The Sword of the LORD

We have a friend, a dear sister in the Lord, who is going through a very difficult spiritual battle.   She has endured false accusations, lies, cursing, and isolation from a family member whom she loves.   This is one who has professed love for her in times past.   We have encouraged her as best we can with words of comfort and hope.   I know that in her mind she knows God is doing a work; but the heart, of course, would like to see a much quicker victory.   Her family member calls her from time to time only to swear at her and tear her down.   She has been tempted to reason with her loved one to try to vindicate herself in the face of the unjust accusations raised against her, but each time the Lord only gives her one thing to say: “I love you.”   After a recent episode, our friend was tempted to get on a plane, fly across the country to where her family member lives, and wrap her arms around them when they came to the door.   The Lord let her kn...

“As He [Jesus] spake these words, many believed on Him.  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free .” (John 8:30-32).   A large crowd of people had assembled to see and hear Jesus, and He sat down and began to teach them.  At one point, scripture tells us that there were many Jews who believed in Him as He spoke.  These were the ones that Jesus’ ministry was especially focused on.  These were His target audience.  He, Himself, had said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24).  What the Lord said to these new converts was critical for them to hear, but is also relevant and critical for all believers to hear, regardless of nationality or creed.  He said, “ If ye CONTINUE in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed…”  The emphasis of Jesus’ teaching in these verses ...

In the seventh chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans, the Apostle alludes to a practice that the Romans of his time would have been familiar with.   It was a form of capital punishment that was extraordinarily cruel and ghastly.   The early Etruscans had used it and, later, so did certain Roman tyrants.   The practice involved binding the condemned individual to the dead corpse of the one that he/she had murdered.   The magistrate would have the criminal tied face-to-face, hand-to-hand, and body-to-body to their murder victim.   This forced them to live out the rest of their miserable existence in that state, enduring the horrible stench and decay of the dead body.   As the corpse rotted, it would become full of disease which would infect and eventually kill the person that was bound to it.     The Greek poet Virgil in The Aeneid , Book 8,  starting on line 485 describes this form of punishment as practiced by the Etruscan king ...

“But if You can do anything , have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, " If you can believe , all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, " Lord, I believe; help my un-belief! ” (Mark 9:22-24 NKJV).    Jesus and three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, had just come down from a mountain where the Lord had been transfigured before them.  Jesus’ raiment had shined with the glory of God, and His heavenly Father had spoken from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son: hear Him .”  When they came down to join the other disciples, they found them speaking with a crowd of people.  The scribes were questioning this group about something, and when the multitude saw Jesus, they ran to Him and greeted Him.    When the Lord then asked what was happening, a man came forward and said, “Master, I have brought unto Thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and w...

“I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His [Jesus’] name’s sake.  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning.  I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.  I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning.  I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:12-14).   The story of Joseph in the Old Testament has come up a lot in our fellowship meetings recently.   We have talked about many aspects of his life, including what a perfect example he was of faith, patience, and integrity.   I see also in Joseph’s story a pattern that we can follow in order to come into spiritual maturity in Christ.   In considering the various phases of Joseph’s deve...