If You Only Knew..... (Part 2)

 Hosea knew from the start that his marriage wasn't going to be perfect, or even easy. But even though he knew this, he obeyed the command of the Lord. Another person in the New Testament that did the same, obeying the command knowing what was coming ahead, was Saul. 

Saul was one of the chief Pharisees during the time of Christ. He made "havoc" of the church as stated in Acts 8:3, persecuting them for preaching this "new doctrine" contrary to the Law. He was so consumed with his persecution that he was "yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter," (Acts 9:1). He was on his way to Damascus to look for more Christians to put in prison when a LIGHT shone down around him from Heaven, calling him by name. It was the Lord asking Saul why he was doing this and "kicking against the pricks." Acts 9:5. The Lord had already been dealing with Saul's heart, pricking it through his conscience, that what he was doing was wrong, and that Jesus Christ was LORD!!! Saul's answer proclaimed his faith when he asked, "Who art thou LORD?" It was that same voice that had been speaking to his heart, the whole time, that he could now hear audibly and he knew it!! The Lord left no room for doubt when He said, I AM JESUS, WHOM thou PERSECUTEST.." Acts 9:5. Saul trembling, asked what the LORD wanted him to do. He knew that there was something that the Lord was calling him to do. The VOICE was spoken specifically to him for instruction, NOT the other men with him. Verse 7 says the men heard a voice, but saw no man: to them it wasn't as clear as Saul hearing his name. It was more like hearing a sound of thunder, BUT  they knew that something was happening!!( Isn't this how it is when the Holy Spirit moves in church? You may not hear exactly what the Lord is speaking to hearts, but you can see the effects of it at the altar!!! We don't know what the Lord is dealing with hearts about, the those people sure do!!!) He was told to go forward to Damascus and that he would be further instructed there. The Lord ALWAYS wants us to go forward and never backward. He wanted Saul to obey the first thing he told him to do and then, he would give him something else to do. WE need to do the same.  But,  to make this simple task harder, the Lord blinded Saul. The bright Light, Jesus Himself, purposefully took Saul's sight from him. He had to be led by the hand into Damascus, and was there for three days with no sight, and did not eat or drink anything. During those days, the Lord told Saul that He had appeared unto him for this purpose: to make him a minister and witness both of the things that he had seen and that was to come. He told Saul that he would be delivered from the people and the Gentiles. He was going to be God's chosen vessel to reach the Gentiles, to "open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins...." Acts 26:16-18 & Acts 9:15 &16. The Lord not only told Saul what he had been called to do, but He also told him "how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." Acts 9:16. During those three days Saul learned he would be stoned, beaten, put in prison, shipwrecked, drifting in the sea for a day, robbed, weary, in pain, hunger and thirst, cold and naked, and have to care for the churches that would be started from preaching the Word (II Corth. 11:22-29). How many of US would have obeyed knowing all of this from the start???  Saul did and received sight after Ananias, a disciple called of the Lord, laid hands on him. He was immediately baptized after this, and then went straight to preaching!!!!!!!(vs 19& 20). What obedience and faith!!!! WE all know how the Lord used the Apostle Paul to spread the Gospel and write over half of the New Testament. Is this strength of faith and obedience beyond us as Christians today friend??? The answer is NO!!!!!  This same Jesus that enabled Paul is the same One that lives within us if we have accepted Him. We should ALL ask ourselves this question: are  WE willing to obey what the Lord has called us to do????? (Conclusion tomorrow)! 

If You Only Knew.......(Part 1)

Wouldn't it be great if you only knew what was coming down the road of life  ahead of you?? I'm not referring to what is going to happen as far as the world is concerned. We know that from prophecy in the Bible. I am talking about details in your PERSONAL LIFE. Stop and think about that for a moment: IF you knew for sure, how would it affect you?? What would it do with your walk with the Lord? In the Bible, the Lord gave us some examples of a few people that were told what would happen to them in their lives, for the Lord's sake, and what their response was. 


In the Old Testament, Hosea was prophet used of the Lord to call Israel back to Himself. Hosea was told by the Lord what would happen to his family before he was even married!!! He told Hosea who to go marry and what would happen in their marriage. This information that was foretold to him was NOT GOOD to say the least. Hosea 1:2 says the Lord told him to take unto a specific woman named GOMER. The meaning of her name "completion or filling up of wickedness," describes what would become of her. She would become an adultress, and have two children from someone else. She would leave Hosea and even become a slave. He would even send the children to beg & plead with their mother to come home (Hos. 2:1&2).  Yet knowing this, Hosea obeyed the command of the Lord!!! Through his obedience, as the prophet of God to Israel, the Lord would speak through this husband/wife relationship. Hosea was told of the Lord to go and REDEEM his wife from the slave auction block (Hs. chapter3) and bring her back home! He told her that she would be for him ONLY and that he would be for her ONLY. Would it surprise you that Hosea's name means "Savior or Salvation"?? WHAT A PICTURE OF THE LORD'S LOVE FOR US!!! Despite our sins and turning our backs on the Lord, HE STILL FORGIVES US AND RECEIVES US BACK IN LOVE!!!! Think of the personal heartache for Hosea and his family in order to be used of the Lord for HIS GLORY!!!! Verse 5 of chapter 3 says that they served the Lord and had goodness in their latter days!!!  Wow! What a godly example in Hosea to follow!!!  What would you do??? Listen to the Isaacs as they sing "I've Come To Take You Home" 
(Part 2 tomorrow)

Let It Go!!!!!!!!

 Just about everyone has played tug of war. Teams would be decided, a line drawn, and then the tugging war would ensue. Everyone was supposed to do their dead-level best to pull and NOT LET GO of the rope, until the "enemy" was pulled past the point of no return. Even though your feet would slide across the ground, you would NOT LET GO of that rope!!! You would get as close as you could to "crossing the line," but not let go!! In this childhood game, this was the way it was supposed to be. But, as a Christian, or CHILD of God, this is a BIG "NO NO"!!! There are times we have got to LET IT GO!!

First, we need to FORGIVE. Despite the childhood rhyme,words DO hurt people! Hurt leads to anger and bitterness. Bitterness in the life of a Christian stagnates our spiritual life and fellowship with the Lord. "...lest any root of BITTERNESS  springing up trouble you and thereby MANY be defiled." Hebrews 12:15b. WE need to forgive those that hurt us, whether lost people or saved people. Has not Christ forgiven us? "Let ALL bitterness and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind, one to another, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING one another, even as God for CHRIST'S SAKE hath forgiven you." Eph. 8:31 & 32. Let go of the pull of hurt, anger and bitterness! 

Secondly, let go of remembering and DWELLING on everything that has ever been done against you, or that YOU have done wrong!!!_FORGETTA BOUT IT!!  FORGET past and PRESENT wrongs! Yes, this is easier said than done, but "...with God ALL things are possible." Mark 10:27. We HAVE to seek the Lord for help with this. "Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT PEACE, whose mind is STAYED on Thee, because he TRUSTETH in Thee." Isaiah 26:3. Did not the Lord FORGET our sins??? Colossians 2:14 "BLOTTING OUT the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of they way, nailing it to HIS cross." The Lord forgave us, forgot about our sins, nailing it to the cross, or considered it paid for and wiped out!!! That should make us shout this morning!!! Why should we expect the Lord to do this for us, and then we can't for others and ourself???  Paul said in Philippians 3:13 & 14, " Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended (arrived), but this one thing I do, FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND, and reaching forth to those things before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus." Satan has no greater weapon against the brethren, than to keep discord in the church, so that it WILL HINDER the growth of the church and most of all SALVATION OF SOULS!!! 

Lastly, let go and move FORWARD!! If we keep our minds in the past, we can NOT move forward. Can you drive a car forward, while looking backward in the rear view mirror CONSTANTLY?? No! You will run off course, or cause a wreck!!! We will do the same SPIRITUALLY if we keep looking back! We will lose sight of the goal and hurt ourselves and others!!! As the verse above said, "reaching FORTH to those things BEFORE, I press TOWARD THE MARK!" Who has called us to go forward? Jesus Himself with His 'high calling.' There is a work we need to do for the Lord, that cannot be fulfilled without going forward!!! "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, REDEEMING THE TIME, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:15. The Lord left us here to get the Gospel to a lost world.  May the Lord help us to let go of the past and go forward and, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without , redeeming the time." Col. 4:5. "Only one life, twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." 

Let it all go!!! No, I don't think I know it all or are more spiritual than you, friend! I just know what the Lord has told me in my OWN LIFE this last year! If He helped me with this, I KNOW HE WILL DO THE SAME FOR YOU!! Quit playing spiritual tug of war!!  Let go and forgive, forget and go forward. Jesus is coming soon!!!!!