Tag: Peace

The Testimony of the Lord is sure

Posted on by ascendthehill

“Who against hope believed in hope… and being not weak in faith… He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.”

from Romans 4:18-20

The above scripture is in reference to Abraham, the father of our faith. The Bible is very clear about the shortcomings of our forefathers. It shows where Abraham lied a couple times and where he doubted if the promise would happen. Except, in this retelling of Abraham’s story, those moments are not even mentioned. It seems that God did not even care to bring them up. Why? Because God is love, and love keeps no record of wrongdoing. Love sees the best even when the opposite is showing itself. Love perseveres.

It’s amazing the way God sees things versus the way the accuser sees them. God sees past our shortcomings and sees the finished work of His Son Jesus. The accuser, however, only focuses on our failures and tries to disqualify us based on that.

You see a moment in your life does not define who you are. It’s only a moment. Those were only moments in Abraham’s life, and his story did not end there. God continued to encourage and speak to him, and Abraham believed in the One who promised.

Don’t let satan continue to accuse you for things that have happened. People may bring up your shortcomings and failures, but those people are only looking at the flesh. God never said that flesh would inherit the kingdom.

Zaccheus, A sinner Son

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable due to the crowd, because he was short in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see Him, because He was about to pass through that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

And [Zaccheus] hurried and came down, and received Him joyfully.

When the people saw this, they all began to complain, saying, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner!”

But Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am giving back four times as much.”

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

NASB, Luke 19:1-10

When Jesus called out to Zaccheus people in that community began to bring up all his sins and shortcomings. Do you think that the Lord didn’t know about Zaccheus’ sins before he had called him? Of course, he did. He knew exactly who Zaccheus was and what he had done; yet, this knowledge did not prevent the Lord from calling him. It may have offended everyone around Zaccheus, but God’s choice remained the same.

While the rest of the town was saying he was a child of the devil, Jesus declared his true identity over him. Jesus, contrary to public opinion, continued to affirm Zaccheus. Once Zaccheus finished speaking Jesus continued with his redemptive purpose in Zaccheus’ life. He declared plainly for all the accusers to hear, “…[Zaccheus], too, is a son of Abraham.”

God’s testimony is a more sure word than human verdicts

“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.”

NKJV, 1 Corinthians 4:3

People may cast judgment toward you, but God’s word is the only one that matters. There may have been times when you were wrongfully accused or rightfully condemned, but God holds the final say in all things. It was the Law that condemned the woman caught in adultery, but Jesus Christ, the Son, set her free (see John 8:1-12). You see human judgments are just that, human. They do not hold the final verdict, that belongs to God alone. People may judge and cast stones without giving any grace, but remember “Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ” (from John 1:17).

God’s testimony is much more gracious towards you than you may believe. He is the savior, who came into this world to seek and save that which was lost. You may be like Zaccheus, listening to the crowd calling you a sinner unfit to have Jesus in your home, but Jesus is calling you a son. Turn off the noise of this world, and cling to the voice of your savior.

“For I know nothing by myself; yet I am not justified by this: but he that judges me is the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 4:4

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (NLT, Proverbs 4:23).

People may continue to speak against you. People may partner with the devil and bring up all your sins. People may condemn you and throw rocks at you, but don’t allow that to penetrate your heart. If the devil can get a person to believe from their heart the accusations spoken against them then he can try to set the course of their life.

“But be on guard against people, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues”

Jesus our Divine Judge, Matthew 10:17

“…But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (Jesus, the Savior).

You may have found yourself in a position where you’ve believed the accusations from your heart. If you have found yourself beaten down by the accuser, believing the lies that he has spoken over you do not lose hope! Even there our savior’s hand is reaching out to keep you!

“For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”

NKJV, 1 John 3:20

Stand strong before God and believe in his steadfast love and devotion toward you. God’s promises never fail. Continue to seek his face. He sees you. He’s always been faithful. He’s never failed. His mercies are new every morning!

I love you guys! When the world is against you and people have judged you harshly just remember the Holy Spirit’s testimony of your story is much different than you think. God doesn’t hold things against you. “…[Love] keeps no record of wrongs” (from 1 Corinthians 13:5) and our God is love! Keep pressing in He is for you! He loves you more than you could know!

A Piece of Earthly Wisdom: aka A Demonic Doctrine

Posted on by ascendthehill

How can the wisdom of this world be demonic?

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.

James 3:14-15

First, I want to clarify why earthly wisdom is a doctrine from devils. The wisdom of this world denies its Creator. It leaves your destiny in your own hands. The wisdom of this world is all about self. It’s your promotion and what you can do to achieve your potential. me, Me, ME. That’s what it’s all about, self… For greater clarification of the wisdom of this world being demonic in origin, I will take you to Jesus’ rebuke of Simon Peter.

From that time forward Jesus began to show unto his disciples, how that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Let these things not come near you, Lord: this shall not happen to you." 

But he turned, and said unto Peter, "Get behind me, Satan: you are an offence to me: for you do not savor the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

(Matthew 16:21-23).

What was his offense towards Peter? That he thought and dwelt on the things of this world. What was the topic that Peter was addressing? Jesus’ torture and death. We want our family and friends to live long and prosperous lives so why is this an offensive mindset? Because it’s all about this earth, and getting the most out of this earth. Peter was rebuked and called Satan because his thoughts (at that time) were steadfastly on the affairs of this earth. This is why earthly wisdom is demonically inspired.

Subtle Lies From Demons

“Surround yourself with prominent people in your community and you will go higher in that community…”

Demonic Rhetoric

I have heard this and similar expressions come from Christians. Honestly, it disturbs me. Isn’t this the same thing the children of this world do? It seems to me that it is.

“Surround yourself with well-to-do people and you will also rise to the top with them.”

More Demonic Rhetoric

This mindset has held the church back from being the city on a hill the Lord has called us to be. We need to get back to the teachings of the Bible.

But the wisdom from above is first pure…impartial, free of hypocrisy

“My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the good name by which you have been called? If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators.”

Holy Inspiration, James 2:1-9

It’s the disregarded that many Christians cast to the side that God is after. Stones disallowed indeed by men (see 1 Peter 2:4). Seeing how our messiah was an outcast and chose a bunch of outcasts it’s a wonder this kind of teaching gains speed in the church.

I’m so glad our Father chose the foolish, the poor, the disregarded, and the children to confound the “put-together” people of Jesus’ time.

“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.”

Jesus the Son of God, Matthew 11:25-26

And he will do it again. Remember his word,

“For this reason also, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill, and some they will persecute.”

Jesus the Messiah, Luke 11:49

Final admonition

We need to wake up and smell the broken. Jesus is here for them, but instead, we turned Christianity into a networking club about who you know… it’s a shame really. I wonder how often the Lord or one of his angels has come into a church as an unrefined person and sat there in the service waiting for people to receive him?

“For if you love them which love you, what credit is that to you? for sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them which do good to you, what credit is that to you? for sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”

Jesus the King of kings, Luke 6:32-36

Love you all!

Life and Death (the Power of Our Words)

Posted on by ascendthehill

Speak life!

I love you all! Thank you for watching.

The Branch of King David, Destined to Reign

Posted on by ascendthehill

On Thursday night’s bible study we went through King David’s life while he was on the run from King Saul. This is found in 1 Samuel chapter 19 thru chapter 31. We selected a few verses out of this portion of King David’s history with the LORD.

1 Samuel 21 verse 10 thru chapter 22 verse 3

David flees from Saul in fear and then acts like a crazy person in front of Achish the king of Gath. Achish was the king of this Philistine city, Gath. The Philistines were enemies of Israel and yet David fled into their territory. David was so scared at this moment in his life he acted like a crazy person just to stay alive.

David was anointed by God to be king over Israel. He had defeated Goliath and led Israel to victory in different battles, but at this point of time in his life, not many people would have thought much of him. He was drooling out of his mouth and letting it run over his beard. Many people would have been ashamed to even be associated with him, but it did not change the fact of what God had called David.

Circumstances Do not change God’s call

How often have we been in a circumstance and acted poorly because of fear? I know I have. There have been moments in my life that are very debasing, but it does not change the fact that God has called me and anointed me. Just like David here, we can go through very humbling circumstances and act in ways that are unflattering but it does not change what God has said about us or his call on our lives.

After this, he heads to a cave, and a bunch of outcasts of Israel begins to flock towards him. The people who came to him were poor and in debt, bitter, and in complete distress. Not people of great influence, but the people society would deem “less than”.

From the outside looking in, David was a renegade. The people of Israel would have not known that Saul was at fault and chasing him down because of envy. They only knew that David was on the run from the king and now he was the captain of a band of outcasts that he ended up taking into enemy territory to live there.

Peoples Perception Does Not Change What God Says

Here it is good to mention that David’s life is a prophetic resemblance of Jesus Christ. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day rejected him and were constantly against him. While the scourge of society was receiving him. The poor and the broken, the oppressed, and the outcasts were the ones who flocked to Jesus. Not the people of great influence.

1 Samuel Chapter 23 verses 1 thru 12

David and his men deliver this city from enemy invaders and David enquires if the people of Keilah (the city they just saved) would deliver him into Saul’s hand. The LORD tells him they will. So he leaves the city.

How very human this story is. One minute you are their champion who saved them from destruction then circumstances change and they will deliver you over to be executed. Many scholars believe that some of the people who championed Jesus into Jerusalem shouting, “Hosanna in the highest” were the same who cried out, “Let him be crucified.”

People can turn on you even if you’ve been good to them

Personally, I believe that this was what happened. I have seen firsthand how quickly public opinion can change based on the unmet expectations they have for someone. The expectation they had for Jesus was that he was going to come as King over Israel beating the nations into submission and bringing about a physical eternal Davidic kingdom. But he came to bring a spiritual kingdom and set up its eternal rule on earth from heaven.

The opinion of how they believed the word of God was supposed to be fulfilled blinded them to its fulfillment. When they thought the kingdom was going to be a physical one and their expectations did not get met they wanted him to be killed. They also had other false “Christs” that had come to them too, so they were wary of messiahs who did not fulfill what they believed to be the scriptures. The problem was they were looking at it from a carnal (worldly) perspective and not from a spiritual.

Expectations Can be Dangerous

I know I have been guilty of this. I thought God’s word to me was going to be fulfilled a certain way and when it wasn’t fulfilled the way I expected it to I got angry, discouraged, and hurt. But the truth was he never told me how certain things were going to happen he just said they would happen. Expectations can disappoint you if you are not grounded in the character of God.

1 Samuel chapter 25

We did not read this section here we talked about it. If you would like to know more about how this section of scripture is a prophetic resemblance of Jesus Christ and his church please take a look at The Throne of David.

David did good to this wealthy man named Nabal, but Nabal did not recognize his kindness or repay it. As a matter of fact, Nabal actually accused David of deserting his master Saul (vs. 10). It is evidence of the public’s perception of David, a renegade.

Afterward, David ends up sparing Saul’s life again and is in despair. David says in his heart, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul…” (from 1Sam. 27:1). Many biblical scholars believe that David was on the run from King Saul for about ten years. Ten years of being looked at like a renegade, of people thinking the worse about him, of him living in wilderness areas and among the enemies of Israel. Ten years of having nothing to rely upon except a promise God made to him, being anointed king over Israel when he was still a child. I think he started to lose hope a little, but this one thing he did, he turned to the LORD over and over again. He found his strength in the LORD.

Placing your eyes on people will discourage you, Put your trust in God

During this time period, David wrote many of the Psalms among these is Psalm 22.

My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from helping me, far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I call by day and you do not answer, and by night but I have no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted you; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; they trusted you and were not ashamed. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by humankind and despised by people. All who see me mock me. They open wide their lips; they shake the head, saying: "He trusts Yahweh. Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him because he delights in him." Yet you took me from the belly; you made me trust while on my mother's breasts. On you I was cast from the womb. From my mother's belly you have been my God. Do not be far from me because trouble is near; because there is no helper. Many bulls have encircled me; mighty bulls of Bashan have surrounded me. They open their mouth against me like a lion tearing and roaring. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me. My strength is dry like a potsherd, and my tongue is sticking to my jaws; and you have placed me in the dust of death. Because dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has encircled me. Like the lion they are at my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; they gaze, they look at me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Yahweh, do not remain distant. O my help, hasten to help me. Rescue my life from the sword, my only life from the power of the dogs. 
(Psalm 22:1-20)

He felt like a worm who was not worthy of salvation, but he continued to look to God for his mercy. And because he put his hope in the LORD he was not put to shame! “Indeed, none who wait for you should be put to shame…” (from Psalm 25:3).

Hold fast to the word that was preached to you

I am fully persuaded that anyone who is called by God goes through periods like these, and the purpose for these times is to produce character in us. As long as we remain believing in Jesus Christ abiding in him then God will use it to produce fruit. God’s attributes, so that when we get to the place that he has called us we will be able to keep it. When I say keep it I mean having the quality of character that will be able to rule well. 

"You rejoice in this greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. These trials are so that the true metal of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of [Jesus the Messiah]."
(1Peter 1:6-7).

Grace and Truth Came by Jesus Christ!

Posted on by ascendthehill

Blessings everyone! Yesterday I was thinking about how God sings over us (from Zeph. 3:17). And the song that he sings is one of grace. I believe he continues to sing this song of grace over us until we, in turn, start singing it in this world.

It has been by grace that we were saved through faith (not of works). It is a free gift, and everything that we receive in the Kingdom is freely given. Not through religious works. I am so grateful to God for his goodness, and that because he is good I am free from the works of satan. Sin, sickness, and death are all works of the devil, of which we were all anointed by God to destroy!

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. (2Peter 3:18).

I think it is imperative as a body that we grow in the grace of God. Not in our self-willed attempts of reaching him (whether it be prayer, fasting, or reading scripture) all these things the Pharisees did, and yet they stumbled at the stumbling stone of grace (Jesus). The law truly was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). If we continue in grace we will have peace, but if we try to continue in dead works (religion) we will not have peace.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes… (From Rom. 1:16).

Grace is the answer. Grace is the way. Grace is God’s will for this earth! It was God’s grace that he gave his son. It was God’s grace that he did not hold the world’s sins against them but was reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19). And it is this message of grace that we must carry into this world!

The [law] kills, but the spirit gives life from 2 Cor. 3:6

The law points the finger and tells a person all the reasons they are not worthy to receive anything from God. But grace tells us that Jesus did everything so that we can freely receive from God. We must sing the same song our Father is singing over us and join him in song to this world singing, “Grace! Grace unto it!”

Love you guys, you don’t earn anything from our Father. You have freely received everything from him that you need! 

"...I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires" (from NLT Bible, 2Peter 1:1-4).