WHY DO WE HAVE SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

WHY DO WE HAVE SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING?

“A fire shall devour before him,” “he shall destroy the sinners,” “light is darkened in the heavens,” “heavens and the earth shall shake,” “shall be desolate,” “hailstones, fire, and brimstone,” “the abomination that maketh desolate,” “gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle,” “I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way,” “the day cometh that shall burn as an oven,” “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,” “in the last days perilous times shall come,” “I shake not the earth only, but also heaven,” “opened the sixth seal,” “desolation of abomination in the last days,” “wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire,” “sun and the moon shall be darkened,” “like a refiner’s fire, and the fullers soap,” and “desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked.”

Every one of those snippets comes from the King James version of the Holy Bible. Each of those quotations was taken from passages that were talking about how things would be in the last days prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ.

If you are a student of the Bible, these quotes probably don’t disturb you, at least they shouldn’t. But to the casual observer, and the occasional reader of the Bible, the snippets sound terrible. Who would want to live in a time that is described in the first paragraph? Like it or not, we are living in those days, the last days.

The Bible teaches hope, love and peace. The Bible teaches of a loving, kind, compassionate and merciful God. So why then are their such terrible descriptions of the last days?

If you were to read each one of the passages of scripture where these fragments were taken from it would paint an even darkert and depressing time in which to live. These days are known as the “last days.” These are the days that will occur just before the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Warning Signs

There are a few reasons why the Lord mentioned so many references to the sin, wickedness and tumultuous times of the last days. As the events happen or begin happening, we can take comfort in the fact that the Lord knew it would happen. He told his prophets and apostles about the wickedness and catastrophic events that would precede the second coming.

We can take comfort in the fact that the Lord is warning us through the Bible, about the last days. As we experience these events in the last days (or our daily life) and as we read about them in the Bible, we can prepare ourselves to be ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ. As we prepare ourselves for the second coming, we are also preparing ourselves to be able to deal with all the wickedness in the cataclysms of the last days.

That first paragraph is just a small sampling of all the signs of the times of the last days. There are countless more descriptions of how the last days will play out. As we study them from the Bible and look for them to happen, it is much like the parable of the fig tree found in the book of St. Mark:

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”

The last days will be in commotion, but the last days will also be much like it was in the days of Noah when he was preparing the ark for the coming flood.

“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” (Luke 17:26-30)

sign_of_the_timesIn the last days we will live our lives, work at our jobs, eat, sleep and go about our ordinary business with the backdrop of gross wickedness and commotion, which is just about how it is right now in our day, today.

Looking at a Scripture from St. Matthew, we can see that we are already living in the last days, and we can see that many things are already happening that were prophesied of the last days, and there will be even more wickedness than we have now.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:6-13)

The key to enduring the last days, to be able to live in a positive way, with joy and happiness in spite of all that is going on around us and to prepare ourselves spiritually so that we can cope with all the commotion of the last days and to overcome the temptations all around us during the last days.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21: 25-27)

When reading about these scary activities and events of the last days and reading about all the wickedness and turmoil that is going on just before Christ comes in his glory, we should let it be a positive thing and not a negative experience for two reasons:

The first reason is that we know like the parable of the fig tree that as these events unfold before us, we are drawing closer to the great and dreadful day of the Lord and secondly, we have been warned by prophets and apostles to be prepared for the last days. By being prepared we need not fear.

What can we do to be prepared so that we can live successfully in the last days, or put another way, how can we be prepared to live our life right now? We are living in the last days, with all the sin, the commotion and the wars and rumors of wars. We are living in the last days, so if we are prepared, great! But if we are not prepared, then we are probably having trouble with our life right now. Let’s fix it (our life), and prepare ourselves so that we may live in peace, joy and happiness during troubled times.

Just as the Scriptures teach us about the signs of the times preparatory to the second coming of Jesus Christ, they also teach us how to be spiritually prepared and how to overcome sin and temptation and how to live our life so that when we die can live with our Father in Heaven.

Personal Preparation

The two most important things we can do today for our own personal preparation are to read the Scriptures frequently and to pray often.

As we read the Scriptures, we will be told what to do, and how to do it. There are countless things we should do and many ways on how to do it. One example is… we are told not to commit adultery or to fornicate. The Scriptures tell us not to even lust after a woman (or a man). If we have lusted after someone, we had committed adultery already in our heart.

This example tells us what not to do and how to watch out for it. Don’t do it and avoid thinking impure thoughts. Keep our minds clean from lustful thoughts.

The Bible also teaches us about repentance and how important it is to our salvation. The merciful gift of repentance allows our sins that are red like crimson to be white as wool. After humble and sincere repentance it is like we’ve never committed the sin.

But reading the Bible alone is not enough. We need to put the teachings of the Bible into our daily lives and live like the Bible teaches us to live. That takes practice, we will make mistakes, and as we do make mistakes we can repent as the Bible teaches us to do.

The Bible also teaches about prayer, and how important prayer is, which is why it is the second item in my list of personal preparation. There is no limit to how often we should pray each day.

“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (St. Luke 21:36)

As we see from the verse in Luke, we are specifically told to pray for our own personal preparation in the last days.

From the Book of Revelation it says: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12)

From this verse in the book of Revelation we are told that we will be rewarded according to our works and efforts. Some of that reward will be helping us to overcome temptation and have the strength to resist the mighty temptations we are faced within the last days. The Bible teaches us want to do, so we need to do it. “Doing it” is a form of work.

So if we keep the commandments of the Scriptures and watch and pray often we will be blessed with success in overcoming the trying times of the last days.

As a reward for reading the Scriptures, watching and praying, and keeping ourselves clean and unspotted from the world we can receive a very joyous and righteous reward outlined in this passage of Scripture:

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:16-18)

So if we daily read the Scriptures, putting into action the Bibles teachings and pray often, we will find ourselves well prepared for the trying times of the last days we live in.

Additional Blessings Of Person Preparation

If we are prepared or are diligently preparing ourselves for the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, that preparation will help us face life’s challenges. If we should happen to get seriously sick or if a loved one should happen to die, the personal spiritual preparation we had made will give us great strength in dealing with those types of challenges.

Troy Wagstaff

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The Story Of The Birth Of Jesus Christ As Told By The Bible

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

The Story Of The Birth Of Jesus Christ As Told By The Bible

From The Books of Matthew, Luke and Isaiah

This article is a compilation of passages from St. Matthew, St. Luke and the prophet Isaiah woven together to make one complete, harmonized rendition of the birth of Jesus, otherwise known as the Christmas story.

 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, nativity-2013lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.

 

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Why Do We Celebrate Christmas

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?

We celebrate the lives of very important and accomplished men and women in our western culture by commemorating their birthdays. These men and women are the greatest thinkers, innovators, teachers, and leaders. These are the people who were known to have made a difference in our society.

Using the yardstick of “the greatest thinkers, innovators, teachers, and leaders” is it any wonder that we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ? Truly, Jesus of Nazareth was the greatest thinker of all time; He applied the teachings of salvation in a way that was understandable by the common man. He was the greatest innovator of all time with all the answers to life’s greatest questions relating to our salvation. Our Savior was the greatest teacher of all time, teaching eternal truths and practical solutions for our salvation and He was the greatest leader of all time; more than 2000 years later and more than a billion people on the earth still follow Him.

Our western societies deem His life so monumental and so life-changing, that we set aside two holidays to mark His life. The first bring Christmas to celebrate His birth and life and the second one, Easter, to commemorate His death and resurrection.

We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the day the greatest being whoever lived was born. It is on Christmas Day that we honor and rejoice in the magnificent life of our Savior and Redeemer.

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?

Some holidays that we celebrate each year are special and significant, while other holidays are just another excuse to recreate and barbecue. However, Christmas is a holiday that actually has the power to motivate us to do things. The “power of Christmas motivation” compels us to give of our time by serving at a soup kitchen or some other worthy charity that helps the poor, the homeless and those, otherwise in need.

It is during the Christmas season that we hear wonderful stories of everyday people doing extraordinary acts of service and kindness to their fellow man. We read stories of celebrities visiting children’s hospitals and supporting Christmas type charities such as the Marine Corps’s Toys for Tots, Sub for Santa, Salvation Army or Shop with a Cop and other kind and generous Christmas time activities.

Celebrating Christmas is reflecting on the coming of Christ to earth in a lowly manger and celebrating His sinless perfect life. None of the world’s “greatest thinkers, innovators, teachers, and leaders” have ever been able to affect mankind like Jesus Christ.

The life of Jesus is the perfect example of giving to others and serving others. He healed the sick, He fed the multitudes, He taught the gospel of life and he prepared the way for our salvation.

The birth of our Lord and Savior to the earth was so remarkable and so monumental that the whole Western world reconciled the keeping of time to His birth. If historical events happen before His birth, they are referred to as B.C. If historical events happened after the His birth, they are referred to as A.D.

Jesus taught of giving and serving one another and keeping the commandments of God. He taught us that if we would keep these commandments we would be free from the bonds of sin. To be truly free, Jesus taught us that we can only do so by keeping his commandments.

Symbolism of Gift Giving

Christmas is celebrated as the day of the birth of the greatest man to ever walk the dusty paths of earth. Christmas is a celebration and a reminder of the greatest gift that our Father in Heaven, ever gave to mankind, the gift of his only begotten Son in the flesh.

Our Creator wants everyone one of his children on earth to come back and live with him in Heaven. Like the Scripture that says be ye clean the bear the vessels of the Lord, we need to be clean and free from sin in order to live with our Father in Heaven.

While living in this life, no one is capable of living a sin free life. We all are in need of divine grace and mercy. That’s why our Creator sent Jesus Christ to the earth, to give us an example of how to live our lives and to provide a way for us to repent of our sins and to be forgiven.

We like to attach symbolic meaning to all the trappings and decorations and activities of Christmas, and these are very great, serving a great purpose, but the ultimate symbol of Christmas is in the act of giving, not the gift itself.

While we ponder on the greatest gifts given to mankind from our Heavenly Father, and our Savior, Jesus Christ, do we ever ponder the other side of gift giving? The receiving end of gift giving? How grateful are we to our Father in Heaven for the gift He gave us in the form of His only begotten Son in the flesh?

Why is the Christmas holiday season such “magical time?” If you can overlook the commando style of Christmas shopping that is associated with modern-day gift giving there really is a magical spirit, a special spirit that permeates the air during the Christmas season. Most people really are of good cheer, with shouts of Merry Christmas and happy holidays and Christmas carols coming through the airwaves of our digital devices.

Christmas All Year Long

The reason why the Christmas holiday season is so magical is because everyone is focused directly or indirectly on many symbols associated with the birth of our Savior. So why can’t, we have that spirit and that magical feeling seven days a week, for 365 days a year?

If the Christmas season is so wonderful and joyful is it not worth trying to emulate every single day of the year? Most Christians would agree with this sentiment. It’s not a hard thing to do and many of us may already be doing it. Celebrate Christmas ever day of the year by giving good gifts, the gifts that really matter, like opening the door for someone with their hands full, or shoveling the snow off of your neighbor’s side walk or being polite when someone else is being rude.

Be kind while driving, be courteous to everyone you interact with, be sensitive to the feelings of others, the kind and thoughtful in your choice of words you use to communicate with. In other words, strive to be like our Savior every day of the year and the spirit of Christmas will follow thus. This will give us a year-long spirit of Christmas.

We celebrate Christmas by paying homage to the birth of The Savior and reflecting on His life perfectly lived. Christmas is a day of celebration and commemoration for our Redeemer and Savior.

CallahanWriter

 

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A Stone Cut Without Hand

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

A Stone Cut Without Hand – Daniel Chapter 2

“Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, where with his spirit was troubled, and his sleep break from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show that came his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.”

Nebuchadnezzar called all of his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and counselors to learn the meaning of his dream. However, he would not tell them what the dream was. In order to know if their interpretation was valid, he would not tell them what the dream was about.

They had to divine or conjure up his dream then tell him the meaning of the dream, “the thing is gone for me: if you will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof you shall be cut off in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.”

That’s a smart move for the king to require his “wise men” to know the dream without telling them what it was. If they could discern his dream then of course, their interpretation would be correct.

His servants said “let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it.” When the wise men conceded that they were not going to be able to interpret the dream without hearing the dream first, the king was angry and decreed that all of his wise men would be killed.

Arioch, the king’s captain went to slay Daniel, Daniel asked him what was going on and why was the king so hasty in killing all of the wise men? Arioch explained what was going on and Daniel went in unto the king and asked him if he would provide Daniel and his friends a little time so that they could have a chance at getting the dream and interpreting it for Nebuchadnezzar. The king gave Daniel some time to have the dream and to give the interpretation thereof.

Daniel went to his house and talked to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (also known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego), explaining to them what was going on. They all joined in prayer to the God of Israel.

That night, while Daniel was sleeping, he received a night vision. This was the same vision that Nebuchadnezzar received. With the dream came the interpretation thereof. He and his brethren rejoiced and praised God and gave thanks unto Him.

Then Daniel went in unto the king’s court and was allowed by the king to present the interpretation of the dream. The king asked if he had actually received the dream that the king had received. Daniel took this as a teaching moment, and said that what the king required from the wise men, such as the astrologers, magicians and soothsayers was beyond their capability because they were not inspired of the Lord.

Daniel explained that things such as this, only the Lord God of Israel could understand and could provide the answers the king sought. He went on to rehearse the dream.

Starting with Daniel 2:31 he rehearsed the dream that the king had received in detail. “Thou, O King, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was all fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of Clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay and break them to pieces. Then were the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”

Then Daniel proceeded to give the king the interpretation of the dream. He told Nebuchadnezzar that he and his kingdom represented the head of gold. And after his kingdom was destroyed there would be another kingdom that was inferior to his kingdom which would also be destroyed. That kingdom was represented by silver. After that kingdom was destroyed there would be a third kingdom of brass that would also rule over all the earth. Then comes the fourth kingdom which would be as strong as iron.

The next kingdom represented the toes of iron and clay. Some of these smaller kingdoms would be strong like iron and others would be weak like clay. The stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands would crush all of these kingdoms and destroy them.

When Daniel was finished with the dream and the interpretation of the dream “King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and worshiped Daniel and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him.”

The king went on to say “of the truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and the Lord of Kings, and the revealer of secrets, saying thou couldest reveal the secret.”

As a result of his accurate recitation of the dream and the interpretation of the dream “the king made Daniel a great man and gave many gifts and made him a ruler over the province of Babylon and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.”

Daniel asked the king if Shadrach. Meshach and Abed-nego could preside over the affair’s of the province of Babylon and let Daniel remain in the king’s court, sitting in the gate of the king.

ANALYSIS

At first glance, this story shows that King Nebuchadnezzar first turned to astrologists, magicians and soothsayers for the interpretation of his dream and to also receive the same dream that he had received. The king turned to worldly men for help.

When Daniel was put to the task, he turned to righteous friends and to God for help. This shows us where we should turn when we need help.

We know that Daniel was motivated by a righteous cause because when Daniel returned to the king’s court to provide the answer, he said to Arioch (who was tasked with the destruction of the wise men) “destroy not the wise men of Babylon,” which showed that Daniel cared for all men, even the wicked men of the king’s court. Then Daniel asked Arioch to bring him before the king.

The stone cut out of the mountain without hands rolled down the mountain, destroying all the various kingdoms in its path, including the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar and the other kingdoms of men that were mentioned in the dream.

The stone represents the kingdom of God on earth. The fact that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands means that the kingdom is created from God, not men. Because the stone or kingdom is the Kingdom of God on earth it will endure forever and not be destroyed like all man made kingdoms eventually do.

Among the many lessons we can learn from this wonderful story is that we should trust in The Lord and associate ourselves with His kingdom while we live on here on earth.

“Set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” As we choose to stand with The Lord, we will find ourselves in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. If we should fall of that path then we can regain our footing through repentance that The Lord taught us in the scriptures.

Only the kingdom created by God has the power to last until the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “The stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” The safest place we can find ourselves in, is in the company of The Lord.

Troy Wagstaff

Source: Daniel 2, (Holy Bible, KJV)

 

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A River Of Life

Posted on December 7, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

A River Of Life

Whithersoever The River Shall Come

Throughout the Holy Scriptures water is symbolic. The symbolism of water depends on the parable and how it is used. Water can be symbolic for healing, life, blood, cleaning, Word of God or the gospel. In this instance the symbolism of water deals primarily with the symbolism of life and healing. This imagery comes from Ezekiel 47.

In Ezekiel 43-47 an Angel is showing Ezekiel the plans for a temple or sanctuary for the Lord. The exciting part of this story culminates in chapter 47 where there is a building and from the building issues forth a River. The river measures about one thousand cubits and it flows through the wilderness or desert and then into the Dead Sea healing everything it touches.

The width of the river measures one thousand cubits wide. According to the Hebrews a cubit is a measurement from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Throughout the history of the ancient Hebrews a cubit could be 17.5 inches or 21.5 inches in length. If we were to consider a cubit to be 17 ½ inches, then one thousand cubits equal 486.1 yards. That means that the width of the river would be four football field lengths plus 86 yards. If we were to use the 21 ½ inch cubits then the width of the river would be 597.2 yards, or essentially the length of six football fields.

Mathematically we can say that the river that flowed from the sacred building through the desert to the Dead Sea was five to six football fields wide. We don’t know how long the river was and it doesn’t matter. What really matter is what the river symbolizes and how that applies to our lives.

river_of_lifeI believe to get the full measure of what the Bible has to teach us we need to liken each verse to ourselves and to our everyday life. Insert your name when applicable into verses and passages of Scripture so that it looks like it was referring to you. Apply the lessons of those passages to your daily life.

Symbolism
To apply the passage of Scripture found in Ezekiel 47 we need to understand the symbolism of the building, the wilderness, the Dead Sea and the river of water that comes from the building as it goes through the wilderness and into the Dead Sea.

The building, is the source of the river of water. The sanctuary could represent the Scriptures, the gospel of Jesus Christ, a temple or prophet etc.

The wilderness or the desert represents our lives and the lives of those around us. The Dead Sea is also symbolic of our lives before the healing gospel message is internalized by us.

In the Scriptures, the water issues forth from the temple going through the wilderness and into the Dead Sea. The angel takes Ezekiel to the river and he walks across the river and it goes up to his ankles. A second time Ezekiel crosses the river and it goes up to his knees. A third time Ezekiel crosses the river and it goes up to his waist. The last time Ezekiel goes to the river, the river is so deep that Ezekiel cannot cross the river unless he swims.

Let’s read a few verses from Ezekiel 47, starting with verse seven “Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then said he unto me, these waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the (dead) sea: which being brought forth into the (dead) sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass that everything that liveth, which move with, whithersoever the river shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whether the river cometh… And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”

When you apply water to soil, you can go from a barren ground to a fertile land teaming with all types of plant life. From the plant life comes animal life.

Ezekiel goes back to the bank of this very wide river and sees on both banks of the river a multitude of trees and vegetation. He notices fish living in the healed waters. He notes that these trees have fruit for eating and leaves for medicine. Everything needed to sustain life.

The “river of life” mentioned in this biblical metaphor creates life-sustaining substance from something that is barren.

Compare this to our life. Our lives are spiritually barren until the river of life flows through the barren spirit of our life. If we let the river of the gospel flow through our lives at ankle depth then great things can happen to a barren soul.

If we let the river of life flow through our soul at knee depth, we are blessed even more. The spiritual sides of our lives are transformed. Out of darkness our spirits are filled with the bright light of the gospel. If we let the river of life flow through us up to our waste, as it were, we notice even greater spiritual life welling up within us.

As the river of life that flows through us gets so deep we have to swim then we notice that God is making more of us than we can ever make of ourselves. All we ever had to do was open the floodgate and let the water in.

If we find ourselves swimming in the healing river of the gospel of Jesus Christ, completely submerged in these life-giving waters, we can find ourselves made whole in many different ways. If we have sinned, we can open the floodgate through repentance and be made whole again. If we are suffering trouble through no fault of our own, we can open the floodgate to the healing waters of Jesus Christ. If we need strength for the trials’ we face, we can open the floodgate of the river of life to give us strength for the burdens we face. For all of these blessings, all we have to do is open the floodgate and let the waters flow freely through our life.

Think how wonderful this is, that we can be healed by the rivers of life. Consider another point, not only can we be healed, we can become fruitful with all kinds of trees, vegetation and fish growing and developing within us. This is symbolic of our growing spirituality to becoming a source of spiritual strength and nourishment to others.

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IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT IS?

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT IS?

We’ve all heard the old adage that “if it’s too good to be true” then it is. However, I take issue with that aphorism, I say that if it is too good to be true it probably is, but not always.

2_good_2_b_trueLet’s take the following story as an example to the exception of this adage. Imagine that you have lost all your worldly possessions, you’ve lost your family and you have been living in the street for ten years. You have no income forcing you to beg for money and food, and you sleep for wherever you can find shelter. Let’s add to this sad scenario, a substance abuse problem. You have many illnesses related to exposure to the elements, poor diet and substance abuse problems. It all seems hopeless and it all seems lost! Surely, there is no hope.

You have been raised right, you know that you not supposed to steal or lie. Living on the streets has jaded you. The environment that you are forced to live in has taken away much of your humanity and your sensibilities. You find yourself committing crimes to survive and you find yourself committing crimes to sustain your substance abuse. You’re living a senseless life filled with despair and no hope.

Put yourself in that situation, assume that you do not know of the tender mercies of Christ. You’re sitting on the street corner in filthy clothes with filthy hygiene and you’re holding a sign asking for money. Someone comes up to you and talks to you while they’re putting money in your hand and they start to tell you about a person who came to earth and he paid the price for all of your sins, and of all the sins of all the people on earth. This man has felt everything that you have ever felt or that you will ever fill. This man has provided a way for you to not only get off the street and not only get into clean clothes but to get into heaven with the righteous.

truth_never_2_good_2_b_trueDoes this sound too good to be true? If you’re reading this Blog then you know where I’m going with this illustration, but really think what would be like to be in those circumstances and then you are introduced to Christ and his love and his boundless saving grace and mercy, wouldn’t that all seem just a little too good to be true? Well it’s not too good to be true. It is a fact. It is the most blessed fact or truth on the earth.

The story of Jesus Christ, and the doctrine contained in the Bible that teaches us about His Life and His teachings are true. Within the book covers of the Bible is the way to the truth and salvation, they are the pathways whereby we can receive eternal happiness.

Consider what the word eternal means? The word eternal means “without end.” So think what this means, happiness without end. To live with God and his son Jesus Christ is happiness forever, without end.

Even though we started off with the story of the homeless person that appeared to have no hope, each one of us are beggars, we all depend on the same God to give us life, we all rely on that same God to forgive us of our sins and through His grace and His mercy to live with Him throughout eternity.

We can all say that this idea is too good to be true. But it is true! So when you hear the old adage “if it’s too good to be true, it is” always keep in the back of my mind that sometimes it can be that good and still be true. When it comes to Jesus Christ, it is too good to be true but it is true. We all need to remember Jesus Christ our Savior, and our Eternal Father in Heaven love us unconditionally, they are perfectly willing to give us grace and mercy if we are willing to reach out to them.

 

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Lessons Learned From the Parable of the Prodigal Son

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

Lessons Learned From the Parable of the Prodigal Son

It is no secret to any Christian that Jesus taught frequently in Parables. He used the Parable style of teaching so that those who heard Him teach, but were not ready to receive the message, wouldn’t be condemned. He taught in Parables so that those who had eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to know and feel the message, could by taught important saving principles The Savior had to offer.

Parables are a symbolic way to teach. Like a metaphor, the symbols give us something to compare the teachings with which can greatly aid our understanding. With Parables you can learn lessons beyond what a superficial reading can teach you. In that vein, we will look at the Parable of The Prodigal Son.

The primary message is about repentance, mercy and forgiveness. Luke 15 begins with begins with the Parable of The Lost Sheep which is followed by the Parable of The Lost Piece of Silver. The Parable of The Prodigal Son brings up the rear with a little more detail about forgiveness than what is found in the first two Parables. The clear lesson to the first two Parables is the joy that the Father has when we repent and He forgives us.

The Parable of The Lost Sheep found in Luke 15: 3-7 is best summed up in verses 6-7. The Shepherd leaves the ninety and nine and goes after the one lost sheep. When he finds that sheep he says to his friends, “Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

Then The Master goes on to teach, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

The next Parable, The Lost Piece of Silver, emphasizes the joy the woman had in finding her lost piece of silver. She wants to share the joy with her friends. Then comes the punch line in verse 10: “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

The recurring theme in Luke 15 is about sinners that were lost, then repented and were found through repentance by The Lord. Luke 15 teaches us also about the very great joy that our Savior and our Father in Heaven have when we repent and are found again.

Parable of The Prodigal Son

To drive the point home, the Master Teacher uses The Parable of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). The lesson of repentance and forgiveness through God’s mercy is illustrated in this Parable, but there is more to learn from that Parable.

The great Parable tells of a man with two sons. One son was faithful and stayed with his father. The other son asked for and received his portion of his inheritance. He left his father and brother and went off to a far country and spent his inheritance over many years of riotous living with harlots. After the prodigal son had exhausted his resources, there arose a famine in the land and he had nothing to live on.

He went to work for a farmer and was given the job to feed swine. All that the prodigal son had to eat were the husks that were fed to the swine. This indicates the prodigal son was as low as he could get. After a while he “came to himself” realizing that even his father’s servants had more than enough bread to eat.

The thought occurred to him that he could return to his father and be a servant and have plenty to eat in return for his labor. He realized that he was no more worthy to be called his father’s son. He knew he had sinned greatly both before his father and against Heaven.

lessons_learned_from_prodigal_sonHe journeyed back to his father’s house. While he was yet along way off his father saw him returning. The father of the prodigal son had compassion upon his returning son. The loving Father ran to met his son and wrapped him up in his loving arms and kissed him.

The prodigal son confesses to his father “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”

The loving father of the prodigal son instructed his servants to clothe him in the best robe and put shoes on his feet and a ring on his finger.

In celebration of the prodigal sons return, the Father’s household killed the fatted calf for a feast and they were merry. Rejoicing, the father said, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

Lessons Learned

Lessons learned from this Parable are emphasized in the preceding two Parables. The Lord our God rejoices in the sinner that humbly repents and seeks forgiveness. The father of the prodigal son celebrates the return of his lost son, restoring him with clothing and food in a joyous celebration.

The message of God’s mercy and grace is demonstrated in the act of forgiveness and also reinforced with the other two Parables in Luke 15. Again, Luke 15:7 in the Parable of the Lost Sheep we learn “Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” And in the Parable of the Lost Piece Of Silver the woman finds the lost piece of silver and seeks to rejoice with her friends. Then in verse 10 it says, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

The sinner who humbles himself and repents will be forgiven. Our Lord and Savior is anxious to forgive and does so through His tender mercies. Along with His angels, He celebrates in the return of the lost sinner. It is deeply moving that not only does the Lord want to forgive but also celebrates and finds great joy in forgiving the humble sinner. These Parables, especially the Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us of humility, sorrow for sin, repentance, mercy, forgiveness and the joy that Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ has in forgiving us and bringing us back into the fold.

There are more lessons to be learned from the Parable of the Prodigal Son that highlight other important concepts than the Lost Sheep and the Lost Piece of Silver.

The father had two sons. We have discussed the prodigal son but there is another son who at the beginning of the Parable was the righteous son. He stayed with the father (keeping the commandments) while the prodigal went off in living.

The faithful son was tending to the fields while the drama of the return of the prodigal son took place. He comes back to the house and hears music and sees dancing. He asks one of his servants what was going on? The servant responded “Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.”

The faithful son refused to join in the celebration. After a while, noticing that his other son was not in attendance, the father went after the “righteous” son. After finding the faithful son the Father asked him what was troubling him?

The faithful son replied “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.” (Luke 15:29-30)

lessons_learned_prodigal_sonFrom a natural man standpoint one can see his point. He was faithful and the sinner comes back after “sowing wild oats” and gets a big celebration. Perhaps we should make sure to rejoice in the good living of the faithful.

The father responds by saying “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32)

In a sense, this Parable of the Prodigal son is a story of two prodigal sons. The second faithful son showed signs of not wanting to forgive. He showed a symptom of pride. But the good father taught him of the importance of finding the lost sheep and having joy in finding the lost sheep.

The Prodigal Son tells of a son who was rebellious and goes on to live a sinful life. Thankfully the son came to realize his sin and was humbled and sought forgiveness at his fathers hand.

The first two Parables talk of the joy of finding a lost sinner. The Prodigal Son takes it a step further and talks of a rebellious sinner. The Prodigal Son knew what he had and chose to take his inheritance and go after a worldly life of sin, lust, greed and riotous living. A sinner who has lived a life of sin and becomes humble and desires to repent needs to be saved from his sins through the mercies of the atonement of Jesus Christ. A rebellious sinner is a little more grave because they sinned against a greater light. Nevertheless, they can be, like the Prodigal Son, forgiven. The Lord rejoices in his repentance just like any other sinner.

We, like the faithful son, need to be willing to forgive the “sinner” just like our Savior is willing to forgive. That may not be as simple as it seems on the surface. After all, we are humans living in a world ripening in iniquity. Pressure abounds everywhere. Just trying to withstand the temptations we are faced with is a challenge.

Obviously we slip and fall from time to time and we are in need of The Lords’ forgiveness. The scriptures teach us to forgive others or to “forgive all men.” The Lords Prayer talks about “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”

The Prodigal Son speaks of Gods mercy and joy in forgiving his lost sheep. It also speaks to us to forgive others their trespasses against us.

Troy Wagstaff © Copyright. All rights reserved.

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To Judge Or Not To Judge, That Is The Question.

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

To Judge Or Not To Judge, That Is The Question Of this Opinion Piece

Judging others and being judged by others seems to be a big deal in our American society. It makes sense that “judging others” is a big concern for the non secular (religious oriented) segment of society. The Bible teaches the point of not judging others. The secular (nonreligious) part of our society seems equally concerned about the topic of not judging others.

Why is “judging others” such a big deal? Is it because people, don’t want to be judged? Is it because the non secular lean on Biblical teachings that judging others is bad and let God be the judge?

There could be many other reasons for the assertion not to judge others. I will restrain this opinion piece to the two issues mentioned: For the secular, don’t judge others because no one wants to be the subject of someone’s judgment and to the non secular aspect of Bible teachings on judgment.

My background is in Christianity and the biblical teachings of not judging others and knowing that God is the real judge of my actions and the actions of everyone else. I find it odd that secular society is concerned about not judging others and not wanting to be judged. Because they are in the secular category, they have no fear of being judged by God which should lift a great deal of weight of their shoulders.

For them, I think the issue is more about other people judging them and making them feel bad about themselves.

I think it is easy to understand the point of view that no one wants to be judged because being judged means that you have done something wrong or that someone disapproves of your actions. This can make one feel bad about oneself. No one wants to feel bad about themselves. If anyone is in this category of thought then they should be reminded that it does not matter what people think about you what matters is what you think about yourself.

Do you give power to others to make you feel bad? Do you keep all power to yourself on how you think about yourself? Eleanor Roosevelt has oft been quoted with this statement: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” So if someone is “judging” you, big deal. Who cares? Only you can make yourself feel bad.

For the non secular demographic the issue of judgment becomes more complicated. We contend with the issues of not judging others even though we must do it every day. We also need to deal with the knowledge that God is our judge and we need to keep His commandments to get a favorable judgment.

The Bible tells us clearly not to judge, “judge not, for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall also be judged.” Most Christians just leave it at the level of not judging others, but like I said we do it every day. Let me illustrate a few examples of how we judge every day.

If your neighbor asked your 12-year-old daughter to babysit his kids for the evening and you knew that one of the parents was a convicted pedophile would you let your daughter accept the babysitting job? No, of course not. Putting a child in front of a pedophile is like putting an alcoholic drink in front of a reformed alcoholic.

If your 16-year-old daughter was asked out by a convicted rapist would you tell her to have a good time or would you tell her that she will not be going out with that man?

Say you come across two street vendors and they are both selling a certain type of wallet that you like. One is handmade, is strong, durable and will last a very long time. The other is mass-produced, has the same features as the handmade wallet but is $5.00 cheaper. Which wallet do you choose? It doesn’t matter, the point is that you have to judge or weigh the options of both choices and determine which is best for you. But you must judge.

In the case of the babysitting job for the known pedophile or the date with a known rapist you have to judge the same way. You weigh the options and look at the possibilities and decide if it is worth taking a chance.

There are all kinds of examples of the many ways in which we judge every day. So we must consider the second part of the statement from the Bible about judging others. “Judge not, for with what judgement ye judge, ye shall also be judged.” The first part is “judge not” the second aspect of the sentence is “with what judgment ye judge, ye shall also be judged.”

So if you want a righteous or favorable judgment in the great day of judgment you will make all your judgments righteously. God knows the intents and desires of your heart. If you’re judging righteously or attempting to judge righteously then God will look with favor upon you in the day of judgment.

Speaking to both demographics, the secular and non secular, I think we should consider the term “judging others” may be a bit over done. What I mean by this is that we may often use or feel that the judging of others as a way to put others down in order to make us feel better about our self. We may use “judging” as a way to insult others. Really that’s not judging others as much as it is just being mean and rude.

The act of judging is a means of weighing the various sides of an issue to make a decision. Is “xxx” good or bad, right or wrong, good for me or bad for me wondering about the consequences of either choice?

I think this is where tolerance comes into play. You may decide there is a need to judge someone. Go ahead and judge that person according to your belief system but be tolerant of that person and their beliefs. That person can be judged by you but you can still treat him or her fairly and with the respect they deserve. Just because you have judged their views as “wrong” in your eyes doesn’t mean you can’t be civil toward them and courteous to them.

As this article is being written, the elections are a week away. The closer to voting day the more vitriolic the add campaigns get. There’s no excuse for that but during the heated debates and after the election results are in we should all be tolerant of each other “learn to give each other what we need to survive…in perfect harmony” as the wise song “Ebony and Ivory” advocates.

My best friend is a life long friend of 47 years. I don’t agree with everything he believes. I have judged some of his views as incompatible with mine and vice versa. But we get along well, we’ve been there for each other and supported each other over the years.

Judging has its rightful place in the lives of either demographic but it does not need to get in the way of how we feel about ourselves. Making judgments doesn’t need to make us feel like we have sinned if we have used the process of judging wisely.

Troy Wagstaff ©

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Jonah And The Whale: A Story Of Hope

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

Jonah and the Whale A Story Of Hope

The prophet Jonah being swallowed by a whale and restored again to dry ground. What a story! Is it a true story or an allegory? What can we learn from this magnificent story as Christians?

If you consider an endorsement by our Savior when he referred to the sign of Jonah (referencing the three days and nights) then yes, the story of Jonah is indeed true. First of all the Old Testament talks about Jonah as a prophet in II Kings 14:25. Then in the New Testament, Matthew 12:39-41 The Savior talks about the life of the prophet Jonah. There are a few more references in the Gospels about Jonah.

That’s good enough for me.

If you are not familiar with the details of Jonah, read Jonah 1-4, a very short book in the Old Testament, but worth every verse. It is a powerful story, just one of the many that must have been a part of Jonah’s life, but the only one we know about.

The Lord command’s Jonah to go preach the gospel to Nineveh so that it wont be destroyed. Jonah refuses to do what the Lord told him to do and runs away, or at least tries to run away from the Lord toward Tarshish.

Jonah hops on a boat bound for Tarshish. Shortly after boarding Jonah goes to sleep and the tempest starts to rage. The people on the boat fear for their life. After a while Jonah confesses that The Lord is after him and tell the people to throw him over board and they will be spared. They don’t want to but eventually they throw ‘ into what seems to be a watery grave.

Silver Jonah and the whale charm

Jonah And The Whale

The Lord had prepared a big fish to swallow Jonah. For three days he was in the belly of a giant fish or whale. Near death, Jonah finally comes around to repenting of his rebellion. The Lord forgives him and has the fish deposit him on dry ground.

The Lord calls him to preach at Nineveh again. This time Jonah agrees to follow the direction of The Lord. Ninevah is the Capitol city of the wicked Assyrians. It is a huge city by the standards of the day. It was so big geographically that it took three days journey to pass through.

Keep in mind the Nineveh is a very wicked city (Nahum 3:1-5) and Jonah has to walk a day’s journey before he preaches the gospel to them. He preaches to them and they believe and repent. This includes their wicked King. They cover themselves in sack cloth and ashes which is a deliberate sign of repentance. The Lord forgives them.

Jonah leaves the city and climbs a hill over looking the now righteous city of Nineveh and builds himself a simple shelter to sit in while he watches to see if the Lord will destroy the newly repented city. He is very hot and dry. He see’s that The Lord spared the city as He said He would if they repented. The Lord provides a plant over night the grows to provide shade and comfort to Jonah. Jonah is grateful to the plant for its shade. The next day the Lord kills the plant and Jonah grieves for the loss of the plant.

The Lord explains to him that just as Jonah loves the plant, The Lord loves those thousands of people in Nineveh and spared them from destruction because they repented. He teaches Jonah a very important lesson. God loves all his children all over the world.

This is a fantastic story. Full of lessons one can apply to ones self for profit and learning. It teaches the principles of faith, hope, mercy of The Lord, repentance, forgiveness, God’s love for

His children and the power of one person with Gods help.

More than anything else, the virtues of Hope and Repentance stand out. When Jonah was in the belly of the whale he had faith and prayed to God for forgiveness of his sins in running away and rebelling against God. God forgave Jonah. In His mercy, God is willing to forgive those who repent. It requires faith to pray and ask for forgiveness from God. It requires faith to repent when you have been wicked all your life; Jonah was an inspired teacher. Jonah was one man in the midst of his mortal enemy but with Gods help, the power of one is the power of God.

God loved Jonah and tried to rescue Him from his sins. God loved the people of Nineveh and did not want to destroy Nineveh but God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. He gave the people a chance to repent through Jonah. Thankfully these thousands of people did repent and they were forgiven.

Strangely, Jonah still struggled and didn’t really want the people of Nineveh spared. That’s why he built a hut on top of the hill to see if they would be spared. As the days wore on Jonah was very hot with the sun beating down on him. God made a vine or plant to cover his hut and provide shade, a welcome relief from the heat of the sun. Then the Lord killed the plant and the protection from the heat was gone. The Lord provided a strong East wind and combined the elements to go against Jonah to drive the point home. Jonah mourned for the lost of the plant. The Lord explained to Jonah that as he grieved for the lost of a simple plant, God would feel bad for the loss of his people in Nineveh. The lesson was on love and that God loves all his people.

Whether the people are our enemies or criminals or otherwise bad people. God loves all His children. This was the last lesson we have record of, in which Jonah was taught a lesson. From this great story we see that God loves all His children. He doesn’t always love what they do or what the have become, He loves them and wants them back to live with Him someday. But they must change their ways, repent and live righteously.

This story is a message of hope. This story teaches us of Gods mercy and forgiveness provided we repent. This message shows us that even prophets are human and need to repent. If they being so righteous need to repent then so must we. But that is a part of that great hope we can have. It is a story of faith. It’s a great teaching tool teaching us that there are consequences to sin and unless we repent then we will reap the consequences of sin.

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WISDOM OF THE PROVERBS: Trust In The Lord

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Troy Wagstaff

WISDOM OF THE PROVERBS — TRUST IN THE LORD

The book of Proverbs found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible are wise statements of truth. They give understanding in the application of biblical teachings to our lives. The over riding theme of the many proverbs is wisdom. There are indeed other common threads found in Proverbs but in almost every chapter something is said about wisdom or getting understanding etc.

The wisdom of the Proverbs for this article is found in Proverbs 3:5-6. This may be one of the most popular passages found in the Proverbs. Here it is:

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Trust In The Lord With All Thine Heart...

Trust In The Lord With All Thine Heart…

Before we can trust in The Lord we need to have faith in Him.  Faith is believing in something that is true that you cannot see.  How can you trust someone who you do not believe in? So faith is required to implement this wise statement of truth.  Not only must you trust in The Lord but you must do it with all your heart. In the scriptures the term “heart” often represents your whole soul or all your energy.  So we must trust in The Lord with everything we have.

We must NOT lean to our own understanding. In other words we must not expect answers to prayers in a very specific way. In most cases, we must expect the answer to be what The Lord, in His infinite knowledge and wisdom wants for us at that particular time.  Often He will answer our prayers the way we want but at a different level than we expect.  So we need to remember not to lean unto our own understanding but trust that The Savior will provide what is best.

Not only must we trust in Jesus but in all our ways, or in all aspects of our life, we must show gratitude for all that He has done for us.  We should not fail to see the simple as well as the grand blessings we have been given by our Master. Just as the sun rises everyday doesn’t mean we will.  Just having another day on this earth to serve The Lord is a great blessing. In all our way show gratitude for all our blessings.

Now here comes the best part of the passage. “He shall direct thy paths.” How eternally wonderful is this? He will direct our paths. With Christ at the helm of our lives how can we go astray? To have Jehovah in our lives is as simple as these virtues: Trust, Disregard our own understanding in favor of His and Be grateful. So here is the mathematical formula to receiving blessings from our Redeemer:  Faith + Trust + His will + Gratitude = Blessings.

With The Lord on our side how can we fail? The wisdom of the Proverbs is a grand blessing for us. Search that ye may find and apply to your every day life.

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