Tag: Bible Study

Your Kingdom Come (Mark 3:7-12 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

[Mar 3:7-12 NKJV] 7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. 10 For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

– Mark 3:7-12 (NKJV)

I love the picture that I chose for the graphic for this series. It’s a picture of the Grand Tetons that we snapped as we were driving through that part of Wyoming. It was an overcast day and the mountains were in the shadows of the clouds. Yet, the picture shows slivers of light piercing through and shinning on the mountains below. It was a hint of the glorious sunlight that was shinning above the clouds. It was a hit that the shadows wouldn’t stay on the mountain and there was a “brighter” day ahead.

What we see today in today’s passage is the kingdom of God breaking through the curse that has come on creation. Jesus is undoing the things that have gone wrong. He is healing the broken and casting out demons. People are gathering close to him because they sense and see in him something that has been missing from the world for a long time.

Today, when we see these rays of the kingdom shine down on us it should cause our hearts to long for a full manifestation of Jesus kingdom. We should long for when there will be no more sickness, death, or sorrow. We should long for the day when every evil entity will be completely banished. We should long for a day when God will again fully dwell with people and no one will ever be far from the presence of God again. What we saw in this moment was that the world was not made to live in the shadow of the curse forever, but would one day be banished.

This should provoke our hearts to praise and good deeds. As we pray for the “Kingdom to come,” we should be living as those who are suited to live there. We should ask the Lord to examine our lives and make us fit for the kingdom that is coming.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. We are grateful for the rule and the reign of Christ over our lives and we long for the day when this earth will no longer be under that curse of sin, but be fully set free. Please guide us in your will and direction for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

The Sabbath is for Healing, Not Hurting (Mark 2:23-3:6 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 “how he went into the house of God [in the days] of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?” 27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” 1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched [it] out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

– Mark 2:23-3:6 (NKJV)

The Pharisees were telling Jesus that his disciples weren’t keeping the Sabbath. They had taken a serious command that was given to Israel for the flourishing of the people. Indeed, when the Sabbath day command was obeyed in Israel’s history the people did flourish. But I don’t think the Pharisees had the disciples flourishing at heart here. I think they just wanted to exert control and at this moment, it meant using this law to dress down Jesus and his disciples. They were more concerned with power than they were with the people. They were more set on being right than truly righteous. They aren’t concerned for the disciples hearts but Jesus is truly grieved by their hearts.

What they must not have known is that Jesus was fulfilling the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a day set aside to worship God. Rest in this context is worship because it means we are trusting God to provide even when we aren’t working….It is a confession that all of our work rests on God’s work.

Jesus reminds the Pharisees that Man wasn’t created by God for the Sabbath day, but that God had created the Sabbath for man. Jesus sees a man who was limited in his ability to keep the rest of the sabbath command (work is endorsed for six days). He then asks the man to do something he can’t do on his own… he must depend on God to heal him.

In this passage the Pharisees were looking to condemn the disciples and by implication, shame Jesus. But Jesus was looking to restore a man on that Sabbath day. (After all that is what the sabbath day was ultimately about). This should cause us to reflect on our own hearts. Are we hard hearted pharisees who look to condemn others or do we seek God and his purpose of restoring the broken?

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Thank you that you care about our hearts. We want to honor you in the way we live. Please guide us in your will and direction for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

No Patches Here (Mark 2:18-22 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 “But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

– Mark 2:18-22 (NKJV)

One of the unique challenges of pastoring is dealing with so many people who are facing different challenges and joys in life. The other day in the matter of a few minutes I went from sharing a gospel message with a group of teenagers to praying with someone facing a serious surgery. On my prayer list is a family joyfully expecting a baby and a friend who is possibly entering into hospice care. One Saturday last year, I wrapped up speaking at a graveside service for a dear friend and drove straight across town to do a vow renewal service for a sweet couple. These are all real folks facing real things and I’ve had to learn how to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. It is okay for people to have different seasons in their life.

In today’s passage, John’s disciples wonder why Jesus’ disciples don’t fast like they do. Perhaps they think there is some sort of spiritual benefit that Jesus’ disciples are missing out on, or more likely, they see themselves as superior for the extra discipline they have demonstrated. Jesus uses this illustration of seasons of life to explain… They knew according to their social customs that even if you are in the midst of a fast, but you are at a wedding, you break the fast for sake of being a good guest (that was actually a rule on one of their own books). To not celebrate the joy of the bride and groom because you are “fasting” wasn’t being ultra spiritual, it was being ultra rude. Anyone can deny themselves food. The mere act of self denial alone doesn’t make you closer to God, it’s the attitude of the heart that matters. Fasting for fasting sake doesn’t get you any closer to God.

There would be plenty of time for the disciples to fast later. The moment they were living in called for celebration. Jesus was with them, it was a time to celebrate.

We should be careful of judging someone else’s spirituality based on their current disposition. We all go through seasons of growth and we shouldn’t expect people to be just like us. The old restrictions and fasts wouldn’t make sense for the season the disciples were in, it would be like trying to force a square peg through a round hole. (You can do it, but you’re going to cause a lot of friction and shave some edges off in the process). We don’t need to needlessly create friction or tears in the fabric of our relationships by judging others by outward measures. The heart is what matters. There would be plenty of time for the the disciples to fast after Jesus had ascended, but for now it was rude not to celebrate what He was doing by healing people etc.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Thank you for the various seasons we go through in life. Thank you for placing people in our path that can help us rejoice and lament in the proper times of life. Help us to be there for others and place no expectation on them other than that their hearts are genuinely turned towards you. Please guide us in your will and direction. In Jesus Name, Amen.

He’d Sit With You (Mark 2:13-17 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. 15 Now it happened, as He was dining in [Levi’s] house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How [is it] that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard [it], He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call [the] righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

– Mark 2:13-17 (NKJV)

If you are unfamiliar with Jesus, Christianity, or church you might be interested to know the type of people that Jesus called to follow him. We already saw that he called some fishermen to follow after him, but today he calls a tax collector to join the ranks of his disciples.

You might be surprised by the type of people Jesus would hang out with. It wasn’t always the respected religious leaders. In fact the religious leaders quite often rejected Jesus! We find in the gospels that Jesus would hang out with people who were the outcasts or marginalized by society. In this passage he is sitting by tax collectors (who would have been wealthy, but rejected by mainstream society because they both represented an oppressive government and were often accused of leveling unfair or “extra” taxes in order to make a tidy profit).

What was His rational for receiving these sort of people to follow him? It was because they needed him. Like a sick patient needs a doctor, those who knew they were sinners needed Jesus to help them come to a place of repentance. The really sad thing it that the religious leaders really needed him too. Their hearts were sick and corrupt as anyone else’s, but their sins seemed more respectable in their society… but they weren’t in God’s eyes.

The comfort that we can draw from this passage is that if we can recognize ourselves as sinners, then there is hope for us to be found in Jesus. When we recognize we need him, we can call out to him and he will be there. What kind of people did Jesus sit with? He sat with people like me and you. You can call on him.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Thank you that you are a friend of sinners, because we are sinners. Sometimes we try and pretend that things aren’t that bad, but we know you see our hearts. So we boldly call out to you and ask you for your grace today. Please guide us in your will and direct our paths. In Jesus Name, Amen.

He Can Forgive Sins! (Mark 2:1-12 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

And again He entered Capernaum after [some] days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive [them], not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four [men]. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this [Man] speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘[Your] sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”–He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw [anything] like this!”

– Mark 2:1-12 (NKJV)

Mark two begins with the account of the how Jesus heals a paralytic man. The man’s friends show amazing faith by tearing up the roof and dropping the man in above Jesus. (Let’s just agree that this was a pretty radical and bold move on the part of his friends. They must have really loved him.) So then, Jesus sees the great faith these guys demonstrate and he tells the man that his sins are forgiven. And it stuns the crowd! They were expecting a healing! This man’s handicap is what seems to be his most glaring need. Yet Jesus doesn’t just see the outside, he sees this man’s heart and what this man (and all of us) really need. Some of the people who are there are doubtful that Jesus can even forgive sin. Jesus sees their doubt and authenticates his statement by healing the man.

This man’s greatest need was for the forgiveness of his sins. I wonder if his friends knew this? I wonder if they would have been as aggressive to get him to Jesus if Jesus would have forgiven his sins, but left him a paralytic? I wonder if we sometimes look at our neighbors, coworkers, and friends and don’t really see that their greatest need is to trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins? The good news is that Jesus forgives the sins of those who repent and turn to him. Who are you telling today?

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Thank you that you saw this man’s greatest need. Thank you that you gave him more than he wanted and searched deeply within his heart to provide that which he needed most. Forgive us of our sins and help us see the real needs of other around us. We want to follow you. Please guide us in your will and direction for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Who are you following? (Mark 1:39-45 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. 40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out [His] hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim [it] freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

– Mark 1:39-45 (NKJV)

Jesus heals a man and urges him not to tell others, but rather go fulfill the customs and obligations of the day. The man ends up telling people and Jesus becomes famous. Jesus wasn’t looking for fame, Jesus was looking to honor the father. I’m sure to this one who was so miraculously healed it seemed contrary not to tell the whole town, he went with his gut instead. Sometimes if we aren’t careful we will follow our gut rather than obeying the Lord. How about you? Are you trusting the Lord? Are you trusting what God says about relationships? Money? Work? Etc…

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Your way is better than our way. Help us to be obedient to you in moments where everything makes sense and in moments where we just don’t understand. Please guide us in your will and direct our steps today. May we listen and be obedient to you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Early Morning Prayer (Mark 1:29-38 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. 32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. 35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. 36 And Simon and those [who were] with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

– Mark 1:29-38 (NKJV)

I have a planner that I look at each day. In my planner I have written some goals. Things that I think I need to pursue in my life right now. I begin part of my day by looking at my planner and reminding myself of my goals. As small as this step is, it is really helpful in keeping my focus where it needs to be. For example when I remind myself that one of my goals is to eat healthy and lose a certain amount of weight by a certain day, it helps me to discipline myself and stay away from sweets. By focusing early in my day on my goal, it effects my direction for the rest of the day.

Way more important than any goal we’d set for ourselves is to seek and understand God’s will for our lives. We do this through prayer! We can pray about the people and situations that are in our lives and seek God’s purpose and will. The more people we see, places we go, and things we have to do, the more important it is that we seek God’s will in those areas.

Jesus was very busy at this point in his ministry, but he knew that busyness doesn’t always mean success. Just like all growth in a plant doesn’t lead to fruitfulness, sometimes it takes away from fruitfulness and so some plants need to be pruned. Jesus sought God the Father early in the morning, on a busy day so that he’d know where to go and what to do next. He wasn’t caught up in the tyranny of the urgent, he was passionate about pursuing the father’s will.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. As our schedules get filled with more and more activities, it’s important that we submit our busy lives to your will. We ask for your direction and purpose today. We want to follow you. Please guide us in your will and direction for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Authority (Mark 1:21-28 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let [us] alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine [is] this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

– Mark 1:21-28 (NKJV)

The other day I was discussing why I hold to the Christian faith. My response could be summarized in two points. I believe first on an intellectual level. The literature of the bible compared to everything else I’ve read makes the most sense to me about why the world is the way that it is and so I choose to place my confidence in the bible and what it teaches. While there may have been a time where I held to the Christian faith for merely intellectual reasons, I also have another reason for my faith… my experience. As I have placed my faith in the Lord through what the scripture teaches I have experienced many of the things I have studied and know them to be true by my experience.

In today’s reading, Mark wants us to know that when Jesus enters the scene, he does so with a recognized authority. His authority stretches to these two realms. On the one hand, Jesus’ teaching and doctrine are noted by the crowd as coming from one who has authority. He is able to reason according to the scriptures better than the scribes. The other place of authority comes on an experiential level. It is here that the doctrines that Jesus is teaching are put to the test. He is able to cast out evil spirits.

Those observing Jesus then as well as those of us reading these accounts now have opportunity and reason to trust Jesus. We can trust Jesus because it is reasonable to trust him, but as we trust him and see his work unfold in our lives we can trust Jesus also because we experience his truth as we put his word into practice. Most of us will never be called on to cast out demons, but we will experience His word when we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us and obey other such similar commands.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. I thank you for the authority that Jesus demonstrated in Mark. Help me to study your word that through it I might know you better. We ask you to guide us in your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Follow Me (Mark 1:14-20 Devotional)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also [were] in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

– Mark 1:14-20 (NKJV)

A few years ago I took my kids on a hike through the woods. They were both eager to get ahead on the trail and they were arguing over who would lead. I had told them that I would lead us on the trail and that they needed to follow me. My warnings had fallen on deaf ears as we were coming around a bend in the path something caused me to instinctively throw my hands back and as I did I caught a kid on each side trying to pass me. I had grabbed them and stopped them in their tracks. There in front of us was a large snake that looked somewhat like a root slowly crossing our path. If either one had been in the lead they would have found the snake by stepping on it! Needless to say, both kids were eager to follow me the rest of the way and no one tried to strike out and lead.

In today’s passage, Jesus invites his disciples on a journey of discipleship. The formula was simple. These men just needed to embrace the simplicity of following Jesus. Their transformation from fishermen to fishers of men was something Jesus would do! He told us as much when he said, “And I will make you become…” All that was really required of these men was for them to follow Jesus. He would take care of the transformation. There were a few instances where Peter tried to get out ahead of the Lord, but Jesus was always swift to put him back in his place.

Sometimes I too am tempted to complicate things in my relationship with Jesus. Instead of looking to follow him, I often try and strike out to get ahead. I mistakenly think that if I read enough books, take enough classes, attend enough conferences, and listen to all the right podcasts that somehow I’ll be well on my way to achieving a high level “fishers of men” certification. I forget how simple the formula really is. All that is required is for me to follow Him and He will make me into what he wants me to be.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Thank you the transforming power of the gospel. Make us into your image today. You are the potter, we are the clay. We ask you to guide us in your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Trust God (Psalm 125 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 125

A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD [Are] like Mount Zion, [Which] cannot be moved, [but] abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever. 3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity. 4 Do good, O LORD, to [those who are] good, And to [those who are] upright in their hearts. 5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them away With the workers of iniquity. Peace [be] upon Israel!

PSALM 125:1-5

TRUST GOD

On a bend of the Marias River near where I grew up there is a steep bluff made of shale rock. In the rock you can find all sorts of fossils of leaves and sometimes critters. When I was a kid we would climb up the steep bank and look for fossils.

The only problem was that often the debris from the crumbling shale would pile up and it didn’t make a good foothold on a steep bank. We had a special way of walking across, but sometimes even if you did everything right, you would still slip down the bank. 

Sometimes you would climb a few feet only to fall a few feet further. We’d call this back sliding. Instead of making forward and upward progress, you’d fall back. Of course the real danger was that you’d fall so far that you’d end up in the swift moving current of the river bend. 

In the Christian life we also have something called back sliding. I have friends, people I know who were once so on fire for the Lord that have slid back in their relationship with God. For some it just seems as though things have cooled, for others it seems as though they never really knew the Lord. 

I’ve got friends and family members who we would say have backslidden. They are wounded and hurt, maybe even because of their own foolishness, but for whatever reason they have fallen back or fallen out.

In theology we have all sorts of debates and denominations over the question, can you backslide so far that you lose your salvation? In today’s text we will see the Hand of the Lord on the Nation of Israel. The Song that is sung here is that of rejoicing that it’s not our hands that saves us or keeps us, but it is the hand of the Lord that has kept His people. Had we been trusting in our own strength surely we’d fail. 

The image we get is of geography and politics. Back in those days they settled politics by the machines of war. If someone rolled in with a massive army, they would fight a battle and lay siege to a city. When they won the battle, they would be the new ruler. 

Jerusalem was a particularly difficult city to capture this way. It was a hill surrounded by hills. The only way to get to Jerusalem was through a pass. It was an easily defensible place because of the mountains surrounding the city. The Psalmist reminds us that just like mountains surround and therefore protect Jerusalem, the Lord surrounds and protects those who belong to him!

Stability doesn’t mean that we don’t grieve or weep when we go through the trials of life. It means that as we face them we do so with an abiding hope and confidence in the Lord. 

Throughout the history of the Nation of Israel, when they pressed into the Lord and trusted Him, He always came through, He never let them down. When they got full of themselves or hired foreign armies they would trust in false gods, or chariots, they became captive to their enemies. 

Two things we should note: Jerusalem will stand forever more. God loves this city and it’s people that all throughout scripture his hand is all over it, protecting it, preserving it. There will be a time when my town, Flomaton, doesn’t exist anymore. There will never be a time when there is no Jerusalem, even when Jesus returns in all his glory in the book of Revelation, he is bringing a new Jerusalem! God will always surround his people. 

The second thing we should note is that there were times that Jerusalem was taken captive by foreign kings. The people went into a 70 year captivity, but then the Lord brought them back. He never forsook them, even though they had forsaken Him. 

I believe that if someone is genuinely saved they cannot lose their salvation. There may be times in their life when they backslide and forsake God even… but God hasn’t forsaken them. He may let them wander off into the far country until they come back to their senses but he hasn’t forsaken them. They will know they should return and repent. They may wander in sin for a season, but they will never truly comfortable with it. When they come to a place of repentance there is always a way back home. 

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your never stopping, never giving up, always and forever love. I don’t deserve your grace, but you have poured it out on me in abundance. I rejoice to know that I am surrounded by your love and your protection. Keep me from backsliding and trusting in false god’s and empty promises. Let me face whatever adversity comes my way with a real and secure hope in you. I pray today for those who I know who are living in sin and misery and are backslidden. Bring them back again to repentance and in the fold with your people. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.