Let Freedom Ring!
True Freedom in Christ
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Jhn 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Amen and Amen! Shine Jesus Shine!
ReplyDeleteMay the truth of our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, continue to be proclaimed here at Talk Wisdom and also at Mark's Chester Street blog.
May God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
Jesus reigns! Shabbat Shalom. (ss)
Those verses are so assuring! God's Word is beautiful! How wonderful it is to realize that our Founding Fathers had such respect and reverence for God and His Word.
ReplyDeleteOur nation was founded and built upon Judeo-Christian values and ethics. I continue to pray that there will be a true revival in this country so we will move away from the cesspool of evil that is causing us to spiral down in evil and that God will bring the multitudes of people back to honoring Him and following His Word.
The verse that gives me this hope:
Jonah 3:10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. (NKJV)
Matthew Henry has a very detailed commentary about that chapter and verse over at Blue Letter Bible. It is quite long, so here is just a portion of it:
Here is I. A wonder of divine grace in the repentance and reformation of Nineveh, upon the warning given them of their destruction approaching. Verily I say unto you, we have not found so great an instance of it, no, not in Israel; and it will rise up in judgment against the men of the gospel—generation, and condemn them; for the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonas, but behold, a greater than Jonas is here, Mt. 12:41. Nay, it did condemn the impenitence and obstinacy of Israel at that time. God sent many prophets to Israel, and those well known among them to be mighty in word and deed; but to Nineveh he sent only one, and him a stranger, whose aspect was mean, we may suppose, and his bodily presence weak, especially after the fatigue of so long a journey; and yet they repented, but Israel repented not. Jonah preached but one sermon, and we do not find that he gave them any sign or wonder by the accomplishment of which his word might be confirmed; and yet they were wrought upon, while Israel continued obstinate, whose prophets chose out words wherewith to reason with them, and confirmed them by signs following. Jonah only threatened wrath and ruin; we do not find that he gave them any calls to repentance or directions how to repent, much less any encouragements to hope that they should find mercy if they did repent, and yet they repented; but Israel persisted in impertinence, though the prophets sent to them drew them with cords of a man, and with bands of love, and assured them of great things which God would do for them if they did repent and reform. Now let us see what was the method of Nineveh’s repentance, what were the steps and particular instances of it.
1. They believed God; they gave credit to the word which Jonah spoke to them in the name of God: they believed that though they had many that they called gods, yet there was but one living and true God, the sovereign Lord of all,—that to him they were accountable,—that they had sinned against him and had become obnoxious to his justice,—that this notice sent them of ruin approaching came from him, and consequently that the ruin itself would come from him at a time prefixed if it were not prevented by a timely repentance,—that he is a merciful God, and there might be some hopes of the turning away of the wrath threatened, if they did turn away from the sins for which it was threatened. Note, Those that come to God, that come back to him after they have revolted from him, must believe, must believe that he is, that he is reconcilable, that he will be theirs if they take the right course. And observe what great faith God can work by very small, weak, and unlikely means; he can bring even Ninevites by a few threatening words to be obedient to the faith. Some think the Ninevites heard, from the mariners or others, or from Jonah himself, of his being cast into the sea and delivered thence by miracle, and that this served for a confirmation of his mission, and brought them the more readily to believe God speaking by him. But of this we have no certainty. However, Christ’s resurrection, typified by that of Jonah’s, served for the confirmation of his gospel, and contributed abundantly to their great success who in his name preached repentance and remission of sins to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
II. [H]ere is a wonder of divine mercy in the sparing of these Ninevites upon their repentance (v. 10): God saw their works; he not only heard their good words, by which they professed repentance, but saw their good works, by which they brought forth fruits meet for repentance; he saw that they turned from their evil way, and that was the thing he looked for and required. If he had not seen that, their fasting and sackcloth would have been as nothing in his account. He saw there was among them a general conviction of their sins and a general resolution not to return to them, and that for some days they lived better, and there was a new face of things upon the city; and this he was well pleased with. Note, God takes notice of every instance of the reformation of sinners, even those instances that fall not under the cognizance and observation of the world. He sees who turn from their evil way and who do not, and meets those with favour that meet him in a sincere conversion. When they repent of the evil of sin committed by them he repents of the evil of judgment pronounced against them. Thus he spared Nineveh, and did not the evil which he said he would do against it. Here were no sacrifices offered to God, that we read of, to make atonement for sin, but the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, such as the Ninevites now had, it what he will not despise; it is what he will give countenance to and put honour upon.
P.S. Susan - did you notice my new sidebar list called "The Best of Talk Wisdom 2008?" One of your newsletters in on the list!
ReplyDeleteI need to create a "best of" list for 2005, 2006 and 2007. I've got my work cut out for me!
I really like this new template. I can do so much more with it! Are you used to all the 'blue' yet? heh heh
Just opened my email and see that you sent out your current newsletter! Going back to read it!
Happy 4th of July
ReplyDeleteIt's great to find sites like this that others spread the good new of Christ and also shine a light on the darkness around us.
Happy 4th to you too Christine! Thanks for sharing those wonderful scriptures showing what true freedom is all about!
ReplyDeleteHey, after fighting with blogger (they really don't like me) and not getting ANYONE to help my bug problem, I just moved everything to WordPress. You can link me to carlottamorrow.wordpress.com which blogger will pickup with the correct info.
I do miss the blog list capabilities which is a little different in wordpress with the snap pics of blogs. But overall these are two really good blog homes and I'm happy where I'm at - for now!
Now, back to writing!!!
Great post, No way could I pass this one up for the blogscan ... Christain Conservatives adopt statement of common goals, Unify behind McCain
ReplyDeleteI wish blogger had a normal track back system but I don't mind posting comments to good articles.
Dear Christine—
ReplyDeleteNo, I have not noticed the new sidebar list.
My precious “little” sister, the best of Talk Wisdom is Jesus the Messiah! He is Lord and your work in the kingdom of God via Talk Wisdom gets better and better. What a joy to watch what Jesus is doing in and through you. God has begun a good work in you that will not be complete until the Day of our Lord (PHI 1:6). Praise His Name!
It is raining in Columbia this hour and my prayer for you is that His Spirit will continue to rain down revelation knowledge to you. Much love to you and your beautiful family as we celebrate our freedom in Christ! (ss)