All the souls whom God holds in Christ praise Him. If God holds your soul, who can teach that it can be snatched from His hands? God does not discard His people who are in Christ, for they have been bought with a great price. However, the faith of such souls will be tried by the Potter's hands that hold, shape, and refine us. If you have never praised the Lord God, I doubt that you have been secured in the hands of God through the faith that only He can give.
Psalms 66:8 KJV O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Psalms 66:16 KJV Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Part of the heat of our refining process is to purge all iniquity from our hearts. If things are a little hot for you these days, perhaps it's time for confession. No priest is required, just our High Priest.
Psalms 66:18 KJV If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Psalms 66:19 KJV But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psalms 66:20 KJV Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
The fear of people over God has always been a Christ killer and a soul thief.
Luke 22:2 KJV And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
Hmm, I wonder why?
If the Holy Spirit does not reside within your soul, other spirits will.
Luke 22:3 KJV Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
If your soul still has a price tag, it has not been bought by Christ.
Luke 22:4 KJV And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.
Luke 22:5 KJV And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
Luke 22:6 KJV And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
The omniscience of God knows every step we will take in this life, even before we were born. The will of man never takes the will of God by surprise.
Luke 22:10 KJV And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
Luke 22:11 KJV And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
Luke 22:12 KJV And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.
The Word of God never fails.
Luke 22:13 KJV And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
If Jesus called the cup of the Last Supper the 'fruit of the vine' that symbolized His blood in remembrance, why would anyone claim it's His actual blood, no matter if hocus-pocus words like 'transubstantiation' are used or not?
Luke 22:17 KJV And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Luke 22:18 KJV For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
Luke 22:19 KJV And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luke 22:20 KJV Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Betrayers of Christ participate in communion too.
Luke 22:21 KJV But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
Luke 22:22 KJV And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
I am not here to make myself great. My purpose is to proclaim the greatness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – my Lord and my God – by sharing the name of Jesus Christ. You can keep the political strife and drama; it has its own reward.
Luke 22:24 KJV And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
The servants of Christ who serve His people are the benefactors of the Kingdom of God, not those who believe they are lords over Christ and His work, or even worse, those who are antichrist. If the Word of God judges the twelve tribes in the kingdom, it should judge them here on earth. Such tribes are never above the Law of God and His Word. Stop treating those who claim to be Jews from the twelve tribes as if they were above God's judgment. No wonder the major and minor prophets, as well as John 8 and Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, are rarely – if ever – preached by dispensationalists.
Luke 22:25 KJV And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luke 22:26 KJV But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luke 22:27 KJV For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
Luke 22:28 KJV Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luke 22:29 KJV And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luke 22:30 KJV That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
If Jesus has prayed for you, your faith will never fail, because it is His faith that has been gifted to you. Nevertheless, this gift of faith is often tested against our will. Our will often fails, as in Peter's denial, but our faith always brings us back, always leading us to repentance. Mock such repentance if you will, child of hell.
Luke 22:31 KJV And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luke 22:32 KJV But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
There is a time for swords and a time for sandals. We may choose each brand, but we never choose the time, unless we choose to resist the Almighty.
Luke 22:35 KJV And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Luke 22:36 KJV Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Luke 22:37 KJV For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
Luke 22:38 KJV And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
If you fall to temptation today, it's likely because you haven't prayed to avoid it. Are you above our Master, Jesus Christ, who never sinned yet still faced temptation?
Luke 22:40 KJV And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
Luke 22:41 KJV And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Luke 22:42 KJV Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
If temptation is strong, pray more, knowing that God and His armies are stronger.
Luke 22:43 KJV And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
Luke 22:44 KJV And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Prayer, not sleep, is our only escape from temptation.
Luke 22:45 KJV And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
Luke 22:46 KJV And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Just because you kiss Jesus with your lips doesn't mean you know Him with your heart. Such kisses are deadly.
Luke 22:47 KJV And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
Luke 22:48 KJV But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
The Lord even protects us from our own stupidity and zeal that is not according to knowledge.
Luke 22:49 KJV When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
Luke 22:50 KJV And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
Luke 22:51 KJV And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
The hour and power of darkness are held on a leash until the Lord releases them. The Father unleashed them upon His Son for our sake; why should we surrender our lives to such darkness any further?
Luke 22:52 KJV Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
Luke 22:53 KJV When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
If Peter is your rock, you'll deny Christ too.
Luke 22:60 KJV And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
Luke 22:61 KJV And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Luke 22:62 KJV And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
As they continue to do so today. Mock if you will, child of hell… judgment is coming.
Luke 22:63 KJV And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
Luke 22:64 KJV And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
Luke 22:65 KJV And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.
They (the Jews) crucified Jesus for the blasphemous claim of being God. You can deny that He is God, but do so at your own peril, just as they did, unless you repent.
Luke 22:66 KJV And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,
Luke 22:67 KJV Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
Luke 22:68 KJV And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Luke 22:69 KJV Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
Luke 22:70 KJV Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.
Luke 22:71 KJV And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.
Preacher of truth and righteousness, they do not murmur against you; they murmur against God.
Exodus 16:2 KJV And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
God's ear is not deaf to our faithlessness. May He hear our praise and thankfulness instead.
Exodus 16:9 KJV And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.
God provides, and man wastes.
Exodus 16:20 KJV Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
Exodus 16:21 KJV And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
Every man falls short of God's laws and commandments, except for Jesus Christ.
Exodus 16:28 KJV And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
I know who my Deliverer is; do you?
Job 33:28 KJV He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
Father, lead us not into temptation today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.