

For more reading about the Edomites and God’s judgement read the book of Amos. For anyone today who harbors a vendetta against the nation of Israel, they need to spend more time reading the Old Testament. Keep in mind, Heavenly Father hardened the hearts of Israel so that there would be time to share the Gospel with the Gentiles, so that we may be saved from His wrath to come.

***In my opinion, God makes it plain that we are not to hate one another for any reason…but that’s not to say that we can’t hate the things that people participate in…

Heavenly Father does make it plain in the Old and New Testaments, exactly what he does hate.

Abomination is the word that we find most that exemplifies what God hates, and some say that’s the improper translation of the Hebrew. I do have a “modern Tanakh” that I use for reference and in most cases, it’s translated the same as our KJV. If you’re not sure what you’re reading in a verse, then put it into context…then it will become VERY clear as to the meaning. If a physical or spiritual death penalty is tied to it, it is definitely something that you shouldn’t be doing.

Deuteronomy 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 1.Haughty eyes, 2. a lying tongue, And 3. hands that shed innocent blood, 4. A heart that devises wicked plans, 5. feet that be swift in running to mischief 6.A false witness that speaketh lies, 7. and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Isaiah 1:13-14 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

Zechariah 8:17 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.

In the New Tesatment, there’s a couple of verses in particular that makes it perfectly clear that Heavenly Father hates certain behaviors and practices:

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (reference to homosexuality),

Garlations 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

As Christians, we have a choice…we can either have a heart filled with “LOVE” or a heart filled with “hate”! We can pray for our brothers and sisters who don’t know Heavenly Father and haven’t accepted the Grace of Jesus – Yeshua and in doing so, we might have the opportunity to plant the seed that changes one heart. We can take the time to gently and lovingly nudge someone to seek God, OR WE can allow the “state of the world” to blind us from what God’s plans are for mankind. We can tear out our hair and scream for God to rain down fire and brimstone on people who practice things like abortion (murder) or homosexuality! However, in doing this, how does this answer the call of Jesus in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies? God tells us in Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30 Vengeance is Mine! He will take care of it all according to His timing.

Word Count Information from: https://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_WordCount.htm

Will you Share the Gospel?

The principle of Evangelism is to bring our fellow man to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as his or her Savior.

The Bible teaches that as the church, we are the body of Christ. “We are to love the people of the world – Jesus Messiah – Yeshua Hamashiach tells us:

Matthew 5:43-48  “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

We are here for this very purpose – to go into the nations and proclaim the Gospel to all who will hear.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

As the a member of the body of Christ I’m thankful that I’ve been blessed…I know Jesus – Yeshua died for me on the cross and that when I repented and turned away from my sins and put my trust in Jesus alone, that by His intercession, He will save me from Heavenly Father’s wrath. 

Here’s the hitch…there are many living on this earth, in this country and even in our town that don’t know Jesus. They don’t realize that they’re dead in their sins, because they don’t recognize what sin is.  They may have heard of someone named Jesus, but they have no idea of what He did for mankind or the consequences of their thoughts and actions, because they’ve never heard the Good News. 

 “Now once a man has thus been humbled by the Law (10 Commandments) and brought to the knowledge of himself, then he becomes truly repentant for the true repentance begins with the fear and with the judgment of God.  He sees that he is such a great sinner that he cannot find any means to be delivered from his sin by his own strength and effort of works.” (Martin Luther)

Martin Luther, O.S.A. 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk, and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507. Wikipedia

The Ten Commandments EXODUS 20: 1-17 (NIV)

And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

https://jesusamazinggrace.com/2020/11/18/lets-talk-the-10-commandments/

As I study the Bible I see that God’s plan for the church is much greater than man’s plans.  In the book of Revelation 2, there are 7 angels sent to convey Christ’s letters to 7 churches…when you read these letters to the churches, you realize that they all fall short in one way or another.  I’ve been told by many that these letters only pertain to the churches that existed in the early church or that they’re actually periods of time throughout history starting with the early church. Fast forward to today and I believe that these letters pertain to today’s churches too. How many of us are lukewarm? How many of us make time to read our Bibles and spend time getting to know God? How many of us honor His gifts (including waking up in the morning to have another chance to get right with Him)? How many of us stay home to watch football instead of worshiping Him with the congregation? How many of us stop to smell His roses, stop to enjoy His sunset or sunrise, gasp at the beauty of a new born baby created in His image? All glorious creations of God! Everywhere we look we are surrounded by His magnificence and wonders and the testimony of His creation is before us. When I study the 7 letters to the churches, I find myself desperately praying that as a congregation of followers, we will heed the messages in these letters and try our best to follow His plans for us and the world. 

Rejoice in the Lord

Scripture from HSCB – Holman Christian Standard Bible

Philippians 4:4-9 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Happy New Year!

Numbers 6:24-27 (NIV)

24 “”The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.””

A few Scriptures to help you keep your focus on Jesus Messiah – Yeshua Hamashiach (Hebrew)! All taken from the NIV – New International Version of the Bible.

Look Back On His Blessings and you will find that they are too numerable to count! Heavenly Father is always faithful, and if we look at the past year, we’ll find that HE has been with us, and has been working in our lives – even when we don’t realize it!

Deuteronomy 23:5 A blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.

1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:11-12 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,…

Lamentations 3: 22-24 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Heavenly Father has plans for our lives, and they’re plans to help us prosper!

Isaiah 43:18-19 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

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.

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Don’t Worry About What Is To Come…

Heavenly Father is with us in the new year, and we don’t need to worry about anything when we focus on HIM. HE is our strength, HE is with us and we have nothing to fear.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Hebrews 13:6 So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

YHWH’s Appointed Holy Days ~ Levitcus 23

Scriptures from the NIV (New International Version)

The Appointed Festivals

23 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

The Sabbath

3 “‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.

The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread

4 “‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: 5 The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6 On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 8 For seven days present a food offering to the Lord. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’”

Offering the Firstfruits

9 The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

The Festival of Weeks

15 “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. 21 On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

22 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”

The Festival of Trumpets

23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. 25 Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the Lord.’”

The Day of Atonement

26 The Lord said to Moses, 27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. 29 Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. 30 I will destroy from among their people anyone who does any work on that day. 31 You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. 32 It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”

The Festival of Tabernacles

33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

37 (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the Lord.)

39 “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.

Our King and His Kingdom

Jesus is God! Jesus is KING!

Another Counselor Promised

John 14:15-21 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

19 “In a little while the world will see Me no longer, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live too. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, you are in Me, and I am in you. 21 The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

There’s no doubt that Jesus is God and that God is in Him…because of our belief in Him, he is also in us. Thus we’ve received the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Psalm 47:7-8 Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of all the earth. 8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. 12 Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.

Luke 17: 20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

If you’re a Christian, you’re waiting with great anticipation for the Kingdom of God. You’re waiting for Jesus to come back to earth wearing His crown and taking up His place as King of His Kingdom. The Old Testament (66 books) and the New Testament (27 books) both proclaim the Kingdom of God! Every book, every chapter, every verse points us to Jesus as the Messiah – Yeshua Hamashiach (Hebrew translation). When Jesus walked on this earth, he preached and taught the Kingdom of God. The Gospel is the Good News that the Kingdom of God is coming soon and that He will be sitting on the throne. We are told by Jesus to preach to every nation about the Kingdom of God…with the technology that we have had for the last 20+ years, my best guess is that this has already been accomplished. When speaking about His Kingdom: John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

So now we’re in a holding pattern? So, if that’s the case, does it mean that we’re supposed to just sit back and wait? NO…we’re supposed to tell everyone we know and meet about the saving grace of Jesus and that His Kingdom is coming to earth with Him when he returns! Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus instructs us to tell them that they must repent of their sins (turn away from) and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and then obey God’s commandments. Luke 4:43 “But He said to them, I must proclaim the Good News about the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.” Revelation 12:17 So the dragon was furious with the woman and left to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and have the testimony about Jesus.and Revelation 14:12 This demands the perseverance of the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”

Matthew 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make His paths straight!

Jesus was Baptized by John and the Holy Spirit was sent to Him from God and when He learned of John’s arrest:

Ministry in Galilee

Matthew 4:12-17 When He heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth behind and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

15 Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
along the sea road, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles!
16 The people who live in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those living in the shadowland of death,
light has dawned.

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

The Pharisees had all the books in the Tanakh that foretold His coming by the prophets such as Isaiah and yet they were blind; it’s thought that they were too ingrained in the traditions of their position and authority among the people and that they saw Jesus as a threat to their authority.

What is it that Jesus is talking about in Luke 17:21? He’s telling the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is already on Earth…it’s obvious that they don’t understand that HE is the Kingdom of God and He’s right there in their midst and either they don’t fathom it or they just refuse to recognize Him.

Jesus had performed so many miracles from the feeding of the multitudes, healing the lame and the blind, to driving out demons; the Pharisees were foolish enough to think that he was possessed by demons instead of seeing that these miracles came from His Father in Heaven. They had been privy to the miracles of God through their reading of the Tanakh and still they weren’t willing to give Him the credit.

Luke 11:20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come to you.

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

To help you out with your studies, here are scriptures found in the Old and New Testament that you can refer to and read about the miracles.

Miracles Are There In The Old Testament:

  1. Creation – Genesis 1:1–27
  2. Enoch’s translation – Genesis 5:24
  3. The Flood – Genesis 7:17–24
  4. Confusion of tongues at Babel -Genesis 11:3–9
  5. Sodomites blinded – Genesis 19:11
  6. Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed -Genesis 19:24–25
  7. Lot’s wife turned to a pillar of salt – Genesis 19:26
  8. Ass speaking in human voice- Numbers 22:21–35
  9. Burning bush – Exodus 3:3
  10. Moses’ rod changed into a serpent – Exodus 4:3–4, 30
  11. Moses’ hand made leprous – Exodus 4:6–7, 30
  12. Aaron’s rod changed into a serpent – Exodus 7:8–10
  13. River turned to blood – Exodus 7:20–25
  14. Frogs – Exodus 8:1–15
  15. Lies – Exodus 8:16–19
  16. Flies – Exodus 8:20–24
  17. Murrain – Exodus 9:1–7
  18. Boils – Exodus 9:8–12
  19. Hail – Exodus 9:18–24
  20. Locusts – Exodus 10:1–20
  21. Darkness – Exodus 10:21–23
  22. First-born destroyed in Egypt – Exodus 12:29–30
  23. Pillar of cloud and fire – Exodus 13:21–22; 14:19–20
  24. Crossing the Red Sea – Exodus 14:21–23
  25. Bitter waters sweetened – Exodus 15:25
  26. Manna sent – Exodus 16:13–36
  27. Water from the rock in Rephidim – Exodus 17:5–8
  28. Amalek defeated – Exodus 17:9–13
  29. Strange fire on Aaron’s sacrifice – Leviticus 9:24
  30. Nadab and Abihu destroyed – Leviticus 10:1–2
  31. Israel’s judgment by fire – Numbers 11:1–3
  32. Miriam’s leprosy – Numbers 12:10–15
  33. Korah and his gang destroyed by unnatural means – Numbers 16:31–35
  34. Murmurers destroyed by a ravaging plague – Numbers 16:41–50
  35. Aaron’s rod blossoms – Numbers 17:8
  36. Water from the rock in Kadesh – Numbers 20:8–11
  37. Brazen serpent healed many bitten by fiery serpents – Numbers 21:9
  38. Jordan supernaturally divided – Joshua 3:14–17
  39. Fall of Jericho – Joshua 6:6–20
  40. Dew on Gideon’s fleece – Judges 6:37–40
  41. Sun and Moon stood still – Joshua 10:12–14
  42. Angel in flame – Judges 13:20
  43. Lion slain by Samson – Judges 14:5–6
  44. Thirty Philistines killed by Samson – Judges 14:19
  45. Water from the hollow place Lehi – Judges 15:19
  46. City gates carried away by Samson – Judges 16:3
  47. Dagon’s house pulled down by Samson – Judges 16:29–30
  48. Dagon’s fall before the Ark – 1 Samuel 5:1–12
  49. Men of Beth-shemesh destroyed – 1 Samuel 6:19–20
  50. Thunder and rain in harves-ttime – 1 Samuel 12:18
  51. Uzzah’s mysterious death – 2 Samuel 6:6–7
  52. Jeroboam’s hand withered and restored – 1 Kings 13:4–6
  53. Rending of the altar in Bethel – 1 Kings 13:5
  54. Drought ordered by Elijah – 1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17
  55. Elijah fed by ravens – 1 Kings 17:4–6
  56. Widow’s oil and meal supernaturally increased – 1 Kings 17:12–17
  57. Widow’s son raised from dead – 1 Kings 17:17–23
  58. Sacrifice consumed by fire – 1 Kings 18:38
  59. Rain in answer to prayer – 1 Kings 18:41
  60. Captains destroyed by Elijah’s command of fire – 2 Kings 1:9–12
  61. Jordan divided by Elijah’s mantle – 2 Kings 2:8
  62. Elijah translated to heavens in a chariot of fire – 2 Kings 2:11
  63. Jordan divided by Elisha with Elijah’s mantle – 2 Kings 2:14
  64. Waters of Jericho healed – 2 Kings 2:20–22
  65. Young mockers of Elisha torn by bears – 2 Kings 2:24
  66. Waters supernaturally supplied for Jehoshaphat – 2 Kings 3:16–20
  67. Widow’s supernaturally multiplied – 2 Kings 4:1–7
  68. Shunammite’s raised from dead – 2 Kings 4:19–37
  69. Piosioned pottage made harmless – 2 Kings 4:38–41
  70. Hundred fed with 20 loaves – 2 Kings 4:42–44
  71. Naaman cured of leprosy – 2 Kings 5:10–14
  72. Gehazi struck with leprosy – 2 Kings 5:27
  73. Axehead caused to float – 2 Kings 6:5–7
  74. Ben-Hadad’s plans revealed – 2 Kings 6:8–13
  75. Syrian army defeated – 2 Kings 6:18–20
  76. Resurrection by touch with Elisha’s bones – 2 Kings 13:21
  77. Sennecherib’s army destroyed by an angel – 2 Kings 19:35
  78. Hezekiah healed – 2 Kings 20:7
  79. Shadow returned to sundial – 2 Kings 20:11
  80. Uzziah afflicted with leprosy – 2 Chronicles 26:16–21
  81. Three men delivered from fiery furnace – Daniel 3:19–27
  82. Daniel delivered from y lion’s den – Daniel 6:16–23
  83. Preservation of Jonah in the belly of fish for 3 days – Jonah 2:1–10

This list is the miracles performed by Jesus and written down in the 4 Gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as well as the books of Acts and Corinthians.

Jesus’s Miracles in the New Testament:

  1. Water made wine in Cana – John 2:1–11
  2. Son of nobleman healed in Cana – John 4:46–54
  3. Christ passed unseen through crowd in Nazareth – Luke 4:28–30
  4. Demoniac in synagogue healed in Capernaum – Mark 1:23–26
  5. Peter’s mother- inlaw healed in Capernaum – Matthew 8:14–17
  6. Draught of fishes in lake of Galileo – Luke 5:1–11
  7. Leper cleansed in Capernaum – Matthew 8:1–4
  8. Paralytic healed in Capernaum – Matthew 9:1–8
  9. Impotent man healed in Jerusalem – John 5:1–9
  10. Withered hand restored in Galilee – Matthew 12:10–13
  11. Centurion’s servant cured of palsy in Capernaum – Matthew 8:5–13
  12. Widow’s son raised in Nain – Luke 7:11–17
  13. Demoniac healed in Galilee – Matthew 12:22–23
  14. Tempest stilled in lake Galilee – Matthew 8:23–27
  15. Two demoniac cured in Gadara – Matthew 8:28–34
  16. Jairus’ daughter raised from dead – Matthew 9:23
  17. Woman with isse of blood healed – Matthew 9:20–22
  18. Blind men cured – Matthew 9:27–31
  19. Dumb spirit cast out in Capernaum – Matthew 9:32–33
  20. Five thousand supernaturally fed – Matthew 14:15–21
  21. Walking on the sea – Matthew 14:25–33
  22. Syro-phonecian daughter healed – Matthew 15:21–28
  23. Four thousand supernaturally fed – Matthew 15:32–39
  24. Transfiguration of Christ – Matthew 17:1–6
  25. Tribute money supernaturally provided -Matthew 17:24–27
  26. Deaf and dumb man healed – Mark 7:31–37
  27. Blind man healed – Mark 8:22–26
  28. Devil cast out of boy -Mark 9:14–29
  29. Miracles by the seventy – Luke 10:17
  30. Ten lepers cleansed – Luke 17:11–19
  31. Jesus passed unseen through crowd in the temple – John 8:59
  32. Man born blind healed – John 9:1–7
  33. Lazarus raised from dead – John 11:38–44
  34. Woman with infirmity cured – Luke 13:11–17
  35. Man with dropsy cured – Luke 14:1–6
  36. Two blind men cured in Jericho – Luke 18:35–43
  37. Fig tree cursed and withered -Mark 11:12–14
  38. Malchus’ ears healed – Luke 22:50–51
  39. Second draught of fishes – John 21:1–14
  40. Resurrection of Christ – Luke 24:6
  41. Christ’s appearance to Mary Magdalene – Mark 16:9
  42. Christ’s appearance to other women -Matthew 28:9
  43. Christ’s appearance to two disciples – Luke 24:15–31
  44. Christ’s appearance to Peter -1 Corinthians 15:5
  45. Christ’s appearance to ten apostles (Thomas absent) – John 20:19–24
  46. Christ’s appearance to eleven apostles (Thomas present) – John 20:126–28
  47. Christ’s appearance to seven disciples fishing – John 21:1–24
  48. Christ’s appearance to eleven apostles in Galilee – Matthew 28:16–17
  49. Christ’s appearance to five hundred brethren – 1 Corinthians 15:6
  50. Christ’s appearance to James – 1 Corinthians 15:7
  51. Christ’s appearance to eleven apostles on day of Ascension – Acts 1:2–9
  52. Outpouring of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1–14
  53. Christ’s appearance to Paul at his conversion – Acts 9:1–5; 1 Corinthians 15:18
  54. Lame man cured by Peter – Acts 3:6
  55. Death of Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5:5, 10
  56. Many sick people healed by Peter – Acts 5:15
  57. Apostles freed from prison by angelic intervention – Acts 5:19; 12:7–11
  58. Stephen’s great miracles – Acts 6:8
  59. Dying Stephen’s vision of Christ – Acts 7:55–56
  60. Philip cast out unclean spirit – Acts 8:6–13
  61. Ananias’ vision – Acts 9:10
  62. Paul’s sight restored – Acts 9:17–18
  63. Aeneas healed of palsy – Acts 9:34
  64. Dorcas restored to life – Acts 9:40
  65. Cornelius’ vision – Acts 10:3–4, 30–32
  66. Peter’s vision – Acts 10:9–20
  67. Agabus’ prophecies – Acts 11:28; 21:11
  68. Peter released from prison by angelic intervention – Acts 12:7–11
  69. Elymas blinded – Acts 13:11
  70. Lame man cured by Paul – Acts 14:10
  71. Damsel delivered from evil spirit – Acts 14:10
  72. Paul’s vision on the way to Damascus – Acts 16:9
  73. Earthquake released Paul and Silas – Acts 16:25–26
  74. Gift of tongues – Acts 19:6
  75. Special miracles by Paul – Acts 19:11–12
  76. Evil spirit overpowered Sceva’s seven sons – Acts 19:13–16
  77. Eutychus restored to life – Acts 20:10
  78. Paul unharmed by viper’s bite – Acts 28:5
  79. Publius’ father healed – Acts 28:8
  80. John’s vision on Patmos – Revelation 1:9; 22:21
  81. Innumerable miracles of Christ not recorded but witnessed by the apostles – John 20:30; cf. Acts 10:38–39

***Thank you to this website for their extensive list of miracles…they saved me untold time in research:

https://www.spiritoflifeag.com/how-many-miracles-are-there-in-the-bible/

Is Your Life about Pursuing Good Things or GOD THINGS?

1 Thessalonians 2:4  (HCSB) Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but rather God, who examines our hearts.  Galatians 1:10 (KJV) For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. The Greek translation for the word servant is actually “SLAVE”…not servant. Are there Christians today willing to become Slaves to Christ and the Gospel as Paul was? This is exactly what God expects of us when we confess that Jesus is our Savior.

It seems to me that most of my followers are professing Christians, so some of you may wonder why I feel it vital to give a message of Evangelism and talk about repenting (some call it preaching to the choir). I by no means, consider myself on the same level as Paul, but Paul never stopped reminding the believers in the churches of his time of what God expects of us as his children/slaves.  I’ve said it before and I’m repeating it again today…there’s responsibility in Salvation.  Not just to God, not just to others, but also to ourselves, to honestly spend our life in pursuit of becoming Holy, Blameless and above reproach.  We need to ask ourselves…are we in pursuit of good things or God Things in our lives?  Is everything you do for the Glory of God?  Paul never stopped proclaiming the Gospel to believers as well as unbelievers because he knew that we need to constantly uphold each other and keep our eyes on the prize: eternal life in the Kingdom of God with Jesus. 

Are you a good and faithful servant?  When you enter into the presence of Christ, will you be able to stand before Him?  Will he find you to be Holy, Blameless and above reproach?  Do you live your life for HIM?  Or do you want to continue on in your life as before and stay in condemnation? Do you want to continue on the path you were on before you professed Jesus as your Savior?  In the following letter to the Colossians, (who were already established as a church body) Paul is reminding them of the prerequisite that they signed up for when they became followers of Jesus Christ.  Reminding them that they had walked away from sin and are now engaged to become a servant of Christ.

Colossians 1:19-24 (HCSB) For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross—whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. 22 But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him— 23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.  24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church.

At some point in your life, did you say YES to Jesus with joy and excitement?  You couldn’t get enough of HIS WORD, you couldn’t spend enough time with HIM and you shared your excitement with everyone you met.  Then one day, you noticed that today, HE hadn’t even crossed your mind because you are so wrapped up in the world, that without realizing it you have walked away.  Were you ever truly transformed by His LOVE & GRACE?  Examine your life and see what has actually changed since you became a Christian.  Are you no longer intentional when it comes to your walk with Jesus? 

  

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (HCSB)   Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

Once the Gospel enters into us…and we are born again, we are changed!  We are no longer representatives or ambassadors of this world…we are ambassadors to the Kingdom of God.  Everything we think, do or say is for HIS Glory!  We have died to our old self and are now living for HIM!  When we become HIS, we put on Christ!  We become a light in the dark world.          1. The way we live will make a difference to believers and unbelievers alike.  2. Don’t allow the unbelievers to drag you into the mire, remember in Matthew 26, when Jesus was before the powers that be, he held his tongue.  Don’t allow unbelievers to accuse you by the way you live your life 1 Peter 2:12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation. 3. Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek to those who attack us…in Matthew 5:38-40 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.39 But I tell you, don’t resistan evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt,let him have your coat as well. 4. Spend time studying as in Psalm 1:2-3 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 5. Purity is center stage in all things in your life Philippians 4:8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.