A Gospel Tract a day, will...

[ReverendRV]

Garbage ~ by ReverendRV * April 19

Philippians 3:8 NLT; Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

The Greek word that is translated as ‘Garbage’ is used only once in all the Bible. In other Versions it’s mostly translated as Rubbish or Dung; either way it’s filthy. ~ Can you think of anything in life that is so grand, it might give you reason to say that nothing else in the world can compare to it? I suppose that a young man might feel this way when he thinks of the girl of his dreams, or when an old man remembers his granny’s cooking; but both fall short of describing the discrepancy between Jesus Christ and all other good things. Paul gave us an image of him ‘Spring Cleaning’ his house, preparing for God to visit him. ~ Would you get up and dust the furniture? Surely you would sweep and run the vacuum, right? Would you change the channel or take the magazines from your coffee table and put them in the junk drawers?

But why would you put something away under cover, instead of counting it as garbage which needs to be discarded? In the Bible, Rachel took one of her father’s household Idols, hid it in her saddle and sat on it; Lying about why she couldn’t get up; so that the Idol wasn’t found by her father. What do you own that’s worth hiding from God when he comes over for a visit? ~ Have you ever told a Lie? What would you call a person that tells Lies? Liars attempt to cover up their Sins, just as Rachel straddled hers. Have you ever Stolen anything? What do you call someone who would Steal from your father? Rachel was a Thief in her own house; have you ever Stolen money from your father? When I mentioned the thing you would keep and hide from God’s sight, it instantly entered your Mind; what was it? If you won’t count it as Garbage, then you are a Covetous Idolater. These are just four of the Ten Commandments, what If God judged you by his standard, would you be innocent or guilty? Does this bother you? ~ Gehenna was a place where criminals were buried and garbage was burned; God throws his Garbage into Hell…

The Jews used to clean the Yeast out of their homes to prepare for Passover; this symbolizes our being cleansed from Sin. Yes, we can be made right with God! For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish forever in Hell but have Eternal Life. Jesus Christ is the only person who lived that has NEVER Sinned against God; he kept all Ten Commandments. This allows him to gain entry to Heaven, but he never intended to keep this luxury to himself. He trades his Righteousness to all who jump at the chance, but he asks for something in return; your Sin burden. This caused him to Plea Guilty for you in your place and receive punishment from God for your Sins. He was Scourged with whips and hung on a Cross; he shed his blood and died. But God wouldn’t leave him in the grave, and he raised him from the dead! We’re Saved by the Grace of God through Faith in the risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, without Working for it. Confess Jesus Christ as Lord, Repent from your Sins and find a Church that teaches the Bible. ~ Maybe you live like an Idol Hoarder, but just can’t see it?

1st Samuel 2:6 KJV; The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

 

[makesends]

What are the odds of a galactic ‘Cue-Ball’ crashing into another Planet in its Habitable Zone?? The odds would be astronomical!

Yes, "astronomical" —so to speak!

There's a reason puns are not quite against the rules!

 

[ReverendRV]

Gates of Hell ~ by ReverendRV * April 20

Matthew 16:18 KJV; And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Do you know someone who is busting Hell wide open? We think of people who are having the time of their life as living in the fast lane; even the Bible says that Sin is pleasurable for a season. We might even admire the antics of someone who lives their life going for the gusto; going from girl to girl or from party to party. ~ When I was young, we used to admire the ‘always high’ Jeff Spicoli from the movie ‘Fast times at Ridgemont High’. We watched another movie called ‘The Return of the Living Dead’ laughing at a Zombie we called Spicoli, since he reminded us of that airheaded character. The two may have as well been one; both of them the Living Dead. ~ As time goes by, our rebel hero races down the Highway to Hell by breaking the speed limits of God’s Law. You say, “The gates of Hell must be a mile thick if he hasn’t broken down its doors yet!”. But the truth of the matter is that it’s not this hard to enter into the kingdom of Hell…

Have you ever kept the Sabbath Holy? Have you ever told a lie? What do you call people who tell lies? Have you always honored your father and mother? That’s the first Commandment which came with a Promise; IE long life. Have you ever used Gods name as a cuss word? Have you ever supposed God doesn’t mind if you Sin? Then you have made a God to suit yourself, because having a false God is Idolatry. God has given Mankind his Ten Commandments. I’ve mentioned five of the ten here and they may seem the mildest of them; but I bet you’ve broken all Ten. Jesus said that Hatred is Murder and lust is Adultery. We see that we don’t have to be like the person who is busting Hell wide open to go there; Hell’s Gates are already wide open…

In his Sermon called ‘Sinners in the hand of an angry God’, Jonathan Edwards had this to say about how close every man is to the Gates of Hell. ~ ‘Unconverted men walk over the Pit of Hell on a rotten covering. The reason why they are not fallen already and do not fall now is only that God's appointed time is not come. It’s said, that when the appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. They shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God won’t hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go. At that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; like standing on slippery ground on the edge of a pit. When let go, he immediately falls and is lost.’ ~ There is much more that can be quoted but God is angry with Sinners daily. The way in may be easy but the Gates of Hell are impregnable when you’re closed in by them…

The good news is that none of us need to go to Hell! After Jesus told Peter the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church, Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven”. As easy as it is to fall thru the Gates of Hell, it’s even easier to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven! Here are the keys! ~ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior; if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your Heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be Saved. Jesus died on a cross 2000 years ago and shed his blood for the remission of Sin. He rose from the grave and ascended into Heaven and will return one day to open the Gates of Hell and empty it into an eternal Lake of Fire. ~ Jesus Christ is the Rock of Ages, and when you build your Life on him alone, you don’t have to worry about the ground falling out from under you…

Matthew 7:26 KJV; And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

 

[ReverendRV]

Happy Easter!

 

[ReverendRV]

God’s Treasure Chest ~ by ReverendRV * April 27

Exodus 28:21 KJV; And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel ‘Treasure Island’, Long John Silver hunts for buried treasure with a map that leads to an ‘X’ which marks the spot. Many a Pirate are Murdered in the voyage to Treasure Island, but in the end the treasure chest is dug up and found empty. These men had no qualms when it came to treading over other lives in hopes of striking it rich. The Bible says that the Love of Money is a root of all kinds of evil. In the story, the Pirate’s love of Treasure rooted and grew into Lies, Murder; and into Covetousness. The Bible says Stolen waters are sweet; but the love of our plunder can cause us to Covet it to the point of hiding it away from the world. ~ God has a treasure chest too and doesn’t bury his treasure, but keeps it close to his heart; out in the open for all to see. Here’s an example…

The Bible describes the Priestly garb of the Jews in the Old Testament and part of this was a bejeweled Breastplate; this is what it says. “Then, using the most careful workmanship, make a chest piece to be used as God’s oracle; use the same gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads of fine-twined linen as you did in the Ephod. This chest piece is to be of two folds of cloth, forming a pouch nine inches square. Attach to it four rows of stones: A ruby, a topaz, and an emerald shall be in the first row. The second row will be carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond. The third row will be an amber, an agate, and an amethyst. The fourth row will be an onyx, a beryl, and a jasper—all set in gold settings. Each stone will represent one of the Tribes of Israel and the name of that Tribe will be engraved upon it like a seal.” ~ God has set his Love on a chosen people; the children of Israel and their descendents. Their value to God is represented as a chest full of priceless jewels, crafted and set in gold for noble use! ~ But there are other stones in the world; stones which only have a common use. Coal’s common use is to be burned in the fire. We have more in common with coal than we do with these gems because we are black as Sin too! Have you ever Stolen anything, even if it was little? Then you have no jewel on the breast plate. Why would God ever guild a lump of coal in settings of gold?? As dead branches are pruned and only good for burning, your Sin sends you to the eternal fires of Hell and the Lake of Fire…

But you don’t have to go, there is a way of escape. There is a Diamond in God’s treasure chest; it used to be a lump of coal! What you need is to be born again, become a new creation. This is done by God’s Grace through Faith apart from any Work we could ever do; can you be flawless enough to be God’s diamond? Jesus Christ could! Because he was born without sin, Jesus lived a life that pleased God his Father and he accrued a human Righteousness that’s more valuable than all the jewels in his Creation. ~ For God so loved the world that he gave his only unique Son to die on a Cross as the sacrifice for the Sin of the world, that whoever believes will be Saved. Jesus is the only person who could pay a great price since he’s Priceless! Put your Faith in the risen Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ and you will be Saved! Christ’s Righteousness, his value, will be imputed to you and you can sing that old song; “I’m just an old chunk of coal, but I’m going to be a diamond some day!” Today is the Day of Salvation. ~ Do you want to be treasured by God? The Apostle Paul said that not all Israel is Israel, but the sons of the promise are Israel; thank God that anyone of us can be a gem in the treasure chest of God; he who promised is Faithful! You will be Sealed by God and be used as God’s oracle; share the Faith! Amen…

Revelation 4:3 KJV; And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

 

[ReverendRV]

God’s Wings ~ by ReverendRV * April 28

Malachi 4:2 KJV; But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

The notion that God has wings is often ridiculed by unbelievers. They compile a list of God’s features from the Bible, and when through, they laugh at what they see. Does God have wings? The answer is yes! ~ In the Old Testament we find a Biblical description of a wing; Numbers 15:38-39; “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments thru out their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the Commandments of the LORD and do them, that you may not follow the Harlotry to which your own Heart and your own eyes are inclined.” ~ The word that is translated ‘tassels’ in the book of Numbers, has a similar meaning as the word Malachi uses, but it’s translated as ‘wings’ instead. You object, “Gods wings are tassels on a garment that he wears? But God is Spirit!” ~ Let me explain…

The garment that is spoken of in the book of Numbers is called a Prayer Shawl. It is rectangular and has blue stripes along with tassels on both of its short ends. When the shawl is worn around the neck and the arms are stretched out, they bring to mind a set of wings. The shawl has four tassels on each corner and the Jews called them its wings. Each of the tassels are made with eight strings and had five double knots. The word used in Numbers for the tassel is said to also have the numerical meaning of six hundred. When the tassel, strands and knots are added we have 613; the number of Laws that are from God and found in the Bible. The Theologian John Gill said the general use, end, and design of the fringes is that upon sight of them the Jews might be put in mind of the Commandments, and to start practicing them. ~ Israel made a Covenant with God through Moses to keep the Ten Commandments. These 613 Laws are seen as Sub divisions of the Ten Commandments; no wonder they wanted to always be reminded of God’s Commands. ~ Have you ever Hated someone? This is a division of the Commandment ‘Thou shalt not Kill’. But their problem, and our problem, is that they couldn’t keep all of those Laws; their Sins had to be Forgiven by a God who could gather us and spread HIS wings around us…

Jesus Christ wore the prayer shawl and the Bible teaches that he is God! Jesus was born Sinless and is the only person who has lived since Adam and Eve, who could have kept all 613 of Gods Laws. Adam and Eve Sinned in the Garden of Eden and could never earn their way to Heaven but could only rely on God’s Gracious mercy. Jesus died on an ‘altar’, a Roman Cross; as a Sacrificial Lamb to Atone for Sin once and for all. He was buried but rose from the dead as the Savior of Mankind. If you put your Faith in the risen Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you will not be put to shame; you will be Saved. Jesus will cover you with his wings, his prayer shawl; symbolic of the Righteous requirements of God’s Law covering you. God’s Son of Righteousness did rise and will heal you from your Sins ~ When I give an answer to a skeptic’s objections, I often hear from them ‘how convenient’ my response was. They don’t accept it but seem to acknowledge that it was a good answer. God has wings because Jesus has wings. Often someone’s objections ‘do’ have real answers; don’t give up! Repent from your Sins and Confess Jesus Christ as Lord!

Luke 13:34 BSB; O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling.

 

[ReverendRV]

Gold ~ by ReverendRV * April 29

Revelation 3:18 NIV; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

While he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos, the Apostle John received a Revelation from Jesus Christ on the Lords Day. He said several Churches needed to look to him to provide help they didn’t know they needed. The Church at Laodecia boasted, ‘I’ am rich, ‘I’ have prospered, and ‘I’ need nothing. These ‘Churchians’ didn’t see their true Sinful condition. All have Sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Like us, they have broken Gods Ten Commandments by Lying, Stealing, Cursing with God’s name, and committing Adultery. “You don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked!” The Bible describes our worth; “All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” ~ What we need is a worth which is alien to us; alien to the world…

Like all elements with atomic numbers larger than iron, Gold is thought to have been formed from a Supernova Nucleosynthesis process. These explosions scattered metal-containing dusts (including heavy elements like gold) into the region of space in which they later condensed into our solar system and the Earth. Because the Earth was molten when it was just formed, almost all of the gold present on Earth sank into the core. Most of the gold that is present today in the Earth's crust and mantle was delivered to Earth by asteroid impacts during the late heavy bombardment –Wikipedia. ~ We see Gold is refined in the fire of the Sun and that the Earth received its riches from a Sun. We are like the Earth and are made from dust. Like the gold which was given to the Earth through the death of a Sun, our riches are Spiritual and come to us through the death of God’s Son. The first Man Adam was perfect because God breathed the breath of Life into him; like the gold, spiritual Life has an ‘out of this world’ origin. Adam Sinned in the Garden of Eden and died spiritually that day. All who are in Adam’s family tree are born in his image; spiritually dead…

Men have been mining their ‘Human Being’ for Spiritual life with the tools of Religion, ever since the Sin of Adam. They have said to themselves, “My deeds are treasure indeed!”; but they have only found fools gold. Jesus tells you and I to buy gold from him so that we will be rich and have a true worth. ~ You ask, “How do you buy this gold?!” We buy it with the Grace of God through Faith in Jesus Christ as our risen Savior, without spending any of our deeds. The gold is like the food at the table of Isaiah; it is without cost! Jesus lived a life without Sin, which pleased God his Father. Jesus paid a ransom for our lives with his blood by dying on a Roman Cross as payment for our Sins, then rose from the dead to prove that he is the Way, the truth and the ‘Life’. Have Faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you will be Forgiven of your Sins; never having to pay for breaking God’s Law by ‘doing time’ in his prison; an eternal Hell. Like the death of a Sun that sends its riches to a forming world, we become Righteous…

1st Corinthians 3:11-13 NIV; For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.

 

[John of Japan]

Interesting

 

[ReverendRV]

Golden Calf ~ by ReverendRV * April 30

Exodus 32:1 (NASB) Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

When I read this Chapter in Exodus, I’m perplexed. It seems so disloyal to quickly abandon the one true God; and Moses, so quickly. I’ve pondered this and it seems so unreasonable for them to give up like that. Moses was only at the top of the mountain for forty days. How could they give up so easily, how could they forget about their Loving God? It doesn’t even say they were mourning for their God, or missing him and Moses. It’s as if they came to the conclusion that God and Moses are gone, as if they were never coming back. So, they ask Aaron to make them a new god. Aaron doesn’t question it, and pleases the people. He asked them to tear out all the ear rings from their wives, sons, and daughters; and he created for them the Golden Calf…

Last time I read this I asked, ‘Is it really so hard to believe that they did this?’ Don’t we want to do the same exact same thing even in this day and age? When a Spouse goes out of town on business, what might we do? Our other half is only away for a few days; but we feel lonely, and then commit Adultery. The reality is, that this is the exact same thing that Israel did to God! But, when they did it to God, it’s called Idolatry instead. ~ Let’s look at the definition of Harlotry; it’s committing the act of Fornication, Adultery, Prostitution, and/or to be unfaithful (to God). That’s why you hear the phrase “Israel has played the Harlot with other gods” used so many times in the Bible. When we think about it like this, it’s easier to understand why God gets so upset when we put other things before him; and make gods out of them. It’s like God’s ‘True Love’ has just cheated on him with another; it rips his heart out. When we think about it like this, it makes it easier to understand why God said this to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I Commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have Worshiped it and have Sacrificed to it; and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!'" The LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation."…

If you’ve committed Adultery on your Spouse, Ask their forgiveness; if you’ve had another god, ask the Lord for Forgiveness. ~ For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ, so that all who believe in him shall not perish in Hell but have everlasting Life. Jesus was Holy and deserved to live, but died on the Cross for your Sin; and arose from the dead so that we can follow him to Heaven. We’re Saved by God’s Grace through Faith in the risen Jesus Christ, apart from Works lest we should boast. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus as your Lord and God; and find a Church that will teach you the Bible according to this Gospel. Praise Jesus…

Exodus 20:3 KJV; You shall have no other gods before Me.

 

[Arial]

Interesting

Welcome to the forum John.

 

[ReverendRV]

Goldilocks ~ by ReverendRV * May 1

Genesis 1:10 KJV; And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

During the six days of Creation, God ended each day by declaring what he had made was ‘Good’; all facets of Creation were flawless. Something similar to this declaration of Goodness can be seen in the Tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We are all familiar with that story; Goldilocks enters the home of the Bears and finds a selection of items, but only one of each item is ‘just right’. When God calls his Creation Good, he is saying that it was ‘just right’. Theology presents us with several arguments for the existence of God, and one of them is called the Teleological Argument; Earth is ‘just right’ for Life. So far, Scientists have never found an Earth Analog…

The Earth is just right for life to exist; I’ll use three which correspond with Goldilock’s Tale; and at the end I will use a fourth example. ~ Earth exists in an area of space which is commonly known as the Habitable Zone. Venus and Mars are also in this Zone but one is too hot for Life and the other is too cold for life; but the Earth is just right. If the Sun were a Red Dwarf, it would be too small; but our Sun is just right. If the molten Core of Earth were too hard like the more solid core of Mars, then the Suns radiation would kill life on Earth; our molten core is ‘just right’ for life to exist here. ~ If another world like Earth exists with ‘just right’ conditions for Life, it would still take a ‘special’ event for Life to exist there; the Cambrian Explosion. Scientists tell us by comparison to the billions of years of time the Earth has existed, the proliferation of Life ‘exploded’ onto the scene; breaching a difficult Great Filter! According to Professor Watson from East Anglia University, ‘a limit to Evolution is the Habitability of Earth, and other Earth-like planets; a Habitability which will end as the Sun brightens’. He suggests that an upper limit for the probability of each step of the Evolutionary process occurring is 10 percent or less, so the chances of intelligent life emerging is low, less than 0.01 percent over four billion years.” Life existing on other perfect worlds depend on a Cambrian Explosion also occurring there…

The existence of Life on Earth is often described as being maintained by a vast wall of instruments with knobs, switches and buttons which are perfectly dialed in for Life. If a dial is turned one notch, then Life would cease to exist. The Book of Revelation in the Bible describes a time when God will burn the world with Fire. This is because of Man’s Sins, such as Lying, Stealing, and Worshiping other Gods. Adam Sinned and the world has never been a Garden of Eden since. But God so loved his ‘Good’ world that he gave his only begotten Son to be the Representative of Believers. Because he is both Man and God; Jesus is ‘just right’ to be our Advocate on Judgment Day. He never Sinned, and earned his Righteousness like no one else can. Because of this, he pleased God for us; and died for us when the Wrath of God was poured out on him. By his Blood Atonement, Death and Hell are satisfied! We’re Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ, without Working for our Forgiveness. Repent of your Sin, Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord God; Read the Bible and start going to Church. ~ When you put your Faith in Jesus as your risen Lord and Savior, then you are ‘just right’; you are Just and Right before God…

Revelation 21:4 KJV; And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

 

[ReverendRV]

Golgotha ~ by ReverendRV * May 2

John 19:17 (NASB) They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.

I watched a children’s Christian movie the other day, and near the end they showed Christ’s Crucifixion. They depicted this very well, with a view from the bottom of the mountain looking up at what looked like a skull in the hill. What a menacing scene this was. ~ Today, what do we think about when we think of the Cross? Many people might say it’s a symbol of Christianity, others might say Salvation; there could be any number of answers that people may give you. The reality of it is that it must have been terrifying. Especially the way they depicted it, Imagine being at the bottom of this mountain looking up at the Place of a Skull. Making the journey up this mountain beaten and bloodied, carrying your own Cross, knowing that they are going to hang you on it until you die. Jesus died a cruel, humiliating, and Excruciating death on a Cross…

Jesus lived a perfect life so he could become an acceptable Sacrifice for the Sin of the world. He became Sin on our behalf, and bore our punishment for us, He suffered greatly on our behalf. It made me question our process of Salvation; should we also go through some sort of suffering before we are Saved? As Christians, isn’t our Spiritual lives supposed to mirror Jesus? I have heard several Testimonies, some can be heart wrenching; bringing you to tears. Others might tell you they were Saved at a very young age, and have followed Jesus all their lives. I think there could be almost unlimited examples of how people came to Salvation. When Jesus was being Crucified, two Criminals were with him; one was on the left, the other was on the right. One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him saying, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of Condemnation? And we indeed are suffering Justly, for we’re receiving what we deserve; but this Man has done nothing wrong." He said, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your Kingdom!" Jesus said, "Truly, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." ~ One was Saved, but the other wasn’t. Will you die at his left hand; or at his right?

I’m not trying to say that if you haven’t came to know Christ though some sort of trauma, you can’t be Saved. But, I am saying your old self must pass away in order to be Born Again. ~ Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again’”. Saint Paul said, "I have been Crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” ~ Jesus Christ was Good enough to go to Heaven, but gave up his Life on a Cross to pay for your Sin. We’re Saved by Grace through Faith in the risen Jesus Christ, without our Works; all the while depending on his Works to satisfy God. Repent; and Confess Jesus Christ as LORD…

1 Corinthians 15:31 (NASB) I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

 

[ReverendRV]

Goliath ~ by ReverendRV * May 3

1 Samuel 17:4+8 KJV; And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

In ancient days there was a practice used on the battlefield where each Army would send one Man to the middle, to fight for each Nation. If both sides were agreeable to this, there would be little blood shed. In the movie ‘Troy’, we see this in the first scene. One side sent out a hulk of a Man and the other side sent out the warrior Achilles. It was just a matter of seconds and Achilles had won the battle for his side. Our Verses teach us that this manner of warfare is what Goliath was proposing; Israel wasn’t chomping at the bit to take on a ten foot giant to decide their fate…

But a shepherd boy who would one day become King showed up at the battlefield to bring provisions to his enlisted brothers. David, appalled at the sight of Goliath, volunteered to stand in the middle to take on the Giant. Little David was ill equipped to handle such a fierce warrior; and he couldn’t wear the Kings armor because he was too small. But by Faith in God, David slew Goliath with a sling and one smooth stone. The battle was won by one man! In Theology we call this a Vicarious Victory; one person ‘by himself’ serving in their stead. David was a grasshopper in the sight of Goliath, but the Giant was the real grasshopper because he was fighting against God. Like Goliath, we’re at Enmity with God. Have you ever Lied? What do you call people that Lie? Have you Stolen before? ~ God sees it all; If God can see little David, he can see you too…

The account of David and Goliath was a prelude to a future time of another shepherd King; Jesus Christ. Just as David fought the battle for his side, Jesus has fought a battle for us too. Jesus lived a life without Sinning against the Laws of God. He never Lied, Stole or Coveted anything; unlike us. Jesus faced the Devil and defeated him, he faced Death and defeated it, and he faced the Grave and defeated it by rising from the dead; three more giants! God was well pleased with Jesus but he is not well pleased with anyone else; God is angry with the Wicked every day. But we do not have to be counted with the Wicked for all our Lies, Thefts and Covetousness; Jesus shares the good standing he has with God his Father, with all who have Faith that he is their risen Lord and Savior! The Giant Goliath gives us good advice, “Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.” The Wages of Sin is death and you cannot face the giants of Sin, death and the grave without loosing in Hell’s valley. Let Jesus come down into the battlefield on your behalf and fight the battle that no one but he could ever win. We are Saved by Gods Grace through Faith in Jesus apart from any Battle we could ever win; now this is a vicarious victory!

Hebrews 1:3 KJV; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

 

[ReverendRV]

One of my favorites...

Finding Billy Graham ~ by ReverendRV * April 4

2ndTimothy 2:2 KJV; And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

There have been many famous Preachers the world was blessed to hear. John Wesley and George Whitfield were contemporaries who left their indelible mark in the Western world. They came from the Old World to the New World and sparked a Great Awakening; leading America to become a Christian Nation. We can think of the likes of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, also known as the Prince of Preachers. He had a mega Church in the 1800’s that would make most of today’s Churches jealous. Reading him is like reading William Shakespeare if he were a Preacher. ~ The famous Preacher we think of today is Billy Graham. As an Evangelist, he reached so many people, that the numbers boggle the Mind. Graham lived in a time that Television was spreading into most homes and this helped his notoriety, allowing him to fill stadium after stadium with people who were seeking for truth; that seemed JUST out of their reach. Having a famous reputation helped them find Billy, and helped them want to listen to what he had to say. ~ All famous Evangelists have two things to tell you...

First, there is a God who has given the world his Law. Though there are many parts to this Law, all portions of it can be summed up by the Ten Commandments. Some are plain and simple like Lying and Stealing. Have you ever told a Lie? Your Conscience spoke up before your tongue could say ‘No’. What do you call a person who tells a Lie? A Liar, right? Have you ever stolen anything when God was watching you? Your tongue didn’t even try to race your Conscience this time, did it? What do you call a person who Steals? A Thief. ~ Some of the Ten Commandments seem more serious; like Adultery and Murder. Have you every Slept with anyone without being Married to them? Some can say ‘No’, but they can’t say that they haven’t fantasized about it; this is Adultery of the Heart. Have you ever Hated anyone? Jesus said that Hatred is Murder committed in your Heart. ~ The Bible says that ‘no Liars, Thieves, Adulterers, etc, will enter the Kingdom of God’. Since there is no place for you here or in Heaven after you die, Sinners are sent to a fiery Hell forever and ever…

Does this bother you? When you begin to fret for your Life, it’s time for the second thing that all famous Evangelists will tell you; the Good News about Jesus Christ! He is the only begotten Son of God, who came from Heaven to Earth on a rescue mission to Save Lost, Guilty Sinners. He is the only person that has never Sinned, and this good record of Righteousness is what all of us need! There is only one way to get his record, and this is how; we are forgiven by the Graciousness of God through Faith in Jesus Christ, apart from trying to earn his record the way he earned it; his record is a free gift, otherwise it can’t be had at any price. Jesus turned away the Wrath of God by shedding his blood, dying, and showing himself Alive after being dead in the grave. Repent of your Sin, find a Bible believing Church; and Confess Jesus as LORD. ~ Who is going to be the next Billy Graham? Every generation has theirs; perhaps after reading this Gospel Tract it will be you? One reason I write these is because I am looking for him, and hope to take part in ushering him to his Pulpit…

Proverbs 11:30 KJV; The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

 

[ReverendRV]

Good gifts ~ by ReverendRV * May 4

Matthew 7:11 KJV; If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

This verse is a part of the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus Christ is the Preacher. He is known as a Good Teacher, so he has a way of saying things where we can understand him. He compares the love we have for our children and how we are good to them, to God our Father in Heaven and how he can out give us; to those who ask of him. Jesus uses the lesser and greater contrasting method to show us how God is a better Parent than we could ever be; but did you notice just how great the contrast is between God and Man? He starts out with “If you then, being Evil”; now that’s a polar opposite contrast between Man and God, right? This is poignant because of just who he is saying this to; his Disciples! Can you imagine them sitting at his feet and thinking, “Did he really just call us Evil??” ~ What does he think about you then?

The Disciples were not really the best people around; Matthew was a hated Tax Collector after all. He had his hand in the Till, so Israel was being robbed by a Traitor; surely he was Evil. ~ Have you ever Lied before? What do you call someone who Lies? Have you ever Stolen anything? What do you call people who Steal? If Matthew was a Lying Thief, what are you? You say, “But that’s different, I’ve only taken something cheap, not a lot like someone’s Tax money!” What’s the difference? Jesus saw a widow put two Mites into the Offering and said she gave more than the Rich; a little is a lot, right? The little you’ve Stolen is a big deal. ~ These were just two of the Ten Commandments, if God judged you by his standard would you be innocent or guilty? Would you go to Heaven or to Hell? Does this bother you even a little?

You, being Evil, know how to give good gifts to your children; thank God that he outdoes us! ~ For God so Loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life. Which one of us would give up their darling child for the sake of Evil people?? Jesus Christ never Sinned in his entire Life and he became the sacrifice for the Sin of the world. On Good Friday, God gave a Good thing by sending his Son to die on the Cross for us. He spilled his precious blood on the ground to pay the price for being a Sinner, though he never was a Sinner; what a Good thing! But there’s even better news; Jesus Christ arose from the grave as the Author of Life and will write your name in the Book of Life. We’re Saved by the Grace of God through Faith in the risen Savior Jesus Christ, not by Working for the gift but just by asking for it. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord God and Worship him in a Bible Loving Church. ~ You are better off than the Disciples were when they heard they were Evil; you have been cleansed on the inside and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. You belong to God the Father, made right by God the Son and now are taught by God the Holy Ghost…

Psalm 65:4 KJV; Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

 

[ReverendRV]

Good News or bad news first? ~ By ReverendRV * May 5

2nd Timothy 2:8-9 KJV; Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

The word Gospel means ‘a message of Good News’; at first glance it doesn’t make sense that Paul would say the Good News has caused him to be called an evil doer, to the point of being jailed. But when we look back at the history of the day, we can see how good news could be taken as bad news by those in charge. The Roman Empire ruled the world in those days with an iron fist. When someone would bring good news to the people about how to find a new King and be free, that was bad news for the empire. Or when someone would bring good news to the people about how God was not far from anyone, this was bad news to the established Religion. You ask, “How then can the Gospel be called good news at all?” Only because the Good News of the Gospel is not chained! Those who held to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, were appointed to be Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world, had nothing that could chain their Voice…

Which would you rather have first; the good news or the bad news? The Good News may not mean as much to you if you have it first. The Law of God chains All to the Ten Commandments. The Bible says that we are sold under Sin as slaves. But you ask, ‘What is Sin that I am sold under it??” Sin is the violation of God and his Law. David says in Psalm 2:2-3; ‘The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”’ ~ God has said “You shall have no other Gods before me”. Jesus said that in the last days their will be many false Christ’s, so since men need to sort through false Christ’s to find the true Savior; how confident are you that you have not had another God?? The true God judges Sinners to be guilty of breaking his Ten Commandments, and Condemns them to his prison; an eternal death in Hell. Have you said, ‘To me, God would never do something like that’? Then you have built an Idol; you’ve made a god to suit yourself…

But the Good News is that God so Loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes on him will not perish but have everlasting life! Jesus lived a perfect life, and God his Father was well pleased with him for living it. Jesus did not want to keep his good record to himself, but freely gives it to all who believe that he is their Lord God and Savior; risen from the grave. We’re Saved by the Grace of God through Faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, without you being featured in the Good News because of your Works. Repent from your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord God; and praise his Name at your Church. ~ There is no other name given under Heaven for which Men are to be Saved by. Read the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and learn what Sin is; trust in Jesus Christ Alone as the way, the truth and the life!

Luke 4:18 KJV; The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

 

[ReverendRV]

Grafting ~ by ReverendRV * May 6

Romans 11:24 KJV; For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

I was having a discussion with a group about how Roman Catholics and Evangelicals present the Gospel of Jesus Christ; what’s the difference? One Catholic offered the conclusion of the Council of Orange from A.D. 529 as their view of the Gospel. Since I don’t have the space to reproduce it here, it was similar to the Good News of the Evangelical Gospel. I responded by saying that the Protestants agree with much of what the Councils of the early Church stated; but the differences come up because of the later Councils. A Lutheran spoke up and said that if this is the Roman Catholic Gospel, then they owe an apology to the Reformer Martin Luther for Excommunicating him for believing the Gospel that the Church used to profess. ~ This gave me cause to think of our topic verse. It is a symbol of the difference between the people of God, the Jews; and the people of God, the Church. The Horticultural practice of grafting in branches from one tree into another tree is used as a symbol of Gods ‘Favor’ for his people over time. First it was Israel and when they Fell, God favored the Gentiles. ~ But you ask, “What does this have to do with now?”

Something similar has happened in modern times. The early Church had the Gospel but there came a time another branch was grafted into it by the Religion of men. These Horticulturalists trained the Gospel tree’s shape by twisting it in such a way that this added branch now seemed to be the tree’s trunk, and the true trunk appeared to be the spurious branch. You ask, “Why is this new branch a problem?” Because the branch they added is from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; and the tree that it was added to is the Tree of Life! The Bible teaches us these two trees were in the Garden of Eden, and that the Tree Adam and Eve ate from first would control their destiny. The Tree of Knowledge bore fruit that killed them when they ate it; this Tree is symbolic of the Ten Commandments. God intended the Ten Commandments to be used to show people they are Sinners; have you ever Trespassed and picked an apple from someone else’s tree? That’s Stealing, and God punishes Sinners by sending them to a Devil’s Hell. ~ World Religions like Judaism and Catholicism, and Cults like Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses Graft this poisonous branch into the Gospel by saying we are Saved by our good Works. But the Bible says that if we want to be Saved by Works, then Grace is no longer Grace. The remaining good branches of this religious tree stop bearing the fruit of Life; because that good tree is now made bad. ~ Prune things you think you can do to earn your way to Heaven, and make the tree Good…

The Bible says there is coming a day when Israel will be grafted back into the good Olive Tree, but room for them will need to be made by cutting off the Gentiles; your time is ticking. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Tree of Life; here is its fruit! God sent his Unique Son to be born of a Virgin, so that he could be the Sinless sacrifice that Atones for our Iniquity. He shed his blood on the Cross for the Remission of Sin, was buried, but conquered death by rising from the grave! By Grace are ye Saved, through Faith in Jesus as your Lord God and Savior; this is not by Works so that no one can boast in themselves. If you can boast, then your tree does indeed have a branch from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Its fruit is meant to show you naked before God; be ashamed. Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord God and be clothed in his Righteousness…

Matthew 12:33 NIV; "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. @Hazelelponi @Eternally-Grateful

 

[ReverendRV]

Grief ~ by ReverendRV * May 7

2nd Samuel 12:20 NASB; So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate.

Oh the pains of Grief, they stab our hearts like spears. King David felt the pain of Grief and it was wrenching because of the part he played in the death of his son. The Prophet Nathan came to David with a calculated story for the King to judge. Nathan told the King a poor man had a lamb and he loved it very much. One day a guest arrived at the home of a Rich man; but instead of killing an animal from the Rich man’s own flock, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest. David was furious; He vowed "As surely as the LORD lives, any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!” David had unwittingly decreed guilt and judgment on himself when he said this. You see, the prophet Nathan said to David, "You are that man! Why, then, have you despised the Word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his Wife for yourself”…

Because of King David’s Sin, the newborn son of David and Uriah’s wife had to die. David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The Elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them but he refused. On the seventh day the child died. David's Advisers were afraid to tell him. "He wouldn't listen to reason while the child was sick," they said. "What drastic thing will he do when we tell him that his child is dead?" When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. He asked them, “Is the child dead?” They replied, "Yes, he is dead." Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and Worshiped the LORD. After this, he returned to the palace and was served food; and ate. His Advisers were amazed. "We don't understand you," they told him. "While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your Mourning and are eating again."

The Moral of the story is that David’s Grief was cured by his Faith in God. His Advisors were surprised that at the death of the child, David’s grief was over. Their surprise is due in part to the fact that his child died on the seventh day, which meant the baby couldn’t be Circumcised; which traditionally took place on the eighth day. Circumcision was the Covenant Sign of God with Israel, so the child was never able to bare the sign. The Advisors would have thought that this premature death would make David grieve more because his son missed the opportunity to be in Covenant with God. But David knew that despite this, his son would be safe in Heaven; “But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me." ~ Has your Sin cost a Life? Faith in God cures Grief for our Sins. We’re Saved by Grace through Faith, without Works lest we boast. Repent of your Sins and trust in Jesus as your Savior, and God will send you a Comforter; the Holy Spirit. If your Grief is because of a lost loved one or a lost Marriage, Faith can cause us to rise up out of our Grief and trust the wisdom and Grace of God. Jesus is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe…

Isaiah 25:8 NIV; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.