HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

PSALM 136: 1

"Give thanks to the Lord,  for He is good.   HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!"

Can you think of anything in this world that last forever?  Not even the pyramids will last forever.  How about Hollywood marriages, how long do they last?  How about the winning ways of any sports team.  Today's winner is tomorrows loser.  How about your youth, strength and memory, have you noticed any changes yet?  How about those cars and homes that we loved so dearly, what is their condition?  Everything physical deteriorates as time goes by, like our computers.  Even the earth is in entropy, slowly losing its energy as the sun winds down heading toward its termination point.  Things are in a state of collapse, not in a state of growth.  The point is that nothing lasts forever, or does it?

We should all "give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!"   The Lord's mercy and loving kindness endure throughout all time.  Think about it, there is something that has and will last for all time.  God and His Love endure forever.  The Lord who was from the beginning and will never end will continue to show His Love, Mercy, kindness and goodness to us.  His love will never dissipate or lessen, it lasts forever.  What a great comfort we can derive from knowing this, that while everything around us is falling apart and coming to an end, the Love of our God endures and will surround us forever.  Thank you Lord Jesus Christ!

Our One Truth Today is found in Psalm 136 and is repeated so that even a slow learner can grasp the message.  We can conclude that the message and the truth that is put forward is that, HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!  This should not be lost on anyone.  God's love endures forever.  God's loving kindness is everlasting.  His mercy is new every day and never ends.  Can you think of anything that lasts forever now?  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

THE SAME FOREVER!

HEBREWS 13: 8

"Jesus Christ is THE SAME, yesterday, today and FOREVER!"

The only thing that is constant is change.  Here today and gone tomorrow.  If you do not like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will change.  Can you think of anything here on earth that is not changing, no matter how slowly?  How about your body, is it changing?  How about the country and city that you live in, has it changed?  Even the heavenly bodies are changing and it can be measured.  What in the world is it that we can count on as never changing?  What can we be assured of that will remain constant?  The only answer is God.  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever".

Have you noticed that most people do not like change?  Most of us do not want to move or take on a new job, or make new friends.  Internally there is a desire for stability and constant reliability.  We do not want constant flux and or motion but prefer a rock like dependable life. That creates a real problem because nothing is constant or stable and everything in this life is subject to change.  Anger, tears and fear are created when we are forced to change our lives. The One Truth Today can bring us all peace and contentment if we are a child of God and have accepted Him into our hearts and lives.  The Lord Jesus Christ never changes!

Jesus Christ was from the beginning, even before time as we know it began.  He came to earth and lived among us for a time and then ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us.  There is so much proof of His existence and life that it is irrefutable.  Only a fool would say in his heart that there is no God and Jesus never existed.  Jesus had no beginning and He has no end, only we here on earth are subject to constant change.  God remains the same forever and is not subject to the elements and time continuum that He spoke into existence.  God is eternal and because of Him we can have eternal life with Him.  That is the "Good News" that we have all heard and understood.  You can rely on the Word of God and promise of Jesus Christ because they will never change.  Jesus Christ is THE SAME FOREVER!  

THE LORD'S DISCIPLINE!

HEBREWS 12: 5

"Have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His child?  Do not make light of THE LORD'S DISCIPLINE,  and do not give up when He corrects you.  For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child!"

Do you discipline your children?  Do you love your children?  Why do good parents teach, instruct and discipline their children?  When your parents disciplined you did  you interpret that correction as hatred or a lack of love on their part?  Children do not stop loving their parents when they are disciplined for they know that it is for their protection and edification.  Parents acts are meant to save their children from harm and even to save their lives.  Many forms of discipline are really acts of encouragement and love intended to teach responsibility and to correct a wrong course into a right one.  You have a Father and His name is God.  He is like your earthly parents in that He encourages you with His Word and He disciplines you because He Loves you.  He has a right to punish you if you do wrong for you correction and benefit.  

We must never forget the Divine Word of God and we should welcome and encourage discipline on ourselves and our children.  God always has a good reason to address us and teach us and instruct us.  Do not reject this discipline or act with scorn or fail to submit to His correction.  If we do not heed the correction we are choosing the wrong path and will have to have further discipline.  Do not give up or lose courage when you are reproved or corrected because it is proof that God Loves You.  The Lord disciplines the ones He Loves!

The Lord's desire is that everyone open the door to their heart and invite Him in to dwell with them.  The Lord welcomes all to His heart and makes them His child.  He accepts the role as our Father and because He cares about us He will discipline us.  He scourges or punishes every child who deserves it.  Any good parent would do the same.  Lack of discipline is Lack of Love.  If you care about someone you want to teach and protect them.  If you are a child of God you know that He loves you, now and for eternity.  Do not make light of His discipline and when it occurs in your life, stop and listen and learn the lesson He is teaching you.   We should invite and encourage THE LORD'S DISCIPLINE! 

TRUE WISDOM!

PSALM 111: 10

"Fear of the Lord is the foundation of  TRUE WISDOM.  All who obey His commandments will grow in Wisdom!"

Have you ever been amazed at the amount of knowledge certain contestants have on quiz shows?  In order to win the $64,000.00 question you have to know the right answer.  Do you think that because someone wins the quiz prize they are wise?  TRUE WISDOM is quite another thing from accumulated knowledge and rote answers.  If a person has a number of degrees from Universities or colleges must we conclude that they are wise?  When you hear politicians pontificate and try to lead their people must we follow them because we believe they are wise?  We can not afford to be fooled by the worldly knowledge of men and we must never forget the they have failed to end wars, cure disease, or bring peace to all men!  All the collection of men and their knowledge has never equalled TRUE WISDOM!

There is only one foundation and one cornerstone for TRUE WISDOM.  That is Jesus Christ the Lord God and His Word.  The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom!  What is the prerequisite and first essential element of wisdom?  What must proceed everything else in being wise?  The fear, knowledge and love of the Lord God must be the first thing in everything.  How will you know if you fear God.  You will follow His Laws and commandments and you will learn and live out His Word.  In short you will do His will and walk in His ways and make a straight path to God!  If you are doing these things you will also have TRUE WISDOM!

Before you believe in any political leader, professor, or authority ask yourself this one question.  Do they fear  God?  Do they Love and serve God?  Do they know and understand and live their life with God as the foundation of all true wisdom?  Do they obey His commandments and laws?  If they do not fear the Lord then they do not have even the beginning of wisdom and they do not deserve our allegiance.  We must never be fooled, a truly wise person fears and praises the Lord and will endure with Him forever.  There are only two groups of people in the world, those that fear God and believe in Him, and those who do not know or fear God and reject Him.  TRUE WISDOM is found only in those that fear, know and love the Lord! 

DEFINE FAITH!

HEBREWS 11: 1

"FAITH is confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;  FAITH gives us assurance about the things we can not see."

Do you only believe the things that are subject to your five senses?  If you can not see it, or touch it, or smell it, or hear it, or taste it, then does it really not exist to you?  Spiritual things may be a problem for you in that love and God may be difficult for you to analyze with your senses.  All those who lived and waited for the coming of Jesus Christ, their Messiah, had to have FAITH!   Then the Lord Jesus Christ came and for a generation, people were able to see, touch, smell, hear and taste the sweetness of the Lord.  Since His death and Resurrection all people have not had that experience or pleasure.  Once again our bond with the Lord is one of FAITH! The definition of faith is believing and perceiving as a real fact that which is not revealed to your senses.  Do you have FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Do you have confidence as a child of God that your eternal future in heaven is certain?  Do  you hold the deed to your heavenly home even though you have not taken possession?  Do you trust the Word of God and have full assurance and confidence that what He promised He will deliver?  Some people believe that heaven is pie in the sky and they do not believe God or His promises.  They do not have FAITH!  They can not grasp the substance of things hoped for and they do not believe the evidence of things that are not seen or made clear to their senses.  Even though some promises have not been revealed to our senses, as believers' we perceive them as fact and are confident that what we hope for will actually happen.  Believers' are sure about the things they can not see when it come to the promises of the Lord!  Because of God we have FAITH!

Based on your past experience do you believe that the sun will rise in the morning and set in the evening?  That future action is not based on your senses, but instead on your belief and faith that what has occurred in the past will occur in the future.  Repetition builds a muscle of memory and expectancy.  You have confidence that what you believe and hope for will actually happen, the sun will come up.  You have the assurance of your past memories and what you have experienced, even about things you have not seen or sensed.  That is FAITH!  It is funny that non believers' will exhibit faith about so many earthly things but fail to understand the truth and promises of God.  They fail to trust God and His Word and His Son who came to earth and left us His Story.  It is not blind faith that empowers the believers.  It is based on their spiritual sense and knowledge and  FAITH  that God and His Word can be trusted, even more than their senses!  

LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER!

HEBREWS 10: 25

"LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of Jesus return is drawing near."

Some people never go to church.  Some people go to church on Easter and Christmas day.  Some people believe that even if they are Christians that they do not have to go to church or gather together as believers.  What do you believe?  The One Truth Today is clear, we should not neglect our meeting together, especially now that the day of the return of Jesus Christ is drawing near.  It is not good to be a closet or secret Christian.  Jesus died for us publicly and He requires that we acknowledge Him publicly.  We must profess our love for Him.  There have been circumstances when you life or security may be at stake to profess your Christianity and even under those circumstances we need to meet together with other believers.  Until His return we need to assemble and worship God.

We are not to forsake one another or neglect the gathering together of the believers.  If you avoid church no excuse will excuse His admonition.  There is great peace to be found with other believers and a joy of worship that can lift any ones spirit.  They hold us accountable to the Word of God and the Law of the Lord.  Singing alone is never as uplifting as joining in a choir of like minded Christians.  No man is an island unto himself and you are no exception.  There is safety and security in being a part of a body of believers.  LET US NOT NEGLECT MEETING TOGETHER!

The outside world is becoming more evil and dangerous every day but the sanctuary of the church is impenetrable.  God's house is a Rock to take a stand on.  Good decisions require good counselors and they are found in a good church.  If you draw away into seclusion you will find it a lonely and depressing place.  Instead maintain the joy of your first love and meet with those who have the same love, Jesus Christ the Lord God.  The Lord is returning soon and all the more reason to be with like minded Christian brothers and sisters.  Lets get together!

SAVE THE CHILDREN!

PROVERBS 23: 13-14

"Do not fail to discipline your children.  They will not die if you spank them.  Physical discipline may well SAVE THEM FROM DEATH!"

Dr. Spock had an impact on our society that is prevalent even to this day.  In fact it is now permeating the entire world.  It is now unacceptable to use any kind of physical force to discipline our children.  In order to correct bad behavior any method is used as long as it does not include spanking!  How about you, are you afraid to use physical force such as spanking your child to discipline them?  Has the world made us afraid to invoke the Word of God and the One Truth Today that we must not fail to discipline our children.  God tells us our children will not die if we spank them and this type of physical discipline may well save them from death!

The Word tells us that to "spare the rod is to spoil the child".  We need to listen and hear the Word of God for it does not agree with Dr. Spock and those like him.  By not using physical discipline, specifically spanking your child, you only intensify their eventual punishment for bad behavior.  Bad behavior leads to consequences that demand a reaction and discipline that will be applied by a higher authority than you or your child.  You are not avoiding pain for your child by withholding physical discipline, in fact, you are escalating the consequences and punishment for their behavior.  Your minor spanking in their early years can avoid the pain and escalating punishment of society in their later years.  Jail and the death penalty are some of the consequences of escalating bad behavior administered by society.  

Do you love your child enough to do your Godly duty as a parent?  Have you let this lost world and its sinful nature to control your authority as a good parent to administer discipline?  We all know that it hurts the parent more than the child for a spanking to be administered.  We also know that idle threats of discipline that are never administered are ignored and become more dangerous to a child left unpunished.  We would never agree to abusive discipline and excessive physical punishment on children, but, they will not die if we spank them.  In fact God argues that physical punishment may well save our children from death.  If they continue to ignore your directions and enter the streets, a spanking may prevent their death by an automobile.  If they do not heed your admonition to avoid danger a spanking may save them from an ignoble death.  You have a responsibility to SAVE THE CHILDREN!