Why should we sing?

 Good morning,

Why Should We Sing?

Remember when God was talking to Job about the creation of the earth and that He mentioned that, the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?(Job 38:7)  Did they know that the earth they had just seen created would become a place that Satan and his followers who would claim as their own?  It wasn’t long after Adam and Eve had to leave the garden that a man named Jubal was, the first of all who play the harp and flute.(Gen.4:21) No doubt his skills and the twisting of the enemy on earth taught the people then to rebel against God. Music is a powerful part of what God built into us for learning and acting out what we  believe.  It ties people to one another and it gives expression to those who have chosen their god.  When we read the Bible we see the importance of song in the life of a shepherd boy, David, who became a king and who developed both the music and the instruments that were so meaningful to God’s people. However our Enemy did his best to twist even that music to lead people away from their love for their God.  

We are all now coming to the time for us that was so long ago when an angel showed up to let some shepherds know that God had sent a special baby, the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord, to them and their people. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others–the armies of heaven–praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”(Luk.2:13,14)  I think the angles new because they were excited about what would benefit Jesus’s coming and because they were part of what happened during his life here on earth. Remember that Jesus was the way and the truth and the life for those who pleased God.  Also remember that Jesus himself used music when he left from the Passover meal with his disciples to begin the process of going to the cross.  It was there that night that he was praying in agony when, an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.(Luk.22:43) After Jesus rose from the grave at least three angels were a part of letting people know what had happened as Jesus promised them.

When we come to the book of Revelation the apostle John saw, four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.(Rev.5:8,9) Heaven’s angels knew what God had planned. Then as John looked again, he wrote, I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:"Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered–to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”(Vs.11,12) Then John heard, every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”(v.13) He also heard,The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”(Rev.11:18)  So why should we sing?  No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.(Rev.22:3) So why should we sing?

Revelation 22:12 "Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 

Roy Wisner

We may be sure that -

 Good morning,

We may be sure that -

Moses had his hands full when he led the people of Israel out of Egypt. The tribes that he was leading were mainly worshiping other gods.  When two of the tribes wanted to get land before the rest of the tribes had been given their part, they were told they had to go ahead of all the others to conquer the rest of the land. They agreed and Moses said, “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.(Num.32:23) That promise came true again and again for all of us until the end of time. People have always kept ignoring what God told them.  The most gifted man on Earth to succeed in life, Solomon, went from holy and obedient to rebellious.  He stopped obeying God’s commands. So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you.(1Ki.11:11)  Another example much later was the prophet Habakkuk who cried out, How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice?(Hab.1:2,3)  What they were faced with was, Therefore the law is paralyzed,  and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.(v.4) God was  keeping his promise again. Because Habakkuk trusted God he was able to accept God’s decision and said, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.(vs.18,19) We can be sure of that promise as well if we are willing to live by faith as these saints did.

In the New Testament we are told again, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.(Rom.6:23)  People haven’t stopped sinning since Jesus came and lived with us and died and arose again. What we can also be sure of as sinners is that if we are willing to trust and obey Jesus as Savior and Lord, we  may be sure that we will have God’s gift of eternal life no matter what kind of challenges we face in our lives in time. Jesus warned us that especially at the end of time, At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,((Mat.24:10-12) We can be sure that what Jesus said was also true when he added, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.(vs.13,14) Again we are told, For God has said,"I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."So we can say with confidence, "The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”(Heb.13:5,6)  Again we may be sure that no matter what we are facing in this time in history, no matter what wicked people try to do to us we can look ahead to an eternal life that will last forever.

Habakkuk 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Roy Wisner,

The Other Side of Thanksgiving

 Good morning,

The Other Side of Thanksgiving

This year in America Thanksgiving was very different than most of us have ever seen before. We have been used to family and friends and food and sports and looking back on the year. With all the confusion in America and in the world as a whole, and the demands by our government that we not get together this year made it feel really strange. When we were talking about this year it was easy to  think in terms of what was going wrong and hard to think thankfully about God’s goodness. The darkness and hate around us makes it easy for us to hope for Jesus to come as soon as possible. What is hard for us to do is to think about the other side of Thanksgiving. What is going to happen next? What God longs for us to do is to be just as thankful about God’s promises for our future as we are about His goodness to us in the past. For example we are told, And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.(Rom.8:28) Does God know what he is doing and why we are still living here in times like these?

What our Enemy and our sinful world do their best is to get our focus on what might happen and so forget what our Savior and Lord have promised us. It’s very easy these days to forget or to not even think about about God’s time table. The real truth is, For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.(v.29) Our Enemy does his best to keep us so self centered that we don’t realize that God’s plan is, And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.(v.30) We will never be alone here on earth no matter what is going on around us.  In God’s eyes he is allowing us to live our lives here now for His glory to be seen and demonstrated by how we live our lives in the middle of the darkness and confusion. Even now we should celebrate Thanksgiving because, If God is for us, who can ever be against us?(v.31)  We need to remember that, Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one–(v.33) Who then will condemn us? No one–(v.34) Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?(v.35) No matter whatever we will face in the future God promises us, No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.(v.37)

 What our LORD, our Savior, and His Holy Spirit long for us to do is to be thankful for all that the future holds for us as well as all that has happened to us in the past.  Paul knew what he was writing when he wrote, And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.(v.38)  When we have a thankful heart toward our God and what he has promised us for eternity we will also be able to live with joy and thanksgiving like Paul when he wrote, No power in the sky above or in the earth below–indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.(v.38) Dear Lord, please help us to be thankful about our future that will always be under your control.

Romans 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

 

Roy Wisner

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Our land the free!

 Good morning,

Our land of the free!

It was 400 years ago this month that a group of religious people known as “the Pilgrims” got off their boat to begin a life that would be the beginning of their place of freedom. They came here to live and believe and die without being controlled by religious and  governmental demands.  They knew their God and their Savior and their Bible and did their best to live like God’s children.  The first year they were here they found themselves living in very difficult times, lost many of their people to sickness, and also saw their God keep them going on by God’s grace in this new and strange world.  They celebrated for three days what we know as Thanksgiving. Since that time the people of what we now know as Americans have celebrated the crops of fall for what God has done for another year. This year is different. This year our government has decided that the celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas it a dangerous time for people to get together. God’s goodness and God’s Son, Jesus, are not necessary parts of our new value system. What is now important is that we do what we are told. What’s even more interesting is this same value system has fallen into place all over the world.

For those of us who believe the God of the Bible and who are finding ourselves surrounded by terror and control, where will we go to find the freedom that guided those “Pilgrims” 400 years ago?  When Paul wrote to the Corinthians in difficult times then he told them, We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.(2Cor.4:14) As God’s children we must always remember that our God is always in control of his earth and the people who are living with us.  God never loses a war with our hate filled enemy, Satan. Paul continued, All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.(v.15) Our Father God is allowing us in his family to be living examples of the God of the Bible.  As  was true for the Pilgrims, That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.(v.16)  In fact, the real good news in all of this is, For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! (v.17) It’s important that all of us who are God’s genuine family members to remember, So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.(v.18)  The attacks that we are facing are always controlled by our Savior and this battle will only go on until God’s plans have been accomplished.  

It just keeps getting better as we are told, For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.(v.5:1) We must remember that our Father has chosen us to be his representatives for this time in history. Our Father knows everything that is going on in every part of his world.  What God wants for us is to give us what David said, The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart.He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.(Psa.28:7) Remember what the Apostle John saw and heard the angels singing in Heaven, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”(Rev.7:12)

2 Corinthians 4:16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 

Roy Wisner

Why are we surprised?

Good morning,

Why are we surprised?

None of us who were genuine born again Christians, who started the year 2020, knew that we were going to be turning a sharp corner in God’s plan for His world.  God wasn’t surprised, but we are. We must remember that  Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues from generation to generation.(Lam.4:19) Our God knows the complete timing, from start to finish, of the world He created. God knew all the life forms that he would create and that He would make people in His image starting with Adam and Eve and finishing the last born child at the end of time. After about 2,000 years, The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.(Gen.6:5) The Lord wiped out all of human life except Noah and his family and started from there again.(v.8) From that time on the Lord watched as people would trust and obey God’s love only to see the generations that followed move farther and farther away from God. The Old Testament of the Bible is a wonderful story of the men and women who loved and served and followed God’s guidelines and of  the people who walked away from God and lived in hatred and rebellion against their creator. At one point Joshua told God’s people, If you abandon the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”(Jos.24:20)

In the New Testament we have the love of God for His people and how He sent His Son, Jesus, to live with us and die for us even though he never sinned in any way.  As an adult Jesus loved the people around him, he healed them, he fed them, he taught them, and he even brought a number of people back from the dead.  He was often found with large numbers of people who were hoping he would be the Messiah who would rescue them from their enemies. He was also hounded by the Bible experts of his day who hated him and finally succeeded in having him crucified.  What they didn’t know was that Jesus died to pay for all of our sins.  He told his followers that he would come back again to be the King of the earth.  Jesus told them,  "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me.(Jo.14:23,24) He also told them,  "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day.(Lk.17:26)Then he also said, "When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.(Mar.13:9)

Then Jesus added something that I believe is very important to us today.  He said, For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.(Mar.13:10) For those of us who have been around for the last many years, we have had the special joy of seeing what Jesus mentioned, happening all around the world as missionaries, as new and seasoned believers have spread out over the whole world sharing the reality of God’s love and salvation.  The Lord has allowed his truth and love to reach out through so many ways of telling, showing, teaching and encouraging people in even the most remote nations the telling and living of God’s truth. Could it be that this Covid-19 and the hatred of God’s standards and of God’s people all over the world at the same time be a warning and a joyful occurrence that is about ready to take place?

Mark 13:10 For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. 

Roy Wisner

God blesses those who -

 Good morning,

God blesses those who -

Last week we were thinking about all the promises that God has made to his children.  Then we were also thinking that by this time we would know for sure who the next president would be here in America. By now we have an answer, but there are still a lot of problems that have yet to be solved for everyone to agree.  It may be some time before everything will be settled because of the problems. What we do know now for sure is that our whole world is living in fear and anger and fighting for control of life and peace. Last week finished our talk with, God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.(Jam.1:12) For those of us in God’s family we need to remember that we are not just living in the world that we can see.  We are actually living in a war zone for the eternal souls of those people that are living all around us. The rules for living in our world without loving God requires fear, lies, anger, hate and control. For those of us in God’s family we have a whole different set of rules that have been laid out by our Savior and our God.  When Jesus was praying for us to our Father he said, I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. (Jn.17:14,15)  Those of God’s family who are now living here are here for the death and life of peoples eternal life.  Jesus prayed, Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. (vs.17,18)

Paul understood this very clearly when he wrote, In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. (2Co.6:4) If we are hated, that is a normal event for God’s genuine child.  And for those of us who are not living in America we can expect, We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.(v.5) The only way anything like these challenges can be carried out is, We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.(v.6) We as American Christians have been tricked into thinking that if we are good Christians we should be living lives of success and health and wealth and honor and approval. What God wants from anywhere we live is that, We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.(v.8) What the real battle is often like in the world at large is, We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed.(v.9) The really good news to all this is, Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.(v.10)

What we must know and not forget is that what we have just been told from God’s Word has been true for thousands of God’s family over thousands of years and that when we arrive home in heaven we will hear the love and the joy and the wonderful benefits that the Lord has given them because they were willing stay true to their part of God’s goodness. If we endured, we will have wonderful stories to tell as well.   

James 1:12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Roy Wisner

Promises, promises, and His Promises

 Good morning,

Promises, promises, and His Promises

This week in America we will be choosing our president for the next four years? Well, maybe that will be true, but maybe that won’t be true at all.  As we have come to this point in time we have been overwhelmed with all kinds of promises from the right and the left in our government.  We have been told of the promises made and kept on the one hand and then we have been promised a whole new way of living and being controlled by the other.  What has been left out is the fact that God has a plan already in place from the past and for the future that will override any other plans that we make. The people who refuse to believe the God of the Bible can’t change what will happen and then the people who are genuine members of God’s eternal family have been given all kinds of Promises that are impossible to break.  God promised us that he loved the world and the people on it.  That is totally true. Jesus promised that he would pay the price for our sins. Totally true again.  Jesus promised us eternal life if we would trust him. Then Jesus also promised us, "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. (Jn.14:15,16)  That is an eternal promise for those who obey him. Then again he promises, The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him.(v.17)

The Bible is full of God’s promises from beginning to end about his plans and his plan for each of us who are genuine children of God.  Even in times of confusion and fear God promises us, If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?(Rom.8:31,32)  No matter how difficult our lives become He promises us, No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.(v.37) Then Paul tells us, I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.(v.38) We are constantly attacked by Satan and the enemies of our Lord, but then we are told, Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.(Rom.8:18,19)  Having said all that, we must remember that all that God has promised to those in his family does not include anyone who has just believed in a religious life made up by doing good things now and planning later to get into heaven because of their goodness.  

We must remember who makes promises that will always be accurate and just during times like today and the days ahead.  We must understand, the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him.(Eph.1:19) Jesus came and lived with us, died and rose again and has been seated, in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.(v.20)  We must never forget that any promise that is made by by humans, good or bad, will only be allowed by Jesus who is, far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else–not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ (Vs.20,21)  Please Lord, help us to keep remembering that, God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.(Jam.1:12) 

Romans 8:31  What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 

Roy Wisner