It seems like everyone feels they should, could or have a voice nowadays and they do not hesitate to express their opinions. There is no shortage of ways to express yourself either. Now with various writing and video social platforms people can express themselves with a Tweet, Instagram or on Tik Tok or even more formerly in a blog or vlog available for free for whoever chooses.
God has a voice as well. He has on occasion used angels to deliver messages and will again but He most commonly spoke to and through prophets. Prophets are simply put the mouthpieces of God. He sends them to warn His people as well as those whom He plans on judging for their unrepentant sins. But, as we read today in the lifebook, He also sends His prophets to share the promise of the Savior that was to come. By the time Jesus was to come into the world in a human body there were many clues or markers that would indicate that the Savior had come. Of course the loudest message came from Jesus Himself when He cried out from the cross, "It is finished!" Are you grateful for God's voice? As we invest time in His word, both reading and discussing what it says, He, through it, will give us confidence, peace and everything we need to face whatever He has for us today. Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son... Hebrews 1:1-2a Have a great day Loved Ones, and God bless you real good.
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The slaughter of children in any generation is awful. Pharaoh himself ordered the slaughter of Hebrew children fearing their numbers and the thought that they could overtake Egypt. The irony that God through one Hebrew child, that Pharaoh didn't get, would bring down the empire. Fast forward about 1,500 years and Herod trying to keep his throne did the same thing believing the wise men who said there was a king born to be King of the Jews. Although the slaughter in the Passover took the lives of many, it was neither violent nor unjust like the two mentioned above. These were children and men, both young and old that would have died either way but God took them in His time. I do believe for some it was mercy, the children went to be with the Lord.
Through water God justly judged the all on the Earth and saved some by grace. So He did it again, this time sending the Angel of Lord (who is believe to be Jesus before He came in flesh) to kill all the firstborn of Egypt. Keep in mind that this was on behalf of the blood of an innocent animal. Pharaoh's pride led to the death all of the firstborn of Egypt but God gave His firstborn so that we would be saved, not through the blood of an animal, but that of His own Son. Revelation 6: 15-17 tells us the response of those in the last days even in face of God's wrath, Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” The unbelieving world asks, who can stand against Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb? I remind you of the confident hope of those who follow Jesus. We can, Stand in His Blood! Have a great day Loved Ones and God bless you real good! At harvest time, Cain brought a gift to the Lord. He brought some of the food that he grew from the ground, but Abel brought some animals from his flock. He chose some of his best sheep and brought the best parts from them.
The Lord accepted Abel and his gift. But he did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain was sad because of this, and he became very angry. The Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why does your face look sad? You know that if you do what is right, I will accept you. But if you don’t, sin is ready to attack you. That sin will want to control you, but you must control it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” So they went to the field. Then Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Genesis 4:3-8 Genesis is a book of firsts or beginnings, it tells us of various origins from their beginning. That is actually what the word genesis means- beginnings. In it we have the first day, first people, first sin, and today we read of the first murder. This murder was not between strangers, they were brothers. Notice this murder was not an act of passion but it bubbled up from being sad to very angry and then resulted in murder. This murder was also premeditated (thought out before hand or planned). Cain told his brother, "Let's go out to the field." He had time to think and plan what he would do. James the half-brother of Jesus writes about this sin pattern and it's end result in the letter bearing his name. Great blessings belong to those who are tempted and remain faithful! After they have proved their faith, God will give them the reward of eternal life. God promised this to all people who love him. Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, “God is tempting me.” Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you.Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death. James 1:12-15 It also came despite a warning and remedy. God actually spoke to Cain and told him how to make his offering right but all Cain can focus on was his brother. To think that this first murder all started with their offerings. There's a lot to be said about their offerings but let's rather consider what we focus on when we feel sad. We need to master our feelings not be carried away by them. Be careful it doesn't lead to anger and eventually death. It may not be murder like Cain but it could end in expulsion from school or one day cost us a job. It could also bring the death of a relationship. A relationship that could have continued if we listen to God's voice instead of focusing on what we don't have and what others do have. God wants what is best for all people especially His children. Will you listen to your feelings or His voice today. Have a great day Loved Ones and God bless you real good! ![]() Having taught that Adam and Eve's removal from the Garden in the past was part of the curse, I now believe that it was actually an act of mercy on God's part. God could have left them in their sin but seeing that they could live forever in that state He then removed them from the Garden of Eden so that they would not eat from the Tree of Life and live forever. I believe that is clear in Genesis 3:20-24
20 Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. Of course this may not have seemed merciful to them but remember with the curse the serpent, Adam, and Eve first heard the Good News that was proclaimed. God will often do something for our good and protection without us even understanding it. So they knew, even if not fully understood, that God wasn't finished with them yet. God also proved that by the sacrifice of an animal to provide them with coverings- a beautiful picture of what God would later do with His own Son in order to provide the permanent removal of SIN'S CURSE from all those who would believe. How much do I understand now, concerning my parent's discipline and removal form potential and actual situations I could or was actually in. I remember even crying when told I couldn't hang out with a friend but now understand just how much they loved me. Do you understand that God loved you enough to send His only Son to die in the place of sinners? Unlike the curse of eternal separation from God we receive from Adam the free gift of God in Christ is something we can only received grace through faith. If this eternal life belongs to you, consider today what a blessing it is. If it is not, would you receive the truth that Jesus lived a perfect life and died a perfect death on your behalf? Then, and only then, will you have the right to be called a child of God and know your sins are removed forever. That is our prayer and what Jesus died for. Consider God's mercy. Have a great day Loved Ones, and God bless you real good! |
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