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Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
Our God is so wonderful to conceal, or rather to hide in a mystery things NOT FROM His people but FOR His people to be able to search out in honor. It is an honor to search out a matter, and the word, ‘Matter’ means ‘Word’ or ‘Cause’. We know the Scriptures are about Jesus Christ (John 5:39), therefore we know that when we search out God’s Word we will find the Honorable One, Jesus Christ, and who He is to us through faith in what was hidden for us as a mystery at one time (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). The cross!
God here says that it is His glory to conceal that which is an honor for kings to search out, because He knows that when they find that which is concealed, He will be glorified! Praise to the Lamb forever and forever!
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“and certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question (Acts 15:1-2).
Here we find the beginning of the problem with the Judaizers, a problem which would plague Paul throughout his ministry. The Judaizers were Jews, almost all from Jerusalem and Judaea, who had accepted Christ as the Messiah, but who insisted, at the same time, that all Believers, even Gentiles, must also keep the Law. This was Satan’s great effort to dilute and ultimately destroy the Gospel. Satan would do this, as he does most of his insidious work, from inside the Church!
Paul had been given the Revelation that the Lord Jesus had fulfilled the Law in every respect. Consequently, for Believers to attempt to continue to keep the Law, this said, in effect, that what Jesus did at the Cross was insufficient, which, as should be obvious, was an insult of the highest order to the Lord of Glory. However, this problem did not die with the Early Church. It continues unto this hour. It has been the greatest problem that plagues the Church.
Today it’s not the Law of Moses which is in question, but laws of one variety or the other made up by religious men. It probably could be said that every single one of us at some time has formulated some laws in our hearts and minds, which, within themselves, may have been valid, but faith and trust placed in those laws, whatever they may have been or may be, will bring no victory.
Every unsaved person in the world is under the Government of Law, whether they realize it or not (Ex., Chpt. 20). I’m speaking of the Law of God, to which they will answer at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15), that is, if they do not accept Christ as their Saviour. When the person comes to Christ, we then come from the Government of Law to the Government of Grace (Rom. 6:14).
Unfortunately, most Christians do not understand the Government of Grace as they should, because they do not understand the Cross. It is, in fact, impossible to properly understand Grace if one does not properly understand the Cross. As such, most Christians are trying to live for God under two Governments at the same time, the Government of Law and the Government of Grace. Such is a miserable existence, which Paul himself tried to do for a period of time, because he understood, at that time, neither the Cross nor the Government of Grace.
We find Paul’s account of this period in his life in the Seventh Chapter of Romans, which is also the account, unfortunately, of most modern Christians. According to the instructions given to us by the Apostle, who received them directly by Revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12), the Believer lives under the Government of Grace by understanding that everything we have from the Lord comes to us through the means of the Cross; the Cross of Christ, therefore, is ever to be the Object of our Faith, which then gives the Holy Spirit latitude to work within our lives (Rom. 6:1-4; 8:1-2,11).
That being done on a constant basis, the Holy Spirit will develop His Fruit within our hearts, which will spring forth in our lives, which is the Gospel of Grace. Otherwise, Christ will profit us nothing (Gal. 5:2).”
—Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day)” Donnie Swaggart
Have you ever had a day that you wish you could forget about? You know, that span of time that you did the wrong thing, made the wrong decision, or made the wrong move! How many times have you thought in your mind, I sure would like to have a chance to do that over again? I would sure appreciate the ability to have another chance to get that situation right, to handle that occasion with a different spirit or attitude. I am so glad that with God I can start each and every day anew. Take personal responsibility for your actions and confess your faults to God. Apologize to anyone you hurt and ask their forgiveness for any hurt intentionally or unintentionally delivered. Why wait? You can start again right now! By placing your faith securely in Christ Jesus and what He did for you at Calvary, every unsightly yesterday can be placed strategically in the seas of God’s forgiveness and His willingness to forget. You can climb out over your mistakes of the past and move onward towards a great day in Christ. God is the only one able to give you a “do over!” So, go for it!
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Proverbs 25:3
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
The previous verse of Scripture and this one are tied to each other by the words, ‘Search out’ and ‘Unsearchable’. Just as Kings do not reveal all things to their subjects, neither does God reveal everything, but He does reveal that which His people have need of. As high as the heavens are, and as deep as the earth is, is related to the unsearchable depths of the heart of man. God says through Jeremiah the prophet that man doesn’t even know his own heart (Jeremiah 17:9), because it is desperately wicked, and its wickedness is higher than the heavens and deeper than the earth.
Jesus Christ and His sacrificial work at Calvary is the ONLY answer for the human heart, and that answer is to, by faith, die with Christ so that a new heart can be given (Ezekiel 36:26, Galatians 2:20). This is what happens at the born again experience. The height and the depth of that which WAS unsearchable, is found by Jesus Christ and made new!! Glory to the Lamb!!
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden that these necessary things; That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well (Acts 15:28-29).
The General Council conducted in Jerusalem saw, for the first and only time, all of the original Apostles, along with Paul and Barnabas, gathered together “for to consider of this matter” (Acts 15:6). It was conducted at the Church at Jerusalem, which was, in essence, the first Church, and of which James the Lord’s brother was the Senior Pastor, so to speak.
Even though we say “Church,” they didn’t have a building, and for many and obvious reasons. In a sense, the Temple continued to serve as their “Church” in Jerusalem. There were probably as many as 20,000-30,000 people who were members of this “Church,” virtually all of them Jews.
From the Text, it seems that Peter spoke first, and rightly so, because he was much better known to all the people; furthermore, even as Peter said, “You know how that a good while ago (approximately ten years) God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Word of the Gospel, and believe” (Acts 15:7). This had to do with Cornelius and his household, all Gentiles.
Then Paul and Barnabas addressed the crowd.
The great question concerned the “Law” and “Grace.” After they come to Christ, is it right to demand of the Gentiles that they also keep the Law?
At this Council, the Holy Spirit made the decision that the Gentiles would not have to keep the Law. In other words, they were saved by trusting Christ and Him alone! There were four requirements for the Gentiles, and all four, in a sense, had to do with the Cross.
They are:
1. “That you abstain from meats offered to idols”: These were lambs or heifers which had been offered in sacrifice to idols, a custom which, of course, was nurtured and fostered by Satan to say, in effect, that the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross was of no consequence. After these animals were offered in sacrifice, the carcass was then offered for sale in the meat markets of the city, and whoever purchased this cut of meat was believed to have good luck, etc. As should be obvious, Christians should not be involved in such.
2. “From blood”: Under the Law, the Jews were strictly forbidden to eat blood (Lev. 17:14). To be brief, Christ would shed His Life’s Blood on the Cross, which meant the pouring out of His Perfect Life, with Faith in that securing Salvation for all who believe.
3. “From things strangled”: This referred to the carcass of animals which had not been properly drained of blood; when this meat was eaten, blood would also be imbibed, which is forbidden. Once again, it goes to the Cross.
4. “And from fornication”: This spoke, obviously, of immorality; even more so, however, James is using it in the Old Testament sense of being unfaithful to the Lord. When a Believer trusts in anything except Christ and the Cross, he is, in effect, committing spiritual fornication with that thing, whatever it might be. Each Believer is married to Christ. Christ Alone meets our every need, as He Alone can meet our every need (Rom. 7:1-4). Therefore, our Faith is to be exclusively in Him and what He has done for us at the Cross; otherwise, we commit spiritual fornication.
That’s the reason it is imperative for every Believer to make Christ and His Cross the exclusive Object of one’s Faith, and that alone! There is nothing more important than that!”
—Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day)” Donnie Swaggart
Whatever a believer places his faith in is the object of their faith. If we place our faith in the wrong object then devastation and loss is a surety. If we place our faith in the proper Biblical choice then we will gain the supernatural benefits from doing so. If a man places his faith in a church, a religious action, or association with a particular denomination for salvation, that person will not make heaven their eternal home. The Bible teaches us that saving faith must rest solely, singularly, in the person of Christ and what He accomplished at Calvary on our behalf. Then and only then are we accepted into God's kingdom. After the initial salvation experience the Bible teaches that the object of our faith is to remain in Christ alone. It must not be in what we do or how well we perform any particular task. As our faith remains unswerving in the power of God's grace we will experience the supernatural sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Paul determined not to preach anything other than Christ and Him Crucified so that the faith of the people he ministered to would forever remain centered upon the person and redemptive work of Christ. What is the object of your faith today?
Romans 4:5 - But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Proverbs 25:4
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Dross is what is mixed with silver that has to be removed for the silver to be more and more purified. The Refiner is of course the Lord Himself who purges His people of the dross that hinders their more fruit bearing (John 15:2). The more fruit the child of God bears, the greater the expression of Christ, and that is the ultimate for the Christian. The Christian’s desire above all things should be at all times to please their Lord. This entire life before the coming of the Lord will be a continual, day after day of denying ourselves, and taking up our cross if we will follow Him (Luke 9:23). There is no discipleship if our faith isn’t in the cross of Christ (Luke 14:27), and we know the word, ‘Disciple’ defined, is ‘Learner’, therefore there is no learning of the Lord without faith in the cross of Christ.
Discipleship taught for years in most of the church is anything but learning to deny one’s self and taking up their cross daily to be able to follow Christ, but thanks be to God, the church is once again hearing the message that can awaken them to righteousness, and get back in the purifying and fruit bearing process. The message of the cross!
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“and a Vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us (Acts 16:9).
Paul now begins his second missionary journey. He will take Silas with him; Timothy will join him at a place called Lystra. It seems that Paul thought he had the mind of the Lord regarding the destination of this journey, but after starting out, he found that he did not. The Scripture says, “They were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia” (Acts 16:6). Then they tried another direction, “But the Spirit suffered them not” (Acts 16:7).
Even though every missionary journey undertaken by Paul was of the utmost significance, still, this one was more important than ever, because here the Holy Spirit will direct the Gospel westward; the first preaching in this direction took place in Greece. Satan would do everything he could to greatly hinder this effort, as would be obvious, due to the tremendous significance of this development; however, as the Spirit kept leading, Paul and Silas kept following, until ultimately they received the “Macedonian Call,” which was one of the most important Calls in history.
Even though the first missionary journey undertaken by Paul was the beginning of this great episode, still, the Holy Spirit now gives special guidance regarding the Gospel and its geographical direction. To be sure, the Lord did not love those in the west more than those in the east; however, by foreknowledge, He knew that those in the west would be more receptive to the Gospel, hence leading in this direction.
When Paul received this Macedonian Call, even as it regards the man in the Vision, we are seeing here the blueprint for that which we refer to as “Western Civilization.” In that Macedonian Call is every freedom we now enjoy, all the prosperity which we now have, actually that which has made the United States the envy of the world. To the degree that the Western nations have accepted the Gospel, to that degree have they been blessed.
When our leaders speak of extending democracy to other nations of the world, what most do not seem to realize is that there can be no true democracy without acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel that He affords. So our efforts at trying to democratize Muslim nations, no matter the good intentions, will little work. For it to truthfully work, they would have to forsake the religion of Islam and accept the Lord Jesus Christ, which the far greater majority of them will not do. If any type of democracy is established in Iraq, or any other Muslim country, it will mostly be democracy in name only, without many of the benefits.
Unfortunately, in the United States of America, we are losing sight of that which has made us great; we are gradually becoming “heathenized” ourselves. There is, in fact, no longer a separation of Church and State, which is proper, but rather a separation of God and State, which is catastrophic!
The problem?
The problem is the Church! The Church has strayed so far from the True Gospel of Jesus Christ that it any more little persuades and sways Governmental leaders, which it is meant to do.
Peter said, “For the time is come that judgment must begin
at the House of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them who obey not the Gospel of God?” (I Pet. 4:17).”
—Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day)” Donnie Swaggart
Withered and dying. Doubt, fear, and unbelief cover the heart and mind like the shroud of death. Tears, sighing, crying, questions, anger, frustration, no promise of a happy ending, no way out, no way to win. Life can cause us to feel this way at times. But as a born again believer there is something alive inside of us that we are failing to acknowledge. Something that can rise up against the present stifling darkness. Something that refuses to give in, to lie down, to quit. It is the precious presence of God’s Spirit. Just one moment in His presence is all you need to revive your heart again, to get the fire rekindled, to enable you to stir up the gift that now lies dormant. Just one moment in the soothing, calming, reassuring presence of Christ as He moves upon your person through a human vessel, through the written word, or through the melodious strains of an anointed gospel song. Just one move of the Holy Ghost is all you will need. And then, no matter how low in life that you as a believer may have been brought to; hope springs upward giving strength and energy, bringing forth faith, reassuring with supernatural grace and power. Touch me again, Oh Lord , today!
Job 14:7 & 9 - For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. (9) Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
Proverbs 25:5
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
When we read this our minds being so selfish and fleshly will tend to think about others who are openly and obviously wicked, but for the moment may we be honest with ourselves and admit there are still some wicked ways hiding, and at certain times showing themselves in our hearts and through our actions? Well, only the honest heart will do so. One day in the near future all of God’s children will literally be gathered around the throne of our Great and Mighty God, but until that day, the throne of God is in our hearts, and it is in our hearts that He is establishing His kingdom of Righteousness presently.
It is only as our hearts continue to believe unto Righteousness (Romans 10:10), which is by faith in God’s Word in the context of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, the only avenue of God’s Righteousness (Galatians 2:21), that He will be allowed to establish His throne in our hearts (Proverbs 16:3). The cross of Christ is the only work provided by God that will take away the wickedness, and establish our hearts, with Grace (Hebrews 13:9), as Righteousness is only experienced through Grace (Galatians 2:21), and Grace only through faith in the death of Christ (Galatians 2:21). Powerful!!
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“and at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25).
A false message has been circulated in the modern Church that if a person is in the very center of the Will of God, there will be no problems. If there are problems, so it is erroneously claimed, that means the person is out of the Will of God. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The more directly that one is in the Will of God, just as Paul and Silas were when they were preaching the Gospel in Philippi, the more that Satan is going to do everything within his power to hinder. An absence of that hindrance tells us that we are not where we ought to be.
A demon-possessed girl was delivered; her masters, who made great sums of money from her fortunetelling, grew incensed and had Paul and Silas arrested (Acts 16:16-21). As a result, the Magistrates of the city commanded that Paul and Silas be beaten, which they were. Under Roman law, scourging was a most brutal and cruel punishment. Many died under this torture. Paul and Silas must have been given superhuman strength to have endured it.
Then they had to suffer the added torture of the stocks in the inner prison, which usually was a noisome and wet dungeon without any light. The stocks frequently were so placed that the unhappy prisoner’s shoulders lay on the wet stone floor, with his feet drawn as far apart as possible, fastened high up to the wall. After a short time, the muscles would begin to constrict, causing unbearable pain.
Satan, no doubt, took this opportunity to taunt the two Apostles, telling them that they were out of the Will of God, etc. If their coming to Philippi was the Will of God, why would the Lord allow them to be treated in this manner?
That question has plagued many throughout the centuries. Why did the Lord allow this terrible beating and imprisonment to come to Paul and Silas?
The reasons are known only to the Lord, but He most definitely had His reasons. Had He desired, He easily could have stopped the situation. Paul may have answered this question in the Epistle to the Church at Corinth. Paul said, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
“And He said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the Power of Christ may rest upon me” (II Cor. 12:7-9).
The “flesh” is ever prominent in all of us, even in Paul. Certain problems are then allowed by the Lord in order to let us know that in the flesh there is no strength or power, and that we must depend solely upon the Lord. In fact, the greater the Operation of the Holy Spirit within our hearts and lives, the greater, I think, will be these difficulties.
In the midst of it all, the two Apostles began to pray and sing praises unto the Lord. The Greek Text suggests that bursts of song broke out as they prayed from time to time. This tells us that, especially during times of great testing, and whether we feel like it or not, we should simply “pray and sing praises unto the Lord.” This proclaims faith and trust!
It was midnight. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16:26). Even though it was an earthquake, it was very unnatural in that it seems to only have affected the jail. Further, it caused every door to be opened and even their iron bands to be unloosed, but without destroying the building.
As a result, the jailer was saved and all of his household. Also, a Church was established in Philippi.
The ways of the Lord are not always easy; however, if they are minutely followed, they always are fruitful!”
—Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day)” Donnie Swaggart
There is no doubt that on a certain day, at a certain time (which no man knows), a trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ shall rise, and those who are still living and have placed their faith in Christ will be miraculously changed. The Bible states that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, everything that we know and understand in this present life will be forever altered. The battle will be over, the struggle will be done, and the faithful will rest forever in the safety of their Savior. The Bible declares that this truth is to be the “blessed hope” of the believer. Therefore, the blessed hope is not money in the bank, it is not a new car, it is not a higher position in life, neither is it a home that everybody envies. It is the truth that one day we will look upon the face of the one we have placed our faith in, the one that we have chosen to love and serve, namely the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no question in my heart as to whether or not this event will occur. It is going to happen! The only question that remains to be answered is, "Are you Ready?”
1 Corinthians 15:51- Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Proverbs 25:6
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
The main reference here is that “We are not to put ourselves” in the presence of the king, nor are “We to give ourselves” the place of standing in the place of great men. Many attempt to open doors for themselves, but through the doors which we open, there will only be heartache and disappointment. Many have opened doors for their own pastorate, their own ministries, but only heartache and disappointment have followed them. If the Lord opens the doors, the fruit of the Lord will be manifest of whatever that door leads to.
One of the hardest things for the child of God is to wait and allow Him to open the doors that need to be opened, and to learn to be content with who He is in us, and who we are in Him until the doors come open. Many Christians have lived their entire lives waiting for only a certain door to open, being so focused on that one door of their desire, that they missed the actual doors the Lord did have open for them. May we look through the blood of Christ and be patient before the Lord and we will see the opened doors that are ALWAYS for us to take the gospel through!
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ Hill, and said, You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you (Acts 17:22-23).
When Paul went to Athens, first of all he ministered in the Jewish Synagogue (17:17). Paul reasoned to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah and proved it from the Scriptures. In the marketplace where great crowds always gathered, he began daily to minister, with a platform, so to speak, for public speaking. Paul took the opportunity to minister the Gospel.
At a point in time, he was opposed by the “philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, who encountered him” (Acts 17:18). The Epicureans were those who claimed that pleasure and gratification of the appetites were the only ends in life. The Stoicks taught that man was not to be moved by either joy or grief. These groups challenged Paul’s statements about Christ.
However, Paul’s arguments were so convincing, so powerful, and so moving that he was invited to speak on Mars’ Hill, which was, at certain times, somewhat similar to our Supreme Court. Strangely enough, those who brought Paul to this place labeled what he said as mere babblings, but yet they thought it important enough to be taken to the highest court in Athens.
Even though the Message Paul preached that day at Mars’ Hill was phenomenal, to say the least, still, I’m not sure if the great Apostle was pleased with the direction he took. In other words, I wonder if he felt he had missed the Perfect Direction of the Holy Spirit. And what do I mean by that?
When Paul left Athens, even though he had had some small success, I’m sure he had not seen what he would have liked to have seen. He now departs for Corinth. A Church was established there, and many people were saved. After going on to other fields of endeavor, his first recorded Epistle to the Church at Corinth is given to us.
In that Epistle, he said, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the Power of God” (I Cor. 2:2, 4-5).
Does this tell us that, reaching back to when Paul left Athens and was on his way to Corinth, he no doubt sought the Lord earnestly about how he could make spiritual inroads into the city of Corinth, one of the most jaded cities in the world? I personally believe at that time the Holy Spirit spoke to the great Apostle’s heart and told him, “Preach the Cross!” Corinth was an excellent test case. It was simultaneously a city of unbridled vice and a city of philosophy — the two hardest nuts to crack, so to speak.
The Holy Spirit would show Paul that if the preaching of the Cross would work here, it would work anywhere. As stated, he did not preach the Cross at Athens, and the results were meager. He preached the Cross in jaded Corinth, and the results were phenomenal. That’s why he also said:
“But we preach Christ Crucified (this is the Foundation of the Word of God, and thereby, of Salvation), unto the Jews a stumblingblock (the Cross was the stumblingblock), and unto the Greeks foolishness (both found it difficult to accept as God a dead Man hanging on a Cross, for such Christ was to them [I Cor. 1:23]).
That is to be the Message of every God-called Preacher. We must preach the Cross, that is, if we are to see anything truly done for the Lord!”
—Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day)” Donnie Swaggart
There is a way out of every stormy situation. There is a solution to each and every tempest, despite the darkening clouds that gather, or the drenching rain that falls, or the hurricane winds that blow. Regardless of the ominous threat of a very present and prominent enemy, there is a way through the existing darkness. You and I do not know the way! We cannot see what lies around the corner! We do not fully comprehend the threats that lay ahead. But God has promised to walk this path with us. He will keep our feet from being taken. He is always the faithful one. He alone has wisdom and insight regarding every aspect of the current dilemma. I call on His name in prayer! I beseech Him to act on my behalf. I run to the Bible for guidance. His Word is a lamp onto my feet and a light unto my path. His Spirit knows the need. He knows the situation. He knows the correct steps to take to lead me safely through every storm. As I face the raging winds of adversity, I am glad that I can say with a surety that Jesus is with me. He will never leave me nor forsake me! And He will lead me out!
Matthew 7:25 - And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Proverbs 25:7
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
In God’s wisdom we will see that it is better to be invited to stand, sit or walk in a higher place of authority than to assume we can do so without the invitation. This wisdom will advance God’s purpose in our lives without our self advancements. Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified will open the doors that need to be opened and close the ones that need to be closed, and God Himself will bring the promotions that are in His will for us. When we exalt ourselves, we will surely be abased, but when we abase or rather humble ourselves, we will be exalted in due time, for God is never without a job. Wait on the Lord and you will find Him faithful, as He has promised to give all those who are with His Son, ALL things freely (Romans 8:32).
Seeking God in His Word and experiencing Him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ!
“and as he reasoned of Righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go your way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for you (Acts 24:25).
Felix was the Gentile Governor of Judaea; however, he was married to a Jewess named Drusilla; consequently, he may have had some scant knowledge of Judaism. Even though Felix knows that Paul is innocent of the charges leveled against him, still, he continues to hold him captive, thinking someone will pay a fat bribe to him for Paul’s release. That never happened, so he kept Paul a prisoner until another Governor, Festus, took his place, and Paul was eventually sent to Rome.
Not long after Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea, Felix asked to hear him. He was accompanied by his wife. More than likely there also were many others present.
When Paul ministered to this Gentile and all who were there, he dealt with “Righteousness,” stating, in essence, that this attribute could only come by and through Christ and what He did for us at the Cross. Then he dealt with “Temperance,” which addressed the bondages and vices which affect humanity. Last, he dealt with the “Judgment,” which refers to the fact that one day all must stand before God.
The message was telling! The Holy Spirit anointed it greatly and Felix came under great conviction and “trembled”!
Evidently, Paul knew nothing about the now so widely acclaimed modern method of preaching to the unsaved, which states that such unsettling subjects should not be approached. And the Holy Spirit also knew nothing about it! Telling some jokes and spreading some religious pablum would have had no spiritual effect on Felix, and neither will it have any spiritual effect on anyone else.
As a result of the new method, Churches today are being filled with people who have never really been Born- Again. Regrettably, under such preaching, they never will be Born-Again. To reach the lost, or even the Believer, for that matter, the Word of God must, in some manner, be proclaimed. The Holy Spirit will not work or function in any other capacity (Acts 2:16-21, 29-38, 42; 8:14).”
—Donnie Swaggart (taken from the “Word for Every Day)” Donnie Swaggart
