James 2:24

Bible Questions Answered:

“...I'm sure I heard this man on tv right when he said “make your salvation sure, support the work of god”. And basically it was to buy books and financially support this church. What do you think?...In our church class a lady said James tell us we are saved by good works....”

Hector/ Surrey, Canada British Columbia

Bible Answer:

Bible Text:

James 2:24 KJV

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

To properly understand what James is saying, we must read and know the context of James chapter two.

James chapter two, two subjects covered:

Part One: Prejudice:

James speaks against prejudice.

Verses 1-13

James 2:1-13 NLT

1 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.

3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well,

4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom He promised to those who love Him?

6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?

8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

In this whole chapter, from James, he desperately wishes to show that what emanates from the people of faith, should be Godly fruit!

Prejudice, is not Godly fruit!

Romans 12:9,10 KJV (The Apostle Paul.)

9 Let love be without dissimulation (pretense). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another

Part Two: Lifeless Fruit.

Faith without Godly fruit is dead.

Verses 14-26

James 2:14-26 NLT

14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,

16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.

26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

James 2:20-26 CEV

20 Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless?

21 Well, our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him.

22 Now you see how Abraham’s faith and deeds worked together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did.

23 This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, “Abraham had faith in God, and God was pleased with him.” That’s how Abraham became God’s friend.

24 You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe.

25 For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.

26 Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead!

Homily:

A man who was an engineer, safely and successfully took a passenger train from

MacKenzie down to Williams Lake, British Columbia.

Did taking the passengers from MacKenzie to Williams Lake, make the man an engineer? Of course not, 

but it is an action train engineers do.

The truth is that the train engineer had to study for some great time, learning the complete workings of his engine and railway system and its safety precautions, ever before thinking of becoming an actual engineer.

James tells us that Abraham's actions, proved that his faith was real!

Philippians 2:12-13 NLT

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.

13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

The engineer, proved that he was an actual train engineer, because he safely and successfully took his passengers to their destination.

His transporting them, did "not make," him an engineer, but was a sign that indeed he was one!

And so it is with works.

Works do not make us a Christian, Christ did this alone!

Romans 5:1,9 KJV

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves (Piety, or religious works!): it is 

The Gift Of God:

9 Not of works (religious or otherwise), lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16,21 KJV

16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,  

and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 3:11 KJV

"...no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for,

The just shall live by faith.

Spiritual Works are signs that indeed, we have become a Christian, and are the children of God.

And as children of God, certainly our lives should demonstrate with signs, the glory of God.

Matthew 5:14-16 KJV

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Ephesians 2:10 KJV

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Philippians 1:11 KJV

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

 Bible Expositor: Adam Clarke

James 2:24

Verse 24. "Ye see then how" - It is evident from this example that Abraham's faith was not merely believing that there is a God; but a principle that led him to credit God's promises relative to the future Redeemer, and to implore God's mercy: this he received, and was justified by faith.

His faith now began to work by love, and therefore he was found ever obedient to the will of his Maker.

He brought forth the fruits of righteousness; and his works - proved the genuineness of his faith; and he continued to enjoy the Divine approbation

(Approval), which he could not have done had he not been thus obedient; for the Spirit of God would have been grieved, and his principle of faith would have perished.

Homily: (Faith and Works.)

Abraham had faith, and because he did, in his life there were signs following.

Works, religious, moral or not, no matter how grandiose do not bring salvation, repentance and faith, do that.

For example:

The story of the Rich Young Ruler who came to Christ (Mark 10:17-30 KJV).

Mark 10:17 NLT "...a man came running up to Him, knelt down..."

Mark 10:17 NLT "... “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mark 10:19 NLT "...to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.”

Mark 10:20,21 NLT

20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him.

The young man had never been a murderer, never been immoral, never had he stolen from another, and never had he testified falsely against anyone.

The Biblical moral codes the rich young ruler kept are definitely, signs of some one who is a follower of The Lord!

But, do they make an individual God's child.

No, for we are not saved by spiritual works “we,” do, Jesus went on to say....

Mark 10:21-23 NLT

21 “...“There is still one thing you haven’t done,” He told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

No, the rich young ruler, was “not,” a follower of Christ, he was “not,” in the kingdom!

Oh yes he had all the (works) signs of those who “do,” follow The Master, yet, his heart was far from living completely and serving The Lord.

True Salvation will always produces Godly fruit.

Religious Works, do not by themselves prove Salvation, who said so? Jesus said so!

Matthew 7:21-23 KJV
21 Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

Faith and Works. Though works may be prevalent, yet they “do not,” by themselves constitute salvation. Only repentance of sin, and confession of faith with a life of consecration to The Lord Jesus Christ, does that.

Consider

Mark 12:28-34 KJV

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love The Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32 And the scribe said unto Him, Well, Master, thou hast said The Truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He:

33 And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

Not far from the kingdom, is “not,” in the kingdom!

Certainly, the scribe, knew well from a child the right answers, and yet, that hardly meant that God was in, and in control of his heart.

Works (doing religious works) do “not,” place one within the kingdom of God, how many times must The Living God, warn!

Homily:

One may know well, to immediately leave a house that is on fire, that is the thing to do!

And yet, what if one does not.

One may well think.....

*Perhaps the fire will burn itself out, no use to get out of bed.

*Perhaps the fire department, will get here and put it out, might just as well

  sleep on.

*Perhaps it will rain, and put the fire out, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

All the human reasoning, will not make the result any different, death.

Salvation, was to escape, and to have shunned it, meant end of life.

Abraham had faith, and because he did, the resulting signs, the fruits of Godliness were found in his life.

Faith and Works, though found hand in hand, (do not be deceived), are “not,” on

an equal footing. One is and always will be subordinate to the other, for Faith alone, through the grace and mercy of The Lord Jesus Christ, leads to salvation!

It was not, the religious works of mankind that was crucified upon the cross of Calvary!

It was the precious Son Of God, He alone is the Savior!

Think what nonsense from the pit of hell, any other belief is.

A mans giving to the poor, means he has paid for a passage to heaven.

A woman helping at a shelter for the poor, means she has earned the kingdom of God.

An elderly church goes, bequeaths and estate valued at over 100 million dollars, certainly he has earned a mansion in heaven.

Why then oh why, did the glorious, sinless Son Of The Father, have to come to earth to die on a cross, when all one has to do, is to do charitable, religious work to be accepted by God???

Read again.

God's people are told to do good works, yes, but never that they are saved by them!

This is fallacious reasoning at its best! And yet we live in a world where such doctrine of devils is perpetuated over and over.

Works are fruits that follow a life given and consecrated to The Lord Of Glory.

Dear friend may that be your life!

For more reading on this see the blog posting: Salvation-Not By Works

 Salvation Prayer

Paraclete

Bible Questions Answered:

“...I heard them say paraklete, but I never understood what that was...”

Sheila/ Nice, France (Alps-Cote d'Azur)

Bible Answer:

The Paraclete, is the third person of the Godhead, The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Christians, Comforter, Counselor, Helper and Advocate.

Here is what The Word Of God says regarding The Holy Spirit:

See the blog posting: Holy Spirit-God The Person

All Christians, are baptized in The Spirit.

I Corinthians 12:13 KJV

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Friends, either this verse is true or it is false.  

Thank God, it is true! Every Christian, has God The Holy Spirit living within them, because we have all been baptized in The Spirit! 

 The Apostle Paul plainly said so!

By the end of this year, this Pastor, hopes to have no less than 4 ebooks in Amazon Kindle, and one of these up coming books, plainly describes the differences between a Christian and a Pentecostal believer. Do you know the difference? What would that difference be called?

John 14:16-18 KJV (Jesus)

16 And I will pray The Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever;

17 Even The Spirit Of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The Holy Spirit, is so wonderful, Himself, that God states His being imputed into our hearts and lives, as Christians, is but a precious installment, of what glories wait ahead, in The Fathers Kingdom Of Heaven!

II Corinthians 1:21,22 KJV  
21 Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;                                       

22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of The Spirit in our hearts.
 

 II Corinthians 1:21,22 MSG

21 It is God Himself who makes us, together with you, sure of our life in union with Christ; it is God Himself who has set us apart,
22 who has placed His mark of ownership upon us, and who has given us The Holy Spirit in our hearts as the guarantee of all that He has in store for us.

Homily:
When someone decides to buy a home, a home of their dreams. They will do as much as they can to secure that home. They more than likely do not have the amount of money needed to buy the home, so they will have to seek a loan for that. But, to secure the deal, i.e. so that none other may come and snatch away the prize, the couple, may well pay some money to “secure the house.” This money is called “Earnest-Money.” And the seller will make sure it is high enough so that they will be back to buy the home. The earnest-money, could be some thousands of dollars, but the home is secured for sale (to them) by it.

God in His great love has told us before Calvary...
John 14:18 KJV

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

And our Lord, does come to us, through the power and person of God The Holy Spirit.

The wonderful Holy Spirit, who does so many things for us, see again the blog posting: Holy Spirit-God The Person

His wonderful living presence in the heart and life of the believer, our God whispers....He is but a foretaste (earnest) of the glory which lies ahead!

So, what is the message for today? Keep going on for The Lord!

Hebrews 12:1-13 MSG

1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

4-11 In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as His children?

My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline,

but don’t be crushed by it either.

It’s the child He loves that He disciplines;

the child He embraces, He also corrects.

God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

12-13 So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!

Salvation Prayer

Fire Of Separation

Bible Questions Answered:

“Pastor could you please explain Luke 12:49. Thank you.”

Rod/ Vineland, New Jersey U.S.A.

Bible Answer:

Bible Text:

Luke 12:49 KJV
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

We must consider the context of Luke 12:49 KJV.

Luke 12:1-12 (Hypocrisy condemned.)

12:13-21 (Christ's parable, “ The Rich Fool.”)

12:22-34 (Our Lord's teaching concerning earthly possessions.)

12:35-48 (The Lord's people must live ready for His coming.)

12:49-53 (Great Division)

12:54-59 (Romans 12:18 KJV If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all

men.)

Luke 12:49-53 KJV

49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew 10:34-39 KJV

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.

John the Baptist, spoke of fire:

Luke 3:16,17 KJV

16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with

The Holy Ghost and with fire:

17 Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable.

This is a word picture of winnowing grain.

Before winnowing, comes threshing. Threshing is the separating of the grain from the husks and straw.

Winnowing of grain (Wheat, barley), is the fine art of separating the grain from the chaff.

This is accomplished by taking a pitchfork and tossing the grain into the wind. The heavier grain falls to the ground whereas the lighter chaff, blows away into an other area.

This spoken by The Savior, speaks of separation. The precious grain, separated from the worthless chaff.

The grain, taken and stored in baskets., in the granary. The worthless chaff, was taken and burnt in fire.

Psalm 1:4 KJV

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind* driveth away.

*Wind-Hebrew: Ruwach (Roo-akh): Breath, blast, Spirit. 

Matthew 3:11,12 MSG (John The Baptist)

“I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to Him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, The Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false He’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

Godly Fire speaks of the separating power of God The Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-4 KJV

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with The Holy Ghost..."

Revelation 4:5 NLT

From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.

Luke 12 Godly Fire (The presence of His Holy Spirit) speaks of separation from the world.

I John 2:15-17 KJV

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of The Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of The Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

II Corinthians 6:14-18 KJV

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of The Living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith The Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith The Lord Almighty.

God's Holy Fire of separation is spreading through out the earth.

Luke 12:49-53 MSG

49-53 “I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything rightside up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront! From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be—

Three against two, and two against three;

Father against son, and son against father;

Mother against daughter, and daughter against mother;

Mother-in-law against bride, and bride against mother-in-law.”

In many The Fire, has gone out, but in the lives of those who take up their cross and are following The Lord Of Glory, the fiery presence of God The Holy Spirit, glows from with in.

Matthew 5:14-16 KJV

14 Ye are The Light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 Salvation Prayer

Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Old Testament: Sennacherib's Army Meet Destruction.

Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Old Testament: Sennacherib's Army Meet Destruction.

Occasion: The Lord Answers Hezekiah's Prayer Do Defend Jerusalem.

Location: Jerusalem.

Bible Text:

(II Kings 18:19-37-II Kings 19:1-37 NLT)

The Story:

II Kings 18:19-37 NLT (Sennacherib, and his army, threatens Jerusalem.)

19 Then the Assyrian king’s chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah:

“This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?

20 Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?

21 On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!

22 “But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in The Lord our God!’ But isn’t He the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down His shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?

23 “I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them!

24 With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops, even with the help of Egypt’s chariots and charioteers?

25 What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without The Lord’s direction? The Lord Himself told us, ‘Attack this land and destroy it!’”

26 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, “Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear.”

27 But Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, “Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine.”

28 Then the chief of staff stood and shouted in Hebrew to the people on the wall, “Listen to this message from the great king of Assyria!

29 This is what the king says: Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you from my power.

30 Don’t let him fool you into trusting in The Lord by saying, ‘The Lord will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!’

31 “Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.

32 Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death!

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, ‘The Lord will rescue us!’

33 Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?

34 What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?

35 What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that The Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?”

36 But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”

37 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair, and they went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said.

The enemy made his boast,”What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that The Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?”

What could the outnumbered people of God do?

What would King Hezekiah do?

II Kings 19:1-4 NLT

1 When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into

the Temple of The Lord. 2 And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests, all dressed in burlap, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.

3 They told him, “This is what King Hezekiah says: Today is a day of trouble, insults, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver the baby.

4 But perhaps The Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff, sent by the king to defy The Living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!”

When the enemy threatens us, time to seek The God Of The Universe. And remember His words of assurance.

II Chronicles 16:9 KJV

For the eyes of The Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him..."

Psalm 34:7 KJV

The Angel Of The Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.

Psalm 91:4 NLT

He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Psalm 108:13 KJV

Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 125:1,2 KJV (Not only true for Israel, but all God's people!)

1 They that trust in The Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so The Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever.

Isaiah 59:19 KJV

So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit Of The Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

I Corinthians 10:13 MSG

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; He’ll always be there to help you come through it.

Isaiah's reply to King Hezekiah.

II Kings 19:5-7 NLT

5 After King Hezekiah’s officials delivered the king’s message to Isaiah,

6 the prophet replied, “Say to your master, ‘This is what The Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against Me from the Assyrian king’s messengers.

7 Listen! I Myself will move against him, and the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.’”

Interesting here is our Lord's reply, that an attack against His people, He considers against Himself!

An angry Assyrian army Chief returns to King Sennacherib:

II Kings 19:8-19 NLT

8 Meanwhile, the Assyrian chief of staff left Jerusalem and went to consult the king of Assyria, who had left Lachish and was attacking Libnah.

9 Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message:

10 “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria.

11 You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different?

12 Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all!

13 What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?”

Godly King Hezekiah, goes to the temple to pray, what an example to leaders, everywhere!

II Kings 19:14-19 NLT

14 After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to The Lord’s Temple and spread it out before The Lord.

15 And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before The Lord: “O Lord, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth.

16 Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against The living God.

17 “It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations.

18 And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands.

19 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”

The Prophet Of God, Isaiah, Responds, The Epilogue:

II Kings 19:20-37 NLT (Isaiah foretells Judah’s Deliverance and Assyria's defeat.)

20 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what The Lord, The God Of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria.

21 And The Lord has spoken this word against him:

“The virgin daughter of Zion despises you and laughs at you.

The daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head in derision as you flee.

22 “Whom have you been defying and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice?

At whom did you look with such haughty eyes? It was The Holy One Of Israel!

23 By your messengers you have defied The Lord. You have said, ‘With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees.

I have reached its farthest corners and explored its deepest forests.

24 I have dug wells in many foreign lands and refreshed myself with their water. With the sole of my foot I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!’

25 “But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.

26 That is why their people have so little power and are so frightened and confused. They are as weak as grass, as easily trampled as tender green shoots. They are like grass sprouting on a housetop, scorched before it can grow lush and tall.

27 “But I know you well— where you stay and when you come and go. I know the way you have raged against Me.

28 And because of your raging against me and your arrogance, which I have heard for Myself, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.”

29 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Here is the proof that what I say is true:

“This year you will eat only what grows up by itself, and next year you will eat what springs up from that. But in the third year you will plant crops and harvest them; you will tend vineyards and eat their fruit.

30 And you who are left in Judah, who have escaped the ravages of the siege, will put roots down in your own soil and will grow up and flourish.

31 For a remnant of My people will spread out from Jerusalem, a group of survivors from Mount Zion. The passionate commitment of The Lord Of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

32 “And this is what The Lord says about the king of Assyria:

“His armies will not enter Jerusalem. They will not even shoot an arrow at it.

They will not march outside its gates with their shields nor build banks of earth against its walls.

33 The king will return to his own country by the same road on which he came. He will not enter this city, says The Lord.

34 For My own honor and for the sake of My servant David, I will defend this city and protect it.”

35 That night The Angel Of The Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.

36 Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.

37 One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria.

The reward of those who come against The Lord, and His people.

When the enemy comes against you remember Godly King Hezekiah, and his going to The Lord in prayer!

Leave It There

If the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold,

And you have to get along with meager fare,

Just remember, in His Word, how He feeds the little bird;

Take your burden to The Lord and leave it there.

Refrain

Leave it there, leave it there,

Take your burden to The Lord and leave it there.

If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out.

Take your burden to The Lord and leave it there.

If your body suffers pain and your health you can't regain,

And your soul is almost sinking in despair,

Jesus knows the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal;

Take your burden to The Lord and leave it there.

Refrain

When your enemies assail and your heart begins to fail,

Don't forget that God in Heaven answers prayer;

He will make a way for you and will lead you safely through.

Take your burden to The Lord and leave it there.

Refrain

When your youthful days are gone and old age is stealing on,

And your body bends beneath the weight of care;

He will never leave you then, He'll go with you to the end.

Take your burden to The Lord and leave it there.

Refrain

Charles A. Tindley, 1916

Public Domain

Psalms 55:22 KJV

Cast thy burden upon The Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Matthew 11:28-30 KJV

28 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

I Peter 5:7 KJV

Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.

Salvation Prayer

Death-Spiritual- 2

Bible Questions Answered:

“The bible is false, it says Adam would die the day he ate of the fruit of the tree of good and evil! And yet he lived to have Cain, Abel and Seth. He didn't die. False, false, false....”

Darien/ Nizhnevartovsk, Russia

Bible Answer:

Bible Text:

Genesis 2:15-17 KJV

15 And The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16 And The Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Surprise, there is more than just one kind of death! That's right, there are two kinds of death. The spiritual death of the soul, and thee other death is the death of the body.

The Word:

Ephesians 2:1-5 GNT

1 In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins.

2 At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God.

3 Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God's anger.

4 But God's mercy is so abundant, and His love for us is so great,

5 that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience He brought us to life with Christ.

It is by God's grace that you have been saved.

Here the Apostle Paul told the Ephesians that before we came to The Lord, we were dead and lost, spiritually, with out life, in our sins.

The day Adam, disobedied God, and ate of the forbidden fruit, he “spiritually died.”

God never stated that he, Adam, would die physically that day, but spiritually he did.

Sin separates from a Holy God.

Isaiah 59:2 KJV

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

The reward for sin, is death, spiritual death.

Ezekiel 18:4 KJV

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine:

the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

God cannot look upon sin:

Habakkuk 1:13 KJV

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..."-

Genesis 2:7 KJV

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The day Adam sinned, the spiritual life that God had breathed into him, became lifeless.

In his day, only through obedience, was he restored.

And today, all mankind under the curse of sin, our Savior tells us:

John 3:3 KJV

Jesus answered and said unto him (Nicodemus), Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 5:24,40 KJV

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

40 And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.

John 10:10 KJV

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 14:6 KJV

Jesus saith unto him, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

Acts 4:8-12 KJV

8 Then Peter, filled with The Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by The Name of Jesus Christ Of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11 This is The Stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become The Head Of The Corner.

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

Romans 6:13 NLT

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

I John 3:14 KJV

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Born under sin, born under spiritual death, and judgment, we may “pass from death unto life,”

When we obey the voice of The Lord.

John 3:14-21 KJV

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must The Son Of Man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of The Only Begotten Son Of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth The Light, neither cometh to The Light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth Truth cometh to The Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God

Spiritual life or death, the decision is mans.

Joshua 24:14,15 KJV

14 Now therefore fear The Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in Truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye The Lord.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve The Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve The Lord.

 Salvation Prayer

Reconciliation

Bible Questions Answered:

“... I haven't talked with my sister for almost 20 years. We jointly had started and run a business together. Her husbands job moved to another state, so she had to sell out to me her share of the business. So I bought her out, she said I robbed her blind, but I gave her an honest amount, for her share. All these years there's been bad blood between us....”

Sharon/ Columbus, Ohio United States

Bible Answer:

Our Lord, spoke on the subject of “reconciliation,” and its importance!

Matthew 5:23,24 NLT

23 “...if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,

24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

This old pastor remembers well, how that churches used to have what were called “reconciliation services.”­

Yes, it was just as you think. These meetings were worship services, where no message was given, instead, men and women, stood, to tell everyone... “Mr. Swanson, I am asking The Lord, and you to forgive me, because I have said some bad things that I know were not true about you, please forgive me.” So Mr. Anderson confessed, and oft, and as should be, the individual, in the church would walk right over to the person and give their confession.

Did you think this happened just between grown men, then think again, for many were the times, women weeping real sobs of regret before The Lord, openly and honestly confessed the wrongs they had done to another present at the meeting, and with real sorrow begged for their forgiveness.

This all dear friends, regrettably, is now, a world away. Oh how the wiley one has deceived and robbed the church of the precious Lord Jesus Christ, of its spiritual power and victory!

What days of cleansing and spiritual victory those days were, they brought people together, and we all knew one thing for sure, we needed The Lord, all of us.

Reconciliation, yes, Jesus said it was more important to get that settled than to bring an offering to the house of The Lord!

I John 3:18-22 NLT

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show The Truth by our actions.

19 Our actions will show that we belong to The Truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and He knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.

22 And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.

Dissension, can "block," our prayer life!

Matthew 18:15-17 NLT

15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

Philippians 2:3 KJV

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

II Timothy 2:24 KJV

And the servant of The Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men..."

Our wonderful living God, praise His name, believed and believes in reconciliation!

Romans 5:10,11 NLT

10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son.

11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

II Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT

18 And all of this is A Gift From God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Colossians 1:19-22 NLT

19 For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ,

20 and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions.

22 Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.

Hebrews 2:17 KJV

Wherefore in all things it behoved Him (The Lord Jesus Christ) to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a Merciful and Faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Do you know this Wonderful Savior, who made it possible for us to be reconciled to God?

Acts 4:12 KJV

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

Salvation Prayer