Why? Because You Were Created as the Temple of God  - 1 Cor. 3:16,17

“Worrying never takes away tomorrow’s worry or fear and can cause many 

illnesses.” ~~ Web MD

Have I got great news for you!! How to overcome worry 

and fear and to gain the wisdom of God.

Barry Borthistle, a SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEUR With a Biblical Worldview - bborthistle@shaw.ca

A Biblical worldview has a radical effect on a person’s life:

“Any objective social analyst would conclude that the United States faces its fair share of moral and spiritual problems. A new research 

study from Barna Group suggests that a large share of the nation’s moral and spiritual challenges is directly attributable to the absence of a Biblical worldview among Americans. Citing the findings from a just completed national survey, adults that showed only 6% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making. Researcher George Barna described the outcome, ‘if Jesus Christ came to this  planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think – our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our  research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We’re often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance."

~~ Barna

Worldview matters! I want to have a radical impact on people’s lives using the messages in my three books. How you see the world has consequences for what you do, what you value and what you pass along to the next generation. A worldview that isn’t firmly anchored to the truth of God’s Word is ultimately going to shift and change with the ideas that prevail in our culture.

The strategy is to build a strategic partner network to reach a global audience and help people think like Jesus. Every single decision that you make - and you make hundreds of them if not thousands of decisions every single day – every one of those flows through your worldview.

MY EZEKIEL WATCHMAN CALLING

Ezekiel 33

Verses 1-9. Ezekiel, more than any other Old Testament prophet, teaches us that the Word of the Lord is never far from God’s servant when we are willing to listen; verses 16-27…the Watchman’s Duty

Verses 10-20 personal accountability

My calling:

• Over the years, 12 people have called me a Jeremiah, three from India, three from the US and six from Canada. This is a very humbling 

experience.

• Over the years, I have written in my Bible 7 times over Ezekiel 33, that I was willing to be a watchman if that is God’s will.

• The calling has been growing, but at 83 years of age the calling makes no sense. God will not leave me.

• I have had several prophetic words over the past few years, but nothing like June 3, 2022 when I received an email out of the blue from a friend,  Michael Ellison, saying, “Just read Ezekiel 33."

Preparation for this Calling: Covid19 changed my life as it did for millions. I lost about 80% of my net worth but in many ways it was the best thing that has ever happened to me because it showed me the importance of living by faith, as God’s temple (I Cor. 3:16,17; Hebrews 11:6). It is impossible to please God without faith. “Impossible” in Greek means "impotent."

God led me to write my first book, “Your Body is God’s Temple” during this period. The book was inspired by a quote in The Wall Street Journal:

“Who will save us now that the monster Covid19 has broken 

free? The pandemic has humbled the country and the world 

and has opened up millions of eyes to this risky universe once 

more. For societies build on Biblical traditions pandemics 

need not make the end. They are a call for repentance and 

revival…. Great struggle can produce great clarity. In the 

Old Testament, it would seem that men of spiritual resources

may not only redeem catastrophe but turn it into a grand 

creative moment”.

“Not many of you should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other people, thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation (James 3:1)."

The Vital Importance of a Biblical Worldview

“A worldview is the most important thing that we know about a man or a woman.” ~~ Richard Weaver

“A Gospel that does not deal with the issues of the day is not a Gospel at all." ~~ Martin Luther

“A Biblical worldview approach to life and learning has never been more needed than in today’s pluralistic/postmodern culture. Christian students face hostility to their faith from one side and apathy to anything of importance from the other side. And, sadly the casualties are high.”

~~ Chuck Edwards and John Stonestreet

The Mystery of Israel (Jews) accepting Jesus Christ is found in Romans 11:25-36. Def. ‘mystery’ – secret, hidden… there are 14 mysteries in the New Testament.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin’s warning to U.S. Christians:

“I am certainly not a Churchill. I am not even a Revel. I am having enough trouble just trying to be a Lapin. But I am issuing a very serious warning about deep consequences, just as they did. It is a warning about the earliest stages of what could became a cataract of disasters if not resisted now. During the 1930’s, Winston Churchill desperately tried to persuade the English people and their government to see that Hitler meant to end their way of life. The British ignored Churchill, which gave Hitler nearly 10 years to build up his military forces. It wasn’t until Hitler actually drew blood that the British realized they had a war on their hands. It turned out to be a far longer and more

destructive war than it needed to be had Churchill’s early warning been heeded.

Heaven knows there was enough warning during the 1980’s of the intention of part of Islamic world to take another crack at world domination. Yet instead of seeing each deadly assault on our interests around the world as a test of our resolve, we ignored it. We failed the test and lost 3,000 Americans, Canadians and others in two unforgettable hours. I am not going to argue that what is happening now is on the same scale as the example I cite above, but a serious war is being waged against a group of Americans. I am certain that if we lose this war, the consequences for American civilization will be dire."

Hitler began to educate the youth and by 1939, 97% were obedient to becoming a Nazi. Stalin and Mao-Zedong followed the same principles.

WISDOM OVER WORRY and FEAR – PSALM 37

Have you noticed that God-care is the new norm?

Psalm 37:1-7

1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land; and verily thou shalt be fed.

4. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

This Psalm is simply titled “A Psalm of David”. Psalm 37:25 tells us that it is David in his older years, giving wisdom in the pattern of a song. This psalm is roughly acrostic in arrangement, with the lines arranged with Hebrew sentences that begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In style this is a wisdom psalm, direct not to God but to man, teaching after the manner of the Book of Proverbs.

17 commands of obedience:

• Fret not because of evil doers
• Do not be envious of evil
• Trust in the Lord
• Do good
• Delight yourself in the Lord
• Commit your way unto the Lord
• Rest in the Lord
• Wait patiently for God
• Fret not because of prosperity of others
• Fret not because of wicked plots against you
• Cease from anger
• Forsake wrath
• Fret not yourself to do evil
• Depart form evil
• Keep His way
• Mark the perfect man
• Behold the upright

25 Promises of Obedience – Psalm 37

• Dwell in the land forever
• Be free
• Give desires of the heart
• Bring things to pass
• Bring righteousness to light
• Bring judgment at noonday
• Evildoers be cut off
• Earth as an inheritance
• Abundance of peace
• Upheld by God
• Eternal inheritance
• Not be ashamed in evil times
• Satisfied in time of famine
• Not be cast down in a fall
• Not forsaken by God
• Preservation by God forever
• Seed of wicked cut off
• None of steps shall slide
• Lord will not give over to the wicked – the Lord will not condemn
• In the end will have peace
• Salvation
• Strength from God in trouble
• Help from God
• Deliverance from the wicked

One of the most striking examples of this principle is found in I Samuel where the prophet Samuel declares to King Saul: “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams (I Samuel 15:22)."

Psalm 37:1-7

v. 1,2 Fret not, do not get heated. Fretting is wrong and harmful. Evil doers will soon be cut down, like grass, which only last for a season (Morgan)

v. 3-5 Four steps we must take:

o Trust – confident hope – Prov. 3:4-6

o Delight – to be soft , v. 11 “but the meek will inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace

o Commit - to seek – seek and ye shall find; Matt. 7:7; Psalm 25:12-15

o Wait - Isaiah 40:31

There are two judgments coming:

• Bema judgment – for believers, five crowns will be given; II Cor. 5:10
• Great White Throne judgment – for unbelievers – death and hell; Rev. 20:11-15

There are at least 4 gifts, along with salvation, that God has given us to deal with worry and fear:

• Peace John 14:27
• Faith Romans 12:3
• Grace Romans 12:3
• Always with us Matt. 28:19,20

The Lord wants us to pray for something that He has given us. We must praise and thank Him because God dwells in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

Delight Yourself in God

“Does a way exist for us to have our desires fulfilled? According to Psalm 37:4 and 5, if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts. I have learned that letting God give me something is so much better than trying to get it for myself. Most of us struggle greatly in our lives, trying to make things happen that only God can do. He wants us to seek Him and He promises that He will add the things we desire if and when the time is right. We are to commit our way unto Him and let Him bring the things that we desire to pass. Jesus said all those who labor and are heavy-laden should come to Him. He promised to ease, relieve, and refresh their souls (Matt. 11:25-30). His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours. In other words, God knows much better than we do what we need to do!

YOU CAN TRUST HIM

“He’s the One who made us. It is He who made us and not we ourselves. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. No means of measure can define His limitless love and no farseeing telescope can bring into the visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. I’m telling you today…. You can trust Him. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He’s enduringly strong and he’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast and He is immortally graceful. He’s empirically, powerfully and impartially merciful. He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of his world. He’s God’s Son. He’s the sinner’s Savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. I’m trying to tell you, Church …. You can trust Him.

He does not have to call for help and you can’t confuse Him. He doesn’t need you and He doesn’t need me. He stands alone in the solitude of

Himself. He’s august and He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s preeminent. He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest personality in philosophy. He’s the supreme problem of higher criticism. He’s the fundamental doctrine of truthology. He’s the cardinal necessity of the spiritual religion. He’s the miracle of the age. He’s the superlative of everything good that you can call Him… I’m trying to tell you that… you can trust Him. He can satisfy all your needs and he can do it simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak, and He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He sees. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the leper. He forgives the sinners. He

discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the people. He blesses the young. He regard the aged. He rewards the diligent. He

beautifies the meek. I’m trying to tell you, Church… you can trust Him.

He’s the key to knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the path of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. The highway of holiness. He’s the gateway to glory….You can trust Him.

He’s the master of the mighty. He’s the capture of conquerors. He’s the head of heroes. He’s the leader of legislators. He’s the overseer of the

overcomers. He’s the Governor of the governors. He’s the Prince of princes. He’s the King of kings. He’s the Lord of lords…. You can trust

Him.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy. His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you. He’s indescribable because He’s incomprehensible. He’s irresistible because he’s invincible. You can’t get him off your hand. You can’t get Him off your mind. You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. Pilate couldn’t stand it when he found out that he couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him and the witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree and Herod couldn’t kill Him. There was nobody before Him. They’ll be nobody after Him. He has no predecessor. He’ll have no successor. You can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign…. You can trust Him. He’s the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. The first and the last. He’s all things. He’s the giver of life. He’s the joy out of every sorrow. He’s the light of every darkness. He’s the peace that passes all understanding. He’s the giver of every good and perfect gift…you can trust Him.

There’s no God before Him. They’ll be no one after Him. He is the first. He is the last. He is preeminent. There is no other God” … You can trust Him, Church. YOU CAN TRUST HIM!”

~~ S.M. Lockeridge, Detroit, 1976

Why Is Praising God Important?

We are told to praise God 7 times a day in Psalm 119:164.

“The Book of Psalms is the praise book of the Bible and it gives us hundreds of reasons why praise is important, as well as examples of how

to give praise to God. In examining those reasons and examples, one thing becomes clear. “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your

name, O Most High…” Psalm 92;1. Praise is a good thing. That means it is pleasant, valuable and morally excellent. Psalm 147:1 tells us that

praise is beautiful and agreeable.

When we consider the reasons why we should praise God, we find a list of His attributes, He is full of glory; Psalm 138:5 and great; Psalm 145:3, wise and powerful; Daniel 2:20, good; Psalm 107:8; merciful and faithful –Psalm 89:1; and much more.

This list of attributes is complemented by a list of His wonderful works. He is the One who save us - Psalm 18:46; keeps His promises - I Kings 8:56;

pardons sin - Psalm 103:1-3; and gives us our daily food.

Psalm 136:25. To try to list all the things God has done is impossible, but it is a wonderful exercise because it turns our heart back to Him and keeps

us mindful of how much we owe to Him.

Psalm 148:1-10 tells us that all creation is commanded to give praise to God. When Jesus was entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, great crowds gathered and offered Him their praises. The Pharisees wanted Him to rebuke the people, but Jesus answered, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” – Luke19:40. The thought here is that there are many people who choose not to praise God right now, there is coming a day in which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the praises of God – Phil. 2:10,11. Some will joyfully give those praises because of the salvation they have received while some will give those praises as conquered enemies headed for eternal punishment for their rejection of God.

Praise is a vital part of a life surrendered to God, and it gives credit where credit is due. “O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men?” Psalm 107:8. ~~

GotQuestions.com

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD INHABITS THE PRAISE OF HIS PEOPLE? Psalm 22:3

“Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm of David presenting Jesus Christ as the Savor who laid down His life. The psalm begins by portraying the rejection and abandonment Christ suffered on the cross – Psalm 22:1,2; Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34. Yet, immediately, the suffering Messiah makes a strong declaration of trust in God, “But thou are holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel”: - Psalm 22:3.

As the bearer of humanity’s sins, Christ was destined to experience untold pain and anguish. Isaiah 53:4-6, 10; II Cor. 5:21 In the seemingly

endless silence in which God does not answer – perhaps the worst moment of torment Christ would ever know, the Son reminds Himself of God’s sovereign position: “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praise of Israel” – Psalm 22:3. The word ‘enthroned’ here describes the circumstance of sitting, remaining or dwelling somewhere. The phrasing ‘God inhabits the praise of His people’ comes from the King James Version of Psalm 22:3.

When the Messiah declared, “God inhabits the praise of His people” in Psalm 22:3, He expressed His absolute trust in God. No matter what was happening at that moment or how alone He felt, the Messiah knew that God was present and in control, ruling over His hour of greatest need – Peter 2:23. God the Father had not abandoned Him. God was working out His sovereign plan and the Messiah would soon be delivered – Psalm 22:4,5.

Many examples of God’s enthronement exist in Scripture. The psalmist urged, “Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!” – Psalm 9:11. “Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on High” – Psalm 113:5. When Isaiah saw the Lord “high and exalted, seated on a throne” over all creation in heaven and earth “and the train of his robe filled the temple” – Isaiah 6:1-6, the prophet was utterly undone by God’s presence.

The idea behind God inhabiting the praise of His people could be that God’s throne – His dwelling place = was the tabernacle, the place where praise was continually offered to Him. In Psalm 22, the Messiah in His suffering remembers the place and people of praise. He is not among those congregants but He expresses with confidence that their praise are appropriate. Even I the extremity of His distress, the Messiah trusts that God is holy and worth of praise.

Heaven is a place where God is surrounded by praise, and it is described in the Bible as God’s Temple – Psalm 11:4; Hab. 2:20. Yet the ultimate dwelling place for God is with His people. “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people and He will dwell with them. They will be His people and God himself will be with them and be their God.” Rev. 21:3; 22. Jesus Christ revealed that He is the Lord’s temple- John 2:29-21. And God’s presence inhabits His body – the church – I Cor. 3:16,17.

The write of Hebrews counsels, “through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name”. Heb. 13:15. The apostle Peter explains, “but you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, god’s special possession, that you may declare the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”. I Peter 2:9

God still inhabits the praise of His people. No matter what our circumstances, we know that God is holy and does all things right. We can

worship the Lord even in our distress.” ~~ GotQuestions.com

WAITING ON THE LORD ~~ Daily Living

Patience - def. hopeful, perseverance, endurance, continuous, waiting, to

abide, under

WAIT!                                                    WAIT!                                 WAIT!

Waiting is a tough assignment. Patience is a virtue that goes unappreciated in a fast-food, fast-car, fast-living generation. Ever find

yourself standing in front of the microwave oven saying, ‘hurry up’? Or pushing the elevator call button ever five seconds while waiting for the elevator to arrive?

We will not survive spiritually if we do not learn to wait.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

And in His word I do hope

My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning

I say, more than those who watch for the morning.” Psa. 130:5

We should wait on the Lord with patience. When we do not know what to do about something, we should wait. Sometimes we get all caught upon just doing something that we neglect to hold still, listen and know that He is God – Ps. 46:10. When the pieces of our lives are not fitting together the way we want, we get busy and start trying to force things to work, as Abraham and Sarah did. If we but take the time to pursue God’s direction and wait for His response, we will get much better results. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength - Is.40:31."

We should wait on the Lord in prayer. This prayer is a prayer for God to listen. “Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my

voice!" Ps. 130:1,2. The psalmist is consumed with despair, asking God to listen to his requests. The first step in getting answers to our prayers is to pray. Prayerlessness is sin. “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” I Sam. 12:23, 24. When we face trials, prayer should be the first place we head.

Twice the psalmist says that this soul waits for God’s response (v. 5, 6). Consider also the repeated phrase, “more than those who watch for the morning” (v. 6. The psalmist is so eager for the Lord’s presence that he says it twice for emphasis.

We should wait on the Lord on purpose and make God the focus of our lives. Divorce, addiction, emotional disorders and criminal records are evidence of lives torn apart because someone decided on purpose to follow some voice other than God’s.

David wrote, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved” Ps. 62:5, 6

Wait on the Lord with patience, in prayer, and on purpose. He will answer. Patience is not just the ability to wait; it is the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting! James 5:7 does not say to be patient ‘if’ you wait; it says to be patient ‘as you wait’. Waiting is part of life. Many people do not “wait well “and yet we actually spend more time in our lives waiting than we do receiving. Ask God to help you wait well!

WHY DOES GOD USE EAGLES AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO WAIT

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall

mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they

shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

‘wait upon’ - to expect, to tarry, to be patient

‘renew’ - to expect, to gather together

‘strength’ - power, might, ability, fruit

Used in Isaiah 41:1 in regards to Israel.

‘mount up’ - to rise up as eagles, to exalt, to exceed, to increase, to restore, to

stir up

‘wings’ - too build

‘run’ - eager, to rush, to stretch out

‘weary’ - to faint, to be exhausted

The words ‘strength’ and ‘weary’ used also in Isaiah 40:29 and 30

‘walk’ - cause one way to turn; to prosper

‘faint’ - wearisome

The word ‘wait;’ is used 3 times in Psalm 37:7, 9, 34.

God uses the word ‘eagle’ 30 times in His Word; 3 examples:

• Proverbs 23:5
• Jeremiah 48:40
• Psalm 103:5

Why does God use eagles to teach us about His principles or how to live as His

Temple?”

Ten facts about eagles:

1. Eagles mate for life

2. Eagles can fly as high as 10,000 feet

3. Eagles have keen eyesight, stronger than humans

4. Eagles fly into a storm, not away from it

5. Eagles perform courtship acrobatics for their mates

6. Eagles always return to the same nest every year

7. The male eagle helps the mother eagle in caring for the home:

a. Building the nest

b. Sitting on the eggs

c. Providing food

8. The wings of an eagle are stronger per pound than the wings of a modern

day airplane

9. An eagle can fly for 4 to 6 hours at 20 – 30 miles per hour, without stopping. They do this by taking advantage of the air currents.

10. When it’s time for the young eagles to leave the next, the parents put the young on their wings and fly with them on their wings. Then while flying,

they will flip them off. One of two things then happens:

• If they eaglet can fly, the parents let them go
• If the eaglet cannot fly by themselves, the parents catch them and try again at a later time.

APPLICATION: Take time to look at each of the 10 facts about the eagle and apply to your life. For me, this has been both an encouragement and a learning curve.

Psalm 37:8-14

8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9. For evil doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

10. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be.

11. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13. The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.

14. The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

~~ Enduring Word

Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret – it only causes harm. David wisely advised the man or woman of God to give up anger, wrath and worry (fret). They accomplish nothing except harm. They are the opposite of delighting oneself in the Lord and patiently waiting upon Him.

Cease from anger, ‘especially against the arrangements of Providence, and jealousies of the temporary pleasure of those who are so soon to be banished from all comfort. Anger anywhere is madness, here it is aggravated insanity”. ~~ Spurgeon.

“For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more” the evildoers have their day of prosperity, but it is short-lived. Soon the wicked who are the famous and praised in this world will be of no notice or standing at all you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more).

Rest in the Lord speaks of a particular kind of rest – the rest of silence, ceasing from words of self-defense. The idea is that we will not speak to vindicate ourselves; we will trust in God to protect us.

1. The ‘meek’ are they who bear their own adversities and the prosperity of their enemies, without envy, anger or complaint” ~~ Horne

2. The context gives the best possible definition of the meek; they are those who choose the way of patient faith instead of self-assertion.” ~~ Kidner

3. The meek shall inherit the earth: Jesus quoted this line in the Sermon on the Mount in the third beatitude – Matt. 5:5). “It is right to say that Psalm 37 is an exposition for the third beatitude even though it was written a thousand years before Jesus began his public ministry it unfolds the character of the meek or trusting person in the face of the apparent prosperity of the wicked”. ~~ Boice

4. “Do not murmur or repine at his dealings, but silently and quietly submit to his will and adore his judgements and as follows, wait for

his help.” ~~ Poole

5. If the spotless Lamb of God was silent, before those who were divesting him of his honours, are robbing him of his life, ‘silent’

resignation cannot but become one who suffers for his sins.” ~~

Home

“Blessed are the meek (humble) for they shall inherit the earth”. Matt. 5:5. The meek shall delight (exquisite delight in an attractive, careful way) used in Isaiah 58:13,14 and used in v. 4 in honoring the Sabbath. ‘abundance’ – def. much, great 'peace’ – def. shalom, health, well, happy prosperity, favour – used in v. 37

There is no darkness in the Lord but He gives us the choice. This is our decision by faith. There are over1600 ‘ifs’ in the Bible. God gave us free will. Three examples:

• If we repent of sin - I John 1:5-10
• If we live in faith Heb. 11:6
• If we forgive others so He can forgive us Matt. 6:14,15

Psalm 37:15-21

15. Their sword shall enter into their own heart and their bows shall be broken.

16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

17. for the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

18. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever.

19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20. But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume into smoke shall they consume away.

21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth. The generosity of the righteous will be

blessed by God. Ps. 112.

A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. Since whatever the wicked has cannot last, the little that the righteous man has is better than all that the wicked possess. A God-trusting, righteous life is the best long-term investment strategy.

• “His blessing can multiply a mite into a talent, but his curse will shrink a talent to a mite”. ~~ Horne
• “A little blest is better than a great deal curst; a little blest is better than a world enjoyed; a pound blest is better than a thousand curst; a black crust blest is better than a feast curst; the gleanings blest are better than the whole harvest curst; a drop of mercy blest is better than a sea of mercy curst”. ~~ Brooks, cited in Spurgeon.

We must remember the God equipped us with His armour- Eph. 6:10-20. Our sword is the sword of the Rhema Word of God. Our sword is the sword of the Spirit – Eph. 6:17 and it is our only offensive weapon as the other are all defensive weapons. God’s Word is inspired – II Tim. 3:16,17.

For the Lord knows the days of the upright. “He is acquainted with all his circumstances, severings, and ability to bear them; and he will either shorten his trials or increase His power” ~~ Clarke

In the days of famine, they shall be satisfied. God can even find a way to provide for His own when others have nothing.

When we hear the word ‘famine’, most of us think of starvation. Famine is one of the seven signs of End Times that Jesus mentioned in Matt. 24:1-4. The U.N. points to a massive food shortage coin and we see it in Gaza. However, Amos refers to another type of famine in the End Times, a “famine of the Word of God”, a phrase that we want to understand.

Amos 8:11 is part of God’s description of judgment upon the nation of Israel.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God, "when I send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord.”

Many pastors and teachers are increasingly like the priests described in Hosea 4:6 who were teaching, but they were not teaching the knowledge of the Lord:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have

rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being my priest. Since you

have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

Notice the verse says that the priests had rejected knowledge and had forgotten the law of God. The priests themselves were not interested in studying the Law. As a result, they did not teach the Scripture and the people were “destroyed for lack of knowledge”. It was a sign of pending judgment. The same is true for us today. Judgment is coming.

The message of Amos 8:11 is a warning! Today we do not have prophets or apostles since Jude 3 tells us that the faith “was once for all handed down to the saints”. The faith was given through the prophets and the apostles in written form. We call it the Word of God or the Bible. Since the faith was “once for all delivered” we are not expecting anting additional to be added to the Bible – nor should we. The last apostle wrote the last book of the Bible. The Bible is complete!

How does Amos 8:11 apply to us today? The answer is that the Bible is not being taught in depth as it should be. Many sermons are filled with stories, personal illustrations and humor. It is rare that details of a verse are explained so that believers understand all the verse says. Often pastors are more interested in application than explaining the meaning of what God said. During a sermon, the passage is often just summarized.

Without the Word of God, people will wander.

Who Are the Seed of Abraham?

“The question “who are the seed of Abraham” can be answered several ways and it is important to make some distinctions. There is the Seed of Abraham (seed being singular); there is the seed of Abraham physically (descendants of Abraham according to the flesh) and there is the seed of Abraham spiritually(those who, like Abraham, have faith in God). The (singular) Seed of Abraham is Christ, as Gal. 3:16 quoting Gen. 12:7 says, “the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds’, meaning many people but ‘and to your seed’, meaning one person, who is Christ”. The passage goes on to explain that an inheritance was promised to Abraham’s Seed (Christ) apart from the Law. In this way, Abraham is the “father” of all who believe (Rom. 4:11-17). “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”. Gal. 3:29

Of course, the seed of Abraham can also refer to the Hebrew people who descended from Abraham through Isaac. Still more broadly, the seed of Abraham could include Arabs, who trace their lineage through Ishmael. This is the physical seed of Abraham. The spiritual seed of Abraham (believers in Jesus Christ) is comprised of people of all nationalities and ethnicities.

The Jewish religious leaders of the first century took pride in that they were Abraham’s seed. They saw their physical connection to Abraham as a guarantee of God’s favor. This attitude kept them from seeing their need for repentance of the heart – and brought condemnation from John the Baptist, who warned them to repent. Anticipating their fallback argument that they were the seed of Abraham, John said, “do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘we have Abraham as our father’; I tell you that out of these stones God can raises up children for Abraham”. Matt. 3:9

Jesus dealt with the same issue later. In speaking to the believing Jews, Jesus emphasized their need to receive His words as truth and obey His commands. They replied, “we be Abraham’s seed” John 8:33. Jesus then rebukes them for plotting sways to murder Him, their stubborn response was again, “Abraham is our father”, v. 39a. at this, Jesus makes a distinction between the physical seed of Abraham and the true, spiritual seed of Abraham, “if you were Abraham’s children,…then you would do what Abraham did’, v. 39b. The conversation heats up as the Jews for a third time reference their connection to Abraham, ‘are you greater than our father Abraham?’ they ask Jesus, v. 53. Jesus provokes them further, ‘your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad’. V. 56. The Jews are incredulous that Jesus would claim to be a contemporary of Abraham and that’s when Jesus brings the exchange to a climax with a claim to full deity, ‘very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!’ v. 58. In a fury, the Jews attempted to stone Jesus, v. 59,

again proving that being the physical seed of Abraham is not enough – they had to be born again, John 3:3. ~~ GotQuestions.com

Galatians 3:28,29 – we are all one in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 37:22-28

I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. David gave a testimony from his own experience. He noted that God cared for those who trusted in Him and walked in His righteousness. They were not forsaken and their descendants were also blessed.

22. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

23. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.

24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

25. I have been young, and now am old. Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

26. He is ever merciful and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

27. Depart from evil and do good; and dwell for evermore.

28. for the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever; but the seed of the wicked shall be but off.

This was David’s testimony after many years (I have been young and now am old.) Seeing God’s faithfulness to His people, David wanted a younger generation to also trust in Him, learning from his wisdom.

v. 23 ‘ordered’ – to appoint, to confirm, to direct, preparation, to ordain.

‘delighteth’ – to be pleased with favor.

v. 26 “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. II Peter 3:9

37:25 The psalmist merely stated his own experience as he personally had never seen “the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread." It does not say that it never occurs. God takes care of His people. There is enough wealth in the world to provide food, clothing and shelter for all. However, some do get more than their share and others suffer. If a good man is wasteful, acts unwisely or speculates unduly then God will not intervene to keep him from ruin. We must learn the general lesson well.

David knew he was the seed of Abraham and so are believers today.

‘seed’ – offspring. ‘Seed’ is used in the planting of fruit and also used of a woman getting pregnant. Num. 5:28

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s , then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise - Gal. 3:26-29."

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a love story – Ruth was a Gentile and Boaz a Jew.

What is the blessing of Abraham?

First, we’ll take a look at the historical context of Abram’s blessing. God’s blessing to Abraham is recorded in Gen. 12:1-3: “the Lord had said to

Abram,

‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land

I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I

will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those

who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on

earth will be blessed through you.”

If these verses were obeyed, the Middle East crisis would be solved.

Here, Abraham is blessed, and that blessing includes the promise that he will have a great name (reputation) and that he would become a great nation (have many descendants). God will bless those who bless him; furthermore, Abraham will be a blessing. Through Abraham all nations on earth will be blessed. The blessing of Abraham find its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Seed of Abraham and Redeemer of the world. Gal. 3:16; 28-29

‘wait’ – be patient, to expect, to tarry

Psalm 37:29-34

29. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talked of judgment.

31. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

32. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him.

33. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

34. Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

“Wait in obedience as a servant, in hope as an heir, in expectation as a believer. While we are waiting, let us take heed of wavering.” ~~

Spurgeon

Psalm 119:9-16

9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10. With my whole heart have I sought thee; O let me not wander from thy commands.

11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. This verse was given to me with a gift of my first Bible from my parents at 8

years of age.

12. Blessed art thou, O Lord; teach me thy statues.

13. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth,

14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

15. I will meditate in thy precepts, and I have respect unto they ways,

16. I will delight myself in thy states; I will not forget thy word.

A person can only grow spiritually if they are in the Word of God.

What Does it Mean that Jesus is the Son of David?

“Primarily, the title “Son of David” is more than a statement of physical genealogy. It is a Messianic title. When people referred to Jesus as the Son of David, they meant that He was the long-awaited Deliverer, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

Jesus was addressed, “Lord, thou son of David” several times by people who, by faith, were seeking mercy or healing. The woman whose daughter was being tormented by a demon (Matt. 15:22) and the two blind men by the wayside (Matt.20:30) all cried out to the Son of David for help. The titles of honor they gave Him declared their faith in Him. Calling Him “Lord” expressed their sense of His deity, dominion and power and calling Him “Son of David” expressed their faith that He was the Messiah.

The Pharisees understood exactly what the people meant when they called Jesus “Son of David. But, unlike those who cried out in faith, the Pharisees were so blinded by their own pride that they couldn’t see what the blind beggars could see – that here was the Messiah they had supposedly been waiting for all their lives. They hated Jesus because He wouldn’t give them the honor they thought they deserved, so when they heard the people hailing Jesus as the Savior, they became enraged (Matt.21:15) and plotted to destroy Him (Luke 19:47,48).

Jesus’ point in asking the question of Mark 12:35-37 was that the Messiah is more than the physical son of David. If He is David’s Lord, He must be greater than David. As Jesus says in Rev. 22:16, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David.” That is, He is both the Creator of David and the Descendant of David. Only the Son of God made flesh could say that.” ~~

GotQuestions.com

Psalm 37:35-40

35. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36. Yet he passed away and lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.

38. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

39. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

40. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. This is a helpful thought at the end of this psalm. In David’s praise and encouragement of righteous men or women, it is possible that one might think those ones are saved by their own righteousness. David reminds us that their salvation is from the Lord and that He is their strength in time of trouble.

“While trouble overthrows the wicked, it only drives the righteous to their

strong Helper, who rejoices to uphold them.” ~~Spurgeon

The Time of Christ’s Coming Unknown Matthew 24:36-38

Are you ready for the coming of Jesus Christ?

36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of

heaven, but my Father only.

37. But as the days of Noah were , so shall also the coming of the Son of

man be.

38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and

drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered

into the ark. The days of Noah were:

• Anti-God
• Sexual immorality
• Violence (Hebrew word – hamas)

THE MYSTERIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

What is a mystery: Greek def. ‘musterion’ = imposed silence, secret. Only a New Testament word.

The mysteries of God can only be understood by believers through the power of the Holy Spirit; Col. 1:24-29.

1. Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, Matt. 13:11

2. Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, Luke 8:10; Mark 4:15; I Cor. 4:5; Rev.

10:7; Mark 9:1

3. Mystery when Israel accepts Christ as Messiah, Romans 15:24-26

4. Mystery of salvation, Romans 16:25-27; Eph. 3:3,4,9; 6:19; Col. ?:26,27; 4:3

5. Mystery of wisdom of God, I Cor. 2:7

6. Mystery of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, I Cor. 15:51

7. Mystery of the will of God, Eph. 1:9

8. Mystery of Christ and the Church, His Bride, in the context of marriage,

Eph. 5:32

9. Mystery of Christian fellowship in the context of knowing God and Christ,

Col. 2:2

10. Mystery of lawlessness in context of great apostasy in end times, II

Thess. 2:7

11. Mystery of faith, I Tim. 3:9

12. Mystery of godliness, I Tim. 3:16

13. Mystery of seven stars, Rev. 1:20

14. Mystery of Babylon, Rev. 17:5,7

Why is this so important? I Cor. 4:1,2

Eight mysteries refer to living today and six mysteries refer to the future.

“Christians today need to be informed about the various

Mysteries because ALL the deeper matters of Scripture

are predicted upon understanding them.” ~ John Malone

An important mystery is #6. Which is the mystery of the Coming of Jesus

Christ, in the twinkling of an eye. I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:51,52.

The first mystery referred to is ‘the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven. John the Baptist – Matt.3:1,2; Jesus Christ – Matt. 4:17

Jesus then after the announcement of the coming Church in Matt. 16:18,19

18. 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.

19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and

whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.

A more accurate translation of this verse (16:18,19) from the Greek is “And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever thou shalt bind on the earth shall be as having been bound in the heavens; and whatever thou shalt loose on the earth shall be as having been loosed in the heavens”. This is the first time the ekklesia, frequently translated ‘church’ is mentioned in the entire New Testament. A distinction must first be made between the Church referred to in v. 18, being the earthly side of God’s kingdom but not the only side. The kingdom of the heavens in v. 19, on the other hand, refers to both the Church on earth, the kingdom of God within the believers (Lk. 17:21) and also the kingdom of heaven as a far larger implication than the Church on earth.

The teaching here is that those things which are conclusively decided by the King in the Kingdom of heaven, having been so decided upon, are emulated by the Church on earth, the Church being the true believers whose testimony is the rock, even like Peter’s testimony concerning the deity of Jesus Christ upon whom the Church is build (I Cor. 3:11). No reference is made here to the binding or losing of persons, but of things. ‘Whatever’ and not ‘whoever’ in Matt. 18:18, ‘what things soever’. Reference is made to the acts of persons and not the decisions concerning persons by the church as an ecclesiastical or organizational body. The Church here is the body of believers themselves. We as believers can never make conclusive decision about things but can only confirm those decisions which have already been made by the King Himself as conclusive in the general context of His kingdom both on earth and in have. See. Matt. 18:18 where the same two verbs, ‘to bind’ and ‘to loose’ are said to be possessed by all the disciples. See also John 20:23. The two verbs ‘dedemenon’ and ‘lelumenon’ are both perfect passive participles which should have been translated respectively as “having been bound” and has “having been loosed” already in the heavens. Believers on earth can only confirm what has already taken place in Heaven.

SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY – The Essential Source of All Authority is God!

“but Jesus Christ has given us the keys (competent authority) to build His church”

KEYS AS FOUND IN THE WORD OF GOD

(Two times in the Old Testament)

meaning in Hebrew = “an opening instrument

1. In Judges 3:25, we find that Israel had turned their back on the Lord and God gave them the key to return and they obeyed.

2. In Isaiah 22:23, Isaiah prophesied that the key of David (Jesus Christ) and

He shall be a glorious throne in His Father’s house.

(six times in the New Testament;

Key, singular, used 4 times and keys, plural, 2 times)

Greek meaning: God’s competent spiritual authority

1. Luke 11:52; Jesus accused the scribes (lawyers) of not using the key of knowledge and this hindered others from entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus also accused the scribes of shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 23:13

2. Revelation 3:7-9; Jesus gave the key of David (Is. 22:22,23) to the Church at Philadelphia with the promise that if you open the door, no man can shut it.

When you are given the key of David, you also are the sons of Abraham as well; Matt 1:1. And the promises given to Abraham are given to us

because we are his seed; Gal. 3:25-29; By Faith….Because the church of Philadelphia obeyed the Lord and opened the door with the key of David, here is what followed:

• Jesus knew their works; faith without works is dead; James 2:14-15
• Jesus gave them an open door – open to God

"His Church”. Matthew 16:18, 19

Application of Psalm 37

1. Do not worry – put the Kingdom of God first – Matt. 6:24-34

2. Delight in the Lord

3. Commit your life to the Lord

4. Learn to wait upon the Lord

5. Learn, by faith, to rest in the Lord – Heb. 11:6

6. Learn to praise God

7. Daily repent of sin, as there is no darkness in the Lord; I

John 1:5-10

Above all, remember who you are in Jesus Christ and that you, like David, are the seed of Abraham, as is Jesus Christ, our precious Savior.

What a revelation!

HALLELUJAH – means ‘Praise the Lord’. As far as I know, the word “hallelujah’ is pronounced the same way in every language on the face of

the earth. Hallelujah!

Action Plan – Putting the Word of God to work

HOW SHALL WE THEN LIVE TODAY?

1. Repent of sin – daily. Barna’s research indicates that only 10% of Pastors today are preaching about repentance or sin. Psalm 66:18;

Proverbs 1:28,29

“Christianity is based upon repentance” ~~ R.C. Sproule

“Whatever happened to repentance?” ~~ David Wilkerson

“Repentance does not end with salvation”. ~~ Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones

The very first word in the teaching of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ was REPENT. Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38

A change in man’s conduct could bring about a change in God’s judgment. God is free of sin but HIS mercy endures forever.

Def. ‘repented’ – sorry, mercy. Noah found grace. People were given 120

years to repent. We are given grace and faith; Rom. 12:3

God repented of His decision to destroy Nineveh; Jonah 3:10

‘Repented’ for God means ‘to change His mind’...

Question: Can the repentance of His people change the time of His return?

Answer: I do not know but I do know this, that “He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9

2. “Occupy” or ‘do business’ until He comes; Luke 19:13 Key point: keep on living and enjoy what god has given you.

3. “Watch and pray” Mark 13:32-37 KEY POINT: watch means to keep awake, spiritual alertness.

4. Put on the whole armor of God – Eph. 6:10-18. All of the armour of God is defensive except the Word of God is our only offensive weapon, which is

sharper than a two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12

5. Deal aggressively with the enemy. Come against him in the all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the Word of God. James 4:7; Luke

10:19

6. Wait in silent expectancy for God to share His heart with you. As He does, in faith and obedience, pray for the burdens that God has shared.

John 10:27-30

7. Do not go on to the next subject until you have given God sufficient time to discharge all He wants to say to you regarding this particular burden. Very personal – wait – to bind together; to expect in faith; with eager anticipation, on the Lord. Ps. 27:14

8. When God ceases to bring things to your mind for prayer, finish by praising and thanking Him for what He has done. God inhabits or dwells in the praises of His people. Ps. 22:3; 23; 147:1

9. Remember that God is entrusting you with a sacred charge. He shares His secrets and burdens with those who can keep them. Here may be a time when He will definitely prompt us to share but unless this happens, we should remain silent. Luke 2:19; 9:35

10. “Give thanks to God”. I Cor. 15:57,58. Key point: Be steadfast, fixed, moral, settled, immoveable - firm in your Biblical worldview; abounding, better, exceed, excel, over and above, in the work of the Lord.

11. “Always be ready”. Matt. 24:44 Be prepared for the return of the Lord.

12. Live in faith and love. “Without faith it is impossible to please God; Heb. 11:6; I Cor. 13:13. Love – which is the greatest gift.

13. PRAY. II Chron. 7:13-15. Pray means:

a. To make supplication, to ask for. There are at least 12 preparation steps for prayer in order to God even to hear our prayer. Two of the

most important are repentance (I John 1:5-10 – 5 ‘ifs’ in that chapter) and forgiving others (Matt. 6:14,15)

b. Seek my face; seek me to search out, to worship or to request (Psalm 80;7,19)

c. Turn from your wicked ways. ‘Turn’ means return to the starting point or to relinquish. Solomon used the word ‘turn’ three times in

his prayer. II Chron. 6:26, 37, 42.

If we do these 3 things, here is God’s Promise to us:

• I will hear you from Heaven; ‘hear’ means attention
• I will forgive your sin as far as the East is from the West; Psalm 103:12
• I will ‘heal’ our land, which means to mend like a physician, to repair thoroughly….. DIVINE INTERVENTION. The word ‘’heal’ is also used in Isaiah 53:4-6, which is physical healing, in the context of salvation.

14. II Chron. 7:13-15 are three of the most incredible verses in the Bible and is directed to us today. IF my people – our choice – will do four things: humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways (repent). God’s promise – HE will hear our prayer, will forgive our sins and heal (divine intervention) our land. Folks, it’s totally our choice. There are 1,637 ‘ifs’ in the Bible.

The only way not to experience the terrible seven year tribulation is to REPENT.

ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST as personal Savior and live for HIM today. John 3:15-18.

QUOTES ON THE VITAL IMPORTANT OF REPENTANCE SO THST WE CAN RECEIVE ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR US

1. Without repentance, there is no salvation”. ~~ Dr. Martyn-Lloyd Jones

2. “True repentance is turning form sin”. ~~ Billy Graham

3. “I do not pray for revival – I pray for repentance.” ~~ Nic Vujicic

4. The world needs revival and repentance. “For societies founded on Biblical traditions, pandemics need not make for the end. This is a

call for repentance and revival. Great struggles can produce great clarity. In the Old Testament, it would seem that men of Spiritual resources may not only redeem catastrophe but turn the moment into a great creative opportunity”. ~~ Wall Street Journal

IF The Biggest Word in the Bible ~~ Rex Rouls

The word ‘if’ is interesting. It is one of the most important words in the Bible because it speaks directly to our responsibility to God. Most promises in the Bible have conditions and the word ‘if’ speaks to those conditions. Our response to God’s commands affect our relationship with Him and determine our receiving from Him.

Jesus used the word ‘if’ all the time. Almost half of the 574 occurrences in the New Testament are in the four Gospels. Jesus always put the ‘if’ on man’s side and never on God’s side. The following are many uses of the word ‘if’ in the Bible.

God says, I WILL IF YOU WILL

The word ‘if’ appears 1,637 times in the Bible. The word ‘if’ even today means someone has to make a decision. An Old Testament example:

I Chronicles 7:13

IF I, GOD

• Send no rain
• Send locusts
• Send pestilence

v. 14 – God then says, ‘here is what I will do for you IF you do 4 things,

because you are called by My name to obey':

• Humble yourselves
• Pray
• Seek my face
• Repent

v. 15 - Here is the promise of God – “I will heal” (divine intervention) your

land.

“IF you love me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15

“IF you abide (dwell) in My word (rhema), you may ask what you will and it

shall be done."

There is no darkness in God IF we do 5 things: I John 1:5-10 - read these verses daily.

Without repentance, God Almighty cannot hear our prayers. Proverbs 1:28,29; Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2

There is no darkness in God when we repent of sin; I John 1:5-10

Barry Borthistle                                                                               04/2024

www.solomonsporchteaching.com                  bborthistle@shaw.ca