Salvation By Grace In A Sinful World

Our world is sinful, imperfect and bad. It is a choice by Adam and Eve. They had lived in a world that was created good and perfect.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31 ESV)

They chose to eat of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. They chose to believe in the serpent who told them half the truth.
"God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." (Genesis 3:5 NLT)

Before eating this fruit, they only know good. After eating the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened and they knew something additional. That additional knowledge was evil.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:7 CSB)

Henceforth, sin, injustice and death came into the world.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT)

So this question is always asked, "How can salvation be only through Jesus Christ? What about those who have not heard? Why is God so unfair?"

Let us look at it from another perspective, called karma. You reap what you sow.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Galatians 6:7 ESV)

A man visited a prostitute and got infected with AIDS but he did not know. He had sex with his wife and a baby was born. Both the mother and the baby were now infected with AIDS. Is it fair that the innocent mother and child is infected with AIDS? Maybe? Yes? No? Whatever your answer may be, you have to accept that this is a natural consequence, right?

Two man committed the same traffic offence and were fined the same amount of money. One man had no money and was sent to jail. Another man had a rich father who paid the fine for him. Was justice not served to both men? Or was it not fair that one man had a rich father? Should we all be equally rich or equally poor? Would that be justice?

God is not obligated to save all men. But God is obligated to be just. Every man will be judged justly according to his works at the great white throne judgement.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12 ESV)
And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 ESV)

So for those who have not heard of the Good News of Jesus Christ, they will get God's justice. For those who heard and believe, you are saved by the grace of God.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

So please do not neglect such a great salvation.
So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? (Hebrews 2:3 NLT)
Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled." (Hebrews 3:15 NLT)

God has offered a choice of life or death.
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; (Deuteronomy 30:15 KJV)

This offer is open to all.
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13 ESV)

But the opportunity to response is limited by the opportunity to hear.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 ESV)

This is the grace of God, working in an imperfect world of sin.

False Monotheism And Idolatry

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. (Revelation 20:1-3 NASB)

When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10 NASB)

The main opposition to God since the flood is the mystery religion of Babylon, which is idolatry or worship of idols. This mystery religion will be completely destroyed during the 7 years of tribulation. It will not be carried into the millennium.

Then why the reference to Gog and Magog war in Ezekiel 38-39 in the war of rebellion by Satan after the millennium? I think the Ezekiel 38-39 war is a war against Israel by false monotheists. Similarly at the end of the thousand years of rule by Jesus Christ, nobody will believe in idols anymore. But they will be ready to accept a false monotheistic god. That is why the rebellion at the end of the millennium also refer to Gog and Magog.

Judgmental Children

QUOTE
"Daddy, why are you writing in your Bible?"
My son's eyes widened as he looked at the black squiggles in the margins of my Bible. His question was sincere. After all, when you're six years old, and you've been taught not to scribble in the Bible, it can be alarming to behold—in permanent ink—the evidence that your father has transgressed this law.
UNQUOTE

Children are judgmental. The younger the child are, the more judgmental the child will be. Not on purpose, but for the lack of experience and for looking at things in a black and white manner. They are not forgiving.

I obey the law! I am good! Perfect Peter is at work! But those who cannot obey are great sinners!

Horrid Henry would have accused the parent as hypocritical and used that excuse to break more law.

Evolution of Religion - Bible vs Western Liberals

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:21-23 ESV)

Western liberals believed that religions were invented by men who were ignorant and feared the unknown. These ignorant men ascribed unknown phenomena to the supernatural and created gods as agencies of these powers. Then these gods was used to justify actions morally and to organize kingdoms. Then they discovered the concept of monotheism, which was more useful for moral justification and political control. Religion thus evolved from polytheistic to monotheistic. But as science broadens knowledge and reduce ignorance, the need for god's existence were reduced dramatically. Modern western liberals believed that religions are still useful for cultural and psychological functions, but science is more reliable. As knowledge increase, the hold of god and gods will reduce.

The Bible tells us that in the beginning, the people were aware of the one true God but they refuse to believe and obey Him. Instead, they choose to made gods out of their own imaginations. Even today, the monotheists create their own monotheistic god after their own image. Unbelieving Christians invent their own Jesus Christ according to their own beliefs. While no longer making gods out of animals and natural powers, the same unbelief that created idols now create false monotheistic gods and false Jesus.

People are naturally religious. They do not reject god or gods. They just refuse to accept the real God whom they cannot manage. They prefer to create god or gods in their own image, one that is manageable.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8 ESV)

Two Types Of Evil

There are two kinds of evil.

The evident evil.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 ESV)

The evil that people do when they think they are doing good.
They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. (John 16:2 ESV)

But the story does not end here. There is hope for these two types of evil doer.

Type 1
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)

Type 2
For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:9-10 ESV)
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:12-17 ESV)

The Grace Of God - Onesimus

Slaves are to obey their masters.
Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. (Titus 2:9-10 NLT)

But this slave ran away. And now he was back, no longer a slave, but a brother.
It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. (Philemon 1:15-16 NLT)

Breaking the law but receiving reward, this is the grace of God.
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11 NLT)

Do Not Neglect Such Great Salvation

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11 NET)

So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? (Hebrews 2:3 NLT)

Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled." (Hebrews 3:15 NLT)

The law of God condemns all people because nobody can meet God's KPI. But the grace of God brings salvation to all people. Do not harden your hearts and ignore this great salvation, for there is no other salvation available under heaven except this.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 ESV)

He Died That We May Live

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:10 NIV)

The four Gospels devoted between 25 to 50 percent to the last week of Jesus' life - His crucifixion, death and resurrection.
Matthew 21:1-28:20 (about one third, 8 out of 28 chapters)
Mark 11:1-16:8 (about one third, 6 out of 16 chapters)
Luke 19:28-24:53 (about one quarter, 6 out of 24 chapters)
John 12:1-21:25 (about half, 10 out of 21 chapters)
Why is this so?

Many people think that Jesus was a great teacher who came to teach us something. That is wrong. Jesus came for only one purpose. He came to die. The one who is immortal came to die so that we may live. For salvation is of the Lord and only God can save.

"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. (John 12:27 ESV)

From Hope To Faith

Before we become a Christian, we need to be convinced that the Bible is true and Jesus is the true God and savior.

After we become a Christian, we need to be convinced that the promises in the Bible are true and God answers prayers.

As a new Christian, when we say, "God will answer my prayers", we are expressing a hope.

After many years of experience as a Christian, when we say, "God will answer my prayers", we are expressing our faith.

Example of Prayer Items

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ESV)

What can we pray for when we want to pray for our fellow Christians? We can pray for these:

1. God will make them worthy of His calling;
2. God's power to help them accomplish every good desire and faithful work;
3. They will glorify the name of our Lord Jesus, and Jesus will glorify them according to His grace.

Women In Church

Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 NIV)

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing - if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:11-15 NIV)

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. (1 Corinthians 11:11-12 NIV)

A Reminder Not To Trust In Uncertain Riches

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. (1 Timothy 6:17 ESV)

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. (James 1:9-11 ESV)

Message Transmission - Bible vs Koran

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Mohammed. Let us examine the different ways Allah of the Koran and God of the Bible transmit their messages.

Allah claimed to have sent messengers to every nation and "there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them (Quran 35:24)", but unfortunately every nation denied its messenger (Quran 23:44) and the messages were lost. Allah seemed to have sent many messengers to Israel, none to China, and stopped sending messengers after one had been sent to the Arabs.

God of the Bible sent His messengers to only one nation - the nation of Israel (Matthew 15:24, Romans 3:2). The written message (Hebrews 1:1-4, Luke 24:27) began with Moses and ended with John the Apostle. The message were rejected (Romans 3:3), the messengers were stoned (Matthew 23:37) but the message prevailed (Matthew 5:18).

Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God. True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, "You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court." (Romans 3:2-4 NLT)

Life And Death - Offered By Grace

God offered a choice of life or death.
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; (Deuteronomy 30:15 KJV)

This offer is open to all.
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13 ESV)

But the opportunity to response is limited by the opportunity to hear.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 ESV)

It is by the grace of God that the opportunity to hear the Good News is given.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

Those who never heard the Good News will receive God's justice.
When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God's written law. And the Jews, who do have God's law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. (Romans 2:12 NLT)

Life And Death - 2

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 ESV)

"See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ESV)

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. (John 5:26 ESV)

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12 ESV)

Life And Death - A Choice

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV)

From the beginning, Moses offered the Israelites a choice of life and death.

God continue to make the same offer throughout the Bible, with increasing clarity.

The First Pope Has A Wife

Don't we have the right to bring a Christian wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord's brothers do, and as Peter does? (1 Corinthians 9:5 NLT)

The Apostle Paul told us that Peter (supposed to be the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church) has a wife. Apostle Matthew said that Peter's wife had a mother.

When Jesus arrived at Peter's house, Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. (Matthew 8:14 NLT)

But now the Roman Catholic Church forbid priests to be married and order the people to abstain from certain food on Friday.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3 NIV)

Spirit Became Flesh; Flesh Became Digital

And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 YLT)

God is spirit and He created the world by His Word, and His Word became flesh and dwell among us.

Men create virtual worlds by their word (i.e. computer programming language) and their word can create digital images of themselves in their virtual world.

That is why the Bible tells us that men are created in God's image. Both God and men are in the business of world creation.

Paul Caused Religious Disharmony In Ephesus

About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:
"Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren't really gods at all. And he's done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! Of course, I'm not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I'm also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis - this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world - will be robbed of her great prestige!"
At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn't let him. Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.
Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn't even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" (Acts 19:23-33 NLT)

Romans were polytheists and polytheists are very religiously tolerant. They would had gladly added Jesus to their pantheon of gods. But the Christians, being monotheists, are very religiously intolerant. Paul refused to accept the Roman and Greek gods as gods. There were great religious disruption in those days. I wondered what would had happened if Paul were to be religiously tolerant. What would the world today be like without Christianity's disruptive influence?

What Can A Dying Man Do?

As long as you have life, you can repent and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation. Only the dead are without hope.

"No one is so bad that he cannot be saved, and no one is so good that he need not be saved. All who are saved will be saved by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ." - Adrian Rogers

Some think they are too wicked to be saved. They may be murderers or rapists, but as long as they have life, they can repent and turn to Jesus for their salvation.

Others think they are good enough to save themselves. They don't murder or rape. They don't cheat people of money. They even do charity. Their friends think they are good and nice people. But they did not stop to consider what is God's KPI. Some may even think that He does not exist.

Certain tasks are the exclusive work of God. Salvation is one of them. No one can save themselves. Only God can save because only God can forgive sins. Those who think they can save themselves are already committing blasphemy.

"Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7 ESV)

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NASB)

Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31 ESV)

My Ex-boss Passed Away

My ex-boss passed away this evening at the age of 73.

I visited him in the afternoon and told him that there are many religions but only two methods of salvation - either you can save yourself or you cannot.

If you think you can save yourself, then there are many religions to choose from, each augmenting good behavior with various additional requirement like fasting for certain periods, going vegetarian, abstain from certain food or habits, go pilgrimage etc.

If you think you cannot be saved, then there is only one choice - Jesus. He is the only Savior that saves to the uttermost.

No one is so bad that he cannot be saved. No one is so good that he does not need to be saved.

I told him whatever happened, remember to trust Jesus as the only one who saves. If I passed on, I hope to see him.

He kept shaking his head and I could not make out whether he understood or not since he could not speak.

All Can Be Saved

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)

Good news!
No one is so bad that he cannot be saved. No one is so good that he does not need to be saved.

Listen to "Hebrew 11:31 - the story of Rahab, a harlot whose life was radically, dramatically & eternally changed by faith" by Adrian Rogers.

Nature forms us, sin deforms us, school informs us, prison reforms us, world conforms us and Jesus transforms us.

Four things that God did to transform us:

1. Confronting power of the providence of God;
2. Convicting power of the Spirit of God;
3. Confirming power of the Word of God;
4. Cleanse by the grace of God.

Authentication Of The Messiah By God

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17 NIV)
And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11 NIV)
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (Luke 3:22 KJV)

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. (Matthew 12:18 NIV)
And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." (Mark 9:7 ESV)
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" (Luke 9:35 ESV)

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (Psalm 2:7 KJV)
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1 ESV)

Jesus - Predicted And Fulfilled - 2

Jesus did not popped out of nowhere like many other founders of religions. He had a messenger to prepare His way. His arrival was prophesied long before it happened. That he would have a messenger and forerunner was also prophesied.

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, (Psalm 40:7 KJV)

God On Probation

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." (Genesis 28:20-22 ESV)

God, the creator of heavens and earth, has graciously allow men to put Him put on probation. This is a great condescension on His part.

If you are going on a long journey or facing unknown situations, why not trust Jesus, the true and living God? Step out in faith and trust God. What have you got to lose? You have all to gain and know God. There is no down side.

Did God answer Jacob? Yes and His answer was more than "bread to eat and clothing to wear" and returning home safely. He came home as a tribe.

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. (Genesis 32:9-10 KJV)

Lord, I thank you that I can trust you for all things. You have proven to be reliable, faithful and trustworthy. Nothing is too difficult for you.