Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 29, 2022

The Fiery Serpents Among Us!

I have long been fascinated by the vast insights provided in John 3; our Lord, while speaking to Nicodemus, reminds him of the story of the bronze serpent as described in Numbers 21:4-9. While the Old Testament is a picture of the person and works of the Lord Jesus Christ; I find it of great interest that our Lord selects this particular story.

The Bronze Serpent

4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

The Lord explains the typology in the following verses 14-17:

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

While the Lord did not remove the serpents, as asked by the people of Israel, he did provide a cure when anyone who had been bitten, simply looked at the bronze serpent, he lived!

The Fiery Serpents of Sin Among Us Today

Christians today are surrounded and under attack by a wide variety of fiery serpents of sin too numerous to mention! We should be ever mindful that anything and everything that is not of faith is sin! While there is no hope this situation will improve any time soon, there is every hope God’s answer will serve each of us as a cure to this ongoing attack.

“14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Today, every unbeliever who looks to the cross in faith in Jesus Christ as Savior will live eternally as part of God’s family. Every believer who looks to the cross in faith can continue to rejoice in the salvation they have been given!

God’s Ultimate Solution

Both the cross and the grave are empty, our Lord Jesus Christ is home with the Father!

The people of Israel came to Moses, asking the Lord to remove the serpents, “pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” While God did not remove the serpents, he neutralized the poison but left the serpents in place.

Today, once again, the Lord is not removing the serpents but has provided a cure, the walk of faith; faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and the joy of the faith centered life!

The Lord has a take-away planned but it is not the serpents he will take away, it is his children who will be taken away and the serpents left behind. The time is coming, and may be soon, that all of God’s children will be taken away out of this wilderness of sin and called home to heaven! In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 we are promised:

“13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

3 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 8, 2022

Faith Alone

Today I received a new devotional from Jeff Wells which I wanted to share with my readers. It is on a foundational subject which should be clearly understood by all Christians.

August 8
Faith Alone

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 Faith alone.

This was one of the rallying cries of the Reformation in sixteenth-century Europe.  We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

It is amazing how strongly the Book of Romans emphasizes that we are saved by faith, not works.  The Greek word for faith (and its cognates) is found four times in Romans 1:16-17, nine times in Romans 3:21-31, nine times in Romans 4:1-15, and eight times in Romans 4:16-25.  And it reappears often, including in this verse, which begins Romans 5.

Why this incredible emphasis that we are justified (made right with God) by faith and therefore we have peace with God?  Why is God so emphatic on this matter?  I can think of five reasons why God is so emphatic that we are justified by grace.

First, the “earn this” mindset is so rooted in the human heart, and we need the continual reminder that we are saved by faith, not by our efforts or merit.

Second, the stakes are so high.  We are talking about eternity – forever and ever.  We must be crystal clear on how we receive salvation:  by faith, not works.

Third, there are difficult passages in the New Testament which seem to suggest that we are saved by works or baptism or obedience or something else, rather than simply receiving the gift of salvation through faith or trust on Christ.  Faith is receiving something, not doing something.  Why does God include difficult passages?  I don’t know.  I can guess, but I don’t know.  But I do know there are many clear passages that teach salvation by faith, not works.  A sound rule of Bible study:  The clear passages interpret the unclear passages.

Fourth, the gospel of grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone counters all human pride.  If we are saved by anything we do, then we can take some of the credit.  But if Christ did it all and we just receive it, then all glory goes to Christ.

Fifth, God is so emphatic because we need to hear the gospel over and over again.  We need the continuous reminder that we get in by grace, not by performance.  Jesus paid it all.  We simply receive it.  By faith.

Faith plus nothing. © 2021 WoodsEdge Community Church. All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced for any non-commercial use.
Copyright © 2022 WoodsEdge Community Church, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 29, 2022

You are Being Sculpted by God, You’re a Work in Progress!

OUCH, THAT HURTS!

A favorite anecdote about the great artist, Michelangelo, has been circulating for many years. According to the story he was asked about the difficulties that he must have faced in sculpting his masterpiece David. But, according to the story, he replied with a casual description of his creative process:

It is easy. You just chip away the stone that doesn’t look like David.

Detail of Michelangelo’s David

We are told that we, as Christians, are experiencing a time where we too are being sculpted by the hand of God into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ; yes, we are a work in progress!

I think we can all agree that the chisel can sometimes cut into sensitive areas of our lives and cause a sharp pain! Even those painful episodes are intended to chip away those parts that fall short of the image of Jesus; we come with a lot of Adamic baggage attached!

In Romans 8:28-30 it is written:

“28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

God’s plan for your life was completed before you were even born; in Psalms 139:16 it is written:

“16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.”

God’s Book

One of the many joys of walking by faith and not by sight, is the joy of not trying to understand why things happen the way they do. Life, from our perspective, is filled with the unexpected; I observed many years ago the most impactful events in the life of our family had been those events which were unplanned and unexpected.

These events were suddenly thrust upon us and we had to respond as best we could and trust in the Lord to carry us through the results of those events. One of those events was the death of our older son, at 28 years, due to inoperable brain cancer; another was the death of our grandson, at 10 months, due to an inoperable circulatory defect.

These are life-changing events for the family, one is never again the same after experiencing such an event. While it is possible to rest in the Lord after something like that happens, one’s perspective on life is forever altered.

Our Christian faith provides us the reassurance that those loved ones are not gone, they have just moved on ahead of us and at our appointed time, we will rejoin them. It is a game-changer when one clearly realizes and accepts that each of us are eternal, having been created in the image of God.

Both our son and grandson lived every day that had been fashioned for them, they went home to their Lord at the time written in God’s book! It is a source of great comfort to know that God’s will for their precious lives was not thwarted by circumstances!

The Walk of Faith

My older son struggled with an Astrocytoma, Grade Three, for over four years; initially the surgeon gave him three months to live, but he lived another four years after the surgery. Our family was as supportive as we could be but felt rather helpless as he fought the progress of the cancer.

It was during this time I began to often refer to Proverbs 3:5-6 for a feeling of peace regarding his struggles.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

There was no way I could ever understand why this was happening, I could only trust in the Lord that his will for my son’s life was being fulfilled in accordance with his divine plan. My son is a strong Christian, (I use present tense as my son is still alive and home with the Lord) and is now seeing and experiencing wonders I cannot even imagine; at God’s appointed time, I will join him and give him a big hug!

For reasons known only to God, I’m still in my mortal body and functioning at a reasonable level as God continues to work on me. I’ve outlived all of my male ancestors, of which I have a record, by many years. I fully acknowledge my times are in God’s hands.

It appears the Lord is not through chipping away the parts that doesn’t look like Jesus; I guess some of us take a little more work. I’ll leave all that in God’s very capable hands and, in the meantime, try to serve him as faithfully as I possibly can.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

4 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 25, 2022

Is a Dark Veil of Satanic Deception Descending Upon the United States?

From Coast to Coast, Satanic Evil is Being Embraced by Multitudes!

From the streets of San Francisco and Los Angeles to the heights of power in Washington D.C., corruption and depravity are running rampant and increasing in frequency and intensity each day that passes!

Monstrous events are transpiring of a sort I had never expected to see in my lifetime as a citizen of the United States of America!

I find it very sobering to see the pages of the Bible being fulfilled before my eyes; it helps me better understand the people referenced in the Bible who personally experienced, one day at a time, the extraordinary events described.

Living each day, as those events take place, requires a steadfast walk of faith if one is to avoid the pressure and panic of circumstances. It is becoming increasingly evident we are living in the last days described in the Bible.

I find it a great blessing to often meditate on Ephesians 1:11 where it is written:

“11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,“

All that is now happening is in accordance with the will of the Lord Jesus Christ! Nothing that is happening is beyond the direct control of the Lord Jesus Christ; it appears God’s hand of judgment has enveloped this nation and this world!

As bad as it is now, it will only get worse after the removal of the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit!

As one examines the pages of the Bible, it appears one is reading a commentary on current events:

“24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:24-32

“3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” 2 Timothy 3:1-9

“19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

Many Types of Sin but Only One Answer!

It would be an exercise in futility to try and counter the many different manifestations of sin that can be found in society today. All of them are nothing more than symptoms of the basic problem facing mankind; the dead spirit inherited by birth into the family of Adam!

In his grace and mercy, God has provided the only solution that works, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior!

“6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11

Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross that all who looked to him for salvation might be saved. Jesus Christ is the only answer to the multitude of problems mankind is facing today. John 3:10-17

“36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36

The wrath of God is to be feared:

The Burning Sulphur of the Lake of Fire!

“11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be Saved!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 18, 2022

Saved, Saved, Saved! Why did Christ have to Die?

You Were Part of a Family that Died in the Garden of Eden!

Mankind truly has a big problem with sin, but it is not the sins of commission or omission which so quickly come to our minds; it is rather the sin of being a human being; it is the sin of being a descendant of Adam.

In Romans 5:12 the apostle writes: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” In the following verses Paul goes on to explain what is called the doctrine of the federal headship of Adam. Adam, as the first man, had within him all who would be subsequently born of a human father into the human race. When Adam sinned against a direct command from God, he died spiritually and all who would be born of his seed died at the same time.

What this teaches is that both you and I and everyone who was to later be born to a human father, died spiritually in Adam in the Garden of Eden! This is God’s primary charge against the human race and the main reason Christ died on the cross.

There is absolutely nothing you can do or undo that would change that one fact, you are a human descendant of Adam’s race and you spiritually died in Adam in the Garden. You were born into Adam’s fallen sinful family and simply must be spiritually born again into God’s eternal family by faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior!

While you have been given spiritual life by the power of God, the Holy Spirit; your mortal body is still under the penalty of Adam’s sin and must pay the penalty of that sin, which is death. When the Lord returns, at the Rapture, those Christians who are still alive at that time will not see physical death, but will be transformed instantaneously and given their heavenly bodies without seeing physical death!

The bodies of Christians who have died, will be resurrected first, given heavenly bodies and joined by those Christians who are alive at the time of the rapture of the church. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

TWO DISTINCT TYPES OF HUMANITY

The earth today is inhabited by two distinct types of human beings; those who are spiritually alive, and those who are spiritually dead. Spiritual life comes only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as one’s Savior. In Ephesians 2:1 Paul writes: “And you hath he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins;” spiritual life came with salvation and only salvation can provide spiritual life.

These then are the issues at play when one accepts the saving work of the Lord as their payment for sin. The Lord Jesus Christ as our kinsman redeemer has paid the price necessary for our redemption from Adam’s transgression. We have received the gift of spiritual life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Where then does personal sin enter the picture? With regard to the believer’s eternal place in God’s family it is irrelevant; with regard to the Spirit led life it is critical. In I John 1:8-10 John writes: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

The good news there, is that God hears us when we confess our sins to Him and is also faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Confession of our sins before God restores the power of God the Holy Spirit in our lives and permits us the privilege of enjoying the fruit of the spirit as described in Galatians 5:22f.

The motivator for resisting sin should not be fear of losing our salvation which is impossible, but rather our devotion to and love for the Lord Jesus Christ and our sincere desire to please the one who died in our place!

With regard to our salvation there is nothing whatsoever that can separate us from the love of God; in Romans 8: 38-39 Paul writes: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

With this you, as a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, can know beyond any doubt that your place in God’s family is preserved eternally by the mighty power of God. Rejoice in your good fortune and give thanks to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 11, 2022

Saved, Saved, Saved!

The Joy of Singing a Congregational Favorite!

As a young boy, my family attended church at Baptist Temple, in the Houston Heights. The congregation was very enthusiastic about singing hymns at the beginning of each service; one of the top favorites was the hymn, (click Saved, Saved to listen) “Saved, Saved!” on page 339 of the Broadman Hymnal.

There would always be a little murmur of excited appreciation in the congregation as the introduction was played by the organ.

All verses would be sung and some adventurous sopranos would even end the hymn singing the high b flat on the last note. We would all join in, singing our respective parts in the refrain, soprano, alto, tenor, or bass which most of the congregation had memorized in the distant past.

The church had the prized “Hammond Organ” which was played from the hymnal so the vocal parts were always mirrored by the organ. The vast majority of the congregation would sing out with great gusto and enthusiasm.

Those moments of congregational singing are engraved in my mind and still flood me with joy and dear, precious memories! The words for this particular hymn are copied below, each verse would be followed by the refrain:

Saved, Saved!

(Verse 1) I’ve found a Friend, Who is all to me,
His love is ever true;
I love to tell how He lifted me
And what His grace can do for you.

Refrain

Saved by His power divine,
Saved to new life sublime!
Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,
For I’m saved, saved, saved!

(Verse 2) He saves me from every sin and harm,
Secures my soul each day;
I’m leaning strong on His mighty arm;
I know He’ll guide me all the way.

Refrain

(Verse 3) When poor and needy and all alone,
In love He said to me,
“Come unto Me and I’ll lead you home,
To live with Me eternally.”

Refrain

Saved, Saved, alternate version!

Words and music by J P Scholfield

The great hymns of the Christian church are a priceless heritage for those of us who had the joy of singing them; they are a storehouse of sound Bible doctrine and taught the truths of the Bible as one sang them!

Getting Saved is the Reason Christ Died on the Cross!

OSAS is an acronym for once saved always saved; the popular expression for the eternal security of the believer. Christianity teaches that the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ dying on the cross provides an eternal, unalterable salvation for the one who accepts the finished work of Christ as the payment for their sins.

This very simple concept is amazingly difficult for many Christians to believe and accept. I find it saddening that so many who should be rejoicing with confidence in their salvation are afflicted by doubt and uncertainty when it comes to the security of their position as members of God’s family.

There seems to be a feeling that some sins are just too bad to be so easily forgiven by simple belief in the Lord as one’s Savior; certainly, they think, some sins are so hideous that some sort of special penance or additional payment is required for God to forgive those sins.

Notice particularly that I selected the word feeling because these ideas come from our own feelings of unworthiness. There are times when all of us are disgusted by memories of our failures and feel unworthy of salvation; feelings that God should just send a lightning bolt down from heaven and obliterate us, giving us what we truly deserve.

GOD KNOWS US BETTER THAN WE KNOW OURSELVES

As painfully aware of our failures as we might be, God knows our failures even better and in spite of all of them has sent His Son to die in our place and pay for all of our sins past, present and future.

In Romans 5:8 the apostle writes: “But God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” It is at this point that the confusion about sin begins in the minds of many.

When we think of being sinners our minds review the committed sins of which we have been guilty during the course of our lives. The knowledge of those sins can all too easily haunt us as our minds replay those events of rebellion and transgression against God.

Is this the sort of thing the Holy Spirit had in mind as He inspired Paul to write those words? I think not because a few verses later He inspired Paul to explain the primary reason Christ died on the cross.

Next time, why Christ had to die on the Cross.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 4, 2022

Independence Day!

July 4, 2022

For 246 years, the United States of America has generally served as a platform for God’s grace to this fallen world. It was founded on Biblical principles and was a beacon of Godly life and liberty. Although led by flawed individuals, those principles had a profound influence on the actions taken by this nation.

Thousands upon thousands have paid with their lives that we might preserve those principles and arrive at this point in our history!

Over the years, an organized effort has sought to remove the influence of those principles and establish ungodly standards as the benchmark for our behavior at both the individual and national levels. In verse 4 of our national anthem, we find:

“Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

This clearly expresses the truth of our existence, as a nation, we were made, and have been preserved as a nation by the power of God, almighty! While we placed our trust in God, we have been preserved as a nation; now that we are nationally turning our backs on God, our existence is open to serious question!

Recently, I published an essay on a scenario where the United States was no longer a world power! The Bible has no reference to the United States in prophetic verses describing the last days. It may well be the United States does not have too many more birthdays left; only God knows the answer to that question and the answer will be devastating to those left behind!

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 26, 2022

Troubled by the News? You have some Great Options!

God has a Better Plan for his Children!

When any person is born again by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, amazing and wonderful things are instantly applied to them and their spiritual situation is totally changed forever! That portion of you which was created in the image of God, and is eternal, is restored to a close relationship with the Holy Trinity; a relationship which is sustained by the power of God, and can never be broken!

All of this is only observable by faith; our mortal bodies, which have not been restored, are still struggling with the ravages of sin and the deadly consequences of Adam’s direct disobedience to God! There will never be a better time to observe God’s counsel to his children which is found in 2 Corinthians 5:1-7

“5 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

While the time in our tents is a limited assignment, our place in God’s family is eternal and will never change! We know this by faith and not by sight; living a life by faith is an essential element in finding the joy and happiness available to those who have been given the new birth!

As Christians, our time in the tent is one of very uncertain circumstances; we are located on a spiritual battlefield in a world controlled by Satan. Satan is the prince of the power of the air and exercises profound influence on the affairs of men.

The Ancient Spiritual War

We are serving as soldiers in an ancient spiritual battle that started thousands of years ago; I have written more on this in a series, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” The secret to a life of joy, is living a life of faith, not a life based on your circumstances, not a life based on sight!

The world, in which we live, is dedicated to distracting us by flooding our mortal senses with a profusion of noise and disturbing images! We do ourselves a great disservice when we let the world control our perceptions of reality; to the extent we let the world determine our view of life is the extent we are living a life based on sight and not on faith!

Our Not so Secret Weapon!

As Christians, we are given the most powerful gift that exists in the entire universe; we are made one with God, the Holy Spirit, in an unbreakable, eternal union! The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, joins with us as we live out our lives on the spiritual battlefield called Earth.

God puts in place, for each of us, a perfect plan which will be fulfilled in accordance with God’s will for our lives. In Romans 8:26-30, we are given a summary glimpse of this plan:

“26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

Will You Live a Life of Faith or a Life of Sight?

While our old sin nature is reckoned to have been crucified with Christ at the point of our new birth, our old sin nature still remains within us and can control us if we let it. The secret to controlling it is confession of sin. In 1 John 1:8-10 it is written:

“8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Confession of known sins results in the forgiveness of all unrighteousness; the Holy Spirit can take control of our lives at that point and restore the fruit of the Spirit! The contrast is explained in Galatians 6:16-26 where it is written:

“16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

As a born again Christian, indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit, you do have the option and right to live a Holy Spirit led life, a life filled with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

I encourage you to fill your life with God’s joy and happy expectations!

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 20, 2022

Finding Stability in an Unstable World, Part 2

Israel!

Israel has been an object of hatred by its surrounding nations since it was formed in 1948 and has endured periodic attacks which it has successfully repelled. The major obstacle to an all out attack has always been the threat of retaliation by the United States.

When the United States is thrown into chaos by the rapture, the door will be opened to stage an all out attack on Israel. While Israel is referred to as the “Little Satan”, the United States is referred to as the “Great Satan.”

The rapture may well open the door to an attack on both the Little Satan and the Great Satan. The Bible makes it clear, Israel will be protected by God, the United States has no such promise.

A carefully placed nuclear explosion in the air over the United States could plunge it back into the nineteenth century by the destruction of its electricity grid and the electronics that control most of the technology.

https://securethegrid.com/a-call-to-action-for-america/

The Task Force on National and Homeland Security has issued warnings of the impending danger:

“The threat of the U.S. power grid crashing is a very real but preventable problem but the average American has no idea of the severity of vulnerability under which we live.  Experts say our power grid can be destroyed and, when that happens, 70-90% of the U.S. population will die within the first year.  Experts also say it is not a mere possibility but a near certainty that the grid will be hit and it could happen at any time.  

“That poses a real threat of possibly being able to win a war with a single blow by means of an EMP attack,” said Peter Vincent Pry, the executive director of Task Force on National and Homeland Security, a congressional advisory board.” https://emptaskforce.us/

All Born Again Christians Gone!

It is estimated there are just over 147,000,000 born again Christians in the United States. The removal of over 147,000,000 Christians would be catastrophic for this nation; follow that up with an EMP attack and it becomes very easy to understand why the United States would no longer be a world power.

The Christian responsibility to the United States and all mankind is to clearly present the good news of Jesus Christ as Savior. We serve as God’s ambassadors to a fallen mankind, but that assignment will be completed when we are called home at a time appointed by God.

When the time comes for God to recall the church, the world will be changed forever, nothing will ever again be the same. In the meantime, there is an open call to all who will receive Jesus Christ as Savior and join God’s eternal family; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

“8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Next time, God’s plan for your peace and stability!

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 13, 2022

Finding Stability in an Unstable World, Part 1!

Everywhere you look, the world and our nation seems to be increasingly plagued by strife and misery! Is it even possible to find inner stability in the midst of so much stress and turmoil? The answer to that question is yes, God has a plan for his children!

Establishing and Maintaining a Solid Biblical Foundation for Your Worldview!

Any hope of peace and joy in life depends on seeing life from the right perspective, the Biblical perspective. In Ephesians 1:10-11 we are given a foundational principle that clearly establishes the most basic fact of life:

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

It is important to notice that all things, not some things, are working according to the sovereign will of the Lord Jesus Christ! All things includes everything and excludes nothing!

This means that everything we see happening today is all part of God’s plans for the end times!

“Things are Not Falling Apart, but Falling into Place!“

This phrase, which has gained some popularity on the web among Christian writers, aptly describes the situation we face today!

Bible prophecy describes world conditions prior to the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will be a time of terrible testing as God’s plan for the end times is unleashed upon a world that has turned it’s back on its creator.

The United States of America

A description of the world powers involved during the final days excludes one world power that is presently playing a major role in global affairs: the United States is conspicuously absent from the pages of Bible prophecy; why is it a major world power is not referenced in prophetic verses? What could happen that will remove the United States as a major world power?

A casual examination of the United States today reveals a nation in turmoil, a nation struggling with almost everything from baby food to inflation, even to nuclear war! I’m reminded of two verses in Psalms 73:18-19 where it is written:

18 Indeed, you place them on a slippery slope
and make them fall to their ruin.

19 How suddenly they are destroyed,
swept away by terrors!

It would appear a veil of Satanic deception has descended over the minds of a large portion of this nation’s population. Current events, too numerous to mention, and the response to those events seem to defy logical explanation!

In Romans 1:18-32 the Bible describes a nation and a people who have rejected God; in the following verses the results of this rejection are shown:

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 

The remaining verses in this passage further describe the actions of the people and the consequences of those actions; I encourage you to re-read Chapter 1 in Romans.

Foolish thinking seems to be the order of the day; decisions that make absolutely no sense are emerging from the highest to the lowest levels of life; we see lives that are truly full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.

The Coup de Grâce

There are two events, prophesied in the Bible, that will dramatically effect the United States and potentially deal a death blow to the United States as a world power; the first of these is the rapture of the church.

At a time known only to God, every born again Christian will be taken up into the air to meet with the Lord Jesus Christ and be forever changed; this is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The sudden removal of all Christians will produce a chaotic impact on the United States that will severely compromise it at all levels of activity! This event is what I believe will be the catalyst for the second event, the Battle of Psalm 83.

Next time, the United States plunging down the slippery slope!

6 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories