4-15-06 Acts 2:36

Acts 2:36 (KJ21)
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Acts 2:36 (NAS)
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified."

Acts 2:36 (NIVUS)
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Acts 2:36 (NLT)
So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!"

There has always been controversy over who Jesus Christ really was and is. Today there are still people who want to discredit Him. You may even find that your faith is wavering as you listen to fictional theories that others are proposing. However, if you turn to the word of God, you will find the truth once more.

You have experienced a relationship with the Son of God. You know and perceive who He really is; therefore, let your faith remain strong and firm. You have become a part of the house of God; you are His dwelling place, just like Israel of old. Through the salvation that you have received from God, you are now a prince. You can feel safe and assured in your faith in the Lord.

Adonai, the Most High, made Jesus your salvation, through the crucifixion that He suffered. By being staked on the cross and being raised again, Jesus became Lord over death and the grave. And you have given Him the power to decide the course of your life. In hell, He bought you back from the devil and He now owns you. God anointed Him to be the Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer.

Therefore, do not waver in your belief. What you know of Jesus is true and what He has done for you is real. Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings.

4-14-06 Psalms 110:2

Psalms 110:2 (KJ21)
The LORD shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion. Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies!

Psalms 110:2 (NAS)
The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies."

Psalms 110:2 (NIVUS)
The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies.

Psalms 110:2 (NLT)
The LORD will extend your powerful dominion from Jerusalem; you will rule over your enemies.

Are you seeing trouble on every side? Are you surrounded by those who oppose you? Where do you turn? Is there escape? Yes, there is escape and not just escape but there is also victory. You find that in the Lord Jehovah, the One True Living God.

Jehovah has enemies as well, but they do not concern Him. He knows that He simply has to stretch out His staff. When He extends His rod of correction, the captives are loosed and set free. The Lord God bends down in His strength, power, and might and none can stand before Him. They know they will not prevail against Almighty God.

Adonai's scepter and rule extends even into the parched, dry places that you encounter. He has dominion over every enemy that attacks you. He will tread down those who are hostile to you. In the midst of the desert, the Lord God reigns.

4-13-06 1 Corinthians 11:8

1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJ21)
For the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish; but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NAS)
the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIVUS)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT)
I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God.

Good Friday seems like an oxymoron. It is the day when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was slain for the atonement and remission of your sins. How could this act of capital punishment be considered good? Why was this man's death any different than any other criminal that was hung on a cross?

If you preach about the cross of Christ to unbelievers, those who are totally against God and His ways, they think you silly and foolish. It is absurd to them, for they have no faith. They do not realize that they are on the road to destruction, punishment, and death. Though they think you are dull and stupid, they actually are the block-headed fools. They refuse to give heed to your reasoning and doctrine that originates in the Divine.

You, however, should not let their dim minds and dark thought influence you. You have discovered salvation and deliverance through that "foolish" Cross. You know you have been healed and made whole. The cross is your protection and life preserver. Through it, you have experienced the miracle working power of the Almighty. It has given your life meaning and abundance. You know that it is the strength and life of Adonai that always sustains you. Through the cross and the subsequent resurrection of the Son of God, you have eternal hope

4-12-06 Psalms 112:4

Psalms 112:4 (KJ21)
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness; he is gracious and full of compassion and righteous.

Psalms 112:4 (NIVUS)
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

Psalms 112:4 (NLT)
When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.

Psalms 112:4 (NAS)
Light arises in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.

Do you think that you are living in obscurity and that you are hidden in darkness? Perhaps it appears as if no one notices you and that you are unimportant. That, however, is not true. The Lord has been holding you in a secret place until the proper and fitting time. Now He will cause you to arise and will let His light shine upon you. You will be illumined like a precious treasure that has been put on display, for you are upright, pleasing, and agreeable to the Lord your God.

Adonai esteems and approves of you and has set you on a straight, level path, where you no longer stumble in the dark. He leads and directs you into the light of day, a day of prosperity.

The Lord God is gracious and shows you favor. He will always have compassion and mercy for you. He loves you deeply and has tender affection for you, for you are His righteous child.

4-11-06 Psalms 20:4

Psalms 20:4 (KJ21)
May He grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel.

Psalms 20:4 (NIVUS)
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

Psalms 20:4 (NLT)
May he grant your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.

Psalms 20:4 (NAS)
May He grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your counsel!

When you think of the Almighty God, you envision a great, powerful, and superior being. In this, your thinking is correct; however, realizing and experiencing His greatness does not mean that you cannot have an intimate and meaningful relationship with the Most High. In fact, He desires you to draw near to Him. He desires to use His power and might in your favor.

As you spend time with Adonai in worship and fellowship, you begin to to think and act more like your Father in heaven. Your dreams and desires become His dreams and desires. Therefore, when you ask for what you want and need from God, He is quick to grant it. He knows what is in your heart and He ordains, establishes, and fixes your hopes and dreams.

Fullness and abundance are what the Lord has in mind for you. He wants all of your plans and purposes to be accomplished. His best hopes are for you to be satisfied and complete in every area of your life.

4-10-06 Job 22:28

Job 22:28 (KJ21)
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Job 22:28 (NAS)
You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.

Job 22:28 (NIVUS)
What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.

Job 22:28 (NLT)
Whatever you decide to do will be accomplished, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.

There are many promises that Adonai gives you in His word and each one is something that you can claim and receive for yourself. If there is something that you are lacking, you can decree what God has uttered concerning that circumstance. If you have a dream for your future that is in line with God's will, you can snatch it for yourself, for it is what the Lord intends for you.

When your plans are in agreement with the Lord's, He will establish and confirm your decrees. You will rise up and stand; what you see for yourself will be fulfilled. The Almighty binds Himself to you in covenant.

Therefore be encouraged! Light will shine on your path. Your journey will be bright, as you spend time before God's face. His glory will illumine you and His instruction will bring you prosperity.

4-9-06 2 Corinthians 4:6

2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJ21)
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NAS)
For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIVUS)
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)
For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

When Adonai, the great and Most High God, wants something to happen, He simply opens His mouth and speaks it out. Since He is Light, He desires that His people live in light as well. He, therefore, spoke and light began to shine out of darkness. Eyes that were darkened and blind were opened. People began to recognize their ungodliness and immorality, as the light shined on them.

You are someone on whom God's light has shined. Your heart is being filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Your will and character are being formed by the Truth; daily you gain more understanding from God's word. The illumination and enlightenment that you have received gives you moral wisdom to live right.

You are beginning to see the glory, splendor, and brightness of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through His salvation, your existence and purpose have become clear. You desire to know the Almighty more and become intimate with Him. Through this intimacy you become more like Him and are able to shine His light on others who are still in darkness.