Lamentations 5:20-22

God is all merciful and forgiving to those who turn to Him. The Holy Spirit will change us from the inside out. How much we give to Him is how much change will happen. 

Jesus, all man and all God... fills man with His Spirit so that we can be doers of good not just hearers!

Laments often express the feeling that God has abandoned the person or community, but by continuing to appeal to God, they demonstrate a belief that God is still there and listening. Faithlife Bible

What is stated as a possibility actually emphasizes that the occurrence is completely out of the question: The Lord cannot reject His own people forever. 

The one word turn can summarize God’s message to His rebellious people. In one of Jeremiah’s earlier messages, he had exhorted the people to turn to God no less than seven times. NKJ Bible.

renew (Heb. chadash)  Strong’s #2318: As a verb, the term can mean “to renew” or “to repair”. As an adjective, the word identifies something new in contrast to something old (such as the “old harvest” versus the “new harvest” or something different when compared to the status quo (such as “a new spirit”). The Bible teaches that God alone is the One who makes things new, whether a new song in the heart of the faithful, a new phase in His plan of redemption, a new name, or a new heavens and earth.

Lamentations 5:20–22 (NKJV)

Why do You forget us forever,And forsake us for so long a time?Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored;Renew our days as of old,Unless You have utterly rejected us,And are very angry with us!

Jeremiah 31:18

“I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself:‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised,Like an untrained bull;Restore me, and I will return,For You are the LORD my God.

Psalm 80:3

Restore us, O God;Cause Your face to shine,And we shall be saved!

John 8:7-11

Those who have been forgiven much...love much!

In the manner we judge we will be judged. 
The only one we can judge? Ourself❤️

The legal problems intended to entrap Jesus always result in embarrassment for the accusers or questioners, as Jesus’ response is always unexpected and cuts directly to the heart of the problem. Jesus makes the case that no one is without sin other than God, and thus no one is permitted to pass judgment by any authority other than what God has given them. Only God has a pure motive. Faithlife Bible

Sin no more implies that Jesus forgave her. He did not condemn her, but neither did He condone her sin. NKJ Bible

John 8:7–11 (NKJV): So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”She said, “No one, Lord.”And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Matthew 7:1

“Judge not, that you be not judged.

Romans 2:1

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

Matthew 23:1-10

There is a very fine line that separates religiosity and belief in Jesus Christ.

It is not about individuality but it is everything to do with loving others.

The greatest among you will be your servant. Faithlife Bible.

The synagogues had an official chair called Moses’ seat. The scribes were official copiers of the OT Scriptures and were also teachers of the Law. The Pharisees and scribes took the Scriptures at face value, so their instructions were to be followed. However, Jesus warned the people of the Pharisees’ legalism, their tendency to value their own rules and regulations over the Scriptures. They followed their external laws meticulously and appeared to be righteous. Yet the people were not to imitate their actions, for although they appeared righteous, their hearts were filled with all kinds of envy, hatred, and malice. NKJ Bible

Matthew 23:1–12 (NKJV): 

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 6:1

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven

Romans 11:1-10

The eyes of the Israelites were dimmed so that the Gentiles could be grafted into the salvation God provided in Jesus. It was too small a thing that only the Jews were saved. 

He wants no one to perish...no not one!

Romans 11:5 (FSB): a remnant Refers to a small number of people who remain faithful to God despite the unfaithfulness of others around them. In Romans, the remnant  is composed of Jews who have put their faith in Christ. The existence of this remnant is proof that God has not rejected all of Israel.

Romans 11:1 (NKJVSB):  One of the proofs that God has not cast away the Jewish people is Paul himself. He was an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Jew, and he was chosen by God to be a believer and an apostle.Grace and works are mutually exclusive. God’s election was established solely on the basis of grace.

Romans 11:1-10 NKJ

I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written:“God has given them a spirit of stupor,eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”And David says:“Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them.Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,And bow down their back always.”

Philippians 2:8–11 (NKJV): And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Acts 26:19-23

Our testimony is our walk with God. The good, the bad and the downright ugly. That He brought us through it is our living, breathing gift from Him.

Believe it, trust it and proclaim it!

In Him, with Him and in the unity of the Holy Spirit we live.

Paul is being persecuted for following Jesus’ command to spread the gospel. Throughout Acts, the good news about Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of promises made by God in the old testament Scriptures. Faithlife Bible.

Repentance indicates a complete change in thinking. In Romans 12:2, Paul speaks of the “renewing of your mind.” We do what we think is best, what makes sense to us. Paul was killing Christians because he thought it was the correct course of action. Christ’s revelation changed his thoughts, but his preaching of the Good News was visible proof that he had repented of his former ways. Genuine repentance is evidenced by changed behavior. NKJ Bible.

Acts 26:19–23 (NKJV)

¹⁹ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. ²¹ For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²² Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—²³ that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Colossians 1:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Revelation 1:5 (NKJV)

⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

Matthew 25:41-46

Our actions show the world our faith. 

How much we truly believe in the power of God...Father, Son and Holy Spirit is reflected in us by displaying His love for His creation to others.

Matthew 25:31–32 (NKJV): “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

Three groups are referred to sheep, goats, and My brethren. At the very least, these “brethren” are believers in Jesus Christ. NKJ Bible

Jesus’ remarks here call for Christian care to reach all the way to the bottom of the social structure, thus inverting earthly values. Faithlife Bible

Matthew 25:41–46 (NKJV): “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’“

Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

James 5:29

and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Acts 13:1.2.3.

Good Friday

God uses some of the least likely, by Church standards, to further the work of His word made flesh...Jesus Christ.  It will never make sense to us as sinners who were chosen, we will never be worthy enough, articulate enough, religious enough BUT He chooses whom He wills.

The very ones who persecuted Him would spread His Gospel of mercy and grace. 

Forgive them Father for they not what they do.We are all sinners in need of repentance.

As the people carried out what God had given them to do as prophets or teachers, their ministry to the church became their ministry to the Lord. Whenever we serve each other, God accepts that service as directly unto Him. Prophets functioned in the early church as proclaimers of God’s revelation. Teachers explained the meaning of the revelation and helped the people apply it to their lives. In the early church the prophets were the preachers—the ones who communicated revelation directly from the Spirit of God. Evangelists, pastors, and teachers took what was taught or declared and made it applicable for the daily nurture of people’s lives. Antioch was the base of operation for Saul. NKJ Bible.

Acts 13:1–3 (NKJV)

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabus, Simeon who was also was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 (NKJV)

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

1 Corinthians 12:28

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

Acts 22:17-21

When we seek God’s plans for our life we are given direction. 

Being sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit within us allows us to receive it.

The power of the Holy Spirit will accomplish it.

How much we believe and trust in Him is the level the we can receive from Him.

In speaking to a hostile Jewish audience, Paul uses Old Testament imagery as he seeks to show that his message is not an abandonment of his Jewish heritage. He explains his message via his own encounter with Jesus. Faithlife Bible.

The Jews did not hate all Gentiles. In fact, they permitted God-fearing Gentiles to worship in the Court of the Gentiles. A Gentile could even become a proselyte, recognized as a Jew, by being circumcised and obeying the laws of Moses. Thus the Jews in this passage were not upset about allowing Gentiles to worship God, but at the idea that Gentiles could be on an equal footing with them before God without being proselytes. The fact that the Gentiles could come to God directly by faith in Jesus Christ was offensive to them. NKJ bible.

Acts 22:17–21 (NKJV)

“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”

Acts 9:15

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Acts 28:1-10

Bloom where you are planted! 

This is God’s will for your life. In His will you are protected and equipped.

The circumstances were obviously miraculous, leading the people to believe that if such a miraculous event could occur that Paul must be a deity of some sort. Faithlife Bible.

This fever was possibly Malta fever, which was common in Malta, Gibraltar, and other Mediterranean islands. The microorganism has since been traced to the milk of the Maltese goats. The fever usually lasted four months, but sometimes could last as long as two or three years. 

Malta was part of the Roman province of Sicily and was located about 60 miles south of that island near the toe of Italy. NKJ Bible.

Acts 28:1–10 (NKJV)

Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary

Micah 3:8-11

The times we live in. 

The world belongs to God and all that is in it!

Micah is filled with mighty justice while the leaders of Israel abhor justice.

Knowledge of Yahweh comes through emulating Him in the attributes of justice, righteousness, and care for the oppressed and less fortunate. Faithlife Bible.

Many people of Jerusalem believed that they would not be affected by God’s judgment because God Himself dwelled in the holy temple in Jerusalem. They reasoned that despite their evils, as long as God was in His temple, they were safe—even from divine judgment. What the people refused to believe was that God might leave His temple because of the sinfulness of the people. The Book of Ezekiel describes a vision of the glory of God leaving the temple as a prelude to His judgment on the city. NKJNBible.

Jewish History

Political change can often lead to changed perspectives on history. The destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Romans in 70 a.d. forced the Hebrews to radically rethink the significance of Jerusalem and its institutions. Stephen and his fellow Christians had already departed from the earlier Jewish view that the world revolved around Israel, which in turn revolved around the temple and the Law. They still saw Jerusalem as more than just a city, but they made it into a new symbol of a higher ideal. Stephen’s view of history brought the conflict between the new movement and the city fathers to a boil. Outraged, the council stoned Stephen to death and allowed Saul to start persecuting believers. Stephen’s perspective on Jerusalem challenges us as modern Christians to reflect on our loyalty to beloved institutions. Our highest allegiance must be to Christ.

Micah 3:8–11 (NKJV)

 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of justice and might,To declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.Now hear this,You heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel,Who abhor justice and pervert all equity,Who build up Zion with bloodshedAnd Jerusalem with iniquity:Her heads judge for a bribe,Her priests teach for pay,And her prophets divine for money.Yet they lean on the Lord, and say,“Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.”

Acts 26:12-18

Without the Holy Spirit within us...we are subject to our culture. This world is now under the influence of the evil one. Without The Holy Spirits’ guidance and teachings we are doomed to repeat the failures of our past.

Take heart,Jesus, has already overcome the world...through Him so have we 💜

Those who do not belong to Christ are in many ways influenced by evil and as such opposed to God’s purposes. Faithlife Bible.

A young ox, when it was first yoked, usually resented the burden and tried kicking its way out. If the ox was yoked to a single-handed plow, the plowman would hold a long staff with a sharpened end close to the heels of the ox. Every time the ox kicked, it struck the spike. If the ox was yoked to a wagon, a studded bar with wooden spikes served the same purpose. The point was that the ox had to learn submission to the yoke the hard way. Before his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road, Paul was resisting God in a similar manner. NKJ Bible.

Acts 26:12–18 (NKJV) 

“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Isaiah 35:5

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Luke 9:23-26

God first!

Loving God with everything we have, our time, money and talents, shows up in our life by the love we show to others with those gifts.

Those who embrace Jesus’ call to discipleship—including the difficulties it brings—will be saved.

It makes no sense to attempt to save our lives on earth only to lose everything when our lives quickly and inevitably pass away. The wise course is to invest our earthly resources—our time, talents, and wealth—in what is eternal. Even if we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake, that investment will produce returns for all eternity. Recognition of Jesus will be rewarded in the coming judgment. Failure to recognize Him will lead to significant loss. NKJ Bible.

Luke 9:23–27 (NKJV): Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 10:33 (NKJV): But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

John 12:44-50

Believe in the goodness and mercy provided by God in His Only begotten Son. Any one who believes in Him and the salvation He alone can give will live eternally with Him.

Salvation is the gift from God that we could never earn nor ever repay!

Jesus desires to save. Receiving that salvation involves believing in Him. Faithlife Bible.

Jesus insisted that anyone who believed in Him was at the same time exercising belief in God the Father. Jesus explained that He was the personal manifestation of God. NKJ Bible.

John 12:44–50 (NKJV)

Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 

And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Matthew 10:40–42

 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Luke 10:16

He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

John 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 5:24

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.