"THE BATTLE HAS BEEN WON"

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me. Thy Consolation delight my Soul. 

Psalm 94:19

 Anxious thoughts can flood your mind so fast you feel like three white rivers rapid are converging in your head. Thoughts seem to complete with each other for your like movie top billing.

Before one is out the next is screaming, "No, No" this is much more awful than that silly thoughts. Now heres a worst case scenario for you. Soon your muscle are tense your blood pressure is rising your mouth is sit in a grim line, and your eyes are flashing about darkly. 

Whoa be to anyone who happens upon you in this state, especially a child who spills a glass of milk or driver who hesitated as a light turn green. Anxious thoughts ; they multiply faster  than little bannies. 

God has an antidote for anxious thoughts He wants to replace the anxious with his consolation with will delight your soul instead of terrorize it. First this scripture really grabbed me i was in a real stew and i couldn't quite grasp what it was. What consolation was he talking about? I began to think and pray about it and ask him to reveal his consolation.

GOD'S WORD IS HIS CONSOLATION FOR ANXIETY

We can read any line of Scripture and know it isn't just another opinion but is the absolute bottom line truth so when  it says, "I will never desert you, nor will i ever forsake you" 

(Hebrew13:5)

We can take the right to the bank or when we read, "I know the plans that have for you. Declare the Lord, Plan for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and hope" (Jeremiah29:11). We can face an uncertain future with real hope. And what about "Let not your heart be troubled? (John 14:1). We can know it is possible to put away the troubles of the heart; we don't have to accept a destiny of worry or anxiety. 

GOD CHARACTER IS HIS CONSOLATION 

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present and all-loving. What does he lack? Nothing who wouldn't want to be best friend with him!? Talk about all inside track. Thinking about the bigness of God causes us to see the smallness of our own troubles. 

GOD'S SACRIFICE IS HIS CONSOLATION 

If we have doubts about God's love for us in light of whatever our current troubles are, we can dispel that with thoughts about his incredible sacrifice on the cross in order to secure the most abundant life for us. "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10). Something that costly must have purchased a mighty big prize. We are His prize. Anxious tboughts should disintegrate as we mediate on His word. Knowing that God has an antidote for anxiety is the first step to our soul's delight and knowing what some of His consolation are His second step. 

The third step is actually putting it into practice I have that in caps because you need to shake yourself a little right now and re-read that line. If you have never tried to discipline your mind before you are in for a real battles, it is a battles that has been won. 

If anxious thoughts have been riding roughshod over your mind for months or year or whole lifetime you will need to build a new road or keep moving... Imagine a one lane of dirt highway with deep ruts where a car has been traveling back and forth for twenty year  that to much. Now you are told to ride that road and not hits those ruts. You are building a new habit, developing new thoughts pattern. You must say "No" to some thoughts which try to enter into your mind. Rebuke it!  In Jesus name. Return to sender "keep out" that not for me. 

SCRIPTURE FOR DECLARATION

"My body is the Temple of th Holy Spirit, redeemed, cleansed and sanctify by the blood of Jesus. My members, parts of my body are instruments of righteousness, presented to God, for His glory. The devil has no place in me, no power over me no unsettled claim s against me. All has been settled by the blood of Jesus. 

HANDFUL STRESSES

"Again, I considered all travail, and every right work that gor this man is envied of his neighbor's. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. The fool foldeth his hands together, and earth his own flesh.

Better is an handful with quietness than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. (Ecclesiastes 4:4-6).

This is an interesting passage about envy. We often compare ourselves to each other, and want what each other has.

Someone has a nice house, someone has a higher salary, someone has a more loving relationship, someone has children  or more children, someone else is in perfect health or just seems happier. And, despite  the fact that some of these things are ours, we want the ones that we don't have, and we let it  grate at us, and make us feel that somehow life is happier or we are getting a raw deal. When we do this , were like a foolish man, eating his own  flesh". . .meaning, destroying  himself from inside with his own envy. I really like this last verse, because it is a good thing to think about is it better to have less and have peace in our heart and our lives than to worry about how much we have and feel robbed all the time? The scripture at yes, and I think we can all agree if we think about it having one handful of stuff and the other full of quietness and peace is better than two handful stuff in your pocket and a double handful of stress to go along with it. Today, let's try not to compare and worry about what we don't have, let's instead enjoy what God provides, and learn some contentment in your soul. (Matthew 11:28,30). Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give  you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you. And learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and I will give you rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy and the load I will put on you is light. The fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 

THE LORD OF THE SABBATH

What is significant about the Pool of Siloam in John 9:7? What is the Pool of Siloam mentioned in the Bible? What do we know about it?

The Pool of Siloam appears in one Place the old testament and two places in the New testament in John 9:7 and 11. The pool is significant because John 9:1-12 tell us about a man who was born blind at birth and was miraculously healed by Jesus Christ at this location. The purpose of the account is to teach us that Jesus is God who has the authority and power to heal. A secondary purpose of telling us about this event is to teach us that illness and disease, is not always due to one's personal sin. It is often due to the fact that we live in a fallen world riddled with sin and evil. The first time the Pool Siloam" (which translated "sent"). So the blind man went away and washed and came back seeing. John 9:6b-7(NASB)

Meaning and significance of the Pool of Siloam.

The gospel of John gives us the meaning of the word "Siloam" as being "sent," A fuller explanation of the word is as a sending out, gushing forth' (of water)," the meaning of Siloam suggests that the water was gushing being sent into the pool. 

Jesus is performing the sixth of seven miraculous "sign" recorded in the gospel of John. In this case, the miracle is giving sight to a man who was born blind. This states  is unique for several reason

First it means, Jesus is about grant this man an ability he does not naturally posses (John 9:1-2).

Second, it corresponds to old testament prediction  that the Messiah would give sight to the blind (Isaiah 29:18; 35:5; 42: 7).

Third, Jesus uses this moment as an example to teach the disciple that not all sufferings is punishment for sin (John9:3-4). 

Lastly, this miracle occurs on a sabbath day, (John 9:14). Futher irritating the Pharisees, who Jesus seems, to be deliberating  antagonizing. He is the Lord of the sabbath. No wonder as Paul wrote, "The man without the spirit does not accept the things that comes from the spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand  them, because they are spiritually  discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

THE ABOUT BELIEVER

Write this go the angel of the church in Laodicea.this is the message from the  one who is the Amen--the faithful and true witness, the rulee of God's creation. (REVELATION 3:14)

EVANGELICAL PASTORS qoute the words of Jesus from (Rev. 3:20).that reads, "Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him. and he with me." Many suggest that Jesus stands at the door of man's heart and want to come in

While that is true, the context of this verse conveys another thought, Jesus wanted to be back in the midst of the fellowship in Laodicea. The church leadership seemed to haved pushed Jesus right out the door. John wrote that they were "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." 

Where is Jesus Christ in relationship to many churches today? Its true that in the last days people will fall away from the faith. Its true that some simply give you because "the church no longer meets my needs." "Irrelevant" is the catching word we often hear

The Greek word for church, the same one found 88 times in the book of Acts, means "called-out ones." in the context of the faith, a church is a kind of sinners Anounymous support group where none are too bad to come in. 

No matter how bad things were in the church in Laodicea, Jesus wanted to get back inside and unto the center of the group. He still cared. In every nation of the world today you will find churches, small and large, where the Risen Lord still touches hearts and lives and still wants to be worshiped. No matter how human and sometimes fault, the churches will always be human and sometimes faulty, the church will always be called the fellowship of the redeemed.

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HOME IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart. . . Will never be shaken.

Psalm 15:2,5

JACK HAYFORD'S MOTHER, Dolores, never took five minutes to get the truth out of her son. And how did she get the truth out so quickly? She would simply challenge him with these words. "Tell me the truth, Jack, in the presence of Jesus!" A godly woman, she simply reminded her children that Jesus Christ was present, and He knew whether  they were telling the truth or not. Read (Galatians 3:23-24). "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." Sometimes the sin we commit are not moral one but spiritual. We cultivate a legal attitude toward God, and that's wrong. Christians start out in the spirit, but when it comes to daily living, we try to perfect ourselves by the flesh.

Why is getting the truth such a challenge today? Living in a Sodomesque society where kids grow up placing little or no importance  on telling the truth, the conscientious parent is faced with challenges: How do you raise kids who tell the truth?

Acknowledging the presence of Christ in a home, remembering that He said "Lo, I am with you always," introduces a spiritual framework. It requires that we speak the 000pp truth in love and acknowledge lies as an abomination before God. It repudiates the culture of lies and deceit that is so prevalent  today.

The Law says, do these things and you shall live, but the Gospel say live and these things you will do. The Law commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, the Gospel says that this is love: Not that we have sought God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to atone for our sins.

The Law demands holiness, but the Gospel  gives holiness. The Law make a blessings the result of obedience, but the Gospel obedience  the result of blessings. Under the Law, the old man was retrained, but with the Gospel, the new man is give liberty. If we are right in our inward being, we shall certainly  do right in our outward  actions. 

Do you want your home to be characterized  by the truth? Then ask yourself, "Have we declared our home to be a place of refuse where we leave the corruptions of our culture behind us? Do we consider our home a place of safety where we speak the truth openly and freely with each others? Do I as a parent speak the truth or share it to better serve my purpose?" 

The battle for the minds and hearts of our children is going to continue indefinitely. It's time to draw the line at the front door of your home and say, "The culture of lies and deceit stops here!"

LET NOTHING TERRIFY YOU

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish Psalm 1:6

TODAY WE ARE IN THE MIDST of a culture war and the deception of pragmatism. What is pragmatism mean? noun,

1. A pragmatic attitude or policy

"Ideology has been tempered with pragmatism!

2. Philosophy

An approach that evaluates theories or belief

In terms of success of the practical application. In 19th century from the Greek pragma, pragmatism, "deed"

We are confronted with far more than software piracy 5G application, lies, the wicked in the air, witchcraft practice, or bending of the truth when it suits us. Many people say; "If it works, do it; they mean it business. If you can get away with it, why not? This kind of reasoning has engulfed our generation like fog that gradually drifting in, obscuring our vision and lightning our lives. Pragmatism has blurred what is right and wrong made gray what is black and white.

Our culture today is one based on pragmatism, a philosophy founded by psychology William James who, in the year 1907, posed this situation: "Granting an idea or belief to be true, what concrete difference will it it's being true naked in anyone's actual life? What experiences will be different from those which would obtain If the belief were false? what, in short, is the truth's cash-value in experiential terms? Pragmatism means truth is not absolute but is subject to changing situations and circumstances. somehow, it depends on how you feel about the issue.

But you can be easily swept away by the tide of pragmatism when you have on anchor for your soul. You end up in bondage of the worst kind virus they say it covid 19 and you become a victim engulfed in a darkness that traps you. Open your eyes there are here. Scattered to devour Read (John10:10). And read 1 Peter5: 8-9 the same kind of sufferings! 

You're got to decide whether you will allow  yourself to be influenced by the moral relativism of pragmatism.you need to choose between bad or good. Right standing with your God. Anything that you can get away with, or walking the narrow path God has paved yet only a few take, understand it. Choose carefully. The only way you can confirm is the truth.. His word my sword! I(saiah 41:10).

SEEKING THE KINGDOM

Matthew 12:6 "I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

King Herod understood the priority of the temple that's why he launched a massive restoration project in 19BC, a project that was still in progress the temple where the priests maintained Israel's relationship with God each day. Three times a year the people journeyed to the temple to celebrate their identity as God's people. Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacle.

Jesus own disciples thought the temple stones were in a class of their own and the temple was incomparable in (Mark13:1).

So what could be greater than the temple? Did Jesus mean himself? His kingdom? His teaching?

The significance of the temple was the person who lived there. In the defiled world, it was holy space, set aside for their heavenly sovereign to live among them. 

Israel's own significance derived from God living among them. In a sense, Israel was God's house. That was clear during the 70 year exile when there was no temple. Ezekiel prophesied a restore temple, the divine presence that defined his people. Their identity would be "The Lord is there."

(Ezekiel 48:35).

Remember when God delivered Israel from Egypt and asked them to build him a tent? The cloud-presence of God loved into the tent they build for Him, and he guided them "through out all their journeys (Exodus 40:38). It is  what God alway intended. Greg Beale argued that Eden was kind of temple where God live openly among humans in the biginning. There was no need of a dedicated holy temple space because the world was not defiled. That original pictured is restored in the end.

When God cleanses the world as his kingdom restored by the lamb, God will be present not  in one little holy space but in all of creation;  "I did not see a temple in the city because the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are in the temple! (Revelation 21:22).

So, there is something greater than the temple the presence of the one who live there was Jesus saying that the divine presence was here in Him? Yes he was, but in very Jewish way.

There's sense in which God was present in Israel, even when there was no temple (70 year in exile). In a sense, Israel was the house of God.

There's also a sense in which the kings of Israel/Judah represented the reign and presence of their heavenly Sovereign.

(2 Samuel 7). Spell out this connection between the house of David (reign). And the house of God.(presence).

* God established the house of David as his representative reign on Earth.

*David's house prepared a place for God's presence, God living aming His people. When Jesus told the Galilean rulers that "Something greater than the temple is here" he was asking them to accept that:

*He is the descendant of David, anointed to restore heaven's reign on earth.

* He is cleansing God's people, so the divine presence is restored to earth in Him. Jesus is the anointed ruler who restores both God's reign and presence of the one the temple could only represent.