Book of Acts, Chapter 1

 Chapter 1

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate,

    and let there be no one to dwell in it;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Seasons, Spring

Spring

Welcome, today. We will be discussing seasons. We all get four. That is pretty much a normal thing. Natural.

" For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silent, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-7

A time for everything and everything in its time. Look here in Genesis

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22

Seasons come and go. We all experience them. Some more than others. Depending on where you live of course. But they are there.

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater," Isaiah 55:10

We all pretty much know what the seasons are. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. However, just like the planet, and nature, since we are natural, we, not only experience the seasons in nature, but we have our own seasons. Ever think about that? Let's start today with spring or springtime.

Spring

What a beautiful time of year. One of my favorites. If not my favorite. I remember as a kid, longing for that time of year when I walked outside and it was the same temperature as it was inside. Living in upstate NY in the 70s we did not have AC in our home. We did have something to heat the house of course. So when you walked outside and it was warm and a beautiful breeze, I loved it.

Springtime was beautiful too. The dead and cold winter was fading away. All that death and decay was making way for anew. The dead branches start to bud and the grass turned green. It was always a time of new beginnings.

Life is the same way. What is spring in our lives? Birth. Look here back at the beginning of time.

"Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." Genesis 2:7

Then a little bit later, God made woman verse 18,

"Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Then read this in verse 24

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

We were formed during the springtime of the earth itself. God created man and woman, marriage, and the family at the same time He created everything. Where there was nothing, sprang up something new. Mankind.

I remember when my wife told me for the first time she was pregnant. "Um ok." Freaking out a little if I'm going, to be honest. But all good. I was thinking though, how much will this change our lives? I mean, until my wife, I was single, doing whatever, and loving life. Then it all became about her. Now? Then the day the nurse handed me my baby boy Josh outside the hospital? "Here ya go, dad." Huh?  

Some people, I'm agreeing however, I would not change a thing, say that having a baby is like having an anchor. Before kids, you can do whatever you want. Get up and go. Stay out all hours of the day and night. Whatever. Then when you have a kid, it becomes all about them and you get to do NOTHING! It is kinda true. It is all about them. Why? They cannot live for themselves.

When we are born, We are like that bud on the tree or that blade of grass. Bang, here we are. We know nothing. We want nothing but food, warmth, and comfort, We just exist. We just are.

We cannot eat solid food. We drink our mother's milk. We do not know anything. We must learn to talk, walk, feed ourselves, and even how to go to the bathroom outside our pants. We know nothing. We are absolutely needy for everything. But you know what else we are? Beautifully innocent.

"Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

And here,

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them." Mark 10:15-16

Why? Because children are innocent and have total faith in their parents. If I was to tell anyone of my three children to go up on the roof and spread out their arms, step off, and you will fly, they ALL would have done it. Why? Daddy said so. God wants that relationship with us.

Why are you building a boat? Daddy said so. Why are you going to stand up to the most powerful man in the world and tell him to let God's people go? Daddy said so. Why are you going to face this giant? Daddy said so. Why are you going to walk away from everything be born weak like humans and live your life perfectly, just to have the same stupid and weak humans torture and kill you? Because Daddy said so. This is why God is so adamant about how you raise your child.

First, they are a gift from Him.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

Parents, really fathers, YOU are responsible for raising them in the wisdom and knowledge of God.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

Why? Well, one, Daddy said so. But two?

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

How many greedy and nasty adults out there, and there are many out there, are the way they are because they literally know no better? They were never taught. Most troubled youth and most criminals come from fatherless homes. I know I know some of you may not like this fact. However, it is a fact. Most troubled youth and most criminals never heard the gospel. They do not know about God. The REAL and TRUE God. Jesus. Salvation. Nothing.

Being a child we almost always want to grow up so fast. The sad truth is this should be our greatest time on this earth. An age of purity and wonder. When I was a kid, the grass was greener, the colors were brighter, and the food tasted so much better. Friends were closer and Grandma was always concerned with feeding the town. Seriously on that last one. We never locked the door. I and my friend would run all around the town with no fear of strangers.

When you are a child, you are beautiful and full of new life. I love watching my kids, and some neighborhood kids, well, also my kids, experience things for the first time. The look on their face. Their reactions. If they like it or learn never to do it again. It is beautiful. Enjoy it and teach them, who are so much in a hurry to grow up, to enjoy the most they can out of their springtime.

As springtime goes on, the babies and new buds grow. Then comes summer. This is what we will be talking about next time.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!

Hope you Enjoyed, Coming Soon?

 Chat, 

Hey folks, 

We just finished the Book of Isaiah. I really hope you enjoyed it. I hope you received some truth and revelations from it. I hope it fed your spirit. as the food, we have in such abundance feeds our bodies.

I will be honest with you. I really had no idea what to do on Wednesdays now that we were done going through Isaiah. 66 books, one a week, 66 weeks. You get the point. Over a year we spent a chapter a week. 

Now usually I would pray and seek what God wants us to do next. I thought to myself. sitting at my desk, John. Nope. We already did that. Another old testament book? Nope. Matthew? Done that. So what? Without hesitation or much thought, it became this.  

That's right my friends. The book of Acts. The beginning, of what we now know, as the church. This is immediately following the crucifixion, resurrection, and time Jesus appeared to His disciples before His ascension and after. As a bit of a preview, we see the ascension. 

They were all. including Jesus, in Jerusalem where Jesus told them not to leave until they received the Holy Spirit. We read this. 

"So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”" Acts 1:6-11

We go from here to Judas's replacement, Paul's conversion, and trials and tribulations all the way to Paul being in Rome. We will read all about the first time we became known as Christians and how the early Christians both lived and served God. The birth of the modern church as it morphed into what it is today. 

As we read the book of Acts, we should reflect on the things therein. We should see how we are similar and how vastly different we are from the early church and Christians. Are we living as we should? Are we tithing and truly being there for one another? Are we fulfilling Jesus's great commission? 

Join me won't you, for the next 28 weeks as we dive into the Book of Acts with a chapter a week. 

Hope you have a great rest of the day and always remember, to be a blessing to someone else and you will be blessed. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!

Happy Easter 2022

 Happy Resurrection Day!

Happy Easter! First? Is there anything wrong with Easter Egg Hunts? Nope. Is there anything wrong with Easter Bunnies and Easter Baskets for the little ones? Again, nope. There is nothing wrong with these fun family traditions, as long as with all this, you instill the truth of what Easter is actually all about. We celebrate Easter to celebrate Jesus coming to earth, and although He could have called down angels to wipe out those that were trying to kill Him, He allowed them to kill Him. Not just kill Him, but torture and humiliate and nail Him to a cross. He allowed this, well look here what He told Peter in the garden when they came to take Him. 

"Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. All who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” Matthew 26:52-56

 Which scriptures? Isaiah 53 is a good one to start. 

"Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of the dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our grief
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds, we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—everyone—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers are silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors."

Why? Why would God lay down His Godhood, come to earth and live as one of us, and allow His own creation to do all we did to Him? 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

And 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 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 1:1-4, 10-14

So Jesus came into the world and healed the sick, raised the dead, and gave sight to the blind. Then, He fulfilled His main purpose of coming. He was killed for our Sins. He went to the cross to pay the price for all sin and shed His blood for us all. He did so for YOU.

If you allow His blood to be your blood, His payment for all sin to be your payment for your sin, and His death to be your death, you will have everlasting life of peace and happiness with Him. Easter is the day we have set aside to remember what happened.

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”  And they remembered his words,  and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.  They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24

This is what Easter is all about. The greatest gift you will ever receive. The gift of forgiveness and salvation. The gift of eternal life. He did all these things and suffered all things so that you can enter into Heaven. So that you will not die, but have everlasting life. He paid the ultimate price so you do not have to. The greatest and final sacrifice, ever.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature.

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

Happy and blessed Easter to all of you. Is there anything wrong with painting eggs? No. Not really. Is anything wrong with Chocolate Bunnies? No. Not really. But just make sure that if you do these things, you take time out to actually teach your kids the REAL reason for the Holiday. Teach them that this is a Holy Day. The whole reason we have hope is Jesus and what He did for each and every one of us. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Isaiah, Chapter 66

 Chapter 66

The Humble and Contrite in Spirit

1 “Heaven is my throne,

    and the earth is my footstool;

what is the house that you would build for me,

    and what is the place of my rest?

2 All these things my hand has made,

    and so all these things came to be,

declares the Lord.

But this is the one to whom I will look:

    he who is humble and contrite in spirit

    and trembles at my word.

3 “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;

    he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck;

he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig's blood;

    he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.

These have chosen their own ways,

    and their soul delights in their abominations;

4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them

    and bring their fears upon them,

because when I called, no one answered,

    when I spoke, they did not listen;

but they did what was evil in my eyes

    and chose that in which I did not delight.”

5 Hear the word of the Lord,

    you who tremble at his word:

“Your brothers who hate you

    and cast you out for my name's sake

have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,

    that we may see your joy’;

    but it is they who shall be put to shame.

6 “The sound of an uproar from the city!

    A sound from the temple!

The sound of the Lord,

    rendering recompense to his enemies!

Rejoice with Jerusalem

7 “Before she was in labor

    she gave birth;

before her pain came upon her

    she delivered a son.

8 Who has heard such a thing?

    Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

    Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?

For as soon as Zion was in labor

    she brought forth her children.

9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”

    says the Lord;

“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”

    says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,

    all you who love her;

rejoice with her in joy,

    all you who mourn over her;

11 that you may nurse and be satisfied

    from her consoling breast;

that you may drink deeply with delight

    from her glorious abundance.”

12 For thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,

    and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,

    and bounced upon her knees.

13 As one whom his mother comforts,

    so I will comfort you;

    you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;

    your bones shall flourish like the grass;

and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants,

    and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.

Final Judgment and Glory of the Lord

15 “For behold, the Lord will come in fire,

    and his chariots like the whirlwind,

to render his anger in fury,

    and his rebuke with flames of fire.

16 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment,

    and by his sword, with all flesh;

    and those slain by the Lord shall be many.

17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig's flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the Lord.

18 “For I know[b] their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming[c] to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20 And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth

    that I make

shall remain before me, says the Lord,

    so shall your offspring and your name remain.

23 From new moon to new moon,

    and from Sabbath to Sabbath,

all flesh shall come to worship before me,

declares the Lord.

24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

The Storm May NOT Be For You, It Is for Others

 It is for others. 

We are talking about storms. If you were here last time, you know that storms are inevitable. You just came out of one, in one now, or one is heading right for ya. Most of the time, no one likes the storm. We do not rejoice and say Hallelujah, there is a storm we must endure. just when we were getting bored. Don't ya just love storms? No, no one says this. Storms are bad. No one longs to go through a storm. But they ARE reality. They ARE going to come.

We talked about how you are not in the storm alone. Jesus is right there with you, that He may be so unconcerned with the storm He may be asleep. Now I know He never sleeps like He was in the boat. He has now come into His glory. But you get the point. You should be so unconcerned that YOU are asleep in the middle of the storm.

However, just because we are in the storm, doe not mean it is your storm. Read this passage with me again.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Now we are not going to go into the detail as we did last time, but notice the two words "so that." "So that" is used before the clause which indicates the purpose. Why am I going through this? "So that." or because. Look what it says.

"so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

The storm may very well be for no other reason than God wants us to go through it, "so that" when we do come through it, we can strengthen and comfort, maybe even guide someone else through it.

I want to share a quick story with you. It is a bit extreme, but follow along. There was a man that was born with no legs. His parents were distraught. The father had a hard time dealing with this. The baby grew and became a boy, and then became a man. Meanwhile, in a war, a soldier loses his legs when he stepped on an explosive. He was confused and depressed. Not knowing if it was worth it to go on. A former football player, now all he could see himself as is a cripple.

One day, the soldier was lying in bed, wishing he would have just died when the man with no legs came into the room. In time they became friends, and the man with no legs, taught the soldier that life is just fine without legs.

The point of the story is this. Neither the man nor his parents sinned against God. Remember the story of the blind man?

"As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." John 9:1-3

Like the blind man, the man with no legs was born that way. He never cared about not having legs. He was born that way. To him that was normal. But because of him, this soldier and many other people in accidents, etc., have been helped, and perhaps even saved. Was it bad for the man to be born with no legs?

I know that is extreme. What about the rest of us. We are going through life and all of a sudden, we enter into a storm, trial, and or tribulation. Well? First, always know it is God who is in charge. ALWAYS.

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:1-6

I encourage you to read all of Psalm 139. God made you. He formed you the way you are. He set up a plan and a purpose for your life. He is in charge. He is with you always, as long as you are with Him.

In Ephesians 2:10 we read this.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Just because we were adopted into the family of God, and we are following what He asks us to do, does not mean we will not have storms and hardships to go through. Look at Peter. Here is a guy that was right there with Jesus. Knew Jesus was God. Had no fear when the mob came to arrest Jesus, he draw his sword and cut off Malchus's ear.

"And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear." Matthew 26:51

This man also walked on water with Jesus. This man became so righteous and holy that his shadow healed people. Look at this conversation between him and Jesus.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat," Luke 22:31

Imagine this. The Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the great I AM, looks you in the eye and says "the devil wants you." I can imagine Peter was thinking something like, "Well I so glad you are with me. Let him come. I got you. I walked on the water with you. I know you said forget you Satan." But did He?

"But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” John 22:32

In essence, He said "Yes." Satan asked Jesus to have Peter, and Jesus basically said yes. Much like when God said this to Satan about Job.

"And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” Job 2:6

These are men loved dearly by God. However, it does not stop the storms from coming. But in these cases, and I submit to you many others, they were sent to the people God knew would stand the storm and endure, so that, they would then go on to strengthen others.

If that is not good enough for you to understand, look at Jesus Himself. A perfect man who was completely sinless. Did He deserve storms, trials, or tribulations?

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24

When the storms of life come, and they will come, we must face them this way.

1- Recognize that it is normal. It is coming, here, or another one is on its way.

2 - Remember God is in charge of this, and all things, always.

3- It may be happening to you "so that" you can grow in faith, strength, and wisdom, "so that" you can help others when the storms come on them. Like with so many things, it ain't about you.

Rejoice and count it as joy, or simply endure, learn, pray, and understand. When the clouds part, the sky clears, and the sun comes back, it will be a beautiful day. When the storm happens again, or it is storming on someone else, you will be able to help strengthen them and comfort them, because God comforted and strengthened you first.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature.

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Isaiah, Chapter 65

 Chapter 65

Judgment and Salvation

1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;

    I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.

I said, “Here I am, here I am,”

    to a nation that was not called by my name.

2 I spread out my hands all the day

    to a rebellious people,

who walk in a way that is not good,

    following their own devices;

3 a people who provoke me

    to my face continually,

sacrificing in gardens

    and making offerings on bricks;

4 who sit in tombs,

    and spend the night in secret places;

who eat pig's flesh,

    and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels;

5 who say, “Keep to yourself,

    do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.”

These are a smoke in my nostrils,

    a fire that burns all the day.

6 Behold, it is written before me:

    “I will not keep silent, but I will repay;

I will indeed repay into their lap

7     both your iniquities and your fathers' iniquities together,

says the Lord;

because they made offerings on the mountains

    and insulted me on the hills,

I will measure into their lap

    payment for their former deeds.”

8 Thus says the Lord:

“As the new wine is found in the cluster,

    and they say, ‘Do not destroy it,

    for there is a blessing in it,’

so I will do for my servants' sake,

    and not destroy them all.

9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob,

    and from Judah possessors of my mountains;

my chosen shall possess it,

    and my servants shall dwell there.

10 Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks,

    and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,

    for my people who have sought me.

11 But you who forsake the Lord,

    who forget my holy mountain,

who set a table for Fortune

    and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny,

12 I will destine you to the sword,

    and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter,

because, when I called, you did not answer;

    when I spoke, you did not listen,

but you did what was evil in my eyes

    and chose what I did not delight in.”

13 Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, my servants shall eat,

    but you shall be hungry;

behold, my servants shall drink,

    but you shall be thirsty;

behold, my servants shall rejoice,

    but you shall be put to shame;

14 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart,

    but you shall cry out for pain of heart

    and shall wail for breaking of spirit.

15 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse,

    and the Lord God will put you to death,

    but his servants he will call by another name,

16 so that he who blesses himself in the land

    shall bless himself by the God of truth,

and he who takes an oath in the land

    shall swear by the God of truth;

because the former troubles are forgotten

    and are hidden from my eyes.

New Heavens and a New Earth

17 “For behold, I create new heavens

    and a new earth,

and the former things shall not be remembered

    or come into mind.

18 But be glad and rejoice forever

    in that which I create;

for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,

    and her people to be a gladness.

19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem

    and be glad in my people;

no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping

    and the cry of distress.

20 No more shall there be in it

    an infant who lives but a few days,

    or an old man who does not fill out his days,

for the young man shall die a hundred years old,

    and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.

21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;

    they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

22 They shall not build and another inhabit;

    they shall not plant and another eat;

for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,

    and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

23 They shall not labor in vain

    or bear children for calamity,

for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,

    and their descendants with them.

24 Before they call I will answer;

    while they are yet speaking I will hear.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;

    the lion shall eat straw like the ox,

    and dust shall be the serpent's food.

They shall not hurt or destroy

    in all my holy mountain,”

says the Lord.

The Storm May NOT Be For You

 The Storms will come

No matter where you live if you wait long enough, a storm is coming. Snowstorms and Thunderstorms in the north. Tornadoes in the mid states. Hurricanes and Typhoons. There is a storm brewing somewhere all the time. No matter how perfect the weather is the rest of the time, something is going to happen. So we have created "safe places." Storm shelters, fortified homes, safe rooms in homes. Shelters outside for the community. ETC.

Life is the same way. It does not matter where you come from. Who you are. What you have in the bank. Saved or not. Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddist, or even Athiest, a storm is coming. Where is your "safe place?"

Mine?

"On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God." Psalm 62:7

We read this in the Word

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Now, this is the foundation of what we will be talking about for the next few weeks. Read that one part again. It says that God will comfort us, be our shelter and "safe place" during the storm, but why?

"so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Say "So that," What is the "So that" there for? "So that" is used before the clause which indicates the purpose. Why am I going through this? "So that." or because. Another way to say it is "Here is the reason." We started walking this way "so that" we could go to the destination. We read the Bible, "so that" we can learn from and hear from God.

Now that we can understand what this says, we now can understand the total truth of the matter. The storm you are going through? It may not be for you, but "so that" YOU may be able to comfort someone else when they are going through a similar storm.

We are going to start today, yeah I know, start? We are going to start today by distilling the myths of once saved, you will be healthy, wealthy, and wise. You will coast through life without a care in the world. Nothing bad will ever happen to you. These are lies straight from hell. There is a storm coming. You are either coming out of one, in one now, or are heading straight into one. There is a storm brewing.

Turn to James 1. Read this with me. James 1:2

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,"

Count it joy? Why? "So that." Another way of saying that is "for."

"for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

When you are in a trial, tribulation, or storm, call it what you will, you must keep your faith in God. You must remember, who is with you. You are not in it alone. Jesus is right there with you. Mark 4:35 

"On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”

Stop there for a second. Jesus is your Lord? You are a child of God? Then guess what. Jesus is telling you to go. He is telling you to?

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”" Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus is with you. As He was in the boat with them. He is in your boat. You are the captain of your own ship, traveling through this life. Jesus is with you if you are with Him. God may have directed you to a destination very specific to you and His plan for your life. He is with you.

"And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was already filling."

Say there is a storm. A storm is raging.

"But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion."

Wait. He was asleep? Why? Because Jesus said to go, they went, He slept. Why? Because He was in control. He was not worried. What He said will happen. Nothing can stop it. He is above all things. He created all things. The storm came as storms do, but He is above the storm.

"And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:38-39

The Storm was of no significance to Jesus. It mattered not how hard or fast the wind blew. How much lighting and thunder there may have been. It was so unimportant that He went to sleep. That was until we saw the storm. We forgot who Jesus is. We forgot He said go. We forgot, that we need not fear, only have faith.

"He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41

We may not understand why the storm comes, but we must always remember, that we are not alone. Back to James 1, start at verse 5

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Do not worry about the things of this world. Do not fear the storms. Pray to your Father and ask Him for wisdom, strength, and comfort during the storm. In the good times by the way as well. If you are filled with worry and fear, you may jump out of the perfectly safe boat Jesus is in with you. Stay focused on Him.

"Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits."

In other words, if you rely on or put your trust in ANYTHING else, ANYTHING, besides God, it will fail you. Jesus said this.

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36

All things here on this earth are temporal. Your looks. Your health. Your money. The only thing that can overcome anything temporal, is spiritual. You must have faith, keep your faith. Do not worry about the storm when it comes. You, as a child of God, can look at that storm, trial, or tribulation, whatever it may be, and know this.

"Lord? I may not know why this storm has come, but I do know you are greater than the storm and I know you are with me. Please comfort me, guide me, and give me whatever wisdom I may need in this time and always. In Jesus's name, amen!"

There is literally nothing that can derail God's plans. NOTHING. If Jesus tells you to go and do something, trust me, or rather trust Him, nothing is going to stop you from carrying out Jesus's words. Nothing but you. You are the only one that can mess things up. You are the only one that can let the storm win. You. Look at Jonah.

"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord." Jonah 1:1-3

God said go. Jonah went. However, he went the wrong way. What happened when the storm came. They threw Jonah into the sea and he was eaten by a giant fish. You know the story. God was not with Jonah in the storm, as a matter of fact, God caused the storm, But Jonah failed to be obedient to God and therefore was left to his own strength and wisdom on how to deal with it.

Now of course we know that he repented and ended up going and doing what God asked him to do.

"Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God."

Wait. Who did they believe? Jonah? No, it says, "The people believed God."

"They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them." Jonah 3:4-5

It goes on to tell you that even the King repented and God turns from the wrath He intended to do. It was because Jonah was finally obedient to God and let Him lead and deal with the storms.

Back to James and we will close today with this.

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death." James1:12-15

Storms and trials and tribulations will come. How you deal with them is directly related to the severity of the outcome. However, here is something to keep in mind. It may not even be "your storm." The Storm may NOT be for you. God may be using this storm for another reason. More on that next time.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Is He asleep in your boat? Ready to calm the storms? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!