Forgiveness is not just a one-time act, but a way of life, meant to bring us into every blessing in Christ. “I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45).
The Gospel of John tells us, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light…He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:6-9).
"Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (Psalm 105:15). This brief verse contains a powerful warning from our Lord. And he means every word of it: woe to any nation or individual who lays a hand on those who are chosen of God. And woe to anyone who does harm to his prophets.
This severe warning has a dual application. First, the "anointed" and "prophets" here refer to natural Israel, God's people of the Old Testament. Yet God's warning not to harm his chosen continues to apply today. It also covers his spiritual Israel, that is, his church.
America's children today are a lost generation. No other generation in history has been so plagued by sex, drugs, alcohol, greed and murder at such a young age. My question is, who is to blame?
Everyone knows something terrible has happened in our nation's schools. Crime and violence have become so common, many school buildings now have metal detectors. Seventh-grade boys are able to obtain guns and mow down their classmates with no sorrow at all.
Everyone knows what stew is. It's the meat-and-vegetable dish you put in a pot, simmer in a slow boil, and then eat. Yet Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionary offers another definition. It describes stew as "a state of being agitated, disturbed." This same definition also includes the phrase "stewing in one's own juices" - meaning, "to allow trouble and agitation to simmer; to continue in a disturbed state of mind."
We Americans tend to overlap these two meanings of the word "stew." Whenever we want to describe our troubled emotions, for instance, we use cooking terms. For example:
The Bible tells us that when Christ ascended to heaven, He took up the ministry of High Priest to all who come to Him by faith. "...this man [Jesus], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood" (Hebrews 7:24).
Jesus is unchangeable! He is the same yesterday, today and forever. As long as you live, He will be your High Priest in heaven, interceding on your behalf. And He will remain your High Priest until you go home to be with Him.
The book of First Samuel tells us that an unnamed prophet came to Eli with an awful message. This unknown man delivered an amazing prophecy — one that has everything to do with what we see going on in the church today. It is a word that reveals much about dead, dry, ungodly ministers and churches in operation right now!
"By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6).
"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil" (Proverbs 8:13).
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me" (John 14:21).
"And this is love, that we walk after his commandments" (2 John 6).
Nothing baffles me more than Christians who remain fickle, even though they sit under a clear, strong gospel message! I can't understand how some of God's children can be so committed to Him one moment, and then turn around and become so cool the next.
This sin actually baffles God! It both bewilders and frustrates Him! In His Word, God speaks His mind to a people who had received a very clear call to repentance. The Lord sent the prophet Hosea to Israel with this message:
I don't have a television or a VCR, and by God's grace I have been kept from all forms of pornography. But consider the Christians who have TV — and cable as well. It's after 10 p.m., the kids are in bed, and they sit and watch an R- or X-rated movie. Right before their eyes they see adults fornicating and performing every evil thing from hell. Both spirit and body get caught up in it. Or, there might be this scenario: You are away from home and nobody knows you. You are feeling alone and a curious urge comes over you.
