Today, Good Friday, let us look at the trial of Jesus. In John 18:19 we see John’s brief account of Christ’s trial before the high priest. In 18:28 we see the beginning of the trial before Pilate. John wants to show that even the Roman Governor has declared Jesus innocent. John also points out that Jesus is truth (John 14:1-6) and how He tells Pilate how every one who is on the side of truth listens to Him, verse 37 of chapter 18. Let us rejoice in the truth of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection this Easter season. Let us not be as cynical as Pilate who is famous for his doubt of truth’s existence when right in front of him stood the Lord of glory looking like an ordinary man. God bless all of you. Tonight we will live stream our Good Friday service on the Faith Bible Church Rio Facebook page at 7:00pm. Join us if you can.
April 9th, 2020
Good morning dear people. In Psalm 78 the psalmist recounts the history of Israel and how it should be taught to the children so they do not rebel as their forefathers did. But even in repentance they “flatter God with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues” The psalmist closed by telling them why David was chosen because David truly loved the Lord and was a faithful shepherd. In Lamentations the prophet recounts in chapter 4:12 how they did not believe that Jerusalem could be conquered and it was because the leaders who should have protected the righteous, killed them instead. Then in Matthew 1 we have the marvelous announcement from Isaiah that Immanuel had come. Meaning “God with us.” How marvelous that God can be with us in the midst of this crisis. God bless all of you.
April 8th, 2020
Good Wednesday morning. In Psalm 77 the Psalmist cries out to God for help. He is sleepless as he beholds God’s judgment around him. But he decides to focus on God’s help in the past. “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember you miracles of long ago.” In Lamentations 3 as Jeremiah recounts his long life of service and hardship. (His enemies made up songs mocking Jeremiah.) We see he still has hope in the Lord in verses 22&23 he says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God is always faithful even when people are not. Then we come to the last chapter of Revelation. In Rev. 22 John describes the pure river flowing from God’s throne and the promise that Jesus is coming soon. The Bible closes with a blessing and a warning. Verse 18”I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book 19 and if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from his share in the tree of life and in the city which is described in this book.” Maybe God is repaying the world for the great contempt many have for scripture? God bless you, Rev. 22:21 “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”
April 7th, 2020
Good Tuesday morning. In Psalm 76 it says in Judah God is known. The tent in Salem (Jerusalem) is a reference to the Tabernacle. It remained the focus of worship until Solomon’s temple was finished. God alone is to feared and if they had done that then what happened in Lamentations 2 would not have been pointed out again. Lam. 2:14 “The visions of your prophets are false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading.” God is very specific as to what He considers sin. Then in Rev. 21 we see the new Jerusalem coming down on the new earth where there is no more death or crying. The city with 12 gates each a single pearl is only for those who are in the Lamb’s book of life. God bless you all.
April 6th, 2020
Things got a little crazy after the video. In Psalm 75 the psalmist gives praise to God but he also points out that God chooses the appropriate time for judgment on His enemies. The wicked indeed have much to fear. In the book of Lamentations Jeremiah opens with “How deserted lies the city, once so full of people.” The war, famine, and plague had decimated rebellious Jerusalem. In Rev. 20 God speaks of the thousand year reign of Christ. The rebellion of mankind at the end of that time. In the New Testament Paul refers to believers who have died as “asleep in the Lord.” At the great White Throne the “dead” will have two witnesses against them. First their works that they thought would gain them access to heaven will be worthless. But the determining factor that throws them into the Lake of Fire is the fact that their name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life. I hope all who read this have believed in Jesus as their savior. That His blood alone saves us from our sin. God bless all of you.
April 5th, 2020
Good morning dear people. Psalm 74 is one of lament. The writer bemoans the destruction of his people and of God’s temple. “Have you rejected us forever,?” Is his question. The answer is No. Just like today when our lives are turned upside down we know this will not last forever. As we observe this Holy Week, unprecedented in our life time. Let’s follow God’s advice and “Be still and know that I am God.” God bless you all.
April 4th, 2020
Good morning dear people. I will figure out how to live stream on the Faith Bible page. Psalm 73 speaks of the Psalmist’s frustration with the prosperity of the wicked. He said he nearly slipped and lost his foothold. Why? Because his focus was on the wicked and not the Lord. In Jeremiah all who rejected Jeremiah’s words are put to death or sent into exile. The last chapter (52) records the sad end of Jerusalem and it’s temple. Revelation 19 records the celebration of the destruction of the prostitute Babylon. It ends with the birds gorging themselves on the flesh of the fallen. God bless all of you.
April 3rd, 2020
Good afternoon dear people on this third day of April 2020. In Psalm 72 we finish book 2. This Psalm is dedicated to Solomon and ends with the phrase “Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” In Jeremiah 51 the prophet continues God’s condemnation of Babylon and it’s idols. The ruins of ancient Babylon are about 20 miles away from modern Baghdad. Then in Revelation 18 we have the world’s merchants and sea men mourning the destruction of commercial Babylon in one day. We can certainly identify with that in our current crisis in the world today. God bless you all. Pastor Mike.
April 2nd, 2020
Good Thursday morning friends. In Psalm 71:20 David says “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will bring me up.” In Jeremiah 50 the prophet begins God’s condemnation of Babylon. He speaks against her idols and arrogance. He says she will be treated as she treated others. For those who oppose God and speak against His people destruction is their reward. In Revelation 17 we have the apostate world religion represented as a woman on the Beast. The inhabitants of the earth, those whose names are not written in the book of life, will be astonished. It speaks of a final world kingdom to come and how it will use the world religion, the woman on the Beast, and then destroy her. The consequences for opposing God are dire. But for the believer there is daily restoration with Christ. God bless you and strengthen you as we depend on Him for all things.
April 1st, 2020
Good Wednesday morning. Yesterday I listened to one of my favorite hymns “O God our help in ages past.” It is a hymn grounded in the reality of our frail lives and in God’s ever enduring strength. Which is what David points out in Psalm 70 “O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord do not delay”. In Jeremiah 49 he lists the nations that will not escape God’s wrath as delivered by the Babylonians. He speaks against the Ammonites first. The remains of Ammon’s capital are part of a citadel at the heart of modern Amman Jordan. In Revelation we have the worst of the plagues in the bowl judgments. When all the rivers turn to blood the angel states in Revelation 16:5-6 “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” The last verse of the chapter records the Beast followers cursing God because of these disasters. Let us praise the God who is our help through ages past and in Christ our hope for years to come. God bless you all.