Jeremiah began his ministry during the reign of Josiah (640-609 BC).  When Josiah was killed by the Egyptian Pharaoh Neco, the people put his son Jehoahaz (609 BC) on the throne.  He lasted three months.  When Neco found out who had been made king, he took Jehoahaz prisoner to Egypt and made his older brother Jehoiakim (another son of Josiah, 609-598 BC) king.  When he died, his son Jehoiachin became king (598-597 BC) but he only lasted three months until Nebuchadnezzar came and seized Jerusalem and took Jehoiachin to Babylon as his prisoner.  Nebuchadnezzar then made Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, king.  Zedekiah was another son of Josiah.  He ruled from 597-586 BC.  He was the last king until Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed Jerusalem.

Jeremiah's messages will now change.  Instead of being general messages, he is given specific messages for various kings, for the people, and for the prophets.  The messages are NOT in chronological order.

Jeremiah 21:1-2 KJV  The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,  (2)  Enquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.

Zedekiah was a bad king. He wants to know what God has to say but doesn't want to follow it.

Jeremiah 21:3-4 KJV  Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:  (4)  Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.

It is thought that this message came in the ninth year of Zedekiah (589 BC) which was the year Nebuchadnezzar began his two year siege of Jerusalem (2Ki. 25:1).

Your own weapons will hurt you.

Jeremiah 21:5-7 KJV  And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.  (6)  And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.  (7)  And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

This prediction was fulfilled in 586 B.C. when Zedekiah was blinded and taken to Babylon and other leaders were executed (Jer. 39:5-7; 52:24-27).

God loves us but He is holy and righteous. He needs to judge sin. He warned then over and over. They didn't listen.

Romans 1:17-32 KJV  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  (18)  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  (19)  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  (20)  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  (21)  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  (22)  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  (23)  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  (24)  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  (25)  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  (26)  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  (27)  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  (28)  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  (29)  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,  (30)  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  (31)  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:  (32)  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Romans 1 says men are without excuse. They deny God.

Zedekiah is being warned but he sill will not repent.

Jeremiah 21:8-9 KJV  And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.  (9)  He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

If you stay in the city = sword, famine and pestilence.
Go out surrender = life spared.
In obeying God they would have to disobey man.
Jeremiah is telling the people that the only way to survive is to surrender to the king of Babylon.  For most people, how would that come across?  It would seem like Jeremiah was a traitor.

Jeremiah 21:10-14 KJV  For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.  (11)  And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the LORD;  (12)  O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.  (13)  Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?  (14)  But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

Revelation 20:1-15 KJV  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  (2)  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,  (3)  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.  (4)  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  (5)  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  (6)  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  (7)  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  (8)  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  (9)  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  (10)  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  (11)  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  (12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  (13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Those who rejected God will be judged. Every idle word spoken brought into judgement. Any man not in the book of life throw in the lake of fire.

REJECT SALVATION AND GOD WILL JUDGE

Salvation is a gift. God wants you to be saved. All you have to do is accept the blood atonement Jesus did for you. Open your heart by faith and you will be saved. God loves you. His son died for you, but you must receive the gift.

Come join us for a fun-filled week with Scrappy, Miss Helen
and all of our
Agape Gang friends! 

Nursery for children under 3 provided.

Children ages 3 to 13 will enjoy:

• Live Drama
• Puppets
• Music
• Crafts & Games

Jeremiah 20:1-2 KJV  Now Pash'ur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.  (2)  Then Pash'ur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

When the people had earlier devised a plot against Jeremiah, they said,
Jeremiah 18:18 NLT Then the people said, "Come on, let's find a way to stop Jeremiah. We have our own priests and wise men and prophets. We don't need him to teach the law and give us advice and prophecies. Let's spread rumors about him and ignore what he says."

They had their own prophets and priests to tell them what they thought God was saying.

Jeremiah has also talked about the prophets who misled the people by telling them that everything was going to be all right.
Jeremiah 6:14 KJV They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

smote – Jeremiah very likely received 40 lashes.
stocks – so Jeremiah would face public ridicule.

Jeremiah 20:3 KJV  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pash'ur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pash'ur, but Ma'gor-mis'sa-bib.

Pash'ur means freedom
Ma'gor-mis'sa-bib means terror on every side

Jeremiah 20:4-6 KJV  For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.  (5)  Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.  (6)  And thou, Pash'ur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

It has been suggested that Pash'ur was taken in the second Babylonian captivity in 597 BC, the same deportation that took the prophet Ezekiel to Babylon.

Ultimately one of the tests of whether or not a person is truly a prophet or not is whether or not their words come to pass.
Deu 18:21-22 KJV And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? {22} When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Pashur would be shown to be a false prophet.

All that dwell in Pash'ur's house = wife and children

He will survive the mayhem. He will survive the siege. He will see all that terror. He will die in Babylon.

It is like if the power plant close by (there two, one being 3 mile island) would go up in a bang. It would almost be better running toward it then away from it. Better to go oh that was pretty and then your dead then try to run and next 3 weeks sit there and .... ok let's go on to happier things.....

Jeremiah 20:7 KJV  O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

Jeremiah feels tricked by God.

God had promised Jeremiah at the beginning of his ministry that it would be tough, but God also said:
Jeremiah 1:18-19 NLT For see, today I have made you immune to their attacks. You are strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. None of the kings, officials, priests, or people of Judah will be able to stand against you. {19} They will try, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the LORD, have spoken!"

Now Jeremiah feels like God has not kept His part of the bargain.

We feel let down when we get to think that God's promises means some certain thing, like perhaps never being whipped and put in the stocks (like Jeremiah had just experienced).

The problem isn't with God's promise; the problem is our idea of what the promise means.

Jeremiah 20:8 KJV  For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

They are laughing at me God.

Jeremiah 20:9 KJV  Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Can you relate to this. Oh I am so tired of them mocking, "oh here come the Christian." But when life blows up in their face guess who they want to talk to. They come and ask, "would you pray for me." Funny isn't it.
It may be a lot of work. It may mean suffering.

Jeremiah 20:10 KJV  For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

Jeremiah 20:10 NLT I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me "The Man Who Lives in Terror." And they say, "If you say anything, we will report it." Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip. "He will trap himself," they say, "and then we will get our revenge on him."

Jeremiah 20:11-12 KJV  But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.  (12)  But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

God sees everything

Jeremiah 20:13-14 KJV  Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.  (14)  Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Great highs and great lows.

Sometimes God allows extreme lows to bring repentance.
Somethings God allows extreme lows because He is trying to get your attention.

Modern medicine says oh no we can't have that...MEDICATE. 

Sometimes the answer isn't a pill. The answer is repentance.

It is good to have extreme highs. The mountain tops. Praise God for them. There are also valleys. Psalm 23 says though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For Thou art with me.

Don't be afraid of valleys. Many times that is where the greater lesson is learned.

Jeremiah 20:15-17 KJV  Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.  (16)  And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;  (17)  Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

God told him that He called him from his mother's womb.

Jeremiah 20:18 KJV  Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Jeremiah needs encouragement. In your time of struggle always keep in mind there is a bigger picture.

How willing are you to obey the calling that God has for you? It may bring you pain. It may bring you ridicule. It may risk everything you have. How far are you willing to go to serve God?

May God bless you today and draw you closer to Him.

Luke 11:14 KJV  And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

casting out – ekballo – to cast out, drive out, to send out. Present participle
dumb – kophos – blunted, dull; blunted (or lamed) in tongue, mute, dumb

Matthew 9:32-34 KJV  As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.  (33)  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.  (34)  But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

Matthew 12:22-24 KJV  Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.  (23)  And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?  (24)  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

The Jews in Jesus' day had their own exorcists, who sought to cast demons out of people. But they believed that they had to have the demon reveal his name, or they could not cast the demon out.

Jesus cast out a demon that caused muteness. According to the Jewish thinking of that day, the demon was impossible to cast out because he made the man unable to speak, and unable to reveal the name of the demon.

They were amazed because Jesus had done something that they thought was impossible.

Luke 11:15 KJV  But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

Religious leaders said that He did it through the devil.

Isaiah 35:3-6 KJV  Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.  (4)  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.  (5)  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.  (6)  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

Jesus healed blind
Jesus healed Deaf
Jesus healed lame
Jesus healed mute
He authenticated himself.

These people were having a hard time thinking that Jesus could be performing miracles, so they attributed His miracles to Satan.

There are some well-meaning Christians who have difficulty believing that God could be doing miracles today. And what they inevitably end up doing is saying that certain miracles are being done by Satan. It's a shame.

Luke 11:16 KJV  And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

They just saw signs and they wanted more.

There comes a point where you need to open your eyes and realize who Jesus is.

Luke 11:17 KJV  But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

A house divided will not stand.

divided – diamerizo – to cleave asunder, cut in pieces; to be divided into opposing parts, to be at variance, in dissension

brought to desolation – eremoo – to make desolate, lay waste; to ruin, bring to desolation; to despoil one, strip her of her treasures; from eremos – solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited; a desert, wilderness

Luke 11:18 KJV  If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

be divided – diamerizo – to cleave asunder, cut in pieces; to be divided into opposing parts, to be at variance, in dissension

Jesus is pointing out that their reasoning is ridiculous. If Jesus were empowered by Satan, why would He be tearing apart His own kingdom?

Luke 11:19-20 KJV  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.  (20)  But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Jesus didn't have to perform elaborate rituals, He simply told the demons to leave.

There are two kingdoms. The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness

Luke 11:21-22 KJV  When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:  (22)  But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

strong man – ischuros – strong, mighty

armed – kathoplizo – furnish with arms, "fully armed"

keepeth – phulasso – to guard; to watch, keep watch

palace – aule – among the Greeks in Homer's time, an uncovered space around the house, enclosed by a wall, in which the stables stood, hence among the Orientals that roofless enclosure by a wall, in the open country in which the flocks were herded at night, a sheepfold; the house itself, a palace

goods – huparchonta – possessions, goods, wealth, property

The strong man is Satan.

When a person gives a part of their life to Satan, Satan will guard it. That person will have a "peace" because Satan will want them to feel good about what they are doing. When a person has been dominated by Satan, and you as a Spirit filled Christian come into their life, they are going to be uncomfortable around you, probably going to get upset at you.

Luke 4:33-34 KJV And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, {34} Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

Jesus is stronger then satan.

Do not be fooled into thinking that Satan is the opposite of Jesus.

Jesus is the Creator, God in the flesh. Satan is a created being, a fallen angel.

There is no comparison between the two.

Jesus has won the battle, winning it at the cross:

Col 2:13-15 KJV  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; {15} And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Luke 11:23 KJV  He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

There are two kingdoms. You are in one or the other. You are either with God/Jesus or you are against. You are in one or the other. There is no middle ground.

Which kingdom are you in?

There is no neutral ground.

What do you think of Christ?
Well, I don't know, I think He is a good man. He was a pretty good philosopher.
Are you for Him?
No, I am neutral.
No, you're not. Jesus said: "If you're not with me, you're against me."

If you received Christ you are in the kingdom of light.
If you reject God you are in the kingdom of darkness.

There is NO middle ground!

Luke 11:24 KJV  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

is gone out of – exerchomai – to go or come forth of; of those who are expelled or cast out

walketh through – dierchomai – to go through, pass through; to go, walk, journey, pass through a place; to go different places

dry – anudros – without water

rest – anapausis – intermission, cessation of any motion, business or labour; rest, recreation

I will return – hupostrepho – to turn back; to turn about; to return

It seems as if demons have this need to possess some living being.

Luke 11:25-26 KJV  And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.  (26)  Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

more wicked – poneros – full of labours, annoyances, hardships; bad, of a bad nature or condition; in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad; here it is a comparative form, "more wicked"

dwell – katoikeo – to dwell, settle; metaph. divine powers, influences, etc., are said to dwell in his soul, to pervade, prompt, govern it; to dwell in, inhabit; to dwell, settle, temporarily

The picture of a person delivered from a demon, but not yet filled with Jesus is a picture of a person who tries to be neutral. They say they are not for Satan, but they are also not for Jesus. Jesus shows us that this is impossible.

Jesus points out the danger of delivering a person from demonic possession without filling their life with Jesus. They can end up worse than before.

Luke 11:27-28 KJV  And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.  (28)  But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

blessed – makarios – blessed, happy

womb – koilia – the whole belly, the entire cavity; the womb, the place where the fetus is conceived and nourished until birth

that bare – bastazo – to take up with the hands; to take up in order to carry or bear, to put upon one's self (something) to be carried; to bear, to carry

paps – mastos – the breasts

sucked – thelazo – to give the breast, give suck, to suckle

It looks like to me we have an early attempt by someone to worship Mary, Jesus' mother.  Pay attention to how Jesus responds.

yea rather – menounge – nay surely, nay rather
NAS – "on the contrary", NKJV – "more than that".

Jesus isn't saying bad things about His mother, but He's pointing out that there are more important things in God's eyes than being Jesus' mother, not exactly a Roman Catholic kind of viewpoint.

Rather than exalting Mary above the rest of the common people, Jesus said that the greater blessing belongs to those who hear the Word of God and obey it.

blessed – makarios – blessed, happy

hear – akouo – to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf; to hear

keep – phulasso – to guard; to watch, keep watch; to guard i.e. care for, take care not to violate; to observe

The real blessings are in obedience.

Our society has had a decade and a half of experimentation with random sexual freedom.  We have discovered that it is neither so very sexy nor so very free.  My generation is disillusioned with sex as a social panacea.  We look longingly at the marriages of our parents and grandparents and wonder how on earth they managed to stay best friends for so long--or even worst friends for so long!  But at least they had someone to read the newspaper with.
-- Erica Jong in Ms. magazine (May 1989). Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 10.

There are great blessings in simply doing what God wants, like working on your marriage instead of abandoning it.

Luke 11:29 KJV  And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

sign – semeion – a sign, mark, token; that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others and is known; a sign, prodigy, portent, i.e. an unusual occurrence, transcending the common course of nature

Over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament. All they had to do was look at those. They wanted a sign but all the prophesies were being fulfilled.

If a person's heart is in a good place, God can use signs.  But usually this isn't the case.  Throughout the three year ministry of Jesus, He did MANY signs and wonders, yet the crowd still turned against Him in the end.

Jesus tells a story about a guy who ask for a sign –
Luke 16:19-31 KJV  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: {20} And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, {21} And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. {22} And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; {23} And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. {24} And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. {25} But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. {26} And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. {27} Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: {28} For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. {29} Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. {30} And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. {31} And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The Rich Man asked Abraham to send someone back from the dead, quite a sign, huh?  Abraham's answer is correct, Jesus came back from the dead and people still have chosen not to believe.

When someone challenges you about signs, saying that they can't believe in God unless God does a miracle, point out that Jesus did plenty of miracles, and many people still didn't believe.

The issue is rarely one of the intellect.  It's not because people don't have enough proof that they can't believe, it's that they don't WANT to believe.  This is a matter of a person's will, not their intellect.

In Matthew, we get a little more clarification to the "sign of Jonah":
Matthew 12:39-41 KJV  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: {40} For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. {41} The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

The sign people will get was that of Jesus being in the earth for three days and coming back from the dead.

Luke 11:30-31 KJV  For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.  (31)  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Queen of the south – the Queen of Sheba

Jesus is referring to the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon:
1 Kings 10:1-8 KJV  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. {2} And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. {3} And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. {4} And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, {5} And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. {6} And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. {7} Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. {8} Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

This woman had heard great things about King Solomon, so she made a point of going to see him.  She found out how wonderful he really was.

Jesus is saying that if this woman went to such great lengths to see Solomon, how much more should the people of His generation be coming to listen to Him, since He is Solomon's Creator?

Jesus gives us an interesting picture of the judgment, as if witnesses will be called in to testify against us.  When the people of Jesus' generation are being judged, the Queen of Sheba will be called to the stand to testify concerning how she visited Solomon, and how these people should have followed Jesus.

Luke 11:32 KJV  The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

shall rise up – anistemi – to cause to rise up, raise up; to raise up from the dead; to rise, stand up; of persons lying down, of persons lying on the ground; of the dead

they repented – metanoeo – to change one's mind, i.e. to repent; to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins

preaching – kerugma – that which is proclaimed by a herald or public crier, a proclamation by herald

We will be held accountable for what we've been exposed to.

Living in the Information Age we have little excuse about what we've had access to when it comes to the things of God.

Nowadays, you can have twenty Bible translations, even look up Greek and Hebrew words, all from your computer.  You can listen to messages from good Bible teaching pastors on the radio and the Internet.

Luke 11:33 KJV  No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

candle – luchnos – a lamp, candle, that is placed on a stand or candlestick

hath lighted – hapto – to fasten to, adhere to; to fasten fire to a thing, kindle, set of fire

secret place – kruptos – hidden, concealed, secret

bushel – modios – a dry measure holding 16 sextarii (or 1/6 of the Attic medimnus), about a peck (9 litres)

candlestick – luchnia – a (candlestick) lamp stand, candelabrum

the light – pheggos – light; of a candle or lamp; the bright sunshine, the beam of light

Luke 11:34 KJV  The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

There are two kingdoms. You are in  one or the other. You choose where you put your eye.

Luke 11:35-36 KJV  Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.  (36)  If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

The man told his doctor that he wasn't able to do all the things around the house that he used to do.  When the examination was complete, he said, "Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what is wrong with me."  "Well, in plain English," the doctor replied, "you're just lazy."  "Okay," said the man. "Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife."

During the days that Knute Rockne was coaching Notre Dame, a sports columnist in a South Bend newspaper earned the reputation of being the meanest, most cutting writer in the country.  The anonymous writer, who knew Notre Dame well, wrote about the team's weaknesses.  He pointed out the mistakes of individual players.  He told about those who were lazy, about those who broke training and didn't discipline themselves.  Of course, this column made the players roaring mad.  The truth hurt and players complained to Rockne.  He listened with sympathy but said he could not stop the writer.  He advised that the only way the players could do so was to go out and play the game so well that they would prove him wrong.
Later it became known that the writer of the column was Knute Rockne himself.  As coach of the team he was best acquainted with their weaknesses.  The critical column was his ingenuous device to develop a better team. Sometimes the Scriptures speak so sharply about us it is uncomfortable.  But God tells the truth because He loves us and wants to make us winners.  He knows that we cannot win unless we discipline ourselves to obey His rules of life.

Paul wrote,
Eph 4:14-15 KJV  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; {15} But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

The simple truth is that there is a God who created you and loves you very much.

Genesis 1:1 KJV  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

He gave us life and deserves our gratitude and love.

We, however, have chosen to disobey Him and sin against Him; all of us have done wrong and failed to do what is right.

Romans 3:23 KJV  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We may not be more sinful than our neighbor, or we may be far worse than anyone we know, it does not matter. Either way, we are guilty before God.

1 John 1:8 KJV  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

God is perfect, completely good, always right and fair. He cannot tolerate sin. He cannot simply overlook the fact that we have chosen to disobey Him.

Romans 6:23 KJV  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This means that the fair payment for our rebellion against God is death. It is the punishment that we deserve.

Jesus, the one and only Son of God, came to earth and lived a perfect sinless life. He was crucified even though He was completely innocent. He received the punishment that we deserved. He was the perfect sacrifice, He was put into our place and took on Himself the sentence of death that should have been ours.

Romans 5:8 KJV  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus did not, however, remain dead. After three days, He rose from the grave and later ascended into heaven. He will return for all those who are trusting in Him as their Savior.

Jesus died for you. You can be saved by asking Him for forgiveness from your sins. If you are willing to repent of your sin, He is waiting to forgive you. It doesn't matter what you have done in the past, if you cry out to Jesus for forgiveness, He will not reject you. The word "repent" literally means "to turn away from." You need to look at your life, admit that you are a sinner, genuinely desire to turn your back on that sin, and ask Him to forgive you. If you do this, He promises to forgive you.

True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or how your parents raised you, or what country you were born in. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. It's not good enough that your priest, pastor, mother, or aunt knows Jesus, you must know Him for yourself. They cannot believe in Him for you, you must believe for yourself. They cannot repent for you, you must repent for yourself.

Jesus is everywhere all the time. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don't miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:

"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You."

If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God. Welcome to the family of God!

It is important for you to start to grow in your relationship with Jesus. Just like any relationship, you need to spend time with someone if you want to know them well. The way to know God is through the Bible.

Since it is our anniversary, I thought I would do a post on marriage.

Treat your spouse as precious, always. Eph. 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Put the needs of your spouse ahead of your own: Phil 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. This is very important! Too many in a marriage expect their spouse to lift them up, keep them satisfied and vibrant and look for their happiness in their spouse instead of Jesus. What an unfair expectation to have of any human being on this earth. Only Jesus truly satisfies. Find your satisfaction and Joy in him and you will be able to be a blessing to your spouse.

The more time you spend with the Lord the more of a blessing you will be to your spouse. It is a dependent relationship. Jesus said, “Abide in me and you will bear much fruit”. John 15:5 It also has to be stated that the less time you spend with Jesus the less of a blessing you will become. If you dry up spiritually in your walk with the Lord it often directly impacts your relationship with your spouse too.

Never gossip about, demean, belittle, or dishonor your spouse to anyone!

Learn to become best friends. Spend time together praying, volunteering, playing. God has called you to be one flesh! Not two strangers with separate lives.

Never, Never, NEVER! harden your heart against your spouse. The minute you start telling yourself “he or she will just have to get over it” you are stepping in a bad direction in your marriage. Watch out for this one.

We prove by our actions what our priorities really are. Watching TV or listening to our spouse. Out with friends instead of going out with your spouse. Also we prove how PRECIOUS our spouse is by HOW we treat them! Your actions speak so much more loudly than your words.

No name-calling, no belittling, and be willing to hear eachother’s point of view.

Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. Eph 4:26-27 Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Divorce is NOT an option
Matt 5:31-32 Furthermore it has been said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of
divorce. But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality
causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Matt 19:8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce
your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Mal 2:16 "For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with
violence, Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal
treacherously."

Marriage is humbling! You want to stay married? Humble yourself.

No one knows you better than your spouse. Be transparent with your spouse. “You know that bothers me because”…or “It hurts me when you say this…” Why hide from them what is on your heart?

Wives are called to submit to their husbands. Eph 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. Peter exhorts wives to do the same thing in I Peter 3:6.

Submission is an attitude of heart to honor and love your husband that will permeate your behavior over time. Titus 2:4 Paul tells wives to love their husbands too.

Ephesians 5 does not say wives submit to your husbands when they love you…nor does it say that husbands are to love their wives when they submit to you. You are called to do your part regardless of the performance or lack thereof of your spouse.

Seek the Lord together about your decisions and trust that He will speak to both of you on the important issues

We need to guard our minds from ungodly worldly influences that only disrupt our marital intimacy, like TV, the Internet, pornography, memories of old flames, trash novels or simply wrong thoughts!

Proverbs 5:15-23 KJV  Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.  (16)  Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.  (17)  Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.  (18)  Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.  (19)  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.  (20)  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?  (21)  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.  (22)  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.  (23)  He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Proverbs 6:24-34 KJV  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.  (25)  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  (26)  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.  (27)  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  (28)  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?  (29)  So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.  (30)  Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;  (31)  But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.  (32)  But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.  (33)  A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.  (34)  For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

We are called to not deprive one another except with consent for a time (to seek the Lord), and that for a limited time, lest Satan get the opportunity to tempt us! 1 Corinthians 7:5

Avoid situations that can lead to trouble! This is not rocket science, yet people who fall into adultery are shocked that some other person made a move on them, and get caught flirting and playing where they should not. If your neighbor or coworker is overly friendly, WATCH OUT! Stay away from them unless you are with your spouse!

Things that can destroy your marriage:
· Poor relationship with the Lord.
· Poor relationship/friendship with your spouse.
· Pornography - MAJOR DAMAGE!
· Wrong comparisons in your mind of other partners whether real or from Hollywood. This discontent and shred your relationship.
· Poor self-image, improper expectations or wrong comparisons with a super model/stud dissatisfaction of your spouse’s appearance and surprisingly with your own appearance. The world can give us a ridiculous hang up with a part of our bodies God gave for our spouse. Don’t let Satan rip you off.
· Harsh words
· A lack of sensitivity to your spouse’s needs.
· Failure to give 100% even in intimacy, being self-absorbed.
· Failure to provide the romance the other partner needs to enjoy marital intimacy.
· Failure to make time for intimacy.

In the world and in the church the divorce rate is over 50%. Think about that! Why is the number so high?

The works of the (walking in the) flesh are:
· Adultery, fornication, (sexual immorality)
· uncleanness, (impure thoughts)
· lasciviousness, (eagerness for lustful pleasure)
· witchcraft, (participation in demonic activities)
· hatred, (hostility)
· variance, (quarreling)
· emulations, (jealousy)
· wrath, (outbursts of anger)
· strife, (selfish ambition)
· sedition, (divisions)
· heresies, (the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group)
· Envying, (envy)
· murders,
· drunkenness,
· revelings, (wild parties)
· and such like, (and other kinds of sin)

What God has called us to as believers is to walk in (the works of) the Holy Spirit. Those behaviors are the following:
· love,
· joy,
· peace,
· long suffering, (patience)
· gentleness, (kindness
· goodness, (hostility)
· faith, (faithfulness)
· Meekness, (gentleness)
· temperance, (self-control)
· against such there is no law, (Here there is no conflict with the law)

Allow Galatians 5 to be the rule for determining when one or the other is walking in the flesh. When the husband or the wife is walking in the flesh, have the genuine humility to submit to God’s Word on the issue and correct yourself!

Pray.

Get into God’s word. Make the list of the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit. Make it a point to memorize these behaviors. Then Filter!
To filter means, before you speak to your spouse run the comment or attitude through the filter of Galatians 5. Is this comment/attitude a work of the flesh? If it is, then the problem is not with your spouse, it is with your one heart. If the comment/attitude is not a work of the flesh, then it is profitable to speak it to your spouse.

McDonald's: Christian boycotters 'hate' homosexuals

CEO says company has obligation to 'make a difference … and we do'

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

Following a link from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce's website leads to a promotional for children's Happy Meals at the McDonalds website

Those who oppose homosexuality for religious reasons are participating in "hate," according to an official for McDonald's, the worldwide purveyor of Big Macs and Happy Meals.

"Hatred has no place in our culture," corporate spokesman Bill
Whitman told the Washington Post in response to a campaign by the American Family Association for a boycott of the burger-and-fries outlets because of the corporation's advocacy for the homosexual lifestyle.

"That includes McDonald's, and we stand by and support our people to
live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment,"
Whitman said.

"Throwing out any pretense of being neutral in the culture war,
McDonald's has taken up the rhetoric of gay activists, suggesting those
who oppose same-sex marriage (SSM) are motivated by hate," the AFA said
in a new alert about its campaign today.

"AFA has asked for a boycott of McDonald's restaurants because of
the company's promotion of the gay agenda. AFA asked McDonald's to
remain neutral in the culture war. McDonald's refused," the group said.

"McDonald's has decided to adopt the 'hate' theme used by gay activist groups for years," said the AFA alert.

"Mr. Whitman has intentionally avoided addressing the reason for the
boycott. This boycott is not about hiring gays or how gay employees are
treated. It is about McDonald's choosing to put the full weight of their corporation behind promoting their agenda," the AFA alert said.

McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner said the company will promote issues they approve, the AFA said.

"Being a socially responsible organization is a fundamental part of
who we are. We have an obligation to use our size and resources to make
a difference in the world ... and we do," Skinner was quoted as saying.

The American Family Association's
earlier boycott of Ford Motor Co. over its promotion of homosexuality
was dropped after company sales fell 8 percent per month for two years.

AFA said McDonald's donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian
Chamber of Commerce in exchange for membership in the NGLCC and a seat
on the group's board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies Congress on a wide
range of issues, including the promotion of same-sex marriage.

AFA had asked the corporation to remove its name and logo from the
NGLCC website, where it is listed as a "corporate partner and
organization ally." AFA also requested that McDonald's remove the
endorsement of NGLCC by Richard Ellis, vice president of communications
for McDonald's USA, from the website.

The McDonald's logo is featured on the website of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, among other well-known companies

"Ellis, who is openly homosexual, was given a seat on the NGLCC
board of directors. … He was quoted as saying, 'I'm thrilled to join
the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and ready to go to
work. I share the NGLCC's passion for business growth and development
within the LGBT community, and I look forward to playing a role I
moving these important initiatives forward,'" AFA said.

McDonald's officials declined to return a WND call seeking comment
on the placement of its executive on the "gay" advocacy organization.
But the corporation sent a subsequent e-mail confirming its support for
the agenda of the homosexual business lobby.

"McDonald's is indeed a Corporate Partner and Organizational Ally of
NGLCC. Our vice president of U.S. communications, Richard Ellis, was
recently elected to its board of directors," said the brief statement
to WND from Heidi M. Barker, senior director of media relations.

A spokeswoman for NGLCC refused to speak with WND except on
"background" when asked about McDonald's financial contribution to the
group. But she did confirm the organization would not release
information on its sponsors.

I am a Christian. Which means follower of Christ.

I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, that the Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, infallible Word of God.

I believe that God is eternally existent: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that God the father is the personal, transcendent, and sovereign creator of all things.

I believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, provided for the atonement of our sins by His vicarious death on the Cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of God the father, and ever lives to make intercession for us.

After He ascended to Heaven, Jesus poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem, enabling them to fulfill His command to preach the Gospel to the entire world, an obligation shared by all believers today.

I believe that all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness of sin are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, trusting Him to save, that person is immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all his/her sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God, destined to spend eternity with the Lord.

I believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ with His saints to rule on the earth will be personal, pre-millennial, and visible.

I motivated to heartfelt worship, committed service, diligent study of God's Word, regular fellowship with other Christians, and participation in both adult baptism by immersion and in Holy Communion.

I reject the teaching of "positive confession" which is the doctrine put
forth by the faith movement teachers that says that we as human beings
can have unlimited health and wealth because we, like God, have the
ability to create our own reality by the confession of our lips. These
people teach that if a person will confess health and wealth
consistently, then that is what they will have, and, conversely, the
Christian living in sickness or poverty is settling for less than his
full inheritance in Christ. I believe that many
believers both in the Bible and in daily life are often afflicted not
because their confession is wrong, but simply because we live in a
foreign world. We believe that the health and prosperity doctrine is a
perversion of Scripture and is often used to fleece the flock of God. I do not believe that God can be commanded by man to heal or provide,
but that we must always submit to His perfect will even in affliction.

I reject the teaching that uses human prophecy to supersede the Word of
God. There are some Christian groups around which claim to have
prophets and apostles of equal validity with those who wrote the Bible.
Moreover, they claim that the prophetic utterances from these people
take precedence over the Word of God. I believe
that the Bible is the final authority and the complete Word of God for
His church today, and that no prophecy or teaching can ever supersede
it.

I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!