Facing Satan's Storms - Isaiah 7:1-2

And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

The Storm of Syria

The ascending raider nation of Assyria was growing stronger and stronger, threatening the security and peace of all the other surrounding nations. To counter this threat, Israel and Syria, formed an alliance. When they approached Judah, the southern Kingdom to join them, Judah refused. This may sound like an action of faith but in reality, the scornful King of Judah, Ahaz was secretly negotiated with Assyria for his own protection (2 Kings 16:1–9). He wasn’t looking to God for help, he was looking to the enemies of God.

So Syria and Israel, the northern kingdom, went up to make war against Jerusalem. The Bible says that this threat of defeat made the king and the people’s heart to move like the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. A terrible storm was approaching, and the King and people of Jerusalem were directly in the path of the storm.

The Storms of Satan

God’s people, whether they be in the Old Testament or the New Testament, are always in the path of Satan’s storms, the world’s whirlwinds and hate’s hurricanes. It was true for Jerusalem in the days of Ahaz and its true today.

Jesus warned us that we would understand why and not be overcome when the storms strike.

John 15:18-25 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

The reason the lost world hates us is because they hated Jesus and the reason, they hate Jesus is because He tore away their covering cloak and their sin is exposed. Jesus words and works exposed their sin and they hate Him. They hate Him and because we belong to him they hate God's people as well. It cannot be any other way. If we are truly God’s people then our words, reflect His words and expose their sin. Our works, as we serve the Lord, uncover their corruption and they stand guilty with no way to hide their iniquity.

We may not be facing an invading Syrian army, but we are facing an unrelenting army of of sin, perversion and hate. The storm is blowing and I can identify with the people of Jerusalem. Our nation, our families, our children our churches are in the path of Satan’s storms as God's people always have been and always will be.

What are God’s people to do during such anxious, stressful, fearful times? For the Old or New Testament saints, the answer is the same, look to the Lord and listen to His Word. His message is always one of hope. - Pastor Kris Minefee

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This was the ultimate sign from God, Immanuel meant that God would be with us. Jesus whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” was God come to us in human flesh, living on this earth without sin and then dying for us on the cross of Calvary paying the price for our justification and redemption. - Pastor Kris Minefee

https://calvarybcathens.blogsp....ot.com/2023/12/the-p

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Live Thankfully - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Third Act of Thanksgiving Living

Thankfulness reflects the attitude of our hearts, but it cannot fully be expressed or seen without an outward action. My joy may be quiet and hidden and often is seen by nothing more startling than a secret smile. My prayer can be uttered from my heart and none hear but my Lord. Thanksgiving, however, cannot be silent or hidden and still truly be thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is seen by the way in our acts of worship and our acts toward others; it is heard in the words that come from my lips and it is seen by what, how and when I give thanks. You can't hide thanksgiving, nor can you hide the unthankfulness that often replaces it.

Paul began his epistle to the church at Thessalonica by telling them in 1 Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.

Now Paul ends the epistle and tells them to give thanks in everything, every situation no matter how dire, every condition no matter how hopeless, every circumstance no matter how uncertain. In everything, everything give thanks.

Just as the exhortation to constant prayer is found throughout the scriptures so is the exhortation to the giving of thanks to God.

In the Old Testament one of the offerings you brought to the Tabernacle or Temple as a part of the Peace offering was a Thanksgiving offering, a visible act of worship presented to the Lord. Leviticus 22:29-30 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will. On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.

Psalms 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare his works with rejoicing.

Coming into the Temple grounds was to be accompanied with thanksgiving. Psalms 100:4-5 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

For the Christian, whose life and body is now the temple of the Lord, our thanksgiving, like our prayers are to be a constant and consistent attitude of our life.

Peter in his epistle says, in 1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively (living) stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” Giving thanks is one of our most vital spiritual sacrifices, an action I do for the Lord, because of what the Lord has done for me.

Thanksgiving is still seen in the throne room of heaven by those who were killed for the Lord’s name. As the world tilts on the edge of the apocalypse and God’s people are being systematically hunted down and murdered, heaven is filled with this sound in Revelation 7:9-14 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Slain for the lamb, their robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb and heaven gives thanks. That is the epitome of what Paul is telling the very young church, in everything give thanks this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you.

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Live Joyfully – 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Rejoice evermore.

First Act of Thanksgiving Living

Rejoice evermore means that my joy should be without limit. It cannot be defined by my circumstances, it cannot be stopped by my problems, it cannot be overcome by this world and its adversity.

This is the Joy of the Lord. It is not a pseudo-emotion I prop in front of my very real sorrows in order to keep up a good face. Joy is the undeniable reality of my relationship with God. I may not always be stress free in the circumstances of life I find myself in, but I can always know joy in Jesus, even in the worst circumstances of life.

Joy is a gift from the Lord, that flows with and from the gift of salvation.

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane in John 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Paul spoke of the fruit of the spirit, Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Way back in the book of Nehemiah when the wall of Jerusalem was finished, Ezra and Nehemiah called for a day of thanksgiving and celebration and they told the people in Nehemiah 8:9-10 “this day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

When we are told to “rejoice evermore” it is not a demand for pretense, ther is no place for the façade of Christian perfection we sometimes hold up as mask before the world.

This is not a command to be something you are not, or feel something that is not real. It is an exhortation, a reminder to let the Lord’s gift of joy show through. We are to uncover the wonderful, undeniable strength of God's joy in us and let it shine, like a beacon on a dark night.

What Jesus said about our light, could be also said about our joy and it would accomplish the same purpose, Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

100-year-old celebrating birthday

Passing by a table in a local restaurant, I saw a man I knew that was 99 years old and would be 100 in just a week. The restaurant had given him a small birthday cake, complete with candles and a fancy birthday hat. After they sang happy 100th birthday to him. I stopped and said to him, "Well, it seems you're out celebrating a little early, aren't you?" He looked at me and asserted, "You know, at my age, son, every day is a celebration!" - Dan Soman, Livingston, WI. Christian Reader, "Lite Fare."

And that is what we as Christians should say, “You know for me as a child of God, everyday is a celebration, every day is a joy.”

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From our Bible readings today - Nehemiah 1-4
Nehemiah 4:13-15 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

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