By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion (Psalm 137:1 KJV) When Israel rebelled against the commandments of the Lord, they were taken captive to Babylon, a distant land with a strange setting and foreign gods. The Israelites would sit by the rivers of Babylon and mourn Read More
Repentance
If My People who are called by My Name
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV) The world is in crisis and chaos. The Lord spoke to Israel, giving Read More
Fruit Meet for Repentance
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8, KJV) John the Baptist exhorted his converts to “bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance”. His baptism was a baptism of repentance, which essentially means a change of mind. For example, someone might have fixed his or her mind to do what God has commanded us Read More
A Broken and Humble Heart
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (Psalm 51:17 KJV 1900) A broken and humble heart is a treasure in the eyes of God. So what is a broken and contrite heart? This verse is often misinterpreted and misapplied, especially when we Read More
The God of Another Chance—a prostitute made her way into the Christmas story
And Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse (Matt. 1:5 ESV) Matthew 1 gives us the Genealogy of Jesus through Joseph from Abraham through the generations to Joseph and then Jesus. Women were often not included in the genealogies such as Read More
What is repentance?
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death (2 Cor. 7:10 KJV). What is repentance, as defined by today’s scripture? Is saying “I am sorry” the same as repentance? While repentance is often expressed by a verbal apology, true repentance can not be Read More
King Ahab
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days.” (1 Ki. 21:28-29 NKJ) The kings of Israel have volumes of lessons to teach us today. Some, like David, Read More
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mk. 1:3 KJV). John the Baptist came as a forerunner to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. The verse above is a direct quote from the prophesy of Isaiah, recorded in Isaiah 40:3. It Read More