Psalm 53:1-3:
1THE [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt and evil are they, and doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. 2God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any who understood, who sought (inquired after and desperately required) God. 3Every one of them has gone back [backslidden and fallen away]; they have altogether become filthy and corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.
These verses should put to rest the idea held by some that man is basically good! Romans 3:10-12 says almost exactly the same thing:
10As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.
So if man is basically NOT GOOD, what hope is there? John 3:16 is the answer!
16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
GOD did it! He took care of everything FOR us! All that He left for us to do is to receive what He has already provided! Thank You, Lord! Have YOU received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour? Do you realize that you are a sinner? Do realize that the price to be paid for sin is death, but that Jesus paid the price with His own blood? (Romans 6:23) Do you WANT to receive Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour now? Pray this prayer:
Almighty God, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth, died on the cross for me, was raised from the dead, and is now seated at Your right hand. I accept and receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and I invite Him to come into my heart and become Lord over my life. I thank You now Father, for welcoming me into Your family. You are my Father. I am Your child. Jesus is my Lord! Amen.
NOW you are a child of God, a member of the family of God, a joint-heir with Jesus of Nazareth to all that belongs to God! Get into the Word of God (read the will!) and find out what belongs to you. Become a student of the Word and you will grow in faith and confidence. You will also learn who YOU are because of Him! AMEN!
Mark 3:1-5:
1AGAIN JESUS went into a synagogue, and a man was there who had one withered hand [as the result of accident or disease]. 2And [the Pharisees] kept watching Jesus [closely] to see whether He would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might get a charge to bring against Him [formally]. 3And He said to the man who had the withered hand, Get up [and stand here] in the midst.
It is amazing to me that these religious leaders were seeing miraculous manifestations of God's delivering power and some of them were more concerned about WHEN He did it instead of WHAT He did! They had never seen healings and miracles like they witnessed whenever Jesus was around! Did the good and Godly results that Jesus had convince them? Look at verse 6:
6Then the Pharisees went out and immediately held a consultation with the Herodians against Him, how they might [devise some means to] put Him to death.
It always seems to be the religious leaders who have a problem with the powerful Gospel of Jesus Christ! The people didn't have a problem! They flocked to Him! Verses 7-10:
7And Jesus retired with His disciples to the lake, and a great throng from Galilee followed Him. Also from Judea 8And from Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon--a vast multitude, hearing all the many things that He was doing, came to Him. 9And He told His disciples to have a little boat in [constant] readiness for Him because of the crowd, lest they press hard upon Him and crush Him. 10For He had healed so many that all who had distressing bodily diseases kept falling upon Him and pressing upon Him in order that they might touch Him.
Not many of these were still following Jesus when He was crucified. The Bible says that He was alone then! But at this time multitudes were following Him because of the miracles. Signs and wonders and miracles are meant to catch the attention of the lost and direct them to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! Once they are born again believers, they need to get into the Word of God so that they can be in control of their lives on this Earth. The Word of God teaches believers how to walk in health, prosperity, peace, wisdom, strength, power, anointing and free from the bondage that the enemy would like to trap us with! Treasure the Word and DO IT! You WILL be glad you did! Guaranteed!
Isaiah 19:1 tells of the future judgement on Egypt.
1THE MOURNFUL, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Egypt: Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.
The good news is that this chapter also tells of a future redemption for the people of Egypt! Verses 23-25:
23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship [the Lord] with the Assyrians. 24In that day Israel shall be the third, with Egypt and with Assyria [in a Messianic league], a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25Whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people and Assyria the work of My hands and Israel My heritage.
Remember that the only lasting peace that will come on this Earth will come with the 1000 year reign of Jesus! The enemy will be bound and will not have access to the people! What a glorious time that will be for the people on Earth! One day every knee will bow to Jesus and every tongue confess that HE IS LORD! I hope YOU are doing it now! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
