No Contest

Esther 3:7-11

The war between good and evil, was determined before it even began. The all-powerful God, cannot be bested on any platform, nor by any being or entity. God reigns supreme over all beings, and all things, so why does satan continue to contest His authority, knowing he already lost? That’s a valid question, deserving of a reasonable response.

While in heaven, Lucifer was blessed by God, to hold a very unique position. From his platform, the beautifully anointed cherubim, allowed pride to settle into his heart, thus initiating his eternal demise. When he fell from heaven, the devil had all intentions of rendering evil to God, for stripping him of his prestigious position. After his stupid mistake, the devil was never permitted to reside in God’s eternal glory, ever again, so the only way to get back at the Father for seemingly humiliating him, satan finds ways to use his powerful methods of deception and manipulation, to influence men to turn against God.

After easily besting the first man and woman, satan continued to cloud the judgment of men from then, until now. How sad it is, to know you missed out on your blessing, but try hard to keep others from receiving theirs. The enemy will NEVER give up, trying to block the children of God, from making it to heaven, and he’s successfully caused many to actually miss it already. The easiest way for a man to be influenced by evil is, for them to refuse, or lack the knowledge of truth. Without the truth of God’s Word, men are easy pickings for the devil to corrupt. For this reason, it’s vital for men and women of God, to deliver the unadulterated truth, so that others can easily discern when the enemy is attempting to trick, and trap them.

Walk in love,

Ell

Bow To No Man

Esther 3:1-6

As I study the Scriptures, I try to gain greater understanding of even the most simplest verses. Just because you read something a few times, doesn’t mean that God can’t reveal more revelation from that same text. I found the same to be true, as I meditated on this lesson.

There are countless things God freely gives His people, including love, joy, peace, strength, sanity, and provision, but I learned there’s one thing God will never give to another (especially not to any graven image), and that’s His glory. All glory belongs to God, and when men attempt to take glory upon themselves, they usually end up going through a season of humility. In our society, we praise and give glory to men, as if they are celestial beings, gathered around the throne of God. We stand, applaud, cheer, and treat mortal men and women, better than we honor God. That’s insane! A man can do no more for you, than what his heart will allow Him to, and most men these days are so full of themselves, until they thrive off the glory you bestow upon them.

Men with titles in churches, politicians, and even athletes, are viewed as high priority, while laymen and fans are to acknowledge their high esteem. Well, I show respect to those who deserve it, but I’ll never kiss a man’s behind, no matter who He is. Only God deserves my glory, and all my praise goes up to Him. It matters not if you’re a military general, doctor, or the president of the United States of America, I’ll never give a man the reverence that’s due to the God of all creation.

In our text, Mordecai experienced an uncomfortable situation, when he was frowned upon for not bowing to a newly appointed leader of the princes of king Ahasuerus. Haman hated the Jews, and his hatred grew more intense when he discovered that Mordecai refused to bow to him. Men who harbor burning desires to be exalted over others, are usually met with an unpleasant end. Haman was full of wrath, until he plotted to not only kill the man of God, but he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Pride and haughtiness has caused men to conjure the most brutal and horrific plots, since the beginning of time, and Haman allowed his “bigheadedness” to push his thoughts beyond the realm of morality. If you were in Mordecai’s position, would you bow to a man who sought only to swell his head from your praise? Would you risk your life, and the lives of those you love, to go against what you believe? Although it’s scary, at times, to stand for God, if you remain bold, God will ALWAYS show up, and rescue you, before the enemy has a chance to wipe you out.

Walk in love,

Ell

Do You Really Believe?

1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-14, 20-23, 42-45

Do you really believe in the resurrection of the dead? Are you totally convinced, the God who created everything, came to the earth in a flesh body, lived sinless among men, was beaten beyond belief for preaching the Gospel, took on the sins of those same men, as He willingly allowed them to nail Him to a wooden cross, and be left to die, so that everyone could be pardoned of all their iniquities?

When you tell others about Jesus, are you certain that the message you render, is mirrored by the way you live? Thinking from a carnal perspective, it would seem senseless, and futile, to believe that a man could live sinless, let alone be resurrected from the grave. But, thinking with the mind of Christ, makes it clear to understand, God has the power to do anything!

It’s hard to convince a man to believe in God, when we have yet to fully believe Him for ourselves, but when our lives are dedicated to pleasing the Father, our witness gains a more solid foundation, on which to boast in the Lord. In our text, the apostle Paul dealt with members of the Corinthian church, who refused to believe in the resurrection of the dead, despite eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Jesus. It’s hard to disprove hard evidence, especially when more than 500 people testify the same message.

Those who refuse to believe that Jesus rose from the grave, with all power, will struggle with facing death for themselves, because they’ll contemplate the fear of not knowing what will happen after they die. But, those who are in God, can rest assured, when they die, there’s a spiritual body awaiting them, as they transition to their new, and glorious home.

Walk in love,

Ell

Raised In Immortality

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

When we finally get the opportunity to see God face to face, we’ll have to be dressed appropriately for the occasion. God is omnipresent, and in all places at all times, but the very embodiment of His pure essence, resides in the kingdom of Heaven. When this earthly life is over, we’ll leave our corruptible, and mortal bodies behind, in place of new and improved incorruptible, and immortal bodies. It’ll only take a moment for God to change us into our eternal forms, so we should look forward to our expected upgrades.

While we’ve been commanded to properly care for our earthly bodies until we depart, we must not become too attached to them, and the things that bring us pleasure, because everything on this planet, will soon be destroyed. Our bodies will go back to the dust, houses, cars, money, and all those things we hold so dear, will be done away with. Some people are so into chiseling their bodies into the perfect form, until they forget to purge and purify their hearts. Others accumulate wealth, and stash it away, rather than find ways to help those in need. The church needs to wake up, and mind those things that please God, rather than themselves. We can never recover lost time, but we can take advantage of the time we have left, to get ourselves right with God. When judgment day comes, will you be sent to God’s right, or His left?

Walk in love,

Ell

Supreme Authority

1 Corinthians 15:24-28

In the beginning, was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. The holy union of God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit reigned supreme, since forever, but when God decided to create the earth, and all the inhabitants that would dwell on it, He was fully aware there would be necessary changes in the way they usually operate. God knew man would fall, and was prepared to take on man’s form, in order to redeem them from the penalty of sin. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 KJV).

Being in the form of a man, God was able to legally subdue sin, and erase the penalties attached to all who were guilty of committing offences. When Jesus died, men were free to receive repentance, and adoption into the family of God. Although salvation was made available to all men, judgment was still due to satan, and all his evil forces. As we continue to live upon the earth, the time for satan’s freedom to roam this planet, is nearly up. Men are still influenced by evil spirits, and can fall short of God’s glory. But, the time is fast approaching, when Christ will put all enemies under His feet, including the last enemy, death.

During the Millennial period, Christ will rid the world of all rebellion and wickedness, and once all things are subdued unto Him, He’ll render the earth back to God, to be restored as it once was, before sin stained it.

Aren’t you glad to know, your future is secure in God? Despite what’s going on around the world, no matter how bad it seems, Christ will make sure, all evil is dealt with. You may have been mistreated, or dealt a bad hand in this life, but if you keep your trust and hope in the Lord, you’ll have a super awesome future awaiting you!

Walk in love,

Ell

Hope Won’t Shame You

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Where does one find comfort, in a world full of chaos, and confusion? How can the believer rest assured, that all their labor in godliness, won’t be in vain? The closer we get to the second coming of Christ, the harder it seems to find peace in the earth. In God, there is an indescribable peace, that offers comfort in all situations, but when our eyes and ears receive constant negativity from media and other sources on a daily basis, it makes it more challenging to rest in the Lord. Well, there are methods that help to relax the mind, including listening to encouraging music, watching the sunrise or sunset, or enjoying the company of loved ones, but a guaranteed way to be comforted in the midst of life’s uncomfortable situations is, meditating on the Word of God.

We find in the scriptures, that our hope and trust is safe, when placed in the hand of God. God’s Word is true, and His promises and sure, so when we read the scriptures, we should be encouraged by the hope we have in Christ, despite what we see through our natural eyes.

No matter how bad this present world becomes, believers still have hope of a wonderful, and secure eternity. Unfortunately, we must endure hard times, as Jesus did, so think it not strange, when suffering is laid before us. Through Christ, we can overcome any obstacle or roadblock set in our way. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV)

Walk in love,

Ell

It Ain’t My Fault

Romans 5:12-17

The whole earth is jacked up, and out of whack, because of one man, Adam. Because of Adam’s disobedience to God, sin was granted access to inhabit God’s beautifully created planet. Not only did sin pass through earth’s gates, but death followed close behind. Sin and death were unwillingly passed upon all men, because of one man’s error. This occurrence took place nearly 6,000 years ago, yet we continue to feel the effects of it.

It’s amazing how one person’s mistake, can cause rippling effects in the lives of others. Can you recall moments in your life, when you made a decision that negatively affected not only your life, but many others as well? In the same way Adam’s decision to go against God’s Word, affected the entire earth, including man and beast, Jesus’s decision to follow-through with God’s plan also affected the earth, but in a more positive way. If Adam hadn’t sinned, then the world would be in a very different state, but if Jesus hadn’t come down to fix Adam’s error, I refuse to imagine what the state of the world would be.

Jesus came to the earth, with one goal, to redeem man back to God. Despite how hard the enemy tried to stop Him, the Son of God never wavered, nor gave in to the pressures men applied to Him. Jesus did nothing to cause the evil in the world, but He did everything to redeem man from it. There will come times in our lives, when we will have to fix situations from the mistakes of others. Whether you’re a parent cleaning up after a child, or a mentor, making amends for a mentee’s unruly behavior, we can all be like Christ, and make good of other’s bad decisions. By one man, sin came into the world, but by another man, the free gift of salvation was given, so all could be forgiven.

Walk in love,

Ell

Road To Damascus

Acts 9:1-9

Why do men reject the things they need, in place of things that cause harm to their spiritual and physical health? Many prefer to consume fast food, rather than fruits and vegetables, as their main source of consumption, while others run to hear lies and gossip, rather than truth, and sound doctrine, to satisfy their itching ears. Men seem to kill without cause, and move on, with no regrets. We live in a time where evil is promoted, and good is viewed as unpopular. One reason most people reject what’s healthy and true is, because they feel the need to satisfy their own desires, instead of submitting to the rules and standards set in place, by God. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, and we are required to maintain a healthy spiritual, and natural diet. When our desires are aligned with God’s, we will consistently make right choices, but when we submit to the will of man, we tend to do things contrary to what God created us for.

In our text, Saul was preparing to continue his onslaught against the disciples of the Lord. Saul was no doubt, a very wise man, well-educated, and actually well-versed in spiritual concepts. Saul knew to do right, but chose to acknowledge the opposite. Why? When a man knows to do right, but doesn’t, this is sin. Saul not only hated the believers of Christ, but he gained more pleasure putting them in chains, and graves.

Being deemed the chief persecutor of Christians, Saul was free to approach those in authority, who would assist him in his wicked ploys. To his surprise, God had other intentions for the bold and determined persecutor. On his way to do more harm to innocent disciples, Saul was met by Jesus, who’s very presence of light, brought him to ground. When the presence of God shows up, all things evil must submit. After a brief conversation between Christ and Saul, the once flamboyant persecutor of the church, had a sudden change of heart. Without hesitation, the temporarily blinded Saul, was led by his men to the place where Jesus instructed him to go, in order to receive further direction.

This story is significant in a number of ways, but it’s interesting to note how, a man can be so caught up into his own will, until God can still penetrate his heart, with the right experience. Everyone was created in God’s image, and after His likeness, so we all have the capability of submitting to His way. Unfortunately, many allow temptation to change their hearts, so much until they turn away from even common sense, at times. But, no matter how far away we stray from doing what’s right, God can always reach us, and reel us back into His arms of safety.

Walk in love,

Ell

Where Did He Go?

Mark 16:1-8

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of, “Where Did He Go?!” Starring, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome! I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

Mary Magdalene: (Knock! Knock!) Hey Mary, are you ready? We brought all the sweet spices you asked for, to anoint the body of our dear Jesus.

Mary Mother of James: Good morning ladies. I’ll be out in just a moment.

Salome: Hey, do you think we got the right spices?

Mary Magdalene: Yes Salome, I’m certain. I’m just really nervous about this entire situation.

Salome: What are you nervous about?

Mary Magdalene: Well, you know…Jesus being severely beaten, for only doing what was right, and not one of His disciples did anything to help Him.

Salome: I’m still baffled about that one as well. Maybe they were afraid of being hung on a cross as well. In any case, Jesus said He would be resurrected in three days, so why are we even going to the tomb.

Mary Mother of James: Ok girls, I’m ready. Let’s go now while the sun yet rises. What were you two discussing.

Salome: We were wondering…

Mary Magdalene: Oh nothing Mary! Salome shhh…

Mary Mother of James: I’ve been thinking ladies, we are not strong enough to roll away the heavy stone, blocking the sepulchre. How will we reach His body?

Mary Magdalene: That’s a good question.

(The women approach the tomb)

Salome: Mary! Mary! Look! The stone has been rolled away!

Mary Mother of James: This is very unusual, but let’s go see inside.

(The women scream, surprised to see a man sitting, and clothed in a long, white garment)

Mystery Man: Woah woah! Calm down ladies. I know who you’re looking for, but He’s not here. It may sound hard to believe, but Jesus, who was crucified, has risen. Look at the place where He was laid.

Mary Mother of James: Oh my goodness! It was true. Everything He told us, was true.

Mary Magdalene: He has risen, just as He said He would.

Salome: (Speechless)

Mystery Man: Yes, all His words were truth. By the way, He wanted me to leave you ladies a message. On your way back, tell all His disciples, and Peter, He’ll meet them in Galilee, as He told you (Mark 14:28)… just in case you forgot.

(The women went out quickly, fled, were amazed/in shock, and speechless)

Mary Mother of James: (Speechless)

Mary Magdalene: (Speechless)

Salome: (Speechless)

Why was it so hard for those who followed Jesus, to believe that what He said, was true. Had the women believed He would rise in three days, they wouldn’t have prepared spices to anoint His body. Had the disciples believed, they probably wouldn’t have cowered in fear.

This miraculous moment took place thousands of years ago, but Jesus also said He would soon return to the earth, to gather His people. Will you be like the disciples, and faithful women, who heard the words of Jesus, yet didn’t believe? Or, will you take Christ at His word, and prepare yourselves to meet Him in the air? There won’t be a second chance after His second coming.

Walk in love,

Ell

Never Let Go

Isaiah 42:1-9

The confidence, strength, and endurance that fueled Jesus, as He traversed that lonely road to the cross, was instilled into Him by God, the creator. Not only did God have full confidence, that His Son would be faithful to His mission, but the Lord Himself, guided Christ every step of the way. The very soul of God, was delighted in Jesus, so much that He put His spirit upon Him, to carry out life-changing tasks. Did I just menton, “the soul of God”? God indeed does have a soul, just like the people He created. He has feelings, emotions, and desires, similar to all other intelligent beings.

Throughout His temporary journey on the earth, Jesus knew, that with God leading Him, He would maintain confidence, and not fail His mission. All who are in Christ, have the assurance, that God will lead, and guide them in the ways they should go. Although we may have different missions, all believers strive to reach the same goal. God called us to proclaim His Word, and be examples of holiness and righteousness, so that those who are lost, can see light from their valleys of darkness.

Just as God was confident in Jesus, He also knows that you can be faithful to the end, as well. When your confidence is in God, and not in your own wisdom, you’ll be led on the righteous path, all the days of your life. Never let go of God’s hand.

Walk in love,

Ell