Anna

A Letter From Anna

12:00 PM

 



This week our study turns to Anna, an elderly prophetess from Jerusalem. Reading her story, and of Anna’s deep commitment to God, brought up memories of my own beloved Grandmother. A godly woman, my Grandmother would often send letters filled with faith and wisdom that comes only with age and a close walk with the Lord. And it got me wondering if she could, what kind of letter would Anna write? I imagine it might go something like this....


My dearest loved ones,


Oh how I’m bursting with joy to share the news! Finally after many years of waiting, God has given me the deepest desires of my heart. For today I saw the long awaited Messiah! A perfect little baby boy who will grow up to save the world!


Precious ones, God is so very good. He has blessed my long and faithful service to Him. As you well know, for many, many years I have been ministering before the Lord in the temple. My days and nights are filled with fasting, praying, and proclaiming His Word for all to hear. And although I’ve spent most of my life in the temple, I  must admit, sometimes it feels like just yesterday when I first came to the Lord’s house.


After seven years of marriage, my husband had passed. Broken hearted and at a crossroads, my Father Phanuel, wanted me to remarry. After all, that’s what a respectable Jewish woman does. But my heart wasn’t leading me to be a wife and mother. Instead it longed to dedicate my life in complete service to my God and His people. I guess you could call me a rebel, because that’s just what I did. And ever since, I have been joyfully working and waiting for prophecy to be fulfilled, and the promises of God brought to life. Which brings me back to why I’m writing. As I shared earlier, I have seen the Christ child! 


It was a day like any other. Mothers and fathers were arriving with their babies for the purification ceremony, as dictated by our culture. It’s always such a sweet sight to watch the proud families as they present their child to God, and the innocence and hope found in the faces of the newborns. As I was praying, I felt the Spirit lead me to go to the entrance of the temple. Once there, I saw standing before me, brother Simeon, a very devout man of faith. He was holding a baby and pronouncing great blessing over the child. Immediately my heart leapt with joy and tears streamed down my face, for I knew instantly that this was the promised Messiah! Praise sprung from my lips for the grace God showed me by letting me see His only begotten Son! 


Sweet sisters and brothers, I have heard that some of you have struggled with doubt, or in finding your purpose. Have you gone to God, asking for a heart of belief? Have you, in faith, laid your doubts at His feet? I Anna, prophetess from the tribe of Asher, can testify that every word of God rings true. I have seen His promises fulfilled before my very eyes. And if there’s anything I have learned in my 84 years it’s this. Believe! For each and every promise of God will come to pass. Finally, keep working for God’s kingdom. Because no matter who we are, or our age, when we live with an open heart, the Spirit will lead us to our calling. 


I’ll close now and with a heart of gladness, I thank God for each of you. “May the Lord bless you and keep you; Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Num. 6:24-26)


Chazak u'baruch, (Be strong and be blessed),


Anna





Elizabeth

Elizabeth's Legacy {Luke 1:5-80}

9:00 AM

 Elizabeth:  Luke 1:5-80




Elizabeth only appears in this first chapter of Luke, but I could easily find at least five legacy lessons through her story here. Perhaps you were able to find more and I hope you’ll share them with us.


OK, here goes:


 1.) I believe Elizabeth demonstrates that God is Jehovah- Jireh and He will provide for us. 

Notice what the angels says to Zachariah, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (Luke 1:13-14). We aren’t privileged to see Elizabeth’s initial reaction when she learns that she is finally carrying a child after all these years of praying, but Elizabeth’s story tells us that we can never give up praying for the things we long for. Are you currently be held in the waiting room just now? I pray Elizabeth's story will be an encouragement to you. 

2.) God keeps His promises

The name Elizabeth actually means “God keeps His oaths”. He not only kept His promise to Elizabeth, but He brought the prophecy found in the Book of Malachi to life!

If you are struggling right now, waiting, wondering if God will ever answer, Elizabeth’s life is telling us to hang on! Keep trusting, for we may not see it now, but He is at work and will always keep His promises!

 

 3.)  God Still Performs Miracles

Both of the babies found in this chapter were miracles, but the people of that day would all view Elizabeth conceiving a child in her old age as a miracle right away. God was clearly at work then and is still at work today. Miracles are happening all the time and we need to be on the lookout constantly!

 

4.) We Should Bless Others Whenever We Have the Opportunity

 Notice, Elizabeth has learned that she is with child. She is so excited that she can hardly contain it. Suddenly, Mary comes to visit and shares her own exciting news and, instead of Elizabeth blurting out her own news, she chooses to share in Mary's excitement and blesses her,  “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:42-45)

Elizabeth’s blessing to Mary caused Mary to praise God,

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Luke 1:46-55

But all of this praise could have gone sour quickly if Elizabeth had allowed jealousy to destroy her joy.

5.) Don't Allow Jealousy to Rob You of Your Joy

Both Elizabeth and Mary were graciously favored by God. Each were carrying precious men the world had been longing for.  I know Elizabeth was elated, yet when Mary came to Elizabeth to share her news that she had been visited by the angel of the Lord, and was now pregnant with the Son of God – Elizabeth rejoiced for her cousin, and that each were a part of God’s plan.

 

Have you ever been guilty of learning of a friend or family member receiving a blessing and wondering why it couldn’t have been you? What about looking over the fence at your neighbor’s home and seeing their new car, or new pool or summer home and lamenting over what you have rather than being excited for them?

 

I believe we all  have a tendency to look at others and compare them to ourselves and our lack, but what if we changed our way of thinking and, instead, remained grateful for all we've been given and were able to rejoiced with them and cause them to rejoice as well?

 

What if we could actually rest in the fact that we are just the way God has created us? We have all that God desires for us to have at this moment. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be free to simply be happy and share in other's happiness?

 

I believe this is the greatest takeaway from Elizabeth's life? How about you? I'd love to hear what you've discovered!


Blessings! 

sue

Endure

His Glorious Return {Matthew 24}

12:00 PM



Matthew 24


As we bring this turbulent year of 2020 to a close, the holiday season is a much needed time of joy, thankfulness, and festivities. And as we celebrate the glorious birth of our Savior, it is also the perfect time to celebrate His soon glorious return. So even though Matthew 24 is full of warnings about the trials and tribulations that will mark the sign of His coming and the end of the age, it also contains some pretty awesome promises of God. Promises we can hold dear to our hearts in every season! 


“The One who endures to the end will be saved” (vs. 13)- Jesus made it clear that the life of a Christian will be filled with trials, persecution, and peril. Yet for those who stand strong in their faith until the end, no matter the circumstances, God promises deliverance from their enemies and a life spent by His side filled with eternal love and peace.


“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” (vs. 22)- The heart of man is inherently wicked and hell bent on destruction. Yet God gives us His loving promise to save those He calls His own. If not for His mercy, not only during the tribulation but each day, man in his wickedness would destroy every living thing.


“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (vs. 35)- All things have a shelf life. Even our current heaven and earth will pass away for new magnificent ones. But one thing that will never change is the Word of God. For His words are true and everlasting. They bring light and life to a darkened world. And we can trust God’s promise of not one word uttered by Him ever passing away without being fulfilled.


“Blessed is that slave whom his master so doing when he comes.” (vs. 46)- Jesus is our great Master, and has appointed us to continue His work on earth until He returns. That means we are to continue sharing the Good News of Christ and working for the kingdom of God. And in return, when we stand before the Lord  face to face, He promises to reward our efforts with blessings beyond imagining!


One of the things I love most about God is His great love for us. There is nothing we can do, buy, or earn to climb our way to the Father. So He climbed down to us. Our mighty King traded His majestic throne in heaven for a bed of wood and hay. The Lamb of God came as a humble, helpless child, but the Lion of Judah will return as our conquering King and Ruler of all. So as I give thanks this season for the birth of my Savior, I will equally give thanks for His promises and soon glorious return! 






Gabriel

God Doesn’t Make Resolutions, He Makes Promises {Luke 1}

4:38 PM


Welcome to our study entitled, “Walking in Wisdom”. As we spend the year together in the New Testament, I pray that God will bless each of us with growth, wisdom, and understanding as we dig deep into His Word! 

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[ may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) 


 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday Jan. 6 


 Can you believe it? Here we are fresh off the holidays and ready to begin 2020! Another year is upon us, and with it comes both renewed hope and a commitment to resolutions made. For me each new year brings the familiar pattern of good intentions and promises of doing and being better. But invariably, my faithfulness comes up lacking and my follow through becomes almost nonexistent. And even though I own my accountability, I try not to be too hard on myself; after all I’m a work in progress. So I forgive my failures, never give up trying, and remember that although I might not always be faithful in fulfilling my own promises, I know who I can always count on to fulfill His; and that’s God. For as I am reminded by the Apostle Paul, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13)

That’s why I’m happy we are beginning our study in the book of Luke. Because more than just the beautiful Christmas Gospel of our Savior’s birth, Luke also contains promises made by God. And here in chapter 1 we learn of the awesome ones He makes to Mary, the Jewish girl chosen by the Lord. Living in Galilee and engaged to a man named Joseph, Mary is visited by the Angel Gabriel. After greeting her as, “favored one”, Gabriel lists seven promises God has in store for her and the baby she would be carrying. 1. She will conceive and bear a son. 2. He shall be named Jesus. 3. He will be great. 4. He will be called the Son of the Most High. 5. God will give to Him the throne of David. 6. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 7. His kingdom will have no end. (vs. 31-33) 

I often imagine how Mary must have felt hearing the glorious news. Was she scared, excited, overwhelmed? Did she laugh, cry, or stand frozen in shock? Of the many emotions Mary must have felt, the Bible is clear that the one she didn’t feel was disbelief. For after asking how this miracle would come to be and hearing, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child will be called the Son of God.” (vs. 35), She simply replied, “may it be done to me according to your word.” (vs. 38) The example of strength and faith in God shown by Mary, a young girl of probably between 13 and 16 years of age, is something to behold and an inspiration to us all. 

So how did Mary find such unshakable faith? First, she believed God would keep His promises. Mary knew the history of the Jewish people and how, “Not one of the good promises which God made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (Josh. 21:45) Second, she trusted God’s ability to make His will come to fruition. For not only did Gabriel say, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (vs. 37), God Himself also declares, “Behold, I will do something new, I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:19) Finally, she walked in surrendered obedience to God. Just as we are told in 2 Cor. 9:8,  Mary knew the Lord would provide whatever He required. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 

Each January 1st carries with it the excitement of a clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning. It marks the start of the year ahead filled with the certainty of love and loss, triumph and tragedy, joy and sorrow. Yet no matter what 2020 may hold, whatever change this new decade ushers in, we can rest assured that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8). So make resolutions. Commit to growth. Set new goals. Above all else, trust in the promises of God. In her lifetime Mary saw four of God’s promises fulfilled, and soon she will see the final three as well. And just as He did for Mary, God will fulfill each of His promises to us, so that like Elizabeth we too will cry, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (vs. 45) 



Christ

Our Only and Secure Inheritance {Joshua 12-19}

10:30 PM



God speaks to an old Joshua about the land remaining to be possessed (Jos 13:1). His time and his ministry as leader was almost ending, and God gave him the final instructions regarding the remaining land to be conquered and how it was to be divided as an inheritance among “the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.” (13:7) Joshua was a faithful servant and even in an advanced age, God still instructs him about a job that needs to be done. This makes me realize how much have I, or have I not conquered as a Christian… and sadly I must confess there is still so much to be done!  No matter how much we have served in our Christian lives, there still remains much to do!!

Verses 13:8-32 describe the portion of land divided among Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.  It was the land of king Sihon of the Amorites and king Og of Bashan.
We find something unique in verses 13:14 and 13:33:

“ 33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He told them.”

Yes, the Levites had no land for an inheritance, but instead had the sacrifices Israel brought to God. They also received a greater inheritance than that: God Himself.

In this sense, Christians are spiritually connected to the tribe of Levi, since we also are called priests: 1 Peter 2:5(AMP)

5 You [believers], like living stones, are [a]being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

We also have a special inheritance in God:  Ephesians 1:11(AMP)

“11 In Him also we have [a]received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will,”

1 Peter 1:4 (AMP)
4 [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,”

What undeserved privileges we attain as children of God!! (Col 3:24) And yet many of us are dissatisfied with our workplaces, our earthly possessions (finances), maybe even with our Church ministry!  We wish that God would have given us something different, and we can even get bitter towards Him about this! We must remember who we are in Christ (Ro 8:17) and see ourselves as priests, and understand that our real inheritance is God Himself!!



Before I close, let me ask you: How much of Jesus do you have?  Do you walk in the blessing of leading others to Jesus Christ, our only and Secure Inheritance? How much of the Promises God has given you, do you possess as yours?

There remains very much land yet to be possessed: while there is life, there is still much to do!  God wants us to keep pressing on!

Blessings!

Mari

Egypt

What's Your Motivation For Worship? {Exodus 5-7:13}

12:00 AM

How does your worship compare on days when you feel God’s blessing as compared with other times when you don’t? The nation of Israel had been crying out to God for deliverance from the Egyptians and God heard their cries and was preparing for an amazing rescue; intending to use Moses to help Him carry it out! Only, after Moses appears, their troubles grow worse! And the people themselves are now blaming Moses for their increased hardship, and have decided to reject his leadership.

Moses, consequentially accuses God of unfaithfulness and of doing evil to his own people. Pretty amazing, don’t you think? But the Lord simply reasserts His plan to use Moses, to cause Pharaoh to allow Israel to leave Egypt here in Genesis 6:2-9,

"God spoke further to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the Lord. And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God almighty. But by My name, Lord, I did not make myself known to them. And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. And furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because they Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say therefore, to the sons of Israel, I Am the Lord. And I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people. And I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you, for a possession. I am the Lord.’ So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel. But they did not listen to Moses, on account of their despondency and cruel bondage."

Have you ever been there? Can you relate to the people of Israel, or to Moses?
  • The Israelite’s cried out for deliverance, only to face greater hardship.
  • Moses hadn’t asked for this calling, and now finds himself rejected by the ones he has promised to help.
Has this ever happened to you? You’ve trusted The Lord and taken a huge step of faith only to find yourself much worse off than before? Do you still worship Him, still trust Him then, or have you’ve been tempted at times to give up on God; give up on this life of faith and go back to trusting in yourself to work it all out?

"Man’s extremity," according to Matthew Henry, "is God’s opportunity of helping and saving. Now that the affair has come to a crisis, and things are as bad as they can be, Pharaoh is at the height of his pride, and Israel is at the depth of her misery, now is God’s time to appear." And that is precisely what God did. Only, He begins his course of action by continuing a conversation with Moses, and the words He speaks are precious! Not only to Moses, or to Israel, but to us!

Think about this a moment; The Lord never promised to spare us from any hardships, BUT He did promise to never leave us, nor forsake us! (Duet 31:6; Heb 13:5)

  • David knew this when he wrote, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” -Ps 23:4
  • Daniel wasn’t spared having to face the Lion’s Den, but he did get to witness God shutting the mouths of the lions! (Dan 6)
  • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not spared being thrown into the fiery furnace, but they did find The Lord in there with them keeping even their clothing from being singed. (Dan 3)

I’ve never preferred to face trials of any kind. If I’m honest, I’d have to admit, I’ve actually preferred to avoid them to the very best of my ability, but when they have come, I’ve found myself admitting, I wouldn’t trade this time with my Savior for anything, for it’s during these times that I grow more deeply in love with Him.


The verses that have become so precious to me during these times are found in Psalm 46,
"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea... 
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns...The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

Come, behold the works of the Lord...
“Cease striving [Be still] and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah."

...and then there is peace.

Abraham

The Endurance of Abraham {Gen. 21:1-23:20}

12:00 AM

Monday January 8 Genesis 21:1-23:20



After a bout of sickness, I found myself sitting at my doctor’s office whining, “I can’t take it anymore. I just want to be done with this and get well!” After two trips to the emergency room I thought I was on the mend, only to be hit with another complication. My doctor looked at me and said, “Listen, I know it’s hard but if you stay on the antibiotics I gave you, you will get better. It just takes time. Trust me.” Enduring and trusting are never easy. And no one knew this better than Abraham. He endured and trusted God even when tested to his very core.

When Abraham was 75 years old, God promised to make him a great nation. The years came and went, and as each one passed no fulfillment of God’s promise came. But instead of giving up or giving in to discouragement, Abraham “believed in the Lord.” (Gen. 15:6) He remained steadfast in his faith. And finally, at the age of 100, Abraham received the son he had waited for which much anticipation. His beloved Isaac. But just when Abraham thought his joy complete, God asked of him the seemingly impossible; the sacrifice of his son.

As a parent myself, I can’t even begin to imagine the confusion and sorrow Abraham must have felt because of God’s request. Regardless, Abraham continued to trust and place his hope in the Lord. And even though he didn’t understand, Abraham endured and obeyed. Because of His actions not only did God spare Isaac, He promised to bless Abraham greatly. “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (vs. 22:18) A promise fulfilled through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What about you? If God asked you to sacrifice what you love the most could you do so obediently and without hesitation? God wanted Abraham, and each of us, to learn to wait, trust, and hope in Him, no matter what He asks of us. And when we do, God promises to bless our obedience greatly! For He is the Everlasting God who is faithful from the eternal past, and trustworthy forever without end! (Ps. 90:2, 93:2, Is. 26:4)


Enduring

Overcoming Through Faith {Revelation 3}

12:00 AM

Monday Dec. 5, Overcoming Through Faith {Revelation 3}


In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation, Jesus gives messages to the seven churches located in what is now the country of Turkey. In each case, the teaching of the Lord is clear; Repent, Believe, and Endure. A teaching Jesus means for each of us as well

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 4-5) The Greek word most often translated “overcomer” comes from the word nike which according to Strong’s Concordance, means “to carry off the victory”.  As believers we are indeed in a battle. Everyday the enemy engages us in warfare and will stop at nothing to try and defeat us. But we can overcome anything he throws our way, through the strength of the Holy Spirit, and by holding fast to our faith in Jesus. And in return, here are some of the blessings God promises.

Rev. 2:7, “To Him whom overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in The Paradise of God.” Because of the sin committed by Adam and Eve, they were banished from the garden of Eden never to return and made mortal. But to those who endure, God will give access once again to the fruits of paradise and the gift of eternal life.

Rev. 2:11, “He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” We will all die once in the flesh. Made from dust, our bodies will return to dust. The spiritual definition of death is to be separated from God. Here God promises that believers will never again be apart from Him. We will receive glorified bodies and will dwell with Him eternally.

Rev. 2:17, “To Him who overcomes, to Him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone, which no one knows but he who receives it”  It used to be in the time of Jesus that at the end of a trial, the jury foreman would give the verdict by dropping either a black stone for guilty, or a white one for innocent. Through the blood of Christ, God declares us innocent and forgiven. He will provide for us eternally and give us a new name known only by Him.

Rev. 2:26, “He who overcomes, and He who keeps My deeds until the end, to Him I will give him authority over the nations.” As believers and faithful followers of Jesus, we are promised that we will participate with Him in the ruling of the earth and all of its inhabitants.

Rev. 3:5, “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Until the return of the Lord, our job is to confess the name of Jesus to an unbelieving world. But there will come a time when Jesus will confess us to God and His angels, claiming us as His very own. 

Rev. 3:12, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.” Jesus is the cornerstone and foundation, but we too will play an important part. We will be like pillars; strong, stable, and unmovable supports of God’s holy temple. 

Rev. 3:21, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne.” Right now, Jesus sits as the right hand of the Father, but one day He will be seated on His throne of David in Jerusalem ruling every corner of the earth. And just like He did with God, we too will sit with Him at His right hand. 

“You will be hated by them because of My name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:13) We are living in dark times in a world ruled by Satan. And Jesus warns that loving and following Him wont be easy. But He also promises that because we belong to Him, the trials and tribulations we endure will pale in comparison to the glorious promises of God to those who overcome in faith to the end!


2Peter

12:00 AM


Patience

Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

Today we are memorizing 2 Peter 3:9…

 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Here is the amplified version…

The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

This verse had me looking back in Ezekiel…

Say to them, AS I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? (33:11)

God has no pleasure when the lost die.  He desires that all repent and come to know Him. We need to be thankful that our Father was patient with us and sent the Holy Spirit to intervene and save us from a death in which we would be separated from God for all eternity.  And because we know of His patience, His mercy and His grace, our desire to see all repent should be as great as His. 

How should we live our life here on earth serving our Father and fulfilling His desire? By being willing to risk rejection, ridicule, and scorn by those who don’t believe in Him. We should love the lost like Jesus did, with compassionate and true love, willing to be hated in order to be used by God as a means to saving someone.  We, like our Father, should always desire that..” all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:4).

Here is a sermon by John Piper speaking about this verse and those leading up to it. I pray that it blesses you.

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/where-is-the-promise-of-his-appearing

Have a blessed and precious day everyone!

daughter

Dear Daughter

12:00 AM

Dear Daughter

By, Lisa Williams

I have seen you every moment, through all the sands of time.

I was so delighted that when I called, you became Mine

I have been with you every day loving you, more than the numbers of sands in the sea.

You came to me, please know I made you free.

I did not unchain you so you could be captured again.

Come give Me all of you so you can rest, My friend.

Please meet Me in the garden in the cool of the day.

Read My words of truth; hear My whispers and all I say.

Eagerly and boldly come in to the throne room of your King.

Worshiping, Praying, Praising, requesting with every word you bring.

I want to bless you so that you also can be My witness.

Have faith in My Promises My beloved princess.

My Wisdom, The Light of My Son, and My Holy Spirit can flow through you.

Even in your weakness other will still see Me; and you can boast of all I do.

Please be a living testimony of all My grace.

This way others will hear Me when I ask them to seek My face

All of creation testifies of My love so it is no mystery.

However, I see where My truths are confused by the enemy.

For you are in My kingdom for such a time as this, to find My lost sheep

Please trust and have faith allow Me to bring you deep.

Stand on My words of truth and apply them to your everyday.

Please die to self so I will brightly light the way.

All of this I have tried to tell you before.

My word is living and needs nothing more.

However, I am patient and long suffering.

Please allow me to be King over everything.

Love your,

Sovereign King