Wolves, GOD's Remarkable Canines

An ancestor of our domesticated dogs, the wolf pup doesn't look very dangerous. But the Bible has much to say about wolves,  mostly bad, but in the end becomes good!

Christ told the disciples in Matthew 10:16, "I Am sending you out like lambs among the wolves. Therefore, be shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

Matthew 5:17, "Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves."

We can certainly see the evidence of this in unbelieving politicians!

But there is coming the Day when Christ will change all of that!

Isaiah 65:25, "The wolf will lie down with the lamb!" 

Then we can say:

My Sheep Follow Me

John 10:4, "His sheep follow Him because they know His voice."

John 10:14, "I Am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me."

John 10:27;

Jesus laid down His life upon the Cross for the sins of mankind.  Those accepting forgiveness of their sins from Him are of His eternal "flock."

There is coming a separation of the sheep from the goats, Believers and unbelievers.

Matthew 25:32, "All the nations will be gathered before Him (Jesus) and He will separate the people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep (Believers) on His right and the goats (unbelievers) on His left. Then the King (Jesus) will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.' "

Are you a sheep, a follower of Christ Jesus' salvation for you; or are you a goat separated from Him throughout all eternity in punishment of your sins? It is your choice.

Persecuted Because of Righteousness

Matthew 5:10, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." 

I Peter 3:14, "Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed." Rather than fear our enemies, we are to trust in GOD as the LORD of all. We must believe that Christ is truly in control of all events. When he rules our thoughts and emotions, we cannot be shaken by anything our enemies may do. (Commentary)

We should pray with the Holy Spirit's leading for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are under great oppression all around the world!

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? He is the answer to everything! 

What will happen? The Rapture of the Church, those who belong to Jesus Christ's salvation will be called out at the last trumpet, rising to meet Him in the air and forevermore be with the LORD! 

Bats, GOD's Flying Mammals

Mysterious, sometimes frightful to some people,

bats are mammals with wings and are mostly nocturnal.

The Bible lists their living quarters shared with the rodents in caves.

Isaiah 2:19-20, "Men will flee to the caves in the rocks and holes in the ground from dread of the LORD. In that day men will throw away to the rodents and the bats their idols of silver and gold which they have made to worship."

Can you imagine sharing the same habitat as these animals? There will be a time in the tribulation when mankind will, in fear of the LORD's wrath upon the earth. 

Revelation 6:15-16, "Then the Kings of the earth, the Princes, the Generals, the Rich, the Mighty, and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the Face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb (Jesus Christ). For the Great Day of His Wrath has come, and who can stand (survive)!' "

Are you born again into Christ Jesus' salvation? For GOD's Word tells us:

I Thessalonians 1:10, "Wait for His (the Father) Son (Jesus) from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead - Jesus, Who rescues us from the coming wrath."

Romans 5:9, "We have been justified by His blood and shall be saved from GOD's wrath through the death of Jesus Christ (for our sins.)"

GOD's flying mammal is a gem for mankind. He flies through the dusk, twilight skies scooping up the insects that are a menus to us. He pollinates the flowers and trees searching for the delicious nectar they provide, yet assists mankind in a new crop of food in the pollinating they provide to the plants. The LORD's animal kingdom is amazing, praise His Holy Name!

Accept the Peace of GOD and Not As the World Gives

Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of GOD."

Who are the children of GOD?

John 1:12, "To ALL who receive Jesus, to those who believe in His Name, He gave the right to become the children of GOD."

To be a peacemaker, you must first have the peace of Jesus Christ in you which comes from being born again into His salvation. He bore the sins of the world upon the Cross. Those who accept His forgiveness of their sins will have the greatest peace this world can never offer! The reward for this is eternal life with our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD!

GOD's Beautiful Little Bird

Jeremiah 12:9, "My heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds around me are against her." 

Matthew Henry's Commentary speaks of this little bird being "pulled and pecked at by birds of prey, its blood being shed in the process." This was a picture of the Old Testament people of GOD, as their enemies came upon them. It also is a picture of Jesus Christ as He shed His blood upon the Cross for the sins of mankind. 

Hebrews 9:22, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin."

I John 1:7, "The blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin."

As one of the smallest birds, this beautiful creation of GOD shares in the harshness of the others that opposed it. As so, The Son of GOD bore all the sins of mankind, even those that opposed Him. Have you accepted Jesus paying your penalty of sin? Do so and you will see the true beauty of your salvation in Him!

A Pure Heart for GOD

Hebrews 12:14, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the LORD." If we want to see GOD, we must renounce sin and obey Him. 

Psalm 24:3-4,

Question: "Who may stand in the LORD's holy place?"

Answer: "He who has a pure heart."

Through prayer to our Almighty GOD, we can ask Him to:

Jesus' death on the Cross for our sins will cleanse those who have accepted His free gift of salvation. His Holy Spirit is imparted to us to lead, guide, and direct us in His Will for each of our lives. We have been promised:

I John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us of all our sins and PURIFY us from all unrighteousness!"

Be PURIFIED by the cleansing of Jesus' blood sacrificed on the Cross for you!

A Bird of Distinction

There are many different translations of the Bible. In Strong's Concordance it has three listings in the Bible for Pelican. Many translations have interrupted the word pelican for owl. 

Psalm 102:6-7, "I am like a 'pelican' among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof."

Living in Florida Keys for many years, I saw these beautiful birds all the time, especially when we were out in the boat! In our boat going at full speed, they would fly low just ahead of our boat as though they were being pushed by the wind off the bow and then would veer off another direction. Coming in to dock many could be seen, as the one above, sitting on dock pilings.

  
As dad would filet fish on the dock side, some would swim up and down the canal. Sometimes dad would pitch to them one of the smaller fish he had caught. It was amazing to see how well they could catch the toss!

We passed by many isolated islands while out in our boat. You could see the huge nests in the mangroves that was home to many baby pelicans!

GOD is our Awesome Creator in the variety of His animal kingdom! It was on His fifth day of creation that He created the fish and birds.

Genesis 1:20-23, "Let the waters teem with living creatures and let the birds fly across the expanse of the sky...every winged bird according to its kind. GOD saw that it was good and He blessed them  saying, 'Be fruitful and multiply...let the birds increase on the earth."

GOD's creation is a witness of Him. He can be seen in everything He has created! If you don't know Him as your Savior, come today and then you will realize the power and strength of our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD and His beautiful creations!

GOD's Greatest Mercy

What is mercy? It is being compassionate for and on those who are helpless.

Christ Jesus had mercy and compassion on a world of sinful people by taking all of mankind's sins upon Him while on the Cross. Man is helpless in saving himself from the wrath of an Almighty GOD's justice upon sin. Even though Christ has paid the penalty of sin it still takes man confessing their sin to him in order to be saved.

1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and just, and will forgive us ours sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Mercy has to do with forgiveness. As Christ has forgiven us we must forgive others.

Matthew 6:15, Jesus shares, "If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father (in heaven) will not forgive your sins."

Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect." Leviticus 19:2, "Be holy because I, the LORD your GOD, Am holy."

Commentary states, "How can we be perfect? 1.  In character - in this life we cannot be flawless, but we can aspire to be as much like Christ as we can be. 

2. In holiness - Like the Pharisees, we are to be separate from the world's sinful values. But unlike the Pharisees, we are to be devoted to GOD's desires rather than our own to carry His Love and Mercy to the world.

3. In Maturity - We can't achieve Christlike character and holy living all at once, but must grow toward maturity and wholeness. GOD expects different behavior from us in each stage of our growth in Him. 

4. In Love - We can seek to love others as completely as GOD Loves us. 

We are called to to excel, to rise above mediocrity, and to mature in every area becoming more like Christ."

1 John 3:2-3, "Dear friends, now we are children of GOD, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But, we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him."

Are you ready to hear the Trumpet sound when all those in Christ will rise and be forevermore with the LORD?

1 Corinthians 15:52-54, "In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. Perishable will be clothed with imperishable, mortal with immortality. Death will be swallowed up in victory!" Hallelujah to Jesus Christ for His salvation to us! Accept His free gift of forgiveness of your sins and eternal life with Him! His Glory is yet to be revealed to us! Receive GOD's GREATEST MERCY!