Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach
Christian Outreach Ministry to those Incarcerated, with Addictions and our Military
A while back in our Daily devotional series we published this same verse seen here Waiting. The theme then and now was They that wait upon the Lord… are His chosen who would seek His guidance and will in all things.
BUT! those that Wait cannot get comfortable in inaction, they must be doers. I have said it before God is not looking for Couch Potato Christians. He is looking for soldiers for His Army (we are at WAR) so get in the fight.
Today in America we celebration Labor Day. First celebrated in 1882 and continually since 1894, it is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.
After 8 years of near record high unemployment the nations laborers had much to celebrate in Jan 2020 when for the a full quarter unemployment hovered at 3.5% the lowest in decades. Then COVID-19 and everything changed overnight.
If you watch any political news on either side of the isle all they seem to want to do is play the “Blame Game“. While I believe it is important to point out the differences in POLICY between your positions and your opponents today that does not seem to matter only who has a better more likable personality.
So today 07 September 2020, as we celebrate the 126th Labor Day, let us put aside the Blame Game and concentrate on what really matters Laboring Together to Build A Better America. Is that not what the Founding Founder’s wanted.
(A Song of degrees for Solomon.)
Except the LORD build the house, – Whatever you are building a family, a house, a nation the LORD is the essential ingredient our founding fathers (despite the naysayers) understood this.
they labour in vain that build it: – there have been many “great men” in the world who have taken nothing with them to an eternity of self condemnation in hell.
We all have a choice, Individually and as a Nation, to Labor and Build upon the Constitutional Republic our Founding Fathers set forth, or let America dissolve.
Further we can choose to Righteously Labor with God or Not. We have all seen the chaos and depravity running amok on many of our cities streets. Is that the building up of America we want to leave for the future?
FAITH BUILDERS MINISTRY Our Church Building and Disaster Relief Ministry
I’ve gone back and forth, and back and forth about publishing this post. Because, let’s be honest, a lady’s not supposed to talk about politics, religion or money.
But then, when have I ever followed the rules when it comes to that.
But my final push to publish this post came when I was having a quiet hour this afternoon, preparing to write tonight’s post…which was, admittedly, not this.
But I looked up today’s gospel reading (MT 19:16-22), and in very clear, very bold, very plain-as-day letters, I was given — nay, commanded — the “green light” to put this post out into the blogosphere.
You see, Jesus was asked what one must do to gain eternal life. To which He replied “Keep my commandments.”
And when asked “which ones?” the very first commandment out of Jesus’ mouth is, “You shall not kill.”
And in that moment, I knew I had to publish this post….
What happens when an American City threatens to seize and destroy an immigrant church simply for opening its doors? Read on to learn the insane lengths a mid-western governor and mayor took to try to punish our client’s church. -Mat
Pastor Cristian Ionescu knows exactly what it is like to be persecuted for his faith. He grew up in Communist Romania where Christians were financially destroyed, their property seized, their bodies beaten and jailed, or worse for even sharing a Bible, let alone preaching the Gospel.
Pastor Cristian Ionescu never dreamed he would face similar persecution in America…
The First Pastor Arrested, and What Happened Next…
County Throws Unconstitutional Fines at CA Church
The Church vs. California – Pastor Ché Ahn’s Story
KY Church Seeks to Permanently Stop Gov. Beshear
Bullying Tactics Against Churches
I seem to be on a path of Devotionals with either a Heart or Peace theme of some sort. Maybe it is because at his core man (apart from Christ) craves peace while being incapable of doing anything but evil. Maybe it is just God’s way of telling me this is what needs to be said. Whatever the reason I hope they are edifying to you and Glorying to Him.
Ezekiel is a captive in Babylon, approx 900 km or 560 miles from Jerusalem. Yet this entire Chapter concerns Jerusalem and the goings on there. It is of course Prophesy but more than that it is a testament to the Power of God and the Obedience of one man to God’s will.
v.1-4 Prophesy against the princes of the people.
v.5-10 Reason for Judgement upon Jerusalem
v.11-13 God’s Judgement Executed
v.14-16 God’s promise to sustain the Remnant (Faithful)
v.17-21 God’s promise of restoration materially (land) and Spiritually to the remnant
And I will give them one heart, – One heart not individual hearts (individualism divides a congregation) but a heart of oneness, uprightness, unified in Spirit. Note in V.18 God says they (we) must first “remove from it all [traces of] its detestable things and all its repulsive things (remnants of paganism)” You can not be holding on to the old and expect the new.
and I will put a new spirit within you; – This should be the desire of all who God has touched and called to be His own. It is the promise given to all who repent of their evil ways.
and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, – We can look at many example in the Bible of a hardened Heart; Pharaoh in Genesis, Balaam while riding the Mule in Numbers, Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 to name a few. Nowhere is the bible more clear than in John Chapter 3. Jesus first tells Nicodemus that the ONLY way to Heaven is with a new (unhardened born-again) heart. Later in v.19 Jesus makes it clear man has only himself to blame for all his personal woes.
and will give them an heart of flesh: – As opposed to a Hard STONY Heart God instills in us a Fleshly (malleable, soft workable) heart capable of receiving and understanding His Word.
“Evil deeds are the fruit of an evil heart. They are not an aberration from our true self but a revelation of it.” — Sinclair B. Ferguson
But length of days with an evil heart is only length of misery and already she begins to know it. All get what they want; they do not always like it. – C.S. Lewis
But evil is wrought by want of thought, As well as want of heart. – Thomas Hood
It should be trapper from these non-biblical quotes than man even apart from the bible recognizes the EVIL within our our Hearts. That evil is like a slow gnawing cancer, left unchecked, eating away at its victim, until one day it explodes into terminal stage 4, or biblical terms complete and full rejection of God.
Fortunately many forms of Cancer today are treatable, and patients recover to live a “normal” life. With God’s Heart transplant procedure, our Heart of Stone is removed and a new Heart of Flesh replaces it. God is 100% successful at this, never rejecting a transplanted heart.
As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said “The battleline between good and evil runs through the heart of every man.” God is calling to us as individuals and as a Nation, to change (Transplant) our Hearts. It is time we reject the clear immoral evil we see going on daily and repent before God. Just as He puts before Israel on notice He is also putting us on notice Deuteronomy 11:26-28:
26 “Behold, today I am setting before you a blessing and a curse— 27 the blessing, if you listen to and obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not listen to and obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following (acknowledging, worshiping) other gods which you have not known…
** Disclaimer – I do not know anything, about Jerry Johnson and his Against the World productions. A diligent search of the web brings up links to closed or other non related websites.
That being said the video presented here is both relevant and biblical today, as it ever was when it was posted on YOU TUBE back on Mar 8, 2013.
Rest ASSURED this is not for DOOM and GLOOM END TIMERS, BUT A CALL TO REPENTANCE, REVIVAL and RENEWAL of our Nations Founding Principles.
Psalm 119 is certainly all about God’s Word; His commandments, laws, precepts, call or define them as we may they are the ethical, moral and in some cases legal rules by which God says man should live. Note I said man should live, not must live, for we know man is INCAPABLE of living out these rules on his own accord. Man (apart from Christ) will always turn to his internal unethical, immoral and illegal sin nature and never be at Peace.
The bible has a lot to say about Peace. Most of the time for “Christians at least we hear or read verses that are encouraging and uplifting, promising peace to us who are faithful.
The word Peace in various forms can be found in the KJV of the Bible some 400+ times. In Dictionaries – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology we find the following:
The Meaning of Peace. In English, the word “peace” conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root slm, which means “to be complete” or “to be sound.” The verb conveys both a dynamic and a static meaning” to be complete or whole” or “to live well.” The noun had many nuances, but can be grouped into four categories: (1) salom [l’v] as wholeness of life or body (i.e., health); (2) salom [l’v] as right relationship or harmony between two parties or people, often established by a covenant (see “covenant of peace” in Num 25:12-13 ; Isa 54:10 ; Ezek 34:25-26 ) and, when related to Yahweh, the covenant was renewed or maintained with a “peace offering”; (3) salom [l’v] as prosperity, success, or fulfillment (see Lev 26:3-9 ); and (4) salom [l’v] as victory over one’s enemies or absence of war. Salom [l’v] was used in both greetings and farewells. It was meant to act as a blessing on the one to whom it was spoken: “May your life be filled with health, prosperity, and victory.” As an adjective, it expressed completeness and safety. In the New Testament, the Greek word eirene [eijrhvnh] is the word most often translated by the word “peace.” Although there is some overlap in their meanings, the Hebrew word salom [l’v] is broader in its usage, and, in fact, has greatly influenced the New Testament’s use of eirene [eijrhvnh].
Great peace – The Hebrew Word Shalowm translated Great peace almost does not do it justice. It would be hard to put an English word here for the Hebrew means fullness, without need or want. Some translations (Bereans, CSB, NASB) translate it Abundant Peace, even that leave us with an expectation of possibly more.
Maybe the best way I could describe it would be Complete Peace, one so full you need no thought of anything else.
have they which love thy law: – Note the Psalmist (and scripture backs them up) makes it clear that this type of fulfilling peace only comes to them that Love the Law of God. You can’t be a Burger King Theologian, taking only the laws and commands of the Bible you like and having God your way.
and nothing shall offend them – Again this is another of those KJV words I love not so much because is makes perfect sense but because it made me research it true meaning. I had to think why would God’s laws offend me. Well the Hebrew word here is Mikshowl, and means more like something that would cause us to stumble or fall from faith or in this case Peace (fellowship) with God.
If following God’s laws is the recipe for Complete Peace, disregarding or ignoring God’s laws is the recipe for No Peace.
All one has to do is to look at the chaos, riots and unrest in the street across America today to realize that true peace has evaded the hearts of those people.
So what are we, that is those who are at Peace with God to do? PRAY, pray not for peace which may seem like a strange thing to say but peace can not come as long as the heart and soul of man is corrupt. No PRAY, for revival, PRAY for another Great Awakening, PRAY for the very Souls of those who hate the Laws of God.
Luke 23:38; The Placard Above Christ’s Head by Geoff Thomas
Thanks to my friend LP jr for this:
In my opinion as if we needed any other daily dose of reality, Tucker Carlson’s opening monologue from the other night should be a eye opening reality check for all those living in the LA-LA land if the progressive left.
The following 10 articles are from G2Y “Truth About Man” series; I hope they are a blessing to you.
Sin’s Corruption of Our Character
Sin’s Corruption of Our Conversation
Sin’s Corruption of Our Conduct
Sin’s Corruption of Our Conversation
