God Our Judge And Refuge

God Our Judge And Refuge

Lesson written by Matthew Cortinas

Nahum 1:7-8 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

In Nahum, we see God as both a refuge and a judge. It says, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble”. But it also says, “He will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness”. Over 100 years earlier, Nineveh had repented after Jonah preached God’s forgiveness, and the land was safe. But during Nahum’s day, Nineveh was plotting “evil against the Lord”. In chapter 3 I will let you read on your own, Nahum details Nineveh’s destruction.

When a defendant stands before a judge, he or she is at the mercy of the court. If the defendant is innocent, the court should be a refuge. But if the defendant is guilty, we expect the court to exact punishment.

Jonah 3:10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Nahum 1:11-13 From you, Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the Lord and devises wicked plans.  This is what the Lord says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more.  Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”  1 Peter 2:23-24

1 Peter 2:23-24²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

²⁴ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Many people know only one side of God’s dealings with the human race but not the other. They think that He is holy and wants only to punish us, or that He is merciful and wants only to show kindness. In truth, He is a judge AND a refuge. Peter writes that Jesus “committed Himself to Him who judges righteously”. As a result, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness”.

The whole truth about God is good news! He is our judge, but because of Jesus, we can go to Him as our refuge also!!

God’s justice and mercy intersect at the cross.

Psalm 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.

Let’s ask ourselves a question... How do God`s mercy and justice work together in salvation?

 God’s justice and mercy are seemingly incompatible. After all, justice involves the dishing out of deserved punishment for wrongdoing, and mercy is all about pardon and compassion for an offender. However, these two characteristics of God do in fact form a unity within His character.

The Bible contains many references to God’s mercy. Over 290 verses in the Old Testament and 70 in the New Testament contain direct statements of the mercy of God toward His people.

God was merciful to the Ninevites who repented at the preaching of Jonah, who described God as “a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2).

 David said God is “gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in loving-kindness. The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:8–9,).

But the Bible also speaks of God’s justice and His wrath over sin. In fact, God’s perfect justice is a defining characteristic:

 “There is no God apart from me, a righteous [just] God and a Savior; there is none but me” (Isaiah 45:21).

 “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

In the New Testament, Paul details why God’s judgment is coming:

 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming” (Colossians 3:5–6).

So the Bible showcases the fact that God is merciful, but it also reveals that He is just and will

one day dispense justice on the sin of the world.

 It is a judge’s responsibility to see that the law is followed and that justice is provided. A judge who ignores the law is betraying his office. He has a sworn duty to administer the law.

*Christianity is unique in that God’s mercy is shown through His justice. There is no setting aside of justice to make room for mercy. The Christian teachings states that sin and injustice were punished at the cross of Christ and that it’s only because the penalty of sin was paid through Christ’s sacrifice, does God extend His mercy to us undeserving sinners who look to Him for salvation.

Romans 3:24-26    ²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

As Christ died for sinners, He also demonstrated God’s righteousness; His death on the cross revealed God’s justice. This is exactly what the apostle Paul says:

 “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his patient restraint he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24–26).

In other words, all the sin from Adam until the time of Christ was under the patience and mercy of God. God in His mercy chose not to punish sin, which would require an eternity in hell for all sinners, although He would have been perfectly justified in doing so!! Adam and Eve were not immediately destroyed when they ate the forbidden fruit. Instead, God planned a Redeemer.

John 3;16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

 Christ paid for every single sin ever committed; thus, God was just in punishing sin, and He can also justify sinners who receive Christ by faith (reread Romans 3:26). God’s justice and His mercy were demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. At the cross, God’s justice was poured out in FULL (upon Christ), and God’s mercy was extended in Full (to all who believe). So, God’s perfect mercy was exercised through His perfect justice!! Amen! 

Romans 8:1-2   Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.   And Paul says: in Romans 5:9

Romans 5:9  “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”

In the over all, this very generous gift was extended to ALL sinners. so how Blessed are we in the knowledge that as Believers, having been blood bought, will our Salvation be secured if we truly believe!

Lord, never let us underestimate you by seeing only ONE side of your role in our lives. Helping us enjoy your love and kindness while admitting to ourselves how much you hate sin!! The price paid by Christ was for US!! Help us to understand and appreciate your Love, Mercy and Perfect Justice!

ARE YOU DECEIVED BY LYING SPIRITS

ARE YOU DECEIVED BY LYING SPIRITS

2 Thessalonians  2: 1-3    Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

² That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

³ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Falling away means there will be a great rebellion against God, and the man of lawlessness is revealed.

2 Thessalonians 2:7   ⁷ For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one holding it back steps out of the way.

The lying spirits of Jezebel and the Anti-christ of today will lead to the man of lawlessness.

2 Thessalonians 2:11   ¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

The work that this anti-christ will do is already going on, look at America, look at the rest of the world, their eyes have been blinded to the truth.

Matthew 15:   ¹⁴ Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Our leaders are blind, and still they choose to lead, thinking they are doing the right thing. Strong delusion has been sent for eight years to let America know they need spiritual guidance to fulfill Gods great plan.

Daniel 2:21   ²¹ And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

Sometimes we wonder if God is still in control. We just had eight years of deception and lies with a leader with almost limitless powers, and all the time he was tearing America apart.

But from verse 21 we see that God is in control and he does remove kings and He does change the times, and he does set up kings as He chooses.

The foreign ministers of France and Germany are due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in Europe.

In what is being described as an ultimatum, under the radical proposals. E U countries will lose the rights to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system, or central bank.

With all those powers being transferred to brussels with a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states and control a continent wide European Army.

We are talking about a world power of the first order.

Massive amounts of young men have been entering Europe but very few of the women and children. The percentage of refugees are 72% men, 15% children, and only 13% women.

From the media images, you would think that mostly women and children are crossing into Europe… Fake news.

History proves that a country that ends up with high numbers of such individuals, men, show a dramatic increase in violent crimes.

These nations with such a high number of unattached males are more likely to engage in an aggressive military action.

These young males are the labor force that will be the army to rebuild the war-ravaged land, or the military age men to protect it.

These people are bringing the very evil they say that they are fleeing from with them.

One of the terrorist leaders said the terror attacks where good, but the way to defeat America was through immigration, and out breeding non-Muslims.

As you know Britton is also getting out of the union…NATO…

MATTHEW 24:5-7   ⁵ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

⁶ And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

⁷ For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

Nation will rise against Nation, the word translated Nation means, ethnos… from which we get the word ethnic, like ethnic cleansing.

Jesus was talking about people of groups banning toward other people or groups, not so much as a country against a country.

The migrant crisis in Europe has different ethnic groups rising up against one another across the continent.

In 2016 nationalism exploded into main stream European politics. We also saw it in the United States, the American melting pot, showing signs of desegregation. Black lives matter is a good example, also women’s rights groups.

Recently the wall street Journal said from Brexit to Trump, to the rise of Nationalists parties across Europe, the old division between left and right is giving way to a battle between self-styled patriots and confound globalists.

The word confound means to mingle and blend so that forms or natures cannot be distinguished… to throw into disorder and to confuse an oath of a bash, astonish, baffle, confuse, defeat, dismay, intermingle, mix and terrify.

The United States took in about 11,000 Syrian refugees and only 56 of the 11,000 were Christians. Even though the U.S. congress and the U.N. have officially declared that what is happening to the Christians in Syria is genocide… ethnic cleansing.

Jesus said, in the last days we would face persecution. Our Christian brothers and sisters are facing it right now.

The bible also talks about a time, when many will cease to teach and preach sound doctrine.

Last year Pope Francis accused Donald Trump of not being a Christian because of the Mexico wall. According to this pope you are saved by holding the right political view. The Vatican city is surrounded by a wall…

Ephesians   2:8-9   ⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

In December, he declared those who resisted his reform within the catholic church is being inspired by the devil.

I think we all know that we are not redeemed by political views, but by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We have entered into a new error of lawlessness, where crime is not just suffered on Bourbon Street, but in small towns and corner offices, and in the halls of government.

Jesus warned that lawlessness would be a hallmark of the last days of this age.

The great scourge of the last days is deception and delusion.

Matthew 24: 4-5   ⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

⁵ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

2 Corinthians 11:13   ¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

False prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. That is why Jesus said HEED.

2 Thessalonians 2:11   ¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Context shows that the lie referred to here is: the belief that the anti-Christ is god

Are You Living a Humble Life

Are You Living a Humble Life

2^nd Chronicles 7:14   ¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

First it says, if my people, who is the writer speaking of, what people?

Then it says who are called by my name. How do we know who are the ones called?

These particular people were the Jewish people. They were the ones God calls his own, the chosen ones.

According to Jewish tradition, the writer was Ezra, and he was writing to all of Israel.

This was written approximately four thirty BC. 2^nd chronicles relates to the time of history of Judah’s corrupt and idolatrous kings.

Solomon was a wise king, who served God and built cities. Solomon prayed and asks God to make provisions for the people when they sinned.

God answered with four conditions for forgiveness. God said, 1. Humble yourselves by admitting your sins, 2. Pray to God asking him for forgiveness.

3. Seek God continually, 4. Turn away from sinful behavior.

True repentance is more than talk, it is changed behavior.

Whether we sin as individuals or as a group or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness

God will always answer our earnest prayers.

Today we have a new covenant called the covenant of grace through Christ Jesus.

We are called the redeemed children of God and heirs of God through the finished work at the cross.

We are to humble ourself to the one that became humble, Jesus Christ.

Being humble is to be submissive to the divine will of God.

God plainly set forth certain conditions for Solomon to meet if he wanted the kingdom to continue. If Solomon followed God, he and his descendants would prosper.

3 John 1:2   ² Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

If we will humble ourselves and be submissive to God and his divine word, we and our descendants will prosper and be in health.

God’s rules have never changed, it didn’t change for Solomon and the rules are not going to change for us.

James 4:10   ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

If we want God to lift us up we must humble ourselves and draw near to the things of God, and he will draw near to you.

God told Solomon if he didn’t follow these conditions that He had set before him, he and the nation of Israel would be destroyed.

In Duet. 27-28 these conditions were outlined before all the people of Israel.

Solomon eventually turned from God and as result his son and heir lost most of the kingdom.

Following God and humbling ourselves to Him brings benefits and rewards.

Turning away from God can bring suffering, punishment and ultimately destruction.

Today, Gods conditions are just as clear as they were in Solomon’s day.

But some how a lot of us including Believers seem to think they can live the way they want and God will overlook it.

It is really difficult for us to imagine that such a great and wise king that God had richly blessed could become corrupted by idols, symbols of power, prosperity and sexual perversion.

It is the same today; people are lured into some of the same evil traps.

When we allow any desire to rival Gods proper place in our heart we have taken the first step toward moral and spiritual decay.

Be humble in Gods grace, keep praying and reading his word. Trust in God.

Being good does not make you humble, being humble makes you good.

Are you entertaining Angels Unaware

Are you entertaining Angels Unaware

As I look around our world today it is hard to recognize it as a safe place to live. I think we can all agree that we need the Lords continual protection: at home, on the job and on the road. For the believers, there are many scriptures promising God can and will protect us.

We can call on angels in the name of the Lord for protection with a simple prayer. The Lord is quick to send

Angels are involved in our lives on a personal and practical level. How ever there are things that we do that
Angelic messengers are special messengers from God, appointed by God himself. The most common angels are called ministering spirits.
They go forth according to the purposes of God to complete a specific work, task or assignment from the Lord.

Exodus 23:20-23 says… “Behold I send an angel before you to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Be aware of him and obey his voice, do not provoke him for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. But if you indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries, for my angel will go before you.”

There is a special angel. Not a normal fighting angel. This angel was more than a regular angel, this very well could have been Jesus. Jesus seen in his pre-incarnate state as the angel of the Lord.

Negative words or wrong speaking can offend the angels. The angels of the Lord are commissioned to listen to and be obedient to the voice of His word. It is the word of God that moves the angels into action.

I believe that in the same way, man’s disobedience can cause them to with hold their protection.

Unbelief will offend the angels, when you speak unbelief, you are saying what God promised and Christ on the cross wasn’t enough.

Sin offends your angels, when we speak of sin, we think of sexual immorality, stealing, lying, murder and so on. But remember that complaining, criticizing or speaking negative things of the spirit of God is also a sin. Not giving God the glory can offend the angels of the Lord.

Each and every day we should praise God for the gift of the day, and thank him for just being our God. Taking the time to give Him all the glory.

Disobedience to the word can offend your angels. God does not work through disobedience. He works through our obedience to his word and through our faith. When we are sinning and disobedient our angels are silent. They turn their backs away from us with their arms folded and their heads bowed.

Here is what to do if you have sinned and offended your angels… confess your sin and repent. In repentance you turn away from sin and do your best to walk with the Lord daily.

Be quick to forgive others that have wronged you in some way, If you won’t forgive others it puts the Lord in the position of not being able to hear your prayers. We must forgive to get forgiveness.

In the midst of all the things that can go wrong in our daily lives we need our angels to protect us and our family. Which they will do. Call on them In Jesus name… pray, study the word, love God with your whole heart, this is the way to Gods protection.

Live close to the Lord in confidence in these perilous times. He will shower us with His love and protection. Life will be better and full of the joy of the Lord.

Blessed and Highly Favored

Blessed and Highly Favored

We have experience this blessed and highly favored over the past few months. God has been so good to us. Let me explain.

We put our home on the market one day a couple of months ago so we could move to a dryer climate. It was for many reason, one being we felt God wanted us where we are now.

We put our house on the market one evening at 5 Pm. Ready to wait for just the right buyer to find our house and love it as much as we do. The very next day, 18 hours later we got a full price offer for our home.

We knew it was blessing of God. We knew he has found favor with us. We met the woman who bought our house and we knew God had blessed her too… she had been looking for a home for six months. Waiting for just the right home. Thank you, God.

It took an unusual length of time for the house to close. I kept trusting God and knew it was all in His hands. Finally, that day came when we went to closing… it was on Friday, we spent one last night in our beloved home.

The next morning, we were up and ready to go on our great adventure to find our next home. We drove for three days to get to our little town in the Arizona desert. Exhausted we stopped at a hotel at ten A.M. wanting nothing more than a hot shower a change of clothes and to go start searching for our new home. The hotel didn’t let new customers come in until 3 pm. 

We decided to go to see some of the homes we had found online. The first one we looked at ticked off all the things we wanted in our new home. We made an offer on it that day, went to the bank and paid it off. Three days later we started moving our stuff in… Praise God for His favor.

Our furniture from home should be here in a week from today… Thank you God, all is well. Praise your holy name….

FOR THE BELIEVER

The power of prayer is no more or less than the mighty power of God released through the life of a person who stops being an obstacle of God. The power is God’s alone.

People mistakenly credit spiritual gain and victory to their prayer. True prayer releases the power to bring these results about. God is the source of that power.

This should add great depth of meaning to our prayer life.

If the power of prayer is truly the power of God (and it is) then prayer is power unlimited.

Truly there is enough of Gods power available to answer every prayer prayed.

If one could estimate the weight of the world, tell the size of the Holy City, count the stars of heaven, measure the speed of lightening and tell the time of the rising and setting sun, you still couldn’t come close to estimating the power of prayer.

Prayer is as vast as God, because he is the one behind it. Prayer is as mighty as God because he has committed himself to answer it.

James 5: 14-16   ¹⁴ Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

There is no situation or problem too great for the power of prayer. It leads to all blessings, taps into all of Gods power, and brings the prayer warrior into the very presence of God himself.

Here are the vast possibilities of prayer: wisdom knowledge, holiness, also all of heaven is at the command of our prayers.

The power of prayer is largely untapped by the church today.

The power of prayer is not a hidden power. It is in the believers, waiting only to be unharnessed.

Remember Jesus lives in us and he has all power in heaven and earth.

Matthew 28:18   ¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

John 3:35   ³⁵ The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

Jeremiah 33: 3    ³ Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Prayer is the power that moves the hand of God.

It is the hand that strikes down Satan, and breaks the burden of sin.

Prayer does more than effect the person who prays, but prayer also reaches out to God on the behalf of others.

A most vital area of an improved self is the aspect of total surrender, the need to accept God’s forgiveness.

Some Christians unfortunately have a poor self-image, because they have not fully learned to accept God’s forgiveness. Because they can’t accept their forgiveness they constantly suffer spiritually. They do not feel worthy of coming before a Holy God.

If we continually convince ourselves that we are nothing, it will be impossible for us to maintain the confidence needed to do the job God has called us to do.

Here is where prayer is so vital in conquering these dangers… the danger of an unforgiving spirit.

If we want our prayers answered, we must not have any ought against anyone.

Mark 11:25     ²⁵ And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Only in finding Gods will can we be a part of Gods unique plan for our lives. Only though Jesus Christ will we be able to make that happen.

John 14:6   ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Prayer is simply seeking Gods will by getting His views through his word. His plans carrying out those plans with His grace, his ability and his wisdom.

Seeking God through prayer only works in line with his word. The reason being is that Gods word has been settled in heaven and His word is a covenant that he made with mankind which started with Abraham.

Acts 3: 25-26   ²⁵ Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

²⁶ Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

If you need healing, see what the word says. Then go to the Father and start praising Him through the stripes of Jesus we were healed. It doesn’t say we are going to be healed.

God has already met your needs. He already knew your needs before you did.

Prayers being manifested does not happen on your holiness, it is based on your faith.

We keep thinking it is our self-righteousness that allows us to accomplish only what Jesus can accomplish.

We keep thinking if we fasted more, meditated more, and came to church more… wrong thinking.

It is all through Gods word, through faith, by Gods mercy and His grace, by your faith and believing God will do what he says he will do.

Every time we try to earn something from God it will never be enough. We keep trying to use our works to get God to do what has already been done.

Just be willing to accept what the blood of Jesus has already done.

2 Corinthians 12:9    ⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Sufficient means: enough, plenty of, ample, adequate, satisfactory, as much as needed to fill, the means of accomplishment.

Remembering always, grace makes faith takes.