A Look at the Book #411

A Look at the Book #411


by Jesse Abel

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #411

A Though for today by Papa “J”

Sometimes our understanding of things seems to be at odds with reality. Just watch any television commercial. What is strange is that most people buy into this way of life! Could it be that we live in and approve of a counterfeit lifestyle?

MORE THOUGHTS

A hard subject is racing through my mind this morning, so I will spill it out and see if it becomes worthy to share. In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, Jesus asks his disciples who the people of Caesarea Philippi say that Jesus is. Their answer is really no different than the answer that most people give today. They answered; “A good man like John the Baptist, or like one of those prophets of old, Elijah or Jeremiah.” “I see”, he said, “but who do you say that I Am?” The disciple Peter spoke up and said; “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Earlier in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub. These religious leaders called Jesus the Son of the Living God (the dung-god). Can you imagine that? Blasphemy! The world has a god for everything. Yet, Beelzebub is also a reference to Satan and is a fitting description of Him, the dung-god. Jesus has much to say about casting out of demons in Matthew 12:22-30, but I would like to focus on verse 28; Jesus states clearly that He used the power of God the Holy Spirit to cast out the demons. Jesus is fully God and fully man. For some people, Jesus is just a good man, for others He is the hypostatic union of God and man who used the fullness of God the Holy Spirit to prove His Deity during His ministry on earth. Those who reject the union of the Godhead with the man Jesus will reject God the Holy Spirit first. Matthew 12:31-32.

Lamentations 3

Lamentations 3:7 – Jeremiah states in this passage that God has hedged him in and placed chains on him so that he cannot get away from the vision of his beloved nation being destroyed in front of his face. I am not a prophet. Actually I am the son of a drunk and followed in his footsteps for a season. Today I sometimes follow the LORD and when I do, He points my face to see this dying nation.

Lamentations 3:8 – Jeremiah wept bitterly over the fall of Jerusalem and he felt that God shut out his prayers over the nation. I know that many of us pray for our nation to repent, some are even praying as David prayed and fasted for mercy when his child was sick and dying because of David’s sin. 2 Samuel 12:15-23. In this passage there is hope, but it is hope of a new day, not to pick up broken pieces or to rebuild. But to start anew because the old is dead!

Proverbs 13:12 says this: Hope deferred makes the heart sick… the heart of American people today is sick with sin, we have placed hope aside. Hope will return like a tree of life, when America repents.