Judgment Is Coming!

2 Peter 2:1-9

God’s divine order of creation was altered, after man entertained sin, thus initiating inevitable judgment upon the earth. God hates sin, because it’s very intent is to perform the opposite of what He designed man to do. Man was created in God’s image, to do those things that please Him, yet sin caused men to desire not God’s will, but their own.

As the one who created and sustains all things, God has every right to execute judgment as He desires. Contrary to those who believe God will save all people, because He is so loving, and kind, and compassionate, God will pour out His wrath on all unrepentant sinners.

In time past, God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, delivered them into chains of darkness, and left them to await their final judgment. In the days of Noah, mankind had become so wicked, to the point God was extremely sorrowful for what the people had done to themselves. In the same way a parent expresses sorrow for a child who rebels, God was sorry that the people chose sin, rather than a relationship with Himself. God said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from off the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenth me that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:7). God the Father would have showed mercy on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, had He found ten righteous men there. Unfortunately, none except Lot was found righteous in the sight of the Lord.

Today, churches and religious institutions are littered with false teachers, prophets, and other evil agents, who secretly have brought in damnable heresies among the Saints. Unfortunately, many are being deceived by false doctrines, and are falling away from the faith, but judgment is coming to all who deny the truth of the Gospel, and turn men away from following Christ.

“Beware! God spared not the angels that sinned, and you will meet the same fate, if you don’t repent!” – Ell

Ark brought to the temple

2 Chronicles 5:2-7

When all the work that went into constructing God’s amazing temple was finally finished, king Solomon was then able to add the final piece, to amplify its magnificence. The ark of the covenant was brought up from Zion, and carried to its proper place, in the temple, by the Levite priests. The Levites were the only men allowed by God to carry the ark from place to place.

Along with the remarkable silver and gold pieces, fine linen, altar of brass, and molten sea that made God’s temple unique in many aspects, the ark of the Lord was indeed, the most relevant construct in the temple. As I read this passage of Scripture, I can’t help but place myself in this time, to try and picture, with my own eyes, the elegance and majesty of such an incredible building! I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing some very impressive buildings, including churches, in my lifetime, but none compare to what king David, and king Solomon were able to put together for the glory of God.

The temple of God was garnished with pure gold, overlaid with precious stones in various areas, adorned with golden cherubim, sculptures of oxen, golden lavers, candlesticks, tables, and basons of gold as well. Those are a few of the major decorations of the temple of God, but my words alone, can’t portray how beautiful this place actually was.

God takes great delight in nice things, but only when those things are intended to bring glory to His name. There’s not one thing man can do on his own (except make a choice; even then, he needs life to do that as well), so all things that are built, or constructed, should always be dedicated to God. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him“(Col 3:17 KJV).

Men build massive buildings, houses, and other things that leave some gazing in awe, but what’s the purpose of doing something great, and not having God’s approval for it? If you have the opportunity to contribute to a structure or building that’s being dedicated to God, do it willingly, and wholeheartedly, knowing that God is well-deserving of all good things.

Walk in love,

Ell

Heavenly vision of the ark

Revelation 11:15-19

Witnessing the presence of God, first-hand, back in Bible times, must have been breathtaking experiences. From seeing God’s glory from a perpetual burning bush, and observing it, as God literally passed in front of Moses in another instance, nothing has yet to compare to the matchless glory the presence of God brings to any environment or atmosphere. Along with experiencing God’s presence, I’m also convinced that simply hearing His voice caused many to develop goosebumps as well.

In Scripture, God was also unique, as He allowed His presence to inhabit the form of pillars of a cloud, and of fire. Imagine watching your children walk to school with a beautiful cloud surrounding and protecting them from all manner of evil. It would appear strange today, yet still extremely effective. When I first began to study God’s Word, I found it hard to believe that His powerful, and awe-inspiring presence could actually reside in a feeble human heart, but as I grew and matured in the Word, I quickly realized, we can abide in God and His very Word can abide in us. This is evident during those moments when we feel a certain way about something particular. For example, there were times when I was about to make a decision concerning something, then I would immediately feel a presence come over me, nudging me to do the opposite of what I had originally intended to do. God may not appear in clouds, burning bushes, or even dreams, as He did in the past, but I believe we today, have it much better than they did in the past, because He lives inside of us.

Even as God’s presence was housed in the ark of the covenant in the Old Testament, and the original ark was seen in a vision by John in the New Testament, God’s presence is amazing wherever it abides! It’s time that you come to the realization, God is awesome, He lives in you, which in turn, makes you awesome! The very Creator of all things loved you enough to pattern you after Himself. If you think that’s something, you have the ability to house His very presence, and change atmospheres everywhere you go, just as He did through men in the past.

As you occupy until Christ returns, take advantage of all the opportunities God has presented you, to make His name great! Whether it be in the form of encouragement, or exercising any other gift, allow God’s presence to lead and guide all your actions, and “let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:15-17)

Walk in love

Ell

God needs no house

2 Samuel 7:1-11

A few lessons ago, I mentioned the time when king David contemplated building a temple to house the presence of God, and this text is where the story of David’s desire to build a house for God can be found.

David was a great man; one who esteemed others over himself, and never took glory away from God. While celebrating during a festival (in the previous chapter), after placing the ark of the covenant in a new tabernacle, David’s wife, Michal, misjudged his worship to God, and bodily manifestations, as if he was representing himself in a vile manner. This was ironic, because David had returned home with the intentions to bless his family, but encountered the opposite from his ill-mannered wife. For some reason, Michal was always critical of David’s actions, so much until it caused her to be barren until her death. In her heart, she despised the very man whom God loved, and blessed abundantly.

I mentioned that brief summary of the end of chapter six, to bring to light how cool, calm, and collected David was, as He kept his focus on pleasing God, no matter who tried to hinder him. Many times we lose our composure, when others are critical of our relationship with God, but rather than change our praise to accommodate our haters, we should intensify it, in hopes that our fervent worship would possibly set them ablaze as well.

A while after putting his wife’s nonsense behind him, David pondered in his heart to build a house for God to dwell in. After gazing at the beautiful place he resided in, and wishing to build something greater for the Lord, God gave His servant a short lesson concerning His dwelling place. While his intentions were pure, God thought it best to teach David a short lesson by reminding him how He walked in a tent and tabernacle for hundreds of years, walked with Israel, never spoke of building a permanent house, took David from the sheep to be ruler over Israel, guided and protected David in all his adventures, cut off all his enemies, and made his name great! In other words, God put it simply, no place could hold all of His glory. While the tabernacle was the place where His presence was housed, God was never limited to that one location.

Aren’t you glad, the God we serve isn’t limited to time and space? Our God is awesome! He can do wondrous, and marvelous things! His love extends far beyond time itself! What makes Him even more special is, He lives inside of all who love Him. While king David was unable to build a house for God, you can invite Him to live inside your heart forever.

Walk in love,

Ell

Rejoice in God’s faithfulness

1 Chronicles 15:1-3, 14-16, 25-29

In times past, God would reveal Himself to men in various forms, whether it was through a burning bush, a cloud, or even the form of a human. God is omnipresent, and is in all places, at all times, but there are moments in Scripture when God would inhabit particular places, for specific reasons. The text this week, revealed that the presence of God was housed in the ark of the covenant, which king David was responsible for overseeing. Wherever the ark was taken, God’s very presence was there.

Since the beginning of time, God only did good things for those who abided in His will, and in return for His acts of kindness, He asked for simple things in return, like praise and thanks. Giving thanks to God for the things He’s done for us, should be a natural thing. Similar to how some show appreciation to teachers and parents for providing guidance and support, God gives us breath to live; that alone is enough to praise and thank Him until the end of time! King David understood, and respected the very presence of God, until he established policies that required men to offer praise around the ark daily. God provided for them, kept them safe, and ordered their steps, so He was deserving of their continual praise.

Today, God rests in the hearts of men, so wherever they go, He goes with them. Knowing this, we should be mindful of every thought and action we entertain, as well as reverence the presence of God within us. There should ALWAYS be a song of praise in the hearts of all who are the children of God, because He never stops loving and providing for them. How would you feel if your children never said thanks, for what you do for them. You’d no doubt feel some type of way. Imagine how God feels when we go through a 24 hour day, without saying one positive word to Him.

Walk in love,

Ell

Leaders bring ark to Jerusalem

1 Chronicles 15:4-13

The God of Heaven and earth, is keen on things being done according to order. The evidence of this can be seen throughout all creation. The heavens are layered specifically, and according to detail, the oceans are divided and set to flow in various directions, even the trees are designed to take root in the ground, but give fruit above the surface. Order is important to God, and He expects His people to live in such a way, that their lives are also lived according to structure, and order. Order brings balance, and structure allows for one to develop and mature at healthy rates. Operating in chaos only leads to dysfunction, and unhealthy lifestyles.

In our text, king David gathered all the priests of Israel (862 of them), to sanctify themselves before bringing the ark of the Lord God of Israel, back to Jerusalem. David mentioned to the men, how they failed before to follow God’s order of how things were expected to be done, and that he refused to disobey God a second time. So, the men wisely sanctified themselves before God, and were then permitted to transport the ark safely.

God always required proper instructions to be followed in seeking Him, and in carrying out His plans. As finite beings who rely on God for breath, and all other necessities of life, we are in no position to say anything against how God expects things to go. Only our obedience, and positive attitude are what we should give to God, in appreciation for all the things He does daily for us. If God did not excuse king David, whom He loved dearly, neither are we are exempt from committing to God’s order.

Walk in love,

Ell

David delivers ark to Obededom

1 Chronicles 13:5-8, 13-14

The ark of the covenant, which bears many other names as well, was the place where God’s presence dwelled among the children of Israel. Wherever the ark was carried, God Himself dwelled there in the midst. In the same way God abides in the hearts of all men today, is how it was in king David’s day with the presence of God abiding in the ark. The ark of the covenant was to be respected, and treated as if God’s very being was amongst the people, so treating the ark in any disrespectful manner would result in death. Sounds harsh, but it actually happened in our text, when one of the men who drove the ark on a new cart, accidentally touched it, and was instantly put to death. This was indeed a tragic mistake, but we must also be mindful of how we behave in the presence of God, or we too could suffer unfortunate punishment.

After singing, and praising God around the ark, king David became afraid, after witnessing the incident with Uzza, until he decided to take the ark to Obededom, and rest it there for a while. It matters not how much you sing, dance, speak in tongues, or exhibit any other form of worship, when God’s presence is not respected, He’ll be sure to make everyone aware of it. While the ark rested in the house of Obededom for three months, the entire household was blessed. While it’s not stated how God blessed the family, any blessing from God, whether it be health, wealth, or other material prosperity, is always a great thing!

Does God reside in your heart? Do you carry Him with you, everywhere you go? Do you respect the presence of God in your heart, the same as if He was literally walking with you daily? If not, be careful, because refusing to honor God can lead to unpleasant circumstances, but reverencing Him will always lead to joyful experiences!

Walk in love,

Ell

Wild and domestic animals climb aboard

Genesis 7:11-16

Growing up and hearing the story of Noah and the ark, I was always curious to know how he managed to get hundreds of various types of animals to cooperate, and willingly board the ark. The mind of a child can create some strange, yet interesting imaginations. I was always under the impression that Noah and his sons took forever to board the ship, because they were running around frantically trying to subdue the tigers that were chasing after the deer, and redirect the birds that were flying everywhere except towards the ark. In my mind, it was like animals gone wild! Come on, you can’t blame me for my wild imaginations; I was only a kid. The more I grew and matured in the Scriptures, I came to realize that God orchestrated the assembling of the animals, because on his own strength, Noah could never accomplish such an impossible task.

As Noah and his family took their place on the ark, the hand of God guided every beast after his kind, all the cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creepth upon the earth after his kind, and every bird of every sort, in the ark. Animals were preserved because they too serve a purpose in God’s wonderful creation. All animals have important roles in the ecosystem as well. Some animals help to bring out the nutrients in nature, while others help in decomposition, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. All animals, insects, and even micro organisms play a role in the ecosystem as well. For example, bees are responsible for pollinating all the plants around us. In fact, they pollinate almost one third of everything you eat. Apart from providing us with a fine food product, and work for thousands of bee keepers around the world, they also help in pollination of most common plants around us. The purpose of the cow is to provide milk and meat, leather, and labor for man. Everything God preserved serves a purpose, including the cockroach. I always said that Noah should have left those pesky roaches to drown, but I now understand why God created them. Cockroaches live in warm, tropical areas and feed on decaying wood and leaves. They help break down this organic debris; in the process, they add nutrients to the soil through their waste. They’re also a food source for small reptiles and mammals. But their most important role is decomposing; beginning the process of shredding dead and decaying organic matter into smaller bits to be eaten by recycling bacteria. Without roaches, far more dirt would pile up all over the world. Imagine that 😄!

I could spend hours writing about how important each creature is that God made, but my purpose is to express how God preserves what He values. Your value begins with the fact that you are made by the hand of the Creator, in His very image. It was not the will of God for the people in Noah’s day to perish, but that they live in obedience to His will, but their opportunity passed them by. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (Jeremiah 31:3). The fact that God still preserves you by giving you the breath of life daily is because He wants to get the best out of you. We are some amazing creatures! We’re not alive for the sole purpose of accumulating wealth, gaining prestige, or making our names great on the earth, but we were commissioned to share with the world, God’s message of salvation. Unfortunately, many are being led astray (as were those in the days of Noah) by worldly temptations and distractions.

After the flood, God received Noah’s burnt offering, as it was a sweet savour in His presence. God promised to never again curse the ground any more for man’s sake, because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. God also promised to never wipe out all living things again, as He previously did. God blessed Noah and his sons, and established a covenant with them.

When our lives are centered on godly living, we cannot go unnoticed when God’s hand passes by with blessings. Our focus shouldn’t be simply on getting things from God, but when we seek first His Kingdom and righteousness, things will be added without having to ask. This world is wicked, and we see it’s manifestations every day. Although we are in this crazy would, we don’t partake in its doings. Shift your focus from self, to others, then watch God pour increase in your life daily.

Seek peace,

Ell

Noah’s family enters the ark

Genesis 7:6-10

The safest place in the whole wide world, is in the will of God. God’s will for Noah and his family was to preserve them through the flood, as He judged the sin-sick men on the earth. Even innocent animals suffered death, because of the wickedness of man. Noah’s obedience to God is what solidified his right to be kept in God’s plan to reestablish righteousness in the earth.

Verse five is key to helping us understand how to be blessed of God, even in this time. It reads, “and Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.” Can you recall the last time when you did EVERYTHING God asked of you to do? I mean everything. Do you love your neighbor, as yourself, daily? Do you love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you? Hmm…do I hear crickets? When we’re obedient to God, He won’t hesitate to take care of us.

The purpose of being pure and holy is so that we can effectively reflect the character and nature of Christ to this dying world. Unfortunately, those in Noah’s day were broken beyond repair, but there’s still a chance for those who are lost to find grace and favor in the sight of God today. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord that saved his wife, sons, and their wives as well. There are times when who we’re connected to will determine our quality of life? If you’re joined to people who make careless decisions regularly, then you can look forward to days of misery and headaches. But staying connected to those rooted in the love of God, will ensure that you will forever be in the presence of love, strength, and holiness.

Despite all the evil around him, Noah committed himself to living to please God. He stood out amongst the world of those who had fallen away, but his single act of obedience had a huge payoff that led to the existence of everyone of us today. When the pressures of life seem to weigh you down, and you feel like giving in to all the temptation surrounding you, stand strong. Let your love for God supercede anything this world tries to offer you, because in the end, this world will pass away. Set your affections on things above, and let your obedience to God be the example that others will want to follow.

Seek peace,

Ell