Good morning dear people. Pastor worry wart woke up at 2:00am did some praying and worrying, then fell asleep and so that’s why I am a bit late today. Then I look at Psalm 69 and read “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold.” Wow we can relate to that. People ridicule David for his shameless love for God when he worships Him. Yet he is undeterred, for “the Lord hears the needy”. In Jeremiah the prophet speaks judgment upon Moab, Israel’s neighbor to the NE. In chapter 48 God says their god will go into exile with them. People carried portable idols of their national god with them. In Revelation 15 we see the preparation for the seven bowls of God’s wrath. Here we see those who had been victorious over the beast, his image and his name. (They were martyred for their faith). They were given harps to celebrate a God’s coming victory. Here is possibly where the erroneous idea that we will become angels with harps in the clouds comes from. We become like Christ, angels are radically different. So we have much to look forward to as believers. God will prevail over Antichrist just as He will over this virus, in His time, and in His way. God bless all of you this day.
March 30th, 2020
Good morning dear people. I was overwhelmed by the number of birthday greetings. Thank you all so much. From Psalm 68:11 we get a verse G. F. Handel used in his Messiah Choral. Also in verse 35 a line from a contemporary song “How awesome is our God” In Jeremiah 47 the prophet begins to speak against the other nations around Israel. The Philistines are told that the Lord is about to destroy them. In Revelation 14 the Lamb and the 144,000 have a special relationship as opposed to those who have the mark of the Beast. Three angels announce the coming fall of Babylon the Great. The sharp sickel of God’s wrath is going to “harvest the earth,” and the blood will cover approximately 180 miles of land as high as a horses’ bridle.” God is in charge and He will judge those who oppose Him and gladly show grace to those who repent and embrace Jesus Christ as their one and only savior. Let’s pray daily for our leaders that they can get just a little bit of the wisdom God gave Solomon. God bless you all.
March 29th, 2020
Good morning dear people. A Sunday Psalm as I am preaching today. Psalm 67 “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us.” David wants God’s actions and offer of salvation known on earth. Praise gladness and joy come from believing in Jesus. May you all have a blessed Sunday and pray our livestream goes well on the Faith Bible Rio Facebook page. “Now if it could only make me look younger and taller.”
March 28th, 2020
Good Saturday morning dear people. “Shout with joy to God,all the earth,”is David’s declaration to the people in Psalm 66. David later states “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” Are you “cherishing” sin in your heart? We all sin but if we love a particular sin God is not going to answer your prayer because it will be “double minded” as James states in James 1:2-16. The people who follow the beast in Rev. 13 are not double minded they say confidently “Who is like the Beast? Who can make war against him.” Confidence in earthly leaders who boldly speak against the one true God is always misplaced. In Jeremiah God speaks against Egypt and her futile efforts against Babylon. God promises future deliverance after a time of just discipline. God is in charge not you or me. Rest in His love. God bless you all.
March 27th, 2020
Good morning. The sun is shining through the clouds. Psalm 65 is a song of praise. “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.” What a marvelous promise. This whole Psalm is of praise and God’s earthly blessings. I thought of Beethoven’s “Pastoral” as I read and observed the rising sun. In Jeremiah 45 we have God’s declaration to Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary. God tells him not to seek great things for himself. He will simply escape with his life in the coming disaster. Then in Revelation 12 we have the dragon and the woman (Israel) on the earth and Satan’s expulsion from heaven. Good for heaven but woe upon the earth because Satan knows”that his time is short.” God bless you as we endure by God’s Grace only inconvenience and not job loss, sickness, or death.
March 26th, 2020
Good morning dear people. I miss meeting with people. My Thursday morning study, my church, my Sunday School class, my Tuesday study and my Wednesday evening class. As promised the two witnesses and the seventh seal. During the tribulation the two witnesses will be able to freely preach the gospel no matter the opposition for 1,260 days. Who are they? The Bible does not say. Some say Enoch from before the flood and Elijah since neither of them died. Some say Moses and Elijah (poor Elijah, it seems people want him to die). But that is all speculation. Like the witnesses it would make sense that they are Jewish believers but beyond that we do not know. But they are a woe upon the followers of the beast who celebrate their death. But in Rev. 11:15 we see that “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, an He shall reign for ever and ever.” Just typing that phrase gives me goose bumps and brings a tear of awe to my eye. God bless all of you in this unique time of trial.
March 25th, 2020
Good morning. The photo I put on Facebook was from 5 years ago. I am not skilled in photo sharing. In Psalm 63 David is focused on God as he is trying to keep away from Saul. In verse one he says O God you are my God. Every believer can say the same thing with confidence. In verse 3 he says “Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.” David was surrounded by enemies yet he trusted in God. In Jeremiah 43 we see the reaction to the word of the Lord which Jeremiah gave, they said “You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you.” Everything Jeremiah had prophesied had come true. Yet because he did not tell them what they wanted to hear they called him a liar and a false prophet. Let’s not imitate that attitude toward God. I will focus on Revelation 11 exclusively tomorrow since it is a well known passage and distorted by many. God bless you all.
March 24th, 2020
Good morning. From Psalm 62, a psalm that has it’s lyrics in modern Christian music. “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” David says this because many around him say one thing with their mouth and quite another in their heart. In Jeremiah 42 the people ask Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord for them. Jeremiah does not hear from the Lord until 10 days latter. No matter the urgency of the moment God does not submit to our time table. Tomorrow we will see if they heed The Lord’s council through Jeremiah. Finally in Revelation we have in chapter 10, a pause in the judgments, and an angel comes with a little scroll he tells John to eat. It tastes sweet in the mouth but sours the stomach. The word of God is sweet but the judgments are severe. John did not write what the 7 thunders are so don’t believe any preacher or author who says they know what they are. God bless all of you in this difficult time.
March 23rd, 2020
Good morning. Our first live stream event went well. Thanks to Greg and Chelsea getting it all set up on the church’s Facebook page. Today I read Ps 61 where David says “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.” God does listen but answers in His way not mine or yours. In Jeremiah 41 the new governor is assassinated and much blood is shed amidst the political turmoil. A crisis brings out the worst in people at times as well as the best. And in Revelation 9 the last three trumpets are called Woes. The demonic locust plague only happens to those who “did not have the seal of God in their foreheads.” That seal was put there by God not men. Why was this happening? Read Rev. 9:20&21. God will hear your cry, He does not change. God bless you all.
March 22nd, 2020
Just a thought from Psalm 60. “O God…You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking.” “Save us and help us with your right hand that those you love may be delivered.” This seems very appropriate for our time. David’s enemies were very visible unlike ours at this moment. God is over our enemies today as well. We are live streaming from the Faith Bible Church Facebook page in Rio. If you can’t join us you can listen from the church’s website at fbcrio.org God Bless