(Exo 1:8) “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.”  Joseph was the nearest thing Egypt had to a revelation of God. He was one of God’s people and the Lord certainly had His Hand upon Joseph. That testimony was gone. So often, a family member will shine for God and those succeeding will not. Sad. What is wrong? I believe those following have not embraced the love for the Lord the one walking with God possessed! Seek to express your love and devotion to the Lord to those who will follow you!

(Gen 1:3) “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” I am convinced that the physical was given us to understand the spiritual. Light comes from God and God alone. That is true of the physical and it is also true of the spiritual. If you wish “light”, understanding of spiritual things, you will have to look to God. That begins with the Lord Jesus: (2Co_4:6) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

(Tit 1:15) “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” I once had a “minister” quote the first part of that verse to me as a license to sin – “It is not sin if it is not sin to me.” Wrong. The next part says, “…but unto them that are defiled…is nothing pure;..” We defile ourselves by indulging in sin. Salvation is not a license to sin; but the ability to NOT SIN.  (Rom 6:13) “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:”

(Tit 1:14) “Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.” “Jewish fables” are called “extra-biblical”. It is one thing to state “I have read” or “this comes from”, but to state something someone wrote as fact is dangerous. There is only one Book of Truth, and that is the Word of God. All other are suspect. I, for one, will not ever READ something that brings the Word of God into question. Once I find that it does, I put it down.  

“God hath chosen the foolish things…the weak things…and base things….and things despised…that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Cor 1:27-28). We are prideful by nature. Whenever the Lord uses us, there is a great danger to accept the glory for it. We are mere instruments used by the Lord. It is He Who speaks to hearts; it is He Who gives us the abilities to serve. We are to reflect glory; that is, we are to give it all to Him!

In Hebrews Chapter 1 the Lord Jesus is spoken to by the Father, saying, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever…..” (v.8). Why: (v.9) “Thou has loved righteousness and hated iniquity….”  Lord help us to truly love righteousness and hate iniquity, being like our Lord!

There’s a Scripture in Romans that says that Jesus is “just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus (3:26)”. He is “just” – sinless, breaking no laws”, for our sins have been paid for – the death penalty. So, it is not wrong for Him to forgive us, passing that payment onto us. And He is the Justifier, for He paid for our sins Himself, dying in our place, making us “just’ – “just as if we had never broken the law – sinless”. Jesus satisfied the decree of Divine justice so that we might enter that place of no sin – the presence of God!

(Act 1:1) “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,”  Doing always comes before teaching. It is the life we live that supports the things we seek to teach others. Our live can either cause others to accept our spiritual instruction or reject it. How is you “doing”?

I’m sure you recall after the resurrection of the Lord, His asking Peter three times if he loved Him. The Greek language has several words for love – we, one. The first, Jesus asked, “Do you love me sacrificially?” Peter – “I love you as a friend.” Jesus asked again, “Do you love me sacrificially?” Peter – “I love you as a friend.” Jesus – “Do you love me as a friend?” Even this level of love questioned by the Lord troubled Peter, who answered, “You know I love at least that much!” Yet, still the Lord told Him, even with only that much love, do for Me as I have asked you these two times before, “Feed My sheep”. No one loves the Lord as they SHOULD, but we can still serve Him best we can with the love we do possess and all the while, seek to love Him more!

My heart is always moved when I read these Words, (1Jn 1:1) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;” I have not heard the actual voice of the Lord Jesus, yet I have through the blessed Holy Spirit. I have not seen Him with these physical eyes, yet have through the eyes of faith. I have yet to look upon Him, but know that day will be here sooner than I think. And I have not laid these hands upon Him, but have grasped Him with the hands of hope and desire. Praise God!