"A PROMISE OF BLESSING"

                      "And in you all the families of the earth be blessed"

                                                    (Gen. 12:3b)

In the course of time, God revealed Himself to a pagan idolater in the land that He would identify later. This call to Abraham was accompanied by promises of great and wonderful things, including:

The land where he was going. The promise, implicit in Abraham's call was made explicit when he arrived (Gen.12:7).

A great posterity. He and his barren wife would have children and other descendants, and they would be numerous and powerful.

Blessing. God's favor would rest upon him.

A great name.  Abraham would be honored and his deeds would be renowned in the world and through history.

Friendship and protection, "'I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse who curse you,"' God said.

But there was another promise, too, a more perplexing promise. God told Abraham, "'You shall be a blessing... And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."'

All these promises were given as part of the covenant God made with Abraham, as Genesis 15 reveals. The stipulation was obedience, best summed up by God's command in Genesus 17:1b:"'walk before Me and be blameless."' Of Abraham could not be blameless; he was a sinful man. But he walked before God with great integrity, particularly in taking God at His word (Rom.4). And because he did, God graciously granted all the promises to him and his descendants.

But what of the last promise? In what sense were "'all the families of the earth"' to be blessed in Abraham? What did God mean when He made this strange promise and affirmed it again and again (Gen.18:18;22:18;26:4;28:14)?

Simply put, this was another promise of a Redeemer for fallen mankind. And God was getting specific: he was saying that the Redeemer would come from Abraham's bloodline, but His work would be of benefit to more than Abraham's descendant alone. This son of Abraham would provide redemption for people all over the earth. In other words, Abraham's faith and obedience would have ramification throughout time and space. 

"Good for Everything

         "Finally Brethen be strong in the Lord in the Power of His might"

                                         EPHESIANS 6 : 10

         War, Whatis it good for? Absolutely nothing!" Those words flowed from the vocal cords of Bruce springdteen to speaker the size of three-story buildings. From there, they reverberated through the dkulls of 100,000 people packed into the Los Angeles Coliseum.

          It was 1985, and T thought I simply was experiencing another rock concert. Ihad recently graduated from college and was not a a Christian. I was unaware of the ideological battles that ars fought on cultural playgrounds.

          In terms of sheer audience dize and media impact, that concert now reminds me of large, artificial rallies once held in Berlin Moscow's Red Square. The slogans were different, nut the responses were equally dutiful and mindless, filled with "Absolute nothing!"

          When we look back at Hitler's shadow moving across the map of Europe, and even greater darkness of the holocaust, do we really have to ask what war is good fir? Make love, not war" is a cute phrase, but it lacks of substance when soldier are pounding on your door.

          That is not to say that all Christians have agreed with the idea of just war. But we are united against spiritual forces of wickedness ( Eph. 6 : 10 20 ). And bacause Scripture  attests to that idea, most Christians take the next step and affirm that we may make war to stop great evil.

          This would explain why war is common throughout the Bible. Since the Garden of Eden, man has been atenmity with his fellow man and with God. Resolving these two battle is a central theme of the Bible, and nowhere in the Bible is this more clear than in the book of Joshua. The first 12 chapters deal with the consuest of canaan. Along the way, there are many bloody battles, and the descriptions  and tallies of the dead leave us uncomfortable with God's means. It is not wrong to ask why God  ordered the annihilation of the Canaaites. But it is dangerous to think that wehave more compassion than God. God is love, but He is not only love, He is also a God of wrath. He carefully measures His wrath and pours it out on sinful, unrepentant people. In this canaanites, who partook of incest, adultery temple prostitution, child sacrifice, idolatry, and bestially.

         The penalty for cosmic treason against our Commander is death. Justice was served in the destruction of the Canaanites. Perhaps what makes us uncomfortable is not the blood, but that it is by grace of God (not our own works ) that we are spared GoD's wrath.

          Months after attending that concert, I became a Christian. I was drafted into God's army and now battle for battles for hearts minds, and bodies. War, what is it good for? Absolute everything

"The Giving Factor"

          Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down,

                                  Shaken together, running over.

                                           LUKE 6:38 NASB

Much of our day is spent in getting. We get up in the morning in order to get a good breakfast before we get a ride to work. We get in gear and get the job done so we can get a paycheck that will pay for a getaway on the weekend so we might get rest to get a jump on the coming week!

          The Gospel challenges us to become people who are more concerned about giving than  getting. Giving sound noble, and we instinctively know it's the "right thing to do," but in practice, giving is difficult. Genuine giving involves concern for others, and ultimately it requires the demolition of pride and self--centeredness. Giving is a sacrifice, letting go of at least part of that which we believe to be "ours."

          The great mystery is that in giving, we get. What we get may not be what we had originally intended to get. Yet those whoare generous in their givingrepeatedly say: what they get in return is always far more valuable and meaningful than what they gave or what they had originally intended to get.

          Norman Vincent Peale once said:

          The man who lives for himself is a failure. Even if he gains much

           wealth, Position, or power, he is still a failure.

          The man who lives for others has achieved true success. A rich

           Man who consecrates his wealth and his posistion to the good

            Of humanity is a sucess. A poor man who gives of his service

           And sympathy to other has achieved true success. Even though

           Material prosperity or outward honors never come to him."

Find a way to give something to someone in need today, whether of your money, tome, talent, effort, service, tears, laughter, ideas, or possessions. Give freely and generously, not motivated by a payback. The payback will come, but let its arrival be a joyful surprise i. Your day!

          

A Pastor's Perspective "The Pastor Doesn't Know"

             "As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how 

              the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: 

            even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all"

                                            Ecclesiastes 11:5

           How does a bush burn without being consumed? How does an iron ax head float in the water? How can man be givien a renewed body after being dead for three days? I don't know! There you have it. The pastor said, "I don't know!" of God who makes everything" ( Eccl.11:5). The principle is that the pastor is not God.

           The pastor's call must be accompanied by preparation, wisdom, discernment, and resolve. Wisdom and discernment are necessary to make decisions that will affect the  A PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE.

           It is sure it's hard for a pastor to say "I don't know." Think of how you would feel if you went to the doctor with symptoms that resembled those of a heart attack and the doctor simply said, "I don't know what's wrong with you." Think of how you would feel if you asked your mechanic why your car would not start and he replied, "I don't  know." You expect an answer based on your doctor's or your mechanic's expertise, and they certainly want to give you one. Although incompetency is more common than most of us like to admit, people who are educated, have skills in a particular field, and have matured with wisdom are rarely ready to say "I don't know."

          The preacher in Ecclesiastic has a word for the preacher in your town who doesn't like to say "I don't know": "As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb her who is with child, so you do not know the works spiritual warefare of church members. Resolve is necessary to apply those decisions for the spiritual benefit of the church members. However, there are times when understanding the virtue of humility and admitting "I don't know" will serve the best interest of the congregation. 

         Church members should have confidence in the pastor's analysis, explaination, and application of God's word to their  individual lives and the culture in which they. Every pastor should have his "Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other hand" if he expects to honor his sheperdly call to guide and guard the sheep under his care. However, all too often the pastor thinks he must have an answer for everything because he thinks the church member expect it.

         For instance, a young single male might ask, "pastor, should I get married? I really need a wife." The young man may need a wife, and the Bible commands God's people to be fruitful and mutltiply, so the principle of marriage shoukd prevail. But can the psator say for certain that the young man should marry? The pastor should counsel the church member with all wisdom and humility may be able to give wisdom in the matter, but he may well have to say honesty, "I don't know" because of various ambiguous and uncertain factors held in consideration.

        Question in relation to reality that are more difficult to understand are the question that may cause the pastor to confess his lack of omniscience more often. If the pastor's understanding, reasoning, and discernment are such that there is no "gray" area, no adiaphorous matters, then the pastor has become as God with all knowledge. For the sake of the pastor and his congregation, he must be prepared to acknowledge his inability to assert acknowlege.

        Don't follow me, I'm lost" was the acute message on a bumper sticker. I say "acute" because it cuts to the nerve of evangelical Christianity's lack of respect for the pastor's work in this massive Information age. I can't recall the number of times a church member has greeted me after church, quickly reminding me that I should have vidited during the week before the Lord's Day because of the member's upset stomach, ingrown toenail, coughing spell, ad infinitu'. My recorded message was, "How was I supposed to know? The message from the pew is loud and clear the pastor should know everything.

        We need to come to grips with the notion that the pastor cannot know everything, or, should I say  the pastor should not know everything. The pastor is a mere man. He cannot know what he doesn't know. The principle applies to everything from mundane matters of everyday life to the most complex theological or philosophical questions. The serious question n life require thoughtful inquiry, but in final analysis the answer may not be forthcoming. It may be "I don't know."

        I remember Dr. John Gerstner preaching a difficult passage he came to a point where he said, "other theologians don't have an answer and neither do I, but I'll give you my opinion for what it's worth or maybe for what it's not worth." Even with all his preparation, gifts, and abilities, the pastor must be a humble man before the God who knows all things, including the heart of His anointed.

        It is with a sense and attitude of humility like that of the prophets of the old that pastor should strive to be effective shepherds. The prophets Jeremiah was quik and judicious to say, "'Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am youth"' ( Jer.1:6 ). The prophet demonstrated the kind of humility that is conpicuously absent in the contemporary church. Slomon is another example of one admitting to his insufficiency to lead a nation. Solomon said, "'Now, O Lord my God, havd made Your servant king instead of my father David, but i am a little child; I do  not know how to go out or cole in'" (1Kings3:7). He knew enough to say, "I don't know."

        The pastor has something to say to his congregation, but he is not "Ask Jeeves" and he is not the answer man. As the congregation looks to the pastor for instruction, protection, and discipline, they also should expect him to demonstrate the integrity that may require him to say, "I don't know."

"In His Sight"

                           The horse is made ready for the day of battle

                                       But victory rests with the Lord.

                                                    Proverb 21:31

          Lexington, kentucky is reowned for producing the finest thoroughbred race horse in the world. More than 140 horse are located within the city limits and on the outskirts of the city. But it's not just the beautiful acreage that draws serious breeders to buy farms or horses in that area. The Kentucky Bluegrass area has something that cannot be found in such abundance anywhere else on earth a particular type of limestone that lies just the right distance under the surface of the ground, continuously releasing vital minerals into the soil.

         Plants grown in this soil, such as the grass the horses eat, are rich in the precise combination of minerals needed to build extremely strong but very light bones ideal for racing. Thus, a colt eating kentucky blueglass spend his first two years eating exactly what will help him win the race of his life!

         Along the same line, consider the habits of the Alaskan bull moose. The older makes of the species battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with their giant rack of antlers. Often the antlers, their only weapons, are broken. When this happens, the moose with the broken a tlers will assurely be defeated.

         The heftiest moose with the largest and strongest antlers almost always triumphs. Therefore the battle fought in the fall is really won in the summer when they do nothing but eat. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fall. Those that eat inadequately have weakers antlers and less bulk.

         There is a spiritual lesson here for all of us. Battles awaits us, and we must be prepared. Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials can be developed before they are needed by spending time with God.

         Choose today to steep yourself in God's Word and to spend time with Him in prayer. If troubles arise later, you will be attuned to your Father's voice and be  able to get His battle plan which is always the winning one! so be in His sight!!

From Hatred to Love"

        "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary 

                         to the name of Jesus Of Nazareth

                                           ACT 26 : 9

        Paul is struck by the irony of the Jews opposing him for teaching that which is the great hope of Judaism resurrection, nevertheless, he understands their antipathy for he has been in their shoes. He like they, once opposed Jesus' work of building His church. As he says"'I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth."' Dr. Kistemaker notes that "the term name must be understood in the broad sense of Jesus' teaching and ministry, is, His revelation." Paul is saying that he once was utterly opposed to everything Jesus stood for. With these words to King Agrippa and the other dignitaries assembly in governor festus' audience chamber Paul moves a brief recap of his persecution of the church.

       Much of what Paul says here has been reported earlier in Acts. He notes that he acted on the authority of the authority of the chief priests to imprison believers in Jerusalem furthermore, he says that when their trials took place before the Sanhedrin, he voted as the prosecutor that christianss should be put to death. He says he "'punished the' often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme."' It is uncertain what Paul means by "'blaspheme,"' though kistemaker writes that "the context implies the cursing of Jesus' person, teaching, and work ( 1cor. 12:3)." Paul confesses that he was "'exceedingly enraged"' against the christians, so much so that he was willing to go after believer even in Damascus.

      Even before Paul recounts for Agrippa what happened to him on the Damascus road, he here gives the king an example of the change that has taken place in him. Whereas he once hated, persecuted, hunted, and condemned Christians, he now calls them "saints." Writing in his commentary on Acts kistemaker says, "by using this explicit term, the former prosecutor not only openly admits that he inflicted injuries on innocent people but also ascribes to them the attributes of holiness. In short, he regards the' highly." Paul has moved fro' hatred of believers to love for them. He once attacked them mercilessly, believing he was bringing divine vegeance on God enemies. But now he sees these people of the way as the people of God. Beloved and sanctified by the heavenly. God has changed his heart and mind completely.

"Encouraging word"

"A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass."

Isaiah 40 : 6-7

   Isn't that wonderful?! You're nothing but grass! Before you stop reading this seemingly discouraging word, consider this. What if the opposite of God's observation were true? What if we do last forever in the flesh and never fade? I see two things:

1.First, you'd have to live with yourself forever. Many people are afraid to die, but I'm not so sure that the alternate of living forever in our bodies is such a hot idea, either. I can't imagine living in this sinful body with all of its frailties and lliving toward sin. When my deadline arrives, I'm not filing an extension.

2. Second, not only would you live forever, those persecute you and who hate God would live forever. Living forever would not help us escape their influence and actions. Oh, what a disaster that would be. Now do you feel a little more encouraged about your latest medical problem, your latest fight with the bosx, your latest Battle with sin? Cheer up. It won't last. It's grass.

"God's thinking is Heaven Man's thinking is Earth"

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and Empty deceit, according to the tradition of men to the basic principle of the world, and not according to Christ.

COLOSSIANS 2:6(KJV)

   There is a subtle temptation that encourages Christians to be practical." That is, they try to do God's work in man's way. Getting results" becomes the primary focus. It almost seems that we believe that the end justifies the means. Don't be led away by the world's reasoning. An examination of God's Word shows that the means are sometimes even more important than the results. The World tries to convince you that as long as you can accomplish something for the kingdom of God's that's all matters. For examples, Ananians and Sapphira gave an offering to their church, which was good thing, but they did it deceitfully. God judged them immediately, not for what they did, but for how they did it (Acts 5:1-11).

   Satan tried to trap Jesus with this same temptation. Satan did not question the worrthiness of Jesus' task, but simply offered "practical" solution to accomplish Jesus' goal more quickly and at lesser code. God's ways are not like man's ways. "Efficiency" from man's perspective is not prized by God. It did not seem efficient to have the children of Israel march around Jericho thirteen times and then blow their trumphets, but it brought the walks down (Josh.6). It did not appear wise to select the youngest of Jess's sons to become the next king, but God saw a man after his own heart (1Sam.16:11). At first glance, it does not seem logical for Jesus to have picked the twelve disciple He did, yet through them God dramatically affected their world. It is never wise to attempt to do God's work in man's way. It is an age -old temptation that seems to make sense on the surface but often is at variance with the purpose of God.

"Demonic Challenge"

              "But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit,

                "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come

                          out of her and he came out that very hour

                                               ACTS 16 : 18b

         Paul's work in Macedonia off to a successful start with the conversion of Lydia and her household. But trouble comes unexpectedly, One day as the missionaries are going to the place of prayer, they encounter a slave girl "possessed with a spirit of divination." Dr. Simon Kistemaker explains that the Greek rendered "divination" derives from a word referring to Python, the mythical snake that guarded the Delphic Orade. "In later years, the term denoted a spirit of divination that dwelled in a medium," he writes. "As the priestess of Apollo at Delphi was able to predict the future, so this slave girl serves her masters in Philippi as a fortuneteller. She was an instrument of devils who used her as a mouthpiece." Her demonic bondage enables her to make much money for her masters. However, when she encounters the missionaries, she immediately cries out a truthful, yet enigmatic statement:""These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."

        This raises several questions. Is she truly able to predict future event? We cannot be sure; the answer depend on whether God makes His plan known to satan to any extent. Also why would Satan allow this girl to make a truthful confession about Paul and his companions? The incident is similar to Jesus' encounters with demon possessed people who cried out involuntarily in His presence (Matt.8:28-29; Mark1:23-24); thus her cries may not be intentional. However, satan may be using a truthful testimony delivered in a disruptive way to frustrate Paul's ministry efforts. It is also possible the Gentiles hearing the girl being led to believe that "Most High God" is a reference to Zeus. Finally does Paul tolerate her cries for "many days"? We must remember that he lacks Jesus divine ability to detect evil spirits. Therefore, it seems likely that he refrain from acting until the Spirit reveals to him that he is facing a case of demonic possession.

        Paul finally uses his divine given authority uses his divinely give authority as an apostls, ordering the demon ""in the name of Jesus Christ" to come out. It does so right away. The girl is delivered, but Oaul's troubles are just beginning, for the girls now useless to her masters as aptofut source. In anger, these powerful Philippians has Paul and Silas seized and dragged before the city authority meeting in the marketplace.

" BRING THE NOISE"

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs 

Psalm 100:1(KJV) 

   When you are invited to someone's home for a dinner party, do you customarily bring a gift?  It's nice to say "thank you" in advance, and to express gratitude for the celebration you will enjoy. When choosing your gift, you will give thought to the planning, purchasing and work your host has gone to in order to entertain you. You want your offering to show your appreciation for these things.

   What gift do you hold in your hands when enter the doors of your church on friday? Do you come with a thanful heart prepared to praise God for all He has done? This week, before you worship, take time to consider all God has done for you in Christ He died for you. He forgave you. He gave you the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word, and He has blessed with christian friends to encourage you. Wow! That's something to celebrate! Bring the Noise! "Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

   Worship is the response of a heart that is excited about  the God we serve. Come to your church worship service ready to celebrate the blessing you have in christ. Lift your heart in praise to God for every detail of your life, and let your praises overflow to Him. Here you must do it! God's people get loud and extreme for rock stars. Movie stars, and famous athletes, but they think it's disrespectful to cheer for Me. Do you think the only way to worship Me is with your face in a hymnal bowing your head, or kneeling has decieved you. I want you to get loud for me. My word says it's okay. i made you part of your generation. True, I made times for kneeling, but I also made times for celebrating.

   So if I've done something good for you, if there's anything about Me that you like then Shout thank to Me. If you play music, then write songs for Me, and turn up the volume when you play them. You have My permission to get loud. Crank up! The one who Made thunder your God.

"IN SEASON AND OUT"

                 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; 

               reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine"

                                                2 Timothy 4 : 2

The Old Testament narratives are to the Law what the book of Acts is to the epistles of Paul. That is, in the law of moses we find brief commandments telling us how to live, but in the narratives of the Old Testament we see that Law applied to myriad real-life situations. Likewise, in the epistles we find short, sometimes pithy statements from the apostle Paul, but in the book of acts we see how he lived out those principles.

          Paul challenged his young disciple, Timothy, to preach the word "in season and out of season throughout Acts, and particularly in chapter 17, we see what this looks like in the context of daily ministry.

          Take a second look at Acts 17 and list all of the people who came into contact with Paul. Then note the wide variety of reactions to his message.

          Sometimes the Wird was hated. The Jews in Thessalonica opposed Paul in the stiffest of terms. Their opposition resulted in mob violence in the marketplace and the ransacking of the home where Paul was thought to be staying. This group even pursued Paul to the next town, Berea, when they heard he was ppreaching there. While wpaul's ministry in Thessalonica bore some fruit, I think Paul would have classified his time there as being largely "out season,"

         In Berea, the next town iver, the Word was received. What made the difference?

Did Paul make the Word more palatable to his. Hearers? Luke clearly tells us that the difference was to be found in the people themselves; they were more "fair-minded" (Acts17:11) and searched the Scriptures, so that "many of them believed" ( verse 12 ). This ministry was "in season."

        In athens, the word came to the indifferent. Paul reasoned in the synagogue, as usual, but also in the marketplace with "those who happened to be there" (Acts 17:17). Next he was invited to the Areopagus to introduce pagans to an unknown God. Quite apart from his methodical reasoning in the synagogues, one grts the feeling that Paul was free lancing at this point, that is, he had no idea what to expect from the Athenians. Did Paul preach because he was impressed with si many Athenians "seekers." No, he preached because that is what he was commissioned to do.

         In all circumstances good, bad or indifferent Paul preached the Word. In this pragmatic age when ministry is judgedcrassly by how many people flock to hear the Word, we would do well to listen to the apostle's admonition to Timothy. Yes there are many ways to communicate the Gospel. But instead of pulling out our calculators to see who is receiving our message and who is notp, we should be truly tenacious about only one thing being true to our commission to proclaim the Word in Season and out.

        

"SHADOW OF THE FUTURE"

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a Salvation?"

HEBREWS 2:3

  Perhaps one of the greatest qualities of successful people is a sense of urgency. You know, the kind of people who just seem to be able to get things done at just the right time and it's usually sooner rather than later.

  Urgency is important in our understanding of prophecy as well. Jesus could return at any time, and every Christian must be ready for His arrival. And it's comforting to know that the Lord's return will not begin suddenly without warning signs beforehand. Just as future events cast their shadows before them, so we will have adequate signs to alert us of the Lord's arrival.

  How are we to respond to these events? We must be sure that our own heart is prepared to meet the the Lord. But beyond that, we should be utterly motivated and inspired to share our faith in Christ with others. When we understand that today could be the last oppurtunity we will have to lead another to Christ, it creates a sense of urgency in us is you knew that the Lord were returning tomorrow, whom would you tell today? Take advantage of today while it is still today. You may not have another chance.

THE DAY THE SUN STOOD STILL

         "So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,and did 

                Nothastento go down for about a whole day"

                                     JOSHUA 10:13b

         The sun is God's Creation.  That's important to remember. God made the sun, the moon, and the stars. out of absolute nothing He created them. He ordered exactly how close the earth would come to the rays of the sun's heat and light. Thus our world doen't freeze with the intense cold experienced by the planet pluto, and it doesn't burn with the intense heat experience by Mercury. Inaddition, God the Creator set the course of this world's orbit around the sun so that it takes 365.25 days. And He determined the speed the earth spins on its axis, so that every 24 hours the sun "rises" on the eastern horizon once again. Elementary, of course. All these facts are well-known to every budding sixth-grade physicist.

         But be careful that your assumption does not become presumption! For it has not always been so and it will not always be the same. Only because of God's covenant in creation and redemption is this order maintained with such regularity; and when irrgullarity better suit the larger purpose of God, the pattern of the past will not prevail. Consider then "the day the sun stood still."

         The difficulty of believing of this is somewhat understandable. The earth spins on its axis at approximately 1,10 mile per hour. Most people know what happens when a car traveling at 60 miles per hour has a head-on collision the car stops, but everything inside keeps speeding ahead at 60 miles per hour. if the earth, spinning on its axis at 1,000 miles per hour suddenly stops, then cars, people, elephants, and everything else will continue to travel at 1,000 miles per hour with the prosoect of going into orbit!

         This may be why so many people seek ways to "get around" the language of the book of Joshua: perhaps it is using a poetic form of speech, they say or perhaps ther was a mere refraction of the sun's light that created the illusion that is was standing still. But getting back to the basic of the Bible, it must be noted that both within and without the framework of the poetic mode expression in the narrative, this phrase is repeated: "the sun stood still." The hard, cold fact of the matter is underscored bu the next phrase: "There has been no day like that, before it or after it" (Joshua 10:14a). Many days have been describe poetically and nany have included peculiar refraction of the sun's light. But never has there been a day like thus one, in which the sun stood still.

        But why? What was the occasion? What brought about such a spectacular display of God's intervention in the regulated process of time and history? It was the simple but fervent prayer of a man gilled with zeal for the coming of God's kingdom that triggered the whole situation. As the narrative reports, "There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to the voice of a man!" ( Josh. 10:14, NAB).

        All through the night Joshua had led his army in a force march from Jericho to the region west of Jerusalem. They had trudged 12 to 1$ miles in the dark, ascending more than 3,000 feet in a matter of hours. They fought a well- prepared coalition of forces from the dawn of the next day until dust.They then pursued their stricken foes uphill, downhill and uphill again.

        And then Joshua had the audacity to ask for more time! Without a sign of complaint from his dog- tired troops, this singular warrior for the Lord requested a longer day do he could claim a complete victory over the Lord's enemies.

        So the Lord, the Creator of the universe the One who controls the orbit of the earth about the sun did this spectacular thing. He  made the sun stand still until Joshua had completed his task. There's little point in quibbing about the fact that it actually was the earth that stood still instead of the sun. Just as the most knowledgeable physicist of today may refer to the beautiful "sunrise each morning, So Scriptures speak quite naturally according to the convention of common human observation.

       The Lord responded in this spectacular to the prayer if His zealous servant. The Almighty did not hesitate to make use of His divine power to work salvation for Hus people.

       So today believer in Christ have even more reason to show zeal for thei Lord. Yet it often appears that the Lord's servant of today have far less zeal than Joshua of old. They want to do the least amount of work in the shortest time possible. Little zeal may be found among suburban Christians to respond to the needs of people in the inner city. Christians of the West show a great reluctance to deny themselves the comforts of home so they can minister to the millions of orphans and street children who have arisen in the Third World as a consequence of the Aid's epidemic.

       Yet the rises Lord has given His Great commission. All the world must hear His Gospel before the final sign of the Son of Man appears. Only after this Gospel has been preached to all the nation will the end come ( Matt. 24:14,30).

       May God the Creator, the Lord of redemption, move His people with a zeal that will consume them---all for the glory of God. May Christians live today as though they still believe in the God who made the sun stand still.

         

"GET INTO THE FIGHT"

                                                Figth on for God.

                                              1 timonthy 6:12TLB

In the Christ life, there is no such thing as a maintenace mode! You may never have thought of it this way, but once you decided to answer

God's call on your life and surrender to Him and His will, you began an adventure! And there's no turning back from the exciting path you've chosen!

Likewise, you can't stand still. No, the only direction christians can move in their wonderful journey with Jesus christ is forward! That's why the scripture are so full of encouragement, admonition, direction and prodding because the Lord knows our tendency toward spiritual inertia and stagnancy. The Scripture push and prod us to eagerly hunt down our Christian growth with the persistence and patience of a hunter on a quest: pursue what is good" ( 1 thessalonians 5:1 ) "seek righteousness seek humility" ( zephaniah 2:3). "Run with endurance the race that is set before us," (Hebrew 12;1), and pursue...faith, love, peace...." ( 2 timonthy 2: 22). 

Are you pursuing holiness and godliness earnestly seeking after the Lord and all that He wants to do in your life? Run toward the Lord with the passionste desire to grow in Him!

Sometimes people give up on life, not because it's too hard, but because it's easy... Not because it's too difficult, but because there's no real challenge worth the risk of fighting.

I want you to be filled with desire to fight for a higher and greater purpose than yourself. I want you to spend your energy and use your gifts for the greatest good. I want you to know what it's like to stand and fight with Me on the battlefield of faith--to taste the triumph of victory in your life. I don't want you to come to the end of your life winder, "now, what was that all about? Life is much too valuable. You are too valuable.

Hook up with Me, and we'll face our enemies together!

"STRENGTH TO GET THE JOB DONE"

                                 He gives strenght to the weary and

                                    Increases the power of the weak.

                                               I S A I A H 40 : 29

Have you ever been worn out? Ever felt like you have forty-eight hours of homework to do. And only four in which to do it? When you're physically and mentallly exhausted, call on Me. I can cut your workload in half!

If you'll stop and listen to Me, I'll show you shortcuts and more efficient ways to get the job done. Some of the things you're doing might not even need to be done. Most of all, after spending time with Me, you'll be strenghtened in your mind and body. My love is like a spiritual vitamin that refreshes and wakes you up. Five minutes with Me could save you hours of work.

 

A time you may feel so worn out and stressed that you are not sure you can take another step. You may seem to spend all your time running from crises to crises and to be constantly giving your time and energy to others. Your Lord wants to renew your strenght and enable you to enjoy the abundant life He intends for you, the key is to wait upon Him to do so.

Our generation does not enjoy waiting. We are harried by all the commitment we have made and the many responsibilities we hold. We rush throught our lives without stopping to evaluate our activities. Sometimes in our haste to get on with our work, we race ahead of God. Part of God's restorative process is to slow us down and seek His will reveal His plans.

Biblically, waiting on the Lord is never passive; it is always active. Waiting requires us to cease our own pursuits and give God our complete attention. We may have to give up some of the activities we have allowed to in undate our lives. We may need to take an entire day to sit quietly before the Lord. If we ask Him, God will show us the  resources He has provide to help with the work we have been attempting on our own. God may address feelings of guilt that have motivated us to things that He has not asked us to do.

Jesus carried more responsibility than you do. More people needed Him than will ever need you. Yet He was never overwhelmed or inadequate for the task. Now Christ offers to guide you so that you will fulfill your heavenly Father's will and gain the strength necessary for each day ( Matthew 11:28 ).

So when you feel likes you just can't go on. . . Don't take a break and let Me renew your strength.

"Lover of My Soul"

         "Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is

          Sweet, and your face is lovely. My lover is mine and I am his."

                                      Song of Songs 2:14,16

When I approach the Lord in prayer, I relate to Him in different ways. Occassionally I talk with Him as my elder Brother, which he is. If I'm under spiritual attack, I'll go to Him in prayer as the Captain of my soul. He is my friend when I want to pour out my heart. I even have single friend who look up to the Lord as their Husband, as it says in Isaiah 54.

         Lately I've enjoyed relating to my Savoir as the Lover of my soul. And when I want to tell the Lord how much I adore Him, I use the language of love in the Song of Songs. This beautiful book in the Bible is more than just a love poem; it's a picture of the love relationship between the Bridegroom and His bride.

         From your heart, tell Jesus that He is the fairest of ten thousand, praise Him for being altogether lovely. Let Him know that His love is better than wine. He is the Rose of sharon, the Lily of the Valley. and to top it off, sing to whim thus beautiful hymn inspired by the Song of songs

 

         Lord with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know; 

         Gracious Spirit from above, thou hast taught me it is so!

          O, this full and perfect peace! O, this transport all divine!

          In a 'ove which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine

          Close me in your everlasting arms, Lord, and let my soul

          Find rest and peace as i lean on your breast. May doubts 

          And cares fly away. No one, nothing, shall ever part us. I 

          Am Yours. . . Praise You for being mine.

"Reading Existentially"

        So Abraham rose early in the mor,ing and saddled his donkey,

          and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; 

               and hr split the wood  for the burnt offering and arose 

                       And went to the place of God had told him

                                             Genesis 22 : 3

       One major corrective for the Bible's perceived irrelevance is to read and study it existentially. In many circles, particularly those of conservative Protestants, the word existential is frowed upon because of its association with the philosophical school of existentialism. But to read the Bible existentially is not to read it in accordance with the tenets of this philosophical moment. Rather, it is simply to read it as people who are personally, passionately, and intimately involved with its contents. We should never come to Bible while holding ourselves aloof fro' message. We must step into its pages and read it as if, in a sense, it was  written directly to us . As we learn to do this, the drama of the Bible will come alive, helping us bridge the cultural gap between the time the scriptures were written and our own day.

       Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and theeologian, provides an example of this technique in his book fear and Trembling.

       After reading of Abraham's test of faith in Genesis 22, Kierkegaard began to reflect on the story particularly the seemingly insignificant detail, related in verse 3, that Abraham rose early in the morning. Why?, Kierkegaard asked himself, did he rise early? Was it because Abraham was so eager to carry out the duty God had given him? Perhaps. But as Kierkegaard began to personalize the passage, putting himself in Abraham's shoes, another possibility presented itself. Abraham was an old man who had waited years for a son. That son had finally come, according to God's promise, and Abraham loved him dearly. Kierkegaard realized that if he had been in Abraham's position, he would have risen early because the night following God's stunning command to sacrifice Isaac would have been spent in fitful, sleepless tossing and turning! Suddenly, Abraham was no longer a super saint, able to cheerfully carry out duties that would make others tremble. Rather, he was an old, sad, troubled man--a real man, with biblical texts. But we need to strive to feel what the character feel. We need to see the humanity of the people on the Bible's  pages and let their existence touch our own. They are not fictional but real, and  their lives are recorded to teach us very real lessons.

Take your vacation

http://youtu.be/TNRldP18bH8

"God Power is at work"

     " Because your rage against Me and you tumult have come up to

        my ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose and my bridle

         your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came"

                                            Isaiah 37 : 29

      The Lord responded to Hezekiah prayer through the voice of Isaiah and assured the king that He would save his people. Isaiah pronounced a declaration of judgment against Assyria for its boasting against God and its presumptuous belief that it could defy heaven itself by the power of its armies. As David wrote in Psalm 2, God thought little of Sennacherib's boasting: "why do the nation rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed. . . He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure."

      The Lord spoke to the king of Assyria and told him that he would not touch the city of His children, and that he had done a foolish thing to blaspheme the name of Jehivah. Sennacherib thought himself so powerful, but God was the one who made the city of Jerusalem: "Did you not hear long ago how I made it, from ancient times that I formed ut? Itis a foolish thing to think that one can tear down what God has created, for He has established His people and nothing can shake them when He stands with them.

      God's people will be under His continual protection because He has chosen them. It is as if He says to His enemies, "I have founded the church, and therefore the salvation of the church shall always be my care. I will not leave unfinished the work which I have begun, but will carry it forward to perfection." He reiterated this point in verse 35 when He said, "For I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake." Because of the covenant He had made with His people, he would deluver them from their enemies.

       The Lord defends and preserve His work because it involves His honor abd our salvation.He is the Maker of the church, for we are His workmanship, created by His spirit. This work of sanctifying and glorifying His church is more excellent than the whole creation. God's love and care for His church never wanes. It was a foolish thing, therefore, for Sennacherib to think He could defy God Himself and destroy the city of Jerusalem, just as it is foolish for anyone today to think he can tear down the church of Jesus Christ.

        It is easy to allow worry to get the better of us when we conside the hostility toward the Gospel in today's world. We can attacks in the media, in the government, from almost everywhere. But while things may become more difficult, God will never desert His people. How can you demontrate your trust to sustain His Church?

"Free Steak Dinner"

                 "The Lord" brought me out into a spacious place;

                       He rescued me because he deligted in me.

                                           PSALM 18 : 19

When you read this psalm, you are struck by the fact that God moves heaven and earth to come to your aid when you cry to Him for help. At your heartfelt plea, your Lord thunder from heaven scatters your enemies. Verses sixteen, seventeen, and nineteen then add, "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me  from my powerful enemy. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

          Don't ever think that when you pray for God's support, He remains uncaring or unfeeling about your plea. God is not off somewhere on a mountaintop at an arm's lenght from your cry. When you pray for help, He does not lean over the wall of His ivory tower to tell you to beg louder.

          God is attentive to your needs as a caring father is to his dearest son. When you send out a distress call to the Lord, He parts the heavens to come to your rescue. And if you need to be reminded read psalm entirely: No one who lets out a genuine cry of distress is thinking about manipulating God. Impossible! A heartfelt plea for help carries with it no desire to control the way the Lord deals with you. Rather, such a prayer implies that you've cast yourself on the Lord's mercy, with no hint of impure motive. When you pray like that God immediately recognize the sincerity of your heart and rushes to aid.

          Whenever I hear People say, "Oh, I'm doing pretty well under the circumstances," I always want to say, "what are you doing under the circumstances? Get put from under there"

          I want your life to be better than just okay. I want it to be awesome! I know everybody has hard days sometimes. But My point is that it will always get better. If you're starving, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich tastes good, but a steak dinner tastes even better. But if you stick with Me, I'll lift you high above the circumstances. I want to bless you.

                

         

        

                  

Song to remember

https://www.facebook.com/emad.shawky.370/posts/965436936822382

"LET Me Cover YOU

          "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

               the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

                              who comforts us in all our troubles.

                                          2 Corinthians 1:3-4

          Have you ever slept under a under a comforter? It's a plush blanket filled with downy softness that is warm and ultra-cozy. On a cold night, there's nothing like curling up under a warm comforter.

Think of Me that way. I am your comforter. Some people think of Me as a thin sheet or a hard mattress. "What a lie! Like that are meant to keep you from running to Me where you belong. Believe me, I'm just waiting to hold you and cover you. You can curl up in My arms and relax from your struggles. I long to hold you and protect you, My child. I long to comfort you. Run to me.

          What word best describes the way you feel when feel when you watch a dear friend in agony? What is the word you wrap around your feelings when you see pictures on television of starving refugees in africa, or earthquakes victims in Armenia? It probably is the word "compassion."

          We use that word frequently yet hardly give its true meaning much though. I looked up compassion in the dictionary and discovered that the first part of the word mean "with," which relates to the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross." Amazing what you find in some dictionaries!

          When you feel compassion, you experience what Christ feels. And when you say you have compassion for someone, you are standing with that person, agonizing with him, and suffering as though you were in his shoes. Just as Christ placed himself on the cross on our behalf, we are demonstrating compassion when we take on the cross that someone else is bearing. "Let Me Cover You" with my Love and compassion.

         God doesn't want you to merely about a person in heartbreaking circumstances. Aren't your  glad that Jesus did more than just "feel bad" about your sin? He went much further than Pitying our sad situation. He put himself in our place, and His love has given new meaning to the word "compassion."

        "Let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth ( 1John 3:18 ).

        Father of compassion, please use me today to reach out to 

        Someone In need. Help me not just feel hurt and pain for

         their situation,but use me to help lighten their load. Jesus 

         Carrued my cross so please grant me Your compassion so

         I may carry the cross of another who needs Your hope and 

         encouragement.

"HEAD KNOWLEDGE"

    "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship

            of sharing in His suffering, becoming like him in his death, and so 

                    somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

                                             Philippians 3: 10-11

     Greek scholars tell us that when the apostle Paul wrote about knowledge of Christ, he often describe a head knowledge or an intellectual comprehension. But in Philippians 3:10 when Paul wrote, "I want to know Christ, he used a different word for "know." He meant a knowledge of the heart, an experiential fellowship of intimacy.

     When Paul wrote Philippians 3:10, he used the word "know" in the old Testament sense of the word, such as when Adam "knew" Eve or Abraham "knew" Sarah. As intimately as a couple would know one another physically, Paul wanted to know his Lord spiritually. This was a desire to fellowship with the Lord throught direct experience, not throught mere head knowledge.

     The apostle Peter echoes this desire in 2 Peter 1:4 where believers are told that we "participate in the divine nature." In other words, believer have a share within and portion of the Lord Jesus.

      This is how up-close and personal your spiritual fellowship with the Lord is meant to be. Not a head knowledge. . . But a heart knowledge.

        

         Take time to participate in Jesus. Taste the Bread of heaven.

          Drink deeply of the Living water. Be the branch that relaxes

          In Him, the Vine. Get to know Him through direct ecperience,

          Not merely through intellectual comprehension.

          Lord of my life, You have shed Your blood for me, dying on the 

          Cross so that we might have intimate fellowship. Forgive me 

          When I only demonstrate a desire to know about You, rather

          Than truly know You. I echo the apostle Paul when I say today

          That desire to enjoy a close and personal union with You.

           

"Invited to breakfast"

                            "You, O Lord. . . . Know the heart of all."

                                               Act 1:24 NKJV

          Most people wake up to an alarm clock ringing at an appointed hour rather than to a rooster crowing in the barnyard. But for the apostle Peter, the crowing rooster on the early morning of Jesus' crucifixion was a "wake-up call" it woke him up to who he really was. In Peter's worst moment he had denied knowing his friend and teacher, Jesus. He wept bitterly over his betrayal, and must have felt terrrible and shame afterward.

         Then one morning after His resurrection, Jesus appeard to the disciple, who were fishing at the sea of Tiberias. He called out from the shore and asked if they had caught any fish. The disciple didn't recognize Him and called back, "No." Jesus told them to throw the net on the other side of the boat, and the catch was so great they were unable to haul it in. Now they knew the man directing them was Jesus and headed ti shore.

         When the disciple got there, Jesus invited them to eat with Him "Come and have breakfast," He said. In the dawning hours of the day, the resurrected Jesus cooked breakfast for them.

         How do you think Peter felt when, after the greatest failure of his life, Jesus wanted to spend time with him, eat with him, and even help him fish? Jesus sought out the disciple who had let Him down when he needed him most. Moreover, He called Peter to lead His followers.

         Like Peter, there are experiences in our days that serve as "wake-up calls" to who we claim to be. Those "wake-up calls"  come in the form of opportunity to compromise who we are and what we believe. How do we act when others aren't around? How do we handle situations that can violate our integrity? To live a compromised life is to deny Jesus the same as Peter did ( see Titus 1:16 ).

        It is always important for us to spend time with the Lord, but when we need to come clean in our heart, it is especially important. Jesus always invites us to fellowship with Him, He always forgives. 

        Whatever mistakes or compromises we made yesterday, Jesus still loves us today and says, "come and have breakfast with Me."

          

"A GOOD SOLDIER"

"Endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ Jesus."                                                                      2 Timothy 2:3 (KJV) 

If the Bible were filmed as an action-adventure movie, the script would read like this: The King most trusted officer turns renegade and gathers a powerful army around him to lead a rebellion. Through treachery and deceit, the rebel leader usurps the authority of the King and sets up his own rival government, enslaving the citizen of the kingdom. In order to free the captives, the King sends His own son into the heart of enemy territory with a battle plan shocking than anyone could imagine.

  Sound exciting? You bet. because you, as a Christian, are written into the script, you almost feel real bullets zinging past your head. The ceaseless warfare is being waged not only for your heart and mind but for the lives of millions of others. The stakes are high. The consequences are eternal. The story, thanks to the Author, has a great ending: the Son has won the victory. Your adversary may try to intimidate you because you live behind enemy lines while here on earth, but the whole universe knows the truth. One day the Son will be crowned the rightful King of Kings, and the entire kingdom will come back under His domain. God has given you a battle plan to invade the Davil's territory and retake earth under the banner of your Lord and Captain. You can't fail; God battle plan is perfect. That's why you must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Good soldier neither question their commanding officer nor desert the conflict. You've been groomed for Active duty, so be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

The end of the war is in sight!

"Getting to Know ALL of God"

       "And I pray that you bring rooted and establidhed in love may have

           power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long

              and high and deep is th love if Christ, and to know this love 

                that surpasses knowledge thst you may be filled to the 

                               measure of all the fullness of God."

                                        Ephesians 3 : 17-19

       When I think of God the Father's special gift to us, I think of His plan of salvation. The Father was the one who came up with the idea. That's why I often spend time worshiping in reverence and respect 

       Other times in my prayer, I think about God the Son and His special gift to us of grace. Jesus is the one who followed through on the Fsther's plan of salvation. And my response? Gratitude that He's my Savior and and obedience to Him as Lord.

       When I dwell on the Holy Spirit and His gift of strength and encourage of heart, I remember that He's the one who gives us assurance and joy. That's why I take care not to grieve, quench, or oppose Him.

       Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I am filled to the measure of all the fullness of God as I commune with each member of the Trinity. It's a glorious way to experience a full communion with the Lord and thereby discover hox wide, long, and deep is the love of Christ.

       

       God desires to fill you to the brim with the fullness of His love. Although

       Ephesians 3 : 17-19 says that such love surpasses knowledge, we can 

       still enjoy His love's fullness as we still enjoy His love's fullness as we 

        enter into a complete and well-rounded communion with the Father, Son

        And Holy Spirit. 

"IT AINT OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER"

 "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carring seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
Psalm 126 : 5-6

Do you know the story of "The Little Red Hen"? She kept breaking her back to bake this cake. None of her friends would help, but she didn't let that stop her. Finally, the cake was finished, but all her friends wanted a bite. But she said "No way I work on this cake; now it's my time to enjoy it."

    My son, Noah, was the same way. I warmed him of a coming flood and told him to build a huge boat. So he got busy. Only one problem up until that time, it had rained once on earth. Also,  Noah was landlocked. There was no water in sight. His friends thought he was an idiot; but when the flood came, they all drowned

    What a promise! Think of it. When you sow in tears, what a marvelous and abundant return you will enjoy on your investment. "But," you may be thinking, "when have I ever gone pot weeping, carrying seed to sow?"

    If you ever reached through an invisible wall of pain to embrace God with willful thanks, you have sown in tears. If you've ever been rejected by a dear one and yet turned the other cheek  in love. You have sown in tears if you have patiently endured physical affliction, or responded in love through a difficuly marriage, Psalm 126:5-6 could be your life verse.

   Think of the pain young Elisabelt Elliot must have felt as she continued to serve as a missionary to the very South American indians who had murdered her husband! Truly, she sowed the seed of God's Word in tear, but oh, the song of joy that ring from the millions who have been touched by her testimony.

  When you hurt physically or emotionally, it's hard to muster a patient or godly response. Pain has a way of screaming for  our undivided attention. But when you either offer a Of praise God in the midst of your hurt, or respond n faith to a heartbreak or hardship, you are sowing in tears. Take Heart, for one day God will reward you with sheaves of joy All because you  were faithful through tear

So if I tell you to do something, just hang in there and do it believe Me. You'll be glad you did!""""

          

"God Starts what he finished"

      "I cry to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me."

                                               Psalm 57:2

       You ought to see how many half-finished drawings and paintings I have in my art studio. They are piled everywhere. I get an idea, render a few quick sketches, and then my attention gets diverted perhaps a different art project was overdue or I was up against some other deadline. Occasionally, I get back to those stetches but, more than likely, they get thrown onto a pile in the corner.

        Half-finishes pastels. Almost-complete painting. Not-quite done watercolors. I have an idea I'll never place any of them back up on my art easel.

        I am so reliever my Creator doesn't approach things as I do, God always finishes what He begins. He completes every purpose. He fulfills every intention. God has a long way to go in my life, and I'm grateful that He hasn't finished with me yet.

         That's why I cry out, asking God to fulfill His purpose for me. Yes, He is still on me to become a better decision-maker. He's chiseling away at my thought life, hammering at my tendency to daydream. He's honing and shaping me, giving grace in tough times to praise Him rather than to pout. That's why I pray, "I don't want to be a hakf-finished, not -quit-complete disciple, Lord; I want you to fulfil your best intentions for me."

        Don't ever think God gets distracted from you in order to attend 

        to some other child of His who might be more obedient or worthy

        Of His attention. His attention never diverts from you for a single

         Moment. His touch in your life is constant, unchanging, sure.

" The Spirit of truth"

       "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you Into all truth. 

         He will not speak on his own; he will speak. Only what he hears, and 

         he will tell you what is the yet to come he will bring glory to me  by 

                     taking from what is Mine and making it known to you"

,                                            John 16 : 13-14

        Have you ever crammed for a "now or never" exam? On the Bible? Unless you're a seminary student probably not. But suppose you were thrust into such a situation? You'd probably panic

        That's no doubt how the disciples felt the evening they enjoyed the Last Supper with the Lord Jesus. Up until the end, the evening had been warm and personal there was even that touching moment when Jesus washed their feet. But the mood shifted when Jesus spoke strange words to Judas, "what you are about to do, do quickly." Judas left and from that point on,  the tone of the evening changed. It was as if the Lord realized He had pressing things to say and only a short time in which to say them.

        He spoken about vines and branches, peace and persecution. So much packed into the few hours! How would the disciples remember it all? Jesus knew their dismay. But the Lord also knew that everything would become clear. That's why He promised the' the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would be a teacher and guide.

        Are you any different the disciple? Not really. Sometimes you feel that 

        God is pouring million-gallon truth into your one ounce brain! But the 

        Spirit will help you to understand. He will bring God's Word to your 

        mind and memory, making all things clear.

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