The Final Hour

The Final Hour
     It's the final hour!  What do we see?  What do we hear?
     We see a man who was faithful to His mission.  He hung on the cross.  With His very life slowly seeping away, He listens as the thief makes His appeal.  Here is a sinner asking forgiveness; a sinner recognizing the status of the Son of God.  Jesus answers his plea showing His continuing desire for the rescue of the souls of men. 
     It's the final hour!  Jesus sees His mother standing nearby grieving.  He sees John and, with love and compassion says, "Behold your mother!"
     It's the final hour!  Pain is excruciating.  Yet, Jesus cries outs, "Father, forgive them."
     It's the final hour!  What was in His thoughts?  Love, compassion, forgiveness, and concern for souls even though He was suffering greatly. 
     It's the final hour!  What and who will be on our minds when our lives are seeping away? 
   

Broken

Broken
     I was reminded of how broken the world is when I read the following.  Yet, God cares for the broken and He supplies the healing, turning it into something beautiful. 

"God uses broken things beautifully.

Broken clouds pour rain.

Broken soil sets as fields

Broken crops yield seeds

Broken seeds give life to new plants.

So, when you are broken, be rest assured that God is planning to utilize you for something great." 

     

     When I went through my divorce, I was a broken soul.  I wept every day for months, but in my broken state, I drew closer and drew strength from God.  I had a choice.  I could stand with hands clinched into tight fists and shout in anger, "Why!"  OR, I could take a knee, still wonder "why", but experience God's gentle love.  I could let my heart soften by digging into His Word and learn forgiveness, not only for the other party but also for my own failure.  

     The divorce was not God's doing, but He could take the experience I was going through and turn it into something more.  I wanted that "something more."  I wanted my "broken seed" to take on life,  and take it on more abundantly.  Today, I can truly say, "My joy is in my Lord!"

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." 

When will the world end?

       When will the world end?  There is a lot of political talk about the world ending in twelve years unless a proposed "Green Deal" is passed.
     I don't know about anyone else but I, personally, believe the world will end when God chooses and in His time.  Regardless of climate changes we will always have seasons.  "While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."
    On the humorous side:  
    To quote something I read today about the seasons just in Arkansas alone:
                               "Winter is at 6 a.m.
                                Spring is at 10 a.m
                                Summer is at 2 p.m.
                               Fall is around 430ish"

So, if anyone is having a problem with season change, just come to Arkansas. Need I say more?  😇

Imperfect People

     I have found many times that God uses imperfect people to do His work.  Therefore, I found the following quote and thoughts interesting:

"Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah was a drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sara was impatient, Elijah was moody, Mary Magdalene was a hooker, Moses stuttered,  Zaccheus was short, Abraham was old, Lazarus was dead...God does not call the qualified.  He qualifies the called."

Not wanting to use the above without finding the evidence of where it might have come from, I quickly researched (but not extensively) and found the following.  There were some instances I really could not confirm or project to its validity.  Each one must do their  own research and make their own conclusion.

Jacob, the cheater - In Genesis 27 we are told of how Jacob deceived his father and stole his brother, Esau's birthright.

Peter's temper- The projection of him having a temper probably come from these scriptures.  I honestly do not know if he had a temper or was just in human form out of fear.   In Matthew 26:72  Peter "denied Him (Jesus) with an oath..."  Then in verse 74, "Then began he to curse and to swear..."

David's affair- In 2 Samuel we are given the story of David's affair with Bathsheba and how he plotted to have her husband, Uriah, killed in battle.    

Noah, the drunk - In Genesis 9 we are given a narrative of how Noah became a husbandman and planted a vineyard after the flood.  In verse 21, "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken..." 

Jonah running from God - In the Book of Jonah we find the story.  In the first chapter, verse 3, "And Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.."  The rest of the chapter tells us what happened to Jonah and how God used him.

Paul, the murdered - Acts 8 tells us, "Saul (later named Paul) made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison."  From there Chapter 9 tells us about the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus; how God sent a light from heaven and blinded him.

Gideon insecure -  In Judges 6:12;14 the angel of the Lord appeared unto Gideon and said, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour...Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites..."  Gideon replied in verse 15, "I am the least in my father's house."  Gideon then said, "Show me a sign."

Miriam, the gossiper - Miriam was the sister who looked after Moses when he was a baby and who, I am sure, loved him dearly; however, in Numbers 11 we find, "Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married..."  The rest of the chapter tells how the Lord heard and called them out and reprimanded them for their slip of the tongue. 

Martha, the worrier - It seemed that one day Jesus came to visit Mary and Martha.  Mary sit at Jesus' feet to enjoy His visit, but Martha was too busy serving and worrying that all was right.  When she complained, we find in Luke 10:41, "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away for her."

Thomas, the doubter - In John 20, when Thomas was told of Jesus' resurrection, he said, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Sara's impatience - God had told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, yet his wife, Sara, had been unable to bare children.  In Genesis 16 we find that rather than wait on the Lord, "Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing:  I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai"

Elijah's moodiness- Elijah was a man of prayer and obedient to God.  I did find in 1 Kings19 that  Elijah "went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."   I really found no real evidence if Elijah was moody or not. 

Mary Magdalene - was one of the women who found the tomb empty after Jesus arose.  I only found one reference to Mary Magdalene using her name before she became a follower of Jesus.  In Luke 8:2, "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, of whom went seven devils."   There were other commentaries and opinions, but I did not find anything else in the King James Version.  I also read one writer who stated there is no biblical support for her being a prostitute.

Moses, who stuttered - What I found was in Exodus 4:10 when Moses told God, "I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 

Zaccheus was short - Most have heard the story and the song about Zaccheus being a wee little man.  Luke 19:3 states, "And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of statue."

Abraham was old - Genesis 24:1 states, "And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things."  Before that,  Chapter 21:2 tells us "Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him."

Lazarus was dead - Jesus used Lazarus's death to show his almighty power of healing.  John 11:43-44 confirms this.  "And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth..."

     God's Word rings true.  We all are created by God and for a purpose, regardless of our defects.  We can run, we can protest, we can offer excuses.  God gives us the freedom to do so.  Yet, if God wills it, it will happen, and it will happen in God's perfect timing.  We may only be delaying the rewards He has set forth for us.  He sees all and knows all.    

joy, Strength, Wisdom, Loyalty, Faith

     I  saw the following posted on Facebook and decided to share it, along with my own additional comments.

            I want: "The joy of Sarah,

                         The strength of Deborah,

                         The wisdom of Esther,

                         The loyalty of Ruth,

                         The faith of Mary."

Now, I ask, "Why was Sarah so joyful?  According to scripture readings, Sarah had always wanted a child but had been barren.  When she was 90 years old, the Lord blessed her with a son, Isaac.  Although we do not understand God's perception of time, what woman, after longing for years for a child for years, would not have been joyful.   Genesis 21:6 "⁶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me."   

What was Deborah's strength?  Deborah was a prophetess in Israel, and the children of Israel came to her for judgment as found in  Judges 4:5.  Then in verse 6 and 7 we find that she called Barak and said unto him, "Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, 'Go and draw toward  Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men...and I will draw the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him unto your hand.' "  Barak was obviously doubtful, for he told Deborah he would do as she asked, but only if she went with him.  Her reply is found in verse 9, "I will surely go with thee."

Next we come to the wisdom of Esther.  Esther was wise in that she was always obedient toward Mordeccai, a Jew who had raised her.  Though her wisdom, learned from obedience and fasting to God, she was able to deliver the Jews from peril and destruction.  In the story of Esther, Mordeccai requested she not tell the King she was a Jew.  Later, when the Jews were threatened with death, she was presented with another and different request from Mordeccai.  After praying and fasting, Esther chose the right moment to reveal her identity to the King and thus save her people. 

I believe, we have all heard the story of Ruth.  Ruth was a daughter-in-law to Naomi, and Naomi lived in a distant land away from her people.  Her husband and Ruth's husband had both died, and Naomi wanted to return to the land of her own people.  Ruth was willing to leave her own mother and father and go with Naomi.  When Naomi confronted Ruth about returning to her own people, Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I lodge, thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."

Can anyone even began to imagine what Mary, a virgin, felt like when she was told she would bare a Son?  Yet, Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word..."  At a very young age, Mary showed the depth of her faith.   Again, we see her faith even before Jesus performed His first miracle.   She was helping to host a wedding and ran out of wine.  Mary had faith that Jesus would take care of the situation as she instructed the servants, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."   And, shouldn't that be what we tell others daily?  "Whatsoever He saith, do it."

   

Praying the Bible

     Often, it is hard to know what to pray or how to pray.  There is a book written by Donald Whitney which outlines a method in his Praying the Bible.  I have not ordered the book or read it, but I have began to try and pray the Bible as I read the scriptures.   In John 14 of  The Message, I read the words of Jesus to his disciples which occurred just before His capture and death on the cross.  He stated, "The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that's who loves me.  And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him."
     So my prayer today is that I will know God's commandments and His Word and I will keep them.  I pray I can be an example to others as they see me keeping God's commandments.  I further pray that as I study God's Word my thoughts will be focused on Him, and His love for me will radiate out from me to others. 

Watch The Actions

     Finding the character of an individual can really be a simple process.  Have you ever been around a person who continually tells you he will do something, yet it never gets done?  I have often said that to really know a person, I strive to watch his actions rather than listen to his words.  It is so easy to voice something, but unless it is followed up with action, the words have no true meaning. 
     In The Message version in John 10 as Jesus spoke to the Jews, He put it like this: "But if I am doing them, put aside for a moment what you hear me say about myself and just take the evidence of the actions that are right before your eyes.  Then perhaps things will come together for you..."  
     There really is something to that quote, "Seeing is believing."