BoomerangAZ

The Help of God

2008-03-30T18:11:08Z

Read a request for eBiblefellowship.com
The man said he wanted a free Bible because:
(Greatly I need the help of God)

Ufa Ru 450054
RUSSIA

This made me think the following:

We read many descriptions in the Scripture about the help of God:
Psalms 40:17 "But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God."
2 Chronicles 32:8 "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."
What is the believer delivered from? What are the battles which God is fighting for him?
Psalms 79:8-9 "O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake."
Our sins are our enemies, because without God’s intervention, they will kill us. The payment our sin requires is eternal damnation, but wonderfully Divine help comes to His elect and saves them from all that would destroy them. We see this played out in:
John 8:3-12 "And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Christ put Himself in the elects’ place and died their eternal death that they might be resurrected with Him to eternal spiritual life:
Matthew 26:26-28 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Isaiah 50:7-9 "For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up."
Luke 1:68-75 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life."
Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Who are "the sinners"?

2007-10-08T00:45:14Z

Read this request from eBiblefellowship.com :
Free Tracts Request
Record Id: 61805

Tracts Selection: english=70
Why the requestor would like the tracts:
i want to use these tracts to preach God words to the sinners in my areas.

Ship To:
ARODU
AKURE ONDO STATE
NIGERIA

Comments:
I HEARD ABOUT YOUR SITE THROUGHONE OF MY FRIENDS. GOD WILL CONTINUES BLESSING YOUR MINISTRY. THANKS

So who are the sinners? Is it "those people" over there?

Romans 3:10-18
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they
have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes."

That's clearly talking about the entire human race all throughout eternity. We all are the sinners.

As God looked down the corridors of time and viewed the hearts of all the men and women He would ever create this was His conclusion.

What a terrible utterly hopeless situation, right?

Not at all, for Christ says the following about His purpose:

Mark 2:17 “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
We certainly qualify. On the one hand, when our eyes are opened to see our sins, we are horrified and know we richly deserve judgment and hell. And just when it seems hopeless, as we recognize we love sin, are dead in sins, that promise of Christ comes in, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Praise God for His unfathomable mercy and love.

Hebrews 7:22-25 “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

We see how God carries out this salvation in:

Deuteronomy 7:6 “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

God chose individuals from all the earth and made them a special people unto Himself.

John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
Titus 2:11-14 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a /peculiar people/, zealous of good works.
Isaiah 43:1-7 “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
Psalm 118:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever."

Why has the message changed?

2007-09-30T20:16:52Z

I was trying to find a hymn whose words were on the edge of my mental tongue today... something about coming to God with a heart that fears (as in, a heart which fears its own wickedness will strike out continually)... I can't remember the wording. Anyway, I didn't find it, but came upon a hymn by John Newton and thought it was quite striking.

Quiet, Lord, my froward heart
John Newton
(from the Olney Hymns)

Quiet, Lord, my froward [wicked] heart,
Make me teachable and mild,
Upright, simple, free from art,
Make me as a weanèd child:
From distrust and envy free,
Pleased with all that pleases Thee.

What Thou shalt today provide,
Let me as a child receive;
What tomorrow may betide,
Calmly to Thy wisdom leave:
’Tis enough that Thou wilt care,
Why should I the burden bear?

As a little child relies
On a care beyond his own;
Knows he’s neither strong nor wise,
Fears to stir a step alone:
Let me thus with Thee abide,
As my Father, Guard, and Guide.

Thus preserved from Satan’s wiles,
Safe from dangers, free from fears;
May I live upon Thy smiles,
Till the promised hour appears;
When the sons of God shall prove
All their Father’s boundless love.

So I wondered about the question: Why don't the hold hymns resonate anymore?

I think it's because we don't really think of ourselves anymore (or never did consider ourselves) <i>really</i> sinners. That explains well why people want to hear about the love of God and smooth and pleasant things. By nature we are they "Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:" Isaiah 30:10. We want to hear how "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" (which doesn't really involve us giving up our sins and isn't what the Bible teaches to begin with) but we aren't really interested in His forgiveness and mercy all <i>that much</>. Why?

There's very little for Him to forgive, we think.

It reminds me of the woman who wiped Christ's feet with her hair:
Luke 7:44-47 "And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."
So when I considered Newton's words, with a believer's mindset of being a redeemed filthy sinner, still subject to sin in his body, it does speak the unintelligible groanings of the heart.

I guess maybe I did find a hymn which gave voice to the inaudible stirrings in my heart as I considered my own sinfulness.
The old hymns are full of that.

Let me know what ya'll think.

boomerangaz @ 2007-09-09T13:37:00

2007-09-09T17:41:33Z

Ephesians 5:14, "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

I was just struck as I read that. What an incredible verse! Just as Christ commanded Lazarus to come forth in John 11, here too the command is made for a spiritually dead sinner to awake and rise from the dead. Truly only God can raise the dead unto salvation, both spiritually dead and physically.

Isaiah 43:11-13, "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?" [bold mine]

boomerangaz @ 2007-09-02T20:48:00

2007-09-03T00:59:24Z

I came across this request email when going through eBiblefellowship's requests:

Dear EBible Fellowship,

Thanks a lot. I got the bible I requested for this morning along with some tracts. I pray that the good Lord will bless you abundantly. Your efforts in making one to be worthy on the last day will not be in vain in Jesus' name. I will appreciate it if you can please send me books that can be read to nourish my spiritual soul.

Thanks once again.

Yours in the Lord,

Olorunfemi

It's good to see that Olorunfemi is so happy to receive the Bible, but it seemed almost as if he meant that Christians can make themselves worthy of salvation or praise from God. We know this can never be. Isaiah 64:6 says "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
Genesis 32:10 "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands."
Psalm 31:1 "<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness."
Psalm 143:7-12 "Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. 8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. 9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. 11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant."

We surely are beset with enemies to our soul's good, but the greatest of them is ourselves. We are sinners, so steeped in sin that we cannot stop: Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:". Well does four day dead Lazarus symbolize our condition (see John 11, [John 11:39 "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" ).

As time passes without God's intervention, we only rot worse and worse in sin. While a believer should pray unceasingly for sanctification, that he might more and more have the mind of Christ and forsake sin, it is only by the power of God that he does so. All the praise and all the glory goes to God.
Ephesians 1:6, "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. "
Philippians 1:11, "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."

It shall teach thee.

2007-08-26T20:40:35Z

I came across this poem again in the Journals of Jim Elliot:

I see His blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of His eyes
His body gleams amid eternal snows,
His tears fall from the skies.

I see His face in every flower;
The thunder and singing of the birds.
Are but His voice--and carven by His power
Rocks are His written words.

All pathways by His feet are worn,
His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea,
His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
His cross is every tree.
“I see His blood upon the rose”
-Joseph Mary Plunkett

"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Job 12:7-10

Today's Daily Light on the Daily Path

2007-07-02T00:44:01Z

MORNING JULY 1

The fruit of the Spirit is goodness.

Be ye ... followers of God, as dear children. — 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; 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. — Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.
After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. — The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. — He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

GAL. 5:22. Eph. 5:1. ‑Matt. 5:44,45. -Luke 6:36. Eph. 5:9. Tit. 3:4-6. ‑Psa. 145:9. ‑Rom. 8:32.

EVENING JULY 1

Eben-ezer ... Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

I was brought low, and he helped me. — Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. — Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. — He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. — There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord hath spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. — Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

I SAM. 7:12. Psa. 116:6. ‑Psa. 28:6,7. Psa. 118:8,9. ‑Psa. 146:5, -Psa. 107:7. ‑Josh. 21:45. Luke 22:35. ‑Psa. 63:7.

Two in One:

2007-07-01T04:23:43Z

4. I AM THAT I AM (#4 of 5)
374 words (short article 3-4 minutes)

The unchangeableness of Jesus is the unchangeableness of His attributes. Each shines brightly in this bright mirror. But a rapid glance at His love and power must suffice. His love is in perpetual bloom. It is always in summertime. The roots are deeply buried in Himself; therefore the branches cannot fade. Believer, drink hourly of this cup of joy. Do not allow Satan to infuse a poisonous doubt. Christ loved you fully when, in the councils of eternity, He received you into His heart. He loved you truly when, in the fullness of time, He took upon Himself your curse, and drained your hell-deep dues. He loved you tenderly when He showed you, by the Spirit, His hands and His feet, and whispered to you that you were His. He loves you faithfully while He ceases not to intercede in your behalf, and to scatter blessings on your person and your soul. He will love you intensely in heaven when you are manifested as His precious purchase and crowned as His bride! To each enquiry—has He loved? does He love? and will He love?—the one reply is, 'I AM THAT I AM.' Do not raise the objection, if He thus loves, why am I thus? why is my path so rugged, and my heart like flint? You will soon know that your bitterest trials and your sorest pains are sure tokens of His love. The father corrects because he loves. In attentive care the physician deeply probes the wounds. Thus Jesus makes earth hard, that you may long for heaven's holy rest. He shows you your self-vileness that you may prize His cleansing blood. He allows you to stumble that you may cleave more closely to His side. He makes the world a blank that you may seek all comfort in Himself. If He seems to change, it is that you may change. He hides His face, that you may look for Him. He is silent, that you may cry more loudly. His desertion prevents your desertion. He saves from real hell, by casting into seeming hell. But love fails not. All His dealings are its everflowing, overflowing tide. On each the eye of faith can read, 'I AM THAT I AM.'

The Source:

1Jo 2:1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Ps 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
1Ki 8:37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

5. I AM THAT I AM (#5 of 5)
406 words (short article 3-4 minutes)

Power goes hand in hand with love. They co-exist and co-endure. It was a mighty voice which said, 'Be'—and all things were. It was a mighty hand which framed this so wondrous universe. It is a mighty arm which turns the wheel of providence. This power still is, and ever will be, what it always has been. No age enfeebles, and no use exhausts it. The Bible, blazing with its exploits, encourages the 'worm Jacob' to 'be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.' He can still bid the seas of difficulty to recede. He can cause hurricanes and tempests to cease. He can make straight, the crooked paths of evil. He can level the mountains of high-towering corruption. He can stop the lion-mouth of persecution. He can quench the scorching flames of every lust. In the face of all Goliaths, He cheers His followers to victory, under the banner of 'I AM THAT I AM.'

Reader! these thoughts scarcely touch the boundary line of the shadow of this glorious name. But surely they show the blessedness of those who, guided by the Spirit, repose beneath the wings of Jesus. 'The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.' 'I AM THAT I AM' must perish or must change, before their names can be cast from His heart. Some greater power must arise, before they can be plucked from His tight-grasping hand. The bare idea is folly. Happy flock! 'I AM THAT I AM' loves them, and they are loved—calls them, and they follow Him—sanctifies them, and they are sanctified—blesses them, and they are blessed—gives them life, and they live—gives them glory, and they are glorified. But perhaps it is your wretched case to live unsprinkled by His saving blood. Will you die thus? What! thus appear before His great white throne? His truth condemns you—and it cannot change. His wrath burns hotly against you—and it cannot relent. His power has commission to destroy you—and it cannot be withstood. 'I AM THAT I AM' becomes an idle fable, if truth and wrath and power war not eternally with sin. And can they war and not prevail? Believer, the eternity and unchangeableness of 'I AM THAT I AM' makes heaven to be heaven forever. Sinner, the eternity and unchangeableness of 'I AM THAT I AM' makes hell to be hell forever.

Isa 41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Henry Law, #3

2007-06-25T00:42:41Z

3. I AM THAT I AM (#3 of 5)

331 words

"I am that I am." -Exodus 3:14

What self-denial, what self-abasement, what self-emptying is here! Surely, royalty in rags, angels in cells, is no descent compared to Deity in flesh! But mighty love moves Jesus to despise all shame, and to lie low in misery's lowest mire. Through ages past His 'delights were with the sons of men.' Eternity to come is but a void, unless his people share His glory. Therefore He humbles Himself to earth, that specks of earth may rise to heaven's immortality. Believer, you rejoice in prospect of thus living with Him forever. But why is there full rapture in the thought? Do not you feel that the crowning ecstasy is in this? Eternity will afford you time to gaze with steady look on a Savior's glories, to sing with unwearied hymn a Savior's praise, to bless with perpetual blessing a Savior's name, and to learn with ever-expanding knowledge a Savior's worth! There is another note in this loud chorus of truth, which is especial sweetness to the believer's ear. It tells melodiously that Jesus cannot change. He is as constant as He is great. As surely as He ever lives, so surely He ever lives the same. He is an infinity of never-varying oneness. He sits on the calm throne of eternal serenity. Change is the defect of things below—for things below are all defective. Immutability reigns above—for immutability is perfection's essence. Our brightest morning often ends in storm. Summer's radiance gives place to winter's gloom. The smiling flower soon lies withered. The babbling brook is soon a parched-up channel. The friend who smiled, smiles no more friendly welcomes. Bereavement weeps where once the family beamed with domestic joy. Gardens wither into deserts. Babylons crumble into unsightly ruins. On all things a sad inscription writes 'fleeting—transient—vanishing.' Time flaps a ceaseless wing, and from the wings decay and death drop down. 'I AM THAT I AM' sits high above all this. He is 'the same yesterday, and today, and forever.'

To the Source:

Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Exodus 3
16 ¶ Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

Henry Law, #2

2007-06-24T16:29:45Z

I AM THAT I AM (#2 of 5)

445 words (short article 3-4 minutes)

'I AM THAT I AM.' Here the first sound is eternity. Jesus, as God, here puts on eternity as His robe. He knows no past. He knows no future. He lives unmoved in one unmoving present. He stretches through all the ages which are gone and which are yet to come. His only bounds are immeasurable boundlessness. Before time was born, He is 'I AM THAT I AM.' When time shall have expired, He still is 'I AM THAT I AM.' If there had been the moment when His being dawned, His name would be, 'I am what I was not.' If there could be a moment when His being must have end, His name would be, 'I am what I shall not be.' But He is, 'I AM THAT I AM.' Thus He treads first and last beneath His feet. He sits on the unbroken circumference of existence, as He who ever was, and ever is, and ever shall be. Let thought fly back, until in weariness it faint; let it look onward until all vision fail; it ever finds Him the same... 'I AM.'

Reader! look down now from this astounding glory and fix your eye on Bethlehem's manger. A lowly Babe lies in the lowly cradle of a lowly town, the offspring of a lowly mother. Look again. That child is the eternal 'I AM.' He whose Deity never had birth, is born 'the woman's Seed.' He, whom no infinitudes can hold, is contained within Infant's age, and Infant's form. He, who never began to be, as God, here begins to be, as man. And can it be, that the great 'I AM THAT I AM' shrinks into our flesh, and is little upon our earth, as one newborn of yesterday? It is so! The Lord promised it. Prophets foretold it.

Types prefigured it. An angel announces it. Heaven rings with rapture at it. Faith sees it. The redeemed rejoice in it.

But why is this wonder of wonders? Why is eternity's Lord a Child of time? He thus stoops, that He may save poor wretched sinners such as we are. Could He not do so by His will or by His word? Ah! no. He willed, and all things were. He speaks, and all obey. But he must die, as man, that a lost soul may live. To rescue from one stain of sin, the Eternal must take the sinner's place, and bear sin's curse and pay sin's debt, and suffer sin's penalty, and wash out sin's filth, and atone for sin's malignity. 'I AM THAT I AM' alone could do this. 'I AM THAT I AM' alone has done it.

To the Source:

Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Ps 102:24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isa 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Lu 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Exodus 3

7 ¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 11 ¶ And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

boomerangaz @ 2007-06-17T17:34:00

2007-06-17T21:40:32Z

I AM THAT I AM

Part 1 of 5

by Henry Law, 1855

"I am that I am." Exodus 3:14

The believer is called to wayfaring and warfaring struggles. He has to bear a daily cross and to fight a daily fight. But in every hour of need a sure support is near. Behold Moses. The ground which he must tread is very slippery. The hill of his difficulties is very steep. A foe opposes every step. But a staff and a sword are provided for him in the name of his guiding and protecting Lord. 'I AM THAT I AM.' On this he can lean the whole burden of his cares, and fears, and pains. By this he can scatter kings as dust. This support is still the same, ever mighty, ever near. The feeblest pilgrim may grasp it by the hand of faith. And whoever grasps it is 'as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides forever.' 'I AM THAT I AM.' Such is the voice from the burning bush. The Speaker, then, is hidden in no mask of mystery. It is the Angel of the everlasting Covenant. It is the great Redeemer. He would establish His people on the firm rock of comfort. Therefore with trumpet-tongue He thus assures them that all the majesty, all the supremacy, all the glory of absolute and essential Deity, are His inherent right. O my soul, into what a speck must poor man dwindle before such greatness! The limits of the mind cannot scan it. The arms of the heart cannot embrace it. Words are mere skeletons before it. Intellect would desire to fly on eagle's wing around the ever-widening circle. But vain is the effort. Its height is on heaven's summit. What mortal arm can reach it? It is as space which has no bounds. What human line can measure it? Our mortal eyes cannot pierce unlimited expanse. Our scales cannot weigh the mountains. Our vessels cannot measure the ocean's depths. So our faculties are too short to probe the immensities of God. To grasp divine essence requires divine largeness. 'I AM THAT I AM' alone can read the volume of that title.

Shall we then repine? What! repine because our God is so great? Where is the subject who frets because he cannot count his prince's treasures? Let us rather bow our heads in pious adoration. Let us rather give thanks that a mine is open in which the very dust is gold! Let us rather humble ourselves, that we are so slow and careless to gather up the manna of rich truth which falls at the tent-door. Let us rather pray the Spirit to illumine more clearly the written page. Let us rather long for the day when every cloud which veils our God shall brighten into perfect light; and when His people 'shall be like Him, for they shall see Him as He is.' Come then, and with such loving teachableness let us take our seat beside this sea of truth, and strive with reverence to touch the spray which sparkles on the shore.

To the source:

Psalm 125:1 ¶ <<A Song of degrees.>> They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
Genesis 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil,
1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Exodus 3:1 ¶ Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

boomerangaz @ 2006-09-17T00:16:00

2006-09-17T04:16:56Z

YE HUMBLE SOULS, APPROACH YOUR GOD

“In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17:28

Thomas A. Arne (1710-1778)

Words: Anne Steele, Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional, 1760.

Music: Arlington, Thomas A. Arne, 1762; arranged by Ralph Harrison, 1784 (MIDI, score).

If you have access to a picture of Anne Steele that we could put online, please click here.

Ye humble souls, approach your God
With songs of sacred praise,
For He is good, immensely good,
And kind are all His ways.

All nature owns His guardian care,
In Him we live and move;
But nobler benefits declare
The wonders of His love.

He gave His Son, His only Son,
To ransom rebel worms;
’Tis here He makes His goodness known
In its diviner forms.

To this dear refuge, Lord, we come;
’Tis here our hope relies;
A safe defense, a peaceful home,
When storms of trouble rise.

Thine eye beholds, with kind regard,
The souls who trust in Thee;
Their humble hope Thou wilt reward,
With bliss divinely free.

boomerangaz @ 2006-09-17T00:12:00

2006-09-17T04:15:24Z

ENSLAVED BY SIN AND BOUND IN CHAINS

from cyberhymnal.org “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19

Words: Anne Steele, Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional, 1760.

Music: Wenn Wir in Höchsten Nöten, Genevan Psalter, 1547 (MIDI, score). Alternate tunes:

Crimea, Thoro Harris, circa 1905 (MIDI, score)
Ford, Thomas Ford, 1614 (MIDI, score)

Enslaved by sin and bound in chains,
Beneath its dreadful tyrant sway,
And doomed to everlasting pains,
We wretched, guilty captives lay.

Nor gold nor gems could buy our peace,
Nor all the world’s collected store
Suffice to purchase our release;
A thousand worlds were all too poor.

Jesus, the Lord, the mighty God,
An all sufficient ransom paid.
O matchless price! His precious blood
For vile, rebellious traitors shed.

Jesus the Sacrifice became
To rescue guilty souls from hell;
The spotless, bleeding, dying Lamb
Beneath avenging Justice fell.

Amazing goodness! Love divine!
Oh, may our grateful hearts adore
The matchless grace nor yield to sin
Nor wear its cruel fetters more!

Daily Light

2006-09-11T01:33:42Z

MORNING SEPTEMBER 11

Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.

Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what com-munion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? — Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. — Ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, ... as the truth is in Jesus.

ROM. 12:2. Exo. 23:2. Jas. 4:4. II Cor. 6:14-16. ‑I John 2:15,17. Eph. 2:2. ‑Eph. 4:20,21.

EVENING SEPTEMBER 11

Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground. — We commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. — Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. — The night cometh when no man can work.

Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. — Always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

There remaineth ... a rest to the people of God. — Unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. — This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing.

PSA. 104:23. Gen. 3:19. ‑II Thes. 3:10. ‑I Thes. 4:11. Eccl. 9:10. ‑John 9:4. Gal. 6:9. ‑I Cor. 15:58. Heb. 4:9. -Matt. 20:12. ‑Isa. 28:12.

from Matthew Henry's commentary

2006-08-31T04:27:39Z

Ps 119:21

21 "Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. "

Here is,

1. The wretched character of wicked people. The temper of their minds is bad. They are proud; they magnify themselves above others. And yet that is not all: they magnify themselves against God, and set up their wills in competition with and opposition to the will of God, as if their hearts, and tongues, and all, were their own.
There is something of pride at the bottom of every wilful sin, and the tenour of their lives is no better: They do err from thy commandments, as Israel, that did always err in their hearts; they err in judgment, and embrace principles contrary to thy commandments, and then no wonder that they err in practice, and wilfully turn aside out of the good way. This is the effect of their pride; for they say, What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? (Job 21:15) As Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? (Exodus 5:2)

2. The wretched case of such. They are certainly cursed, for God resists the proud (James 4:6); and those that throw off the commands of the law lay themselves under its curse (Ga 3:10), and he that now beholds them afar off will shortly say to them, Go, you cursed. The proud sinners bless themselves; God curses them; and, though the most direful effects of this curse are reserved for the other world, yet they are often severely rebuked in this world: Providence crosses them, vexes them, and, wherein they dealt proudly, God shows Himself above them; and these rebukes are earnests of worse. David took notice of the rebukes proud men were under, and it made him cleave the more closely to the word of God and pray the more earnestly that he might not err from God's commandments. Thus saints get good by God's judgments on sinners.

boomerangaz @ 2006-08-24T00:19:00

2006-08-24T04:19:28Z

Lord, Teach Us To Pray
(Luke 11:1)

An Exposition of "The Lord's Prayer"

Part 3 of 3

By Harold Camping

This exposition of "The Lord's Prayer" was transcribed From a message delivered by Harold Camping, host of "Open Forum" program, which is broadcast over Family Radio.

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11:2-4, and Matthew 6:9-13, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debs, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

"And forgive us our debts"

At least three words are commonly used in the New Testament to signify "sin," including the word "debt." We are debtors to God because we have sinned. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). There is a penalty that we must pay to God for our sins, and that payment is eternal damnation. When we pray, "forgive us our debts," effectively, we are praying, "O God, have mercy on me. I'm a sinner. Will you pay the penalty that I rightly deserve to pay?"
The Lord Jesus came to endure hell on our behalf. He came to ransom us from the power of the grave, from eternal damnation, from the wrath of God.

"As we forgive our debtors"

The Lord's Prayer is focused on God our Savior until this phrase, which could be a bellwether or indicator as to where we stand before Christ.
The unsaved can be bitter, resentful, and angry if they believe they have been wronged by another person's word or deed. The reason is because mankind by nature is egotistical and proud.
When God calls us, He effectively says, if you pray and acknowledge God as your Savior, and there is resentment in your heart for some individual whom you cannot love, then examine your heart. You do not know what salvation is.
When we have resentment, we have to ask, "Am I born again? How can I expect God to forgive me if I continue with this unforgiven relationship?" The phrase "As we forgive our debtors," therefore, is a reminder to examine ourselves to determine whether we are truly saved.

"And lead us not into temptation"

The word "lead" here is "bring," and ought to be translated, "bring me not into temptation." Satan is the tempter; the word tempter and the word temptation are the same Greek word.
Does "bring me not into temptation" mean, "Oh, Lord bring me along so that I will not be tempted by Satan"? The problem with that conclusion is James 1:2, "My bretheren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations" (same word), and James 1:12, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation." God is saying it is a blessing, something to be joyful about, when Satan tempts you.
We read in I Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man." God is saying it is normative for the believer to walk in the path of temptation. Therefore, "bring me not into temptation" cannot be understood to mean "bring me not into a situation in which I am tempted of Satan." The solution to understanding this phrase is found when we substitute the word "trial" for "temptation." Of course, in every temptation we are being tried, but there is a trial, which every human being must face because of sins.
Another usage of the word "temptation," is found in Revelation 3:10, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation [same word], which shall come upon all the world, to try [same word] them that dwell upon the earth." This verse, too, should be translated "the hour of trial."
God is talking about judgment Day. Just as the man who is suspected of committing a crime is brought to trial, so, too, the unsaved are going to be tried and to be tested, at the Judgment Seat of God. Because there is none righteous, they will be found guilty and cast into hell. That is the "trial" we desperately wish to avoid as we pray, "bring me not into trial."
Born-again believers do not come into that hour of trial; we do not have to stand before the Judgment Throne of God because we have already been tried; we stood before the Judgment Throne of God when Christ stood before Pilate. Christ had become sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21); Christ has already given an account of all the sins of believers.
When Satan comes to tempt you through the circumstances around you, he is trying you to discover whether you are going to remain faithful to God or whether he can get you to sin.
God never comes with that kind of temptation. God tempts no man to evil. James 1:13, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." Sometimes God will remove His hand of restraint from us, and we will go deeper into sin, but He would never cause us to sin.
The unsaved will be brought, not led, into trial. Christ is coming as the Judge, and every eye shall see Him, and every one of the unsaved is going to give an account of his sins.

"Deliver us from evil"

The word "evil" here can be understood as Satan, as sin, and as the wrath to come. Before we are saved, we are in bondage to Satan, and we are in bondage to sin. These are the terrible evils to which every human is enslaved.
But in addition we are under the wrath of God. The judgment of God is a terrible evil that man is under because God's perfect justice demands full payment for sin. Therefore, the prayer "deliver us from evil" is also a prayer for salvation. To become saved is to be set free from bondage to sin and Satan and to be delivered from the wrath of God.

"For thing is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

The Lord's Prayer concludes with this marvelous doxology. The focal point is on God: "Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed by thy name," then the focal point shifts to God's salvation program in the world and in my heart, which is all through Christ.
The Lord's Prayer, is a magnificent prayer for mankind who desperately needs salvation. Jesus tells us how to pray. We are dead in our sins, and we are destined for hell. Christ in this beautiful prayer says come to God about salvation, and in this petition, in this prayer, we see salvation. And we see that all of the glory throughout eternity goes to God. Praise God for His wonderful salvation!

boomerangaz @ 2006-08-20T21:09:00

2006-08-21T01:10:02Z

Lord, Teach Us To Pray
(Luke 11:1)

An Exposition of "The Lord's Prayer"

Part 2 of 3

By Harold Camping

This exposition of "The Lord's Prayer" was transcribed From a message delivered by Harold Camping, host of "Open Forum" program, which is broadcast over Family Radio.

"Thy will be done"

The will of God is expressed, for example, in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
The will of God is that He will redeem a people for Himself. He will bring salvation to this world, and that relates personally to each of us, i.e., "Thy will be done" in my life. God's will, will be done in my life only if I am saved, if I have become a child of God.
If you are unsaved, God's will is not part of your life; if you are unsaved, you are going to live with your own will and not care about God's will. "Thy will be done," prayed from the heart means, "O God, make me obedient to thee; help me to abandon myself to thee. I want you to be my Savior."
The will of God ultimately includes the damnation of the unsaved. God's justice must be satisfied. When the day comes, He will bring vengeance upon the unsaved; that is God's business, and yet that is implied in the phrase, "thy will be done."

"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven"

God's will was established in heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ was in perfect obedience to the Father's will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ said, "not what I will, but what thou wilt" (Mark 14:36). Christ in His perfect obedience illustrates the perfect will of God. We ought to pray as He prayed so that in our life we might be obedient to God.

"Give us this day our daily bread"

Many people conclude that God is teaching us to pray for physical sustenance. Of course, we are dependent upon God for clothing, housing, and food, but what about Luke 12:22-23, "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?" He then says in verse 30, "For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things."
God gives no guarantee that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will always have a full bowl of rice. Whether we have enough to eat or not is immaterial. The big question that God wants us to face is: Are we spiritually nourished?
In Luke 11:3, Christ says, "Give us day by day our daily bread." The word "daily" ought to be translated "for the morrow" or "for the coming." It could be literally translated, "give us each day, or day by day, our bread for the morrow." That is, "give us each day the spiritual bread (Christ is the living bread) that will sustain us though out the future."
In Matthew 6:11, the Bible says it a little differently but also focuses on our need for Christ. There we read, "Give us this daily bread."
Hebrews 1:5 helps us to understand this. There we read, "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." "This day" is the same phrase that is used in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6, "Give us this day." Hebrews 1:5 seems to imply that at some point in time, the Lord Jesus Christ was begotten by the Father. We know that is not possible because the Lord Jesus Christ is from everlasting to everlasting.
God is speaking about the coming Lord Jesus Christ who is spoken of as "begotten" inasmuch as God raised Him from the dead after He had paid for our sins. The phrase "this day" also refers to the Lord Jesus even as Psalm 118:24 implies, where God declares, "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." And so, "Thou art my Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom I have raised from the dead." Likewise, in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6, by the phrase "Give us this day our daily bread," God is effectively saying, "Give us the Lord Jesus Christ as spiritual bread for tomorrow and forevermore."

"Day by day"

" In Luke, God days "day by day," and when we tie this passage together with the phrase in Matthew 6:11, "Give us this day our daily bread," we get this picture: "Give is Christ day by day, on a continuing basis, that we might have bread for the morrow," from moment to moment. What is the bread that the Bible talks about? Jesus says in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
He says in John 6:51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," effectively we are saying to God, "O God, give us the Lord Jesus Christ that we might be in Him, spiritually nourished and strengthened, so that we can walk day to day, moment to moment. Whatever the future holds, He is sufficient for us."

boomerangaz @ 2006-08-15T21:49:00

2006-08-16T01:58:04Z

Lord, Teach Us To Pray
(Luke 11:1)

An Exposition of "The Lord's Prayer"

Part 1 of 3

By Harold Camping

This exposition of "The Lord's Prayer" was transcribed From a message delivered by Harold Camping, host of "Open Forum" program, which is broadcast over Family Radio.

"Our Father"

When Jesus prayed, He addressed God as His Father. Amazingly, God commands us to also address God as "Our Father." We do not fully understand such condescension on God's part, but we do know that the Bible speaks of the Father as the giver of every good and perfect gift. We read in James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
The greatest gift of all, which is also the focus of the Lord's Prayer, is the gift of salvation. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
The Old Testament also has references to God as our Father. For example, Psalm 68:5, "A father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."
In the Bible, the fatherless is a reference to the spiritually destitute, the unsaved people. We are of God our Father through creation, but our sins have estranges us from God. Spiritually we are orphans, but God comes to us as a Father to the fatherless. God will be a Father to those who acknowledge their orphaned condition, their spiritual bankruptcy.
The Lord Jesus is spoken of as the everlasting Father in Isaiah 9:6, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
We read in Psalm 103:13, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him." God cares for those who love Him.
See also Isaiah 63:16, Isaiah 64:8, Romans 9:21, Romans 8:15-17, John 6:44, Luke 15:18.

"Which art in heaven"

God has revealed many things, but who God is remains a mystery. Mankind by nature wants to have a god whom they can see, the sun, an idol, or a river. Even if they become identified with the Christian religion, they may have all kinds of paraphernalia in their place of worship, because they want to see something tangible that they hope relates to God.
When we become saved, our relationship to God is a relationship of faith. In faith we believe that which we cannot see. We believe with fervency, abandonment, and trust.
Some say, "Well, we can see the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus said in John 14:9, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." It is true that He is the express image of the Father, but that does not tell the whole story. Jesus was on this earth to pay for out sins; He emptied Himself of His glory. He was not seen as the glorious God He really is, and He prayed to the Father while He was on this earth. He is the Father and yet the Father is a separate person, which is a mystery that our minds cannot comprehend.
If we sincerely pray, "Our Father who art in heaven," effectively we are saying, "Oh, God, we cannot see you with our physical eye, and we have no idea of how majestic, infinite, and great you are, but we know that you are the one to whom we look for redemption."
"Our Father who art in heaven," means that our salvation is rooted in heaven. Some people passionately want a salvation of this life and of this earth. They long for a day when they will see Jesus on this sin-cursed earth, but our salvation is infinitely more glorious than anything this earth can produce. We have become citizens of heaven, and eternally we will be with God in the new heavens and the new earth.

"Hallowed be thy name"

The word "Hallowed" is the word "holy," which means "set apart." Holy is thy name. Holy (set apart) is thy name. Each of us has a name to identify us among the people of the world. God needs no such identification because He alone is God. God does give Himself many names, such as Jesus, Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Faithful, True etc. These names describe attributes or characteristics of God.
The references in the Bible which speak of the "name" of God are speaking of God in all of His fullness, in all of His essence, everything that God is. And He in all of Hiss fullness is set apart (hallowed) as the only God, whom we are to fear, revere, obey, glorify, serve, and worship. He alone is supremely righteous. He is the creator of the world and upholds it by His power. He alone is the Savior; He is supremely holy and majestic.

"Thy kingdom come"

We read about the kingdom of God in John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Jesus is talking about the kingdom that God has established though the Lord Jesus Christ, which we enter into when we are saved. The kingdom of God consists of all who will become saved and live with Christ forever in the new heavens and the new earth. When we pray, "thy kingdom come," we are saying, "Oh, God, I want to be part of your kingdom; I want to be saved. Thy kingdom come in my life."
We are also saying, "Oh, Lord, we want thy kingdom to go out into the world and encompass all who are to be saved. We pray that the program of salvation which you design from before the foundations of the earth will come to fruition."

boomerangaz @ 2006-08-13T22:13:00

2006-08-14T02:18:06Z

DOES GOD LOVE YOU?

Tract from Family Radio

Part 3 of 3

Q You keep referring to the Bible. How important is the Bible?

A The Bible is the most important book in the world because it is God's Law book to the human race. By reading or listening to the Bible a person is in a place where God can save him if that is God's will for that person. Additionally he will also learn many wonderful and awesome truths about God and His salvation plan. Effectively he is hearing the voice of God because God is the author of the Bible and therefore is speaking to him by His Words (The Bible).

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Psalm 119:1

Q Can I pray that God might be merciful and save me?

A Absolutely YES! God is very merciful. Therefore, the Bible tells us that we can and should pray to Him, begging and pleading for mercy, for salvation, admitting that we are sinners who deserve the wrath of God. This will not get us saved, but we will have the assurance that God knows of our intense desire to become saved.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13

Q Should I attend a church?

A Definitely NOT! The Bible tells us that for almost 2000 years after Jesus died on the cross those who believe in Jesus, if possible, were to be members of a church. But now we learn from the Bible that God is no longer saving people through the ministry of the churches. The Church Age has come to an end. Fact is God commands in His Lawbook, the Bible, that the true believers are to leave their church. This is because God's righteous Judgment is upon all local congregations as God is preparing the world for Judgment Day which is almost here.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, let him understand, Then let them which be in Judaea (the local churches) flee into the mountains: (to Christ) Matthew 24:15,16

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God (the local churches) : and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17

We must remember we cannot be saved by a church or by a pastor or by a priest, or by water baptism or by the communion service. Only the Lord Jesus Christ who is God Himself can save us. The Bible teaches that at this present time that it is outside the churches that God is saving a great multitude of people.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds , and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; Revelation 7:9

You can obtain from Family Radio without any cost or obligation the free book "The End of the Church Age and After". It offers a great amount of Biblical information that shows us that we have come to the end of the church age. Please write to:

Family Radio, 290 Hegenberger Rd., Oakland, CA 94621

Q Please tell me more how God saves people.

A The Bible in John 11 gives an outstanding example showing that God alone does all the work of saving us. Christ brought to life a man named Lazarus who had been dead for four days. Jesus stood outside of the tomb of Lazarus and commanded "Lazarus come forth". Obviously, the stinking corpse within the tomb could not hear Him or obey Him. The Bible tells us that before we are saved we are spiritually dead. Yet God commands us to seek God, to believe, to repent. However, just as it was impossible for the dead Lazarus to obey Jesus' command to come out of the tomb, it is impossible for a spiritually dead person to obey God's command to believe on Jesus for salvation.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44

Yet Lazarus did hear Jesus' command and did come out of the tomb, a live person.

Q How did that happen?

A It meant that when Jesus commanded the dead Lazarus to come forth, Jesus, in His Spirit, had to enter that tomb and give that stinking corpse physical life, ears to hear, and a will and strength to obey the command of Christ. Likewise for those whom God plans to save as He commands us to believe, to repent, to become saved, He is speaking to spiritual corpses who of themselves could never become saved. Yet there are those who begin to believe on Jesus as Savior, who find that they are happiest when they do God's will. The evidence is in their life that somehow they had become saved. This can only happen because as God commanded them to believe, God also entered into their life and saved them. Because He saved them they found they had come to believe on Jesus. They found that sin had become very unpleasant to them. It was evident God had chosen them to become saved and as they heard the Gospel God did apply the Word of God to their lives and they did become saved. If you are not saved, listen diligently to the Bible. Carefully and prayerfully read and read the Bible. It may be that you, too, will receive salvation as God through His Lawbook, the Bible, calls you.

NO MATTER HOW AWFULLY YOU HAVE LIVED OR HOW TERRIBLY YOU HAVE SINNED, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT BY GOD'S MERCY YOU, TOO, HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD TO BECOME SAVED.

Remember, however, that God does everything in His time. Therefore, you should patiently wait upon the Lord while you continue to learn from the Bible.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:26

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:7,8

ARE YOU READY TO MEET GOD?

boomerangaz @ 2006-08-09T13:31:00

2006-08-09T17:35:08Z

DOES GOD LOVE YOU?

Tract from Family Radio

Part 2 of 3

Q Does that mean that at the end of the world everyone will be brought to life again to be judged and sent to Hell?

A Indeed it does; that is, unless there exists someone who could be our substitute in bearing the punishment of eternal damnation for our sins. That someone is God Himself, who came to earth as Jesus Christ to bear the wrath of God for all who believe in Him.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Corinthians 5:21

Q Are you saying that if I trust in Christ as my substitute, as the One punished for my sins, then I will not have to worry about Hell anymore?

A Yes, this is so! If I have believed in Christ as my Savior, then it is as if I have already stood before the Judgment Throne of God. Christ as my substitute has paid for my sins.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

Q But what does it mean to believe on Him? If I agree with all that the Bible says about Christ as Savior, then am I saved from going to Hell?

A Believing on Christ means a whole lot more than agreeing in my mind with the truths of the Bible. It means that I have come to trust the whole Bible, God's law book to me. It also means that I have an on-going earnest desire to be obedient to the commands of the Bible. Thus I find I am truly happy when I am living like God instructs me in the Bible.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:3

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

Q Are you saying that there is no way to escape Hell except through Jesus? What about other religions, including many that profess faith in Christ? Will their followers also go to Hell?

A Yes, indeed. They cannot escape the fact that God holds us accountable for our sins. God demands that we pay for our sins. Other religions cannot provide a substitute to bear the sins of their followers. Christ is the only one who is able to bear our guilt and save us. Therefore one must leave his religion and come to trust only the Bible.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. John 14:6

Q Now I am desperate. I do not want to go to Hell. What can I do to become saved?

A There is nothing you can do to get yourself saved. The Bible tells us that only God can save you. God performs the mighty miracle of salvation by applying the Word of God (the Bible) to the hearts and lives of those He plans to save. The effect of this miracle of salvation on the saved persons life is that now he has a love for God and the Bible. He now is happiest when he is obeying God's Law book, the Bible. Thus if a person truly desires to become saved he should spend much time carefully reading or listening to the Bible.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Ephesians 2:8

And a certain woman named Lydia... heard us (Paul who brought the Gospel to her) whose heart the Lord opened Acts 16:14