GOD IS SOVEREIGN: HE IS WORKING OUT HIS PLANS AND PURPOSES FOR PLANET EARTH

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When we look around and see all the horrible things happening in the world – and even in the church – and it seems overwhelming. Whether it is Western nations seemingly headed on a downward spiral, or conflict in the Middle East, or communist China making menacing moves, or culture wars going berserk, or scandals in our churches, it can seem overwhelming.

Thank goodness the Bible, God’s Word, gives us many examples of people just like us in similar circumstances who were able to hear from God about what He was doing and even though they did not know the why, they came to terms with the fact that God is in control and knows what He is doing. Habakkuk is a great example. Check it out, he ended up getting the right view on things, and we must as well.

The three chapters of the book are easily broken down in outline form:

  • 1:1-4 Habakkuk’s first lament or complaint
  • 1:5-11 Yahweh’s first response
  • 1:12-2:1 Habakkuk’s second lament or complaint
  • 2:2-20 Yahweh’s second response
  • 3:1-19 Habakkuk’s prayer

Like Habakkuk, we need the courage of discernment—to know and trust that God remains sovereign in the world of history and nature. We need to listen to the news with this perspective in mind. ‘Look at the nations and watch…’ (Hab.1.5). Watch out for God at work particularly as the Bible reveals we are in the last days before Jesus returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom and restore righteousness.

If you want to get prepared for what is next on God’s agenda for planet earth go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net.

For inspiration for this post I went to Our God Reigns: What Habakkuk Tells Us About History and Hope by Bill Muehlenberg, 29th October 2025, The Daily Declaration.

FEARLESSNESS IN THE FACE OF DANGER

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In the last days, we will need to be fearless in the face of danger just as David was with Goliath.

“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?… And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth and he has been a man of war from his youth.”…Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”… Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head.” 1 Samuel 17:26b,33,36, 45-46

How was David so fearless? David knew that God was in control and he could trust God no matter how hopeless the circumstances.

How about Daniel’s friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?

“ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

All three exhibited total trust in God despite the impossible circumstances.

Daniel was also fearless in the face of a horrible fate. The governors and high officials plotted against Daniel because King Darius was going to set Daniel as governor over the whole kingdom. They succeeded in getting the king against his will to cast Daniel into a lion’s den. It is obvious from the following Scripture that Daniel had witnessed extensively to King Darius.

“The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” Daniel 6:16

“Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel 6:21-22

“Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him because he had trusted in his God.” Daniel 6:23

How about Joshua? At age eighty after forty years in the wilderness God gives Joshua the task of taking the Promised Land from its inhabitants, after thirteen major battles and many skirmishes God maintained his strength so that he could say “I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me“.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.” Joshua 14:10-11

These passages in Joshua aren’t just a proof text for being fearless, they are also a lesson in the paradox of trusting God and also being fearless. Joshua was told to be strong and courageous, but God also told Joshua He would fight on behalf of Israel.

What about the example of Esther. She was fearless: “if I perish, I perish”.

“Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:15-16

When preaching the Gospel we need to be fearless like Peter and I am sure we will see the power of God manifested as did Peter and many other Christians during a time of intense persecution.

“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.” Acts 3:12-16

TRUST GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU

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The article by Robert Wachter “Be Confident in God’s Love for You (Not the Other Way Around)” on http://www.pathoes.com/evangelical on JANUARY 27, 2022 spoke to me so I decided to reproduce it here with a few minor amendments.

“Many believers have their theology backward. Instead of learning how to receive God’s love, they spend their energy trying to love God better. Let’s be clear. The message of the gospel has always been God’s love for humanity (not the other way around). If we focus on achieving love rather than receiving love, we have the gospel backward.

Despite his flaws, Peter was the type of guy you would want in your corner during a street fight. When Jesus was arrested, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Unfortunately, Peter’s passion to defend his friends also represented his greatest weakness. He would soon learn the painful lesson that his love for Jesus was imperfect.

Jesus warned the disciples that each of them would abandon Him. Despite the warning, Peter stood in strong opposition. “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33). Peter’s overconfidence in his love for God at this moment is striking. He felt that his love for Jesus was unflappable. Paul once said, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3).

Although he felt brave at the moment, Peter’s love was not strong enough to withstand the pressure of a humble servant girl. On the night that Jesus stood on trial with the Sanhedrin, the girl approached Peter and insisted that he was one of the disciples. This was followed by several other people who made the same accusation. In each case, Peter vehemently denied knowing Jesus. “I don’t know the man!” he pushed back (Matthew 26:72). Finally, Peter realized that his resolve to love Jesus had failed miserably. He broke down in tears at the realization.

Don’t Be Confident in Your Love for God

This must have been a tough lesson for Peter, but it also represented the start of an exciting new season. We must all reach the point where we understand our ability to love God is limited to human strength. The believer’s ability to love has been initiated, developed, and strengthened by God; therefore, we must place our confidence securely in the love of Christ. John the apostle said it best: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The message of the gospel has always been God’s love for humanity, not the other way around.

After the resurrection, Jesus took the time to restore Peter in front of the other disciples. He asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Peter responded to the question, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” The version of the word love that Jesus used was agapas, which speaks to love that comes from God. However, the version of the word love that Peter used in response was philio, which expresses a reciprocal type of love. In other words, Peter learned that his strength to love God was established first on God’s love for him.

Be Confident in God’s Love for You

The moral of the story is simple. We can’t love without first being loved. We are merely conduits of God’s love to the world. Therefore, we must learn Peter’s lesson so that we place no confidence in our love for God. We must rest firmly in God’s love for us. The message of the gospel is clear. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), not the other way around.

I post a lot on this site about God’s coming judgement when He will pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world so it is good to post on the extent of God’s love for us.

MAKING A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

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God used the prophet Isaiah to encourage the Children of Israel after they lived in exile for many years. The people no longer believed they had a successful future. Negative thinking patterns kept them trapped. The message delivered by the prophet offered a new way forward for the Children of Israel, and it will do the same for you.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” Isaiah 43:18–19

Forget the Former Things

Success always begins with the decision to forget the former things. We cannot move into the future with God if we are still looking in the rearview mirror. You may have tried to step out in faith and your dreams didn’t work out. Maybe your business failed or the ministry didn’t get off the ground. Perhaps you’ve tried to lose weight but have failed many times.

“Former things” have the power to keep us stuck if we’re not careful. God wants us to understand that despite our past failures, He still has a plan for our future. He has given us the Holy Spirit as our counsellor, teacher, and comforter.

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him... If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.“ Romans 8:9,11

The Holy Spirit is the one who produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives; love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness, kindness, and self-control,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22

We must walk by the Spirit

“I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.“ Galatians 5:16-18

As well, He is the one that provides the gifts of the Spirit for ministry, all nine of them.

“A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial: to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of languages, to another, interpretation of languages.
But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-10

The path to achieving our goals starts with the decision to forget the former things and concentrate on asking God the Father for guidance. Nothing happens without prayer. Jesus made it possible for us to pray to our Heavenly Father. We pray to our Heavenly Father in Jesus’ name and He will ensure the Holy Spirit guides our steps. Note all three persons of the Trinity should be involved in our lives.

Our prayers must be for God’s will to be done in our lives not our will, Then and only then can you do all things through Him who gives you strength.

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 ESV

Perceive What God Is Doing

We must learn how to perceive where God is taking us. You may not see the full manifestation of your purpose right now, but if you are being led by the Holy Spirit He will cause circumstances to spring up, which offer clues to guide you forward. It could be that a door unexpectedly opens. Or perhaps a door closes that you thought would stay open.

It’s not our place to know every detail about the future, but if we are in prayer the Holy Spirit will reveal the next step in the journey. In some cases, God has already given us instructions and is waiting for us to make the next move. You must know that God is actively working in your life. If you stop dwelling on the past you can perceive the Holy Spirit’s next step forward.

Trust That God Will Make a Way

It’s important to trust that God is making a way into the unknown places that we can’t handle on our own. If we have a dream that could happen without any assistance from God, then the dream did not come from God. The prospect of walking into our destiny should feel slightly overwhelming, or perhaps even impossible, without help from above. If we limit our future to what we can handle on our own, we will not step into the deeper things that God is doing.

It’s easy to focus on the unknown variables that make us feel unqualified, but that’s why we are in partnership with God. He will make a way in the wilderness where there is no clear path and provide streams in the wasteland when there are no resources. Don’t give your limitations the power to stop you from moving forward with God’s plans.

Make sure that you have at least one good Holy Spirit empowered mentor preferably more than one. A regular weekly connection at least by phone with two others is valuable. If you are in business, organizations like the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) are helpful. Their websites are http://www.iccc.net and http://www.transformedworkinglife.net

WHAT HAS GOD ACHIEVED WITH COVID

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1. More focus on what’s important. One Christian wrote, “I feel like I’ve been more observant, it has forced me to slow down and see things that I wouldn’t normally see or appreciate.” Another wrote, “Less distractions. More time to focus on our creator. More time for prayer.” This pandemic is forcing us to prioritize and remember what’s truly important in life.

2. God has got my attention. Because of the removal of distractions, Christians are able to hear God and respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading. One Christian wrote, “God has brought His Word out loud and clear, spoken in song and on social media. His people, the Church, have risen and are staying connected and meeting needs.”

3. Reconnecting with family. This was one of the most popular responses. Being forced to stay at home, people are able to reconnect with family in meaningful ways. One wrote, “Very much enjoy working at home with my lovely wife.” Another shared, “The gift of extra time and conversation with my adult children that I didn’t expect to have.” A third wrote, “Given us sweet family time.”

4. Great interactions with neighbors. A famous command by Jesus is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). But since most of us live life on the go, we don’t have much meaningful time to interact with our neighbors. These stay-at-home orders that many of us are experiencing is changing all that. One Christian shared, “love seeing all my neighbors out in the pretty spring weather playing with their kids and pets.” Another wrote, “more opportunities to encourage others and talk about my hope in the Lord.”

5. Rest in God. Whether by choice or not, people are seeing the benefits of slowing down and finding the rest that only comes in God. One Christian wrote that through this crisis, she’s been able to “rest in God and depend more on Him.” Another shared, “I got closer to Jesus.”

If you are afraid of contracting this disease, pray to God to help you get over the fear of the virus. Remember, “The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control“. (2 Timothy 1:7, ERV)

If after prayers, you are still not able to banish the fear of the virus from you, stay home, stay safe, and keep trusting God (Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Peter 5:7).

The following scripture is one that has been helpful for me in tough times. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter as well as our counsellor and teacher.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Remember, pestilence is just one of the end times signs that Jesus told us would warn us of His return to earth.

“Then he (Jesus) said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and pestilences.” Luke 21:10-11

BE ON THE WINNING SIDE: JESUS AND THE SAINTS WIN

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Bible prophecy reminds us that Jesus, the King of Kings, will have the last word in the end, because only He is “the ruler of the kings of the earth” Revelation 1:5

“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,” Daniel 2:44

“And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’” Daniel 7:27

“Now, therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” Psalms 2:10-12

The final battle of Armageddon when Jesus and the resurrected Saints come against the Antichrist and his army is a one-sided affair as the following Scripture shows

“And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19:14-16

Note Jesus gives authority to the resurrected Saints to rule with Him on this earth with a “rod of iron” during His Millennial reign. Jesus’ Millennial reign (people being born and people still dying) is a transition period before the cosmos is destroyed. What follows is a second resurrection, the White Throne judgement, and a new heaven and earth where only the righteous dwell.

“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 2:26-29

“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-5

Despite the fact that Satan is bound for most of the thousand years, Jesus and the Saints still need to rule with a rod of iron which shows that many will still rebel against God’s commandments and rule. We are also told that when Satan is released he is able to raise an army “their number is like the sand of the sea”.

“And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20:2-3

Whose side will you be on during the coming tribulation will you submit to the Antichrist and take the “mark of the beast” in order to survive or will you trust God no matter what comes your way?

CHRISTIANS ARE ALWAYS ON THE MOVE BUILDING GOD’S KINGDOM

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When God called Abraham, he didn’t say, “You need to ascribe to these commandments, right principles, and correct beliefs.” Instead, God told Abraham, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” How did Abraham respond?

“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.” Genesis 12.4

He didn’t say a word. He got his feet moving.

When it came time for Jesus to assemble the men who would become His apostles and disciples, he didn’t command them to discern and discover all of the scriptural rules and laws to govern their conduct and learn what they should believe. No, Jesus called them and what was their response?

“Immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:22

They got their feet moving and so should we.

In the three short years that Jesus ministered on this earth, Jesus walked over 3000 miles. He was a man on the move. He was a man of imminency and intention.

Jesus took ordinary people, made by and in the image of, his Father, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, turned them into a community, a family, of fervent and dedicated apostles, disciples, and students, thereby launching the greatest social movement in human history.

By Jesus’ death and resurrection, He made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, to indwell the Spirit of every person who repents of their past rebellion against God and given their life to Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Submitting to baptism in water they have shown they have died to their old life and been born again by the Holy Spirit into a new life in Christ.

It is possible to be born again by the Holy Spirit and yet we quench His work in our lives thereby grieving Him.

The detailed message we are given of how Elijah heard from God is tremendously important.

What did Elijah hear after the wind, earthquake, and fire?

“And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

How did Elijah respond to the “still small voice“? He “went out..”. He got his feet moving.

“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out…” 1 Kings 19:13

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

It is obvious from this Scripture that it is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit and we are told that we quench His work in our lives when we ignore His “still small voice“. I know in my own life that I often am distracted by worldly attractions and miss God’s best for me which means I miss the joy that we get from serving Him.

Prayer is the way we stay in touch with God, Human beings were made to be in fellowship with God. Adam and Eve’s disobedience severed the link but thank God He asked His Son, Jesus, to restore the link. What does God do for those that relate to Him in love? The Psalmist puts it well when he said,

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11

If we are obedient and get our feet moving when He asks us to go, He will guide our steps.

“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases Him.” 1 John 3:21-22

EXCELLENT NEW COMMENTARY ON GENESIS

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The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series are designed to be non-technical and easily accessible commentaries on the English text, aimed at the busy pastor or preaching layman. The latest in the series is on GENESIS. This is the foundational book of the Bible so you need to know what it teaches.

The commentary opens with an Introduction to Genesis where the author highlights that this book is the book of beginnings and relates to the beginning of the world, of sin, of God’s promise of redemption, and of the nation of Israel, whom God chose as His people.

reliable and accessible

Importantly, Steinmann adopts the traditional literal ‘solar day’ view advocated by Young Earth Creationists.

Each pericope or section of text is treated with three separate sections: (1) Context, (2) Comment, and (3) Meaning. The Context section discusses the historical and literary context of the particular section of text. The Comment section provides more detailed commentary on the text itself. Though all verses in the text are covered, it is not strictly a verse-by-verse commentary. Given that this commentary is pitched at pastors and laymen rather than other scholars, there is no detailed Hebrew exegesis, though the author does make occasional reference to key Hebrew words and terms, along with clear explanations. Finally, the Meaning section offers a brief summary and meaning of the text, along with any theological notions and implications.

Numerous ‘Additional Notes’ that discuss a particular topic, idea, or interpretation in more detail also appear throughout the commentary. Topics include ‘The seven days of creation, ‘Knowledge of the name Yahweh in Genesis’, and ‘The ages of the persons in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11’.

Steinmann points to the notion of ‘God’s Chosen People’ as a prominent theme throughout the book of Genesis. God chooses his people by favouring a particular line of descendants. God chooses Seth over Cain, Shem over his brothers, Jacob (renamed Israel) over Esau. Because you have put your trust in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, God chooses you and has at least one important task for you to do.

‘Justification by faith’ is another important theme and is clearly demonstrated in the life of Abraham. Abraham believed in the gracious promise of God that through him and his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Despite Abraham not understanding how this prophecy would be fulfilled through the incarnation and death of Christ, he still trusts in God’s grace and promises: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Indeed, Hebrews 11 also indicates that Abel, Enoch, and Noah were also righteous through faith.

Steinmann’s commentary is an order of magnitude better than Derek Kidner’s previous volume on Genesis in this series. It contains clear and generally accurate historical and theological explanations of the book of Genesis. This is the purpose and goal of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series. Although the author often makes reference to Hebrew words and other ancient Near Eastern cognates, you will not find technical discussions of Hebrew grammar and linguistics. What you will find is a concise, reliable commentary on the text of Genesis that is also accessible to the busy pastor and preaching layman.

The book is thoroughly reviewed by Andrew S. Kulikovsky in the latest edition of Journal of Creation http://www.creation.com. The above is extracted from that review.

HOW WE FIND SPIRITUAL REST

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How Can We Find Spiritual Rest? | by Samuel Annesley (c. 1620–1696)

How can we live with a conscience that is brought to a place of peace/tranquillity by the shed blood of Christ?

Christians, be persuaded to practice these:

1. Deal with SIN, count no sin small.

2. Know the healing and practice of repentance.

available on Amazon or from me ron@bakb.com.au

3. Live Eternal Now, ready for Jesus return. You cannot deceive Him, for He is Infinite Wisdom; you cannot fly from Him, for He is everywhere; you cannot bribe Him, for He is Righteousness itself.

4. Be serious and frequent in the examination of your heart and life. This is necessary to the getting and keeping of a right and peaceable conscience, that it is impossible to have either without it. 

5. Be in prayer, in all manner of prayer, but especially in private prayer. 

6. Let your whole life be a preparation for serving in Jesus soon coming Millennial Kingdom. Divest yourself of today’s religion and its practices. Pleasures may tickle you for a while; but they have an heart-aching farewell. You may call your riches good; but ultimately what good will they do you? Men may flatter you for your greatness; but with God your account will be the greater. 

7. Live more upon Christ than upon inherent grace. Do not venture upon sin because Christ has purchased a pardon; that is a most horrible and irreverent abuse of Christ. 

8. Be, every way, nothing in your own eyes. It is the humble soul that thrives exceedingly. “And, indeed! what have we to be proud of?

9. Entertain good thoughts of God. We never arrive to any considerable holiness or peace till we lose ourselves in His divinity and all that encompasses.

10. Do all you do out of love for God. Spiritual love-sickness is the soul’s most healthy constitution. When love for God is the cause, means, motive, and end of all our activity then the soul takes flight towards rest.

O my soul, you are so little, why won’t you open all your little doors; why wont you extend your utmost capacity, that you may be wholly possessed, wholly satiated, wholly ravished with the sweetness of so great a love? 

O, therefore, my most loving God, I implore you, tell me what may most effectually draw out my love for you, considering all that you do for me, the positive good things I receive from you, infinite in greatness, infinite in multitude!

Extracted from an article by Puritan Samuel Annesley (1620-1696). The English has been update (thou and thee and some words e.g. impious changed). I amended 6. from preparation for heaven to preparation for serving in Jesus soon coming Millennial Kingdom.

LIFE IN CHRIST FOR YOUR FAMILY

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Seven years ago Robert and his wife Evelyn decided to take a leap of faith to leave their jobs and careers behind, trusting God to provide for them and lead them further. In this video Robert shares what happened since then and the things they learned. Living eternal now being directed by the Holy Spirit believing God’s Word.

“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:28-30

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? … But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:25-34

MORE FROM THE LAST REFORMATION MOVEMENT:

I want to say that this is not only a life Robert and his family are called to live. I believe this is a life many more people are called to live! Not that everyone should do exactly as they did, but everyone CAN do so much more than we are often doing! Start where you are! Use the free resources we have – The Kickstart Package, the online Pioneer School, etc… all the resources which are available for you to use to bear fruit!

But I also want to challenge many of you out there – I think many more people ARE called to do like Robbert and his family! We have just done a new page on TheLastReformation.com called FAMILY ON A MISSION. You can see the link here: youtu.be/lXvMqdLzGyo

On this page, you will find other stories of other people who started to see amazing fruit! What you can see is that every story is different, but every person is the same in the sense that the Holy Spirit is leading, God is providing, and there is amazing fruit!

So I want to challenge you even more, especially in the times we are living in now – don’t get old and look back at your life regretting that you did not take some big steps for Jesus! Don’t stand in front of Jesus one day when He comes back very soon, not having anything to show! Do what He has called you to do! And let us know how we can help you!