Don’t Live in Egypt

Jeremiah‬ ‭42:12-16‬ - And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land. But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land,” disobeying the voice of the LORD your God, saying, “No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell”—then hear now the word of the LORD...thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “If you wholly set your faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there, then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die.”

Strong words of warning. The Old Testament of the Bible is filled with allegories that can be applied to today.  All of God’s Word in some way has just as much meaning for us today as it did in the days and circumstances of then. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1Corinthians‬ ‭10:11‬)

Egypt in the Bible is another name for the world. The world we live in has its own way of doing things. If we are true Christians who are devoted to God, Jesus and the Word of God we are no longer part of this world. We are strangers as the Bible tells us. The world offers us very little of value as compared to what Jesus can give us. No amount of prestige, success or money is greater than what God has to give. 

In Jeremiah the words spoken above were for the people of Judah. They turned their backs on their God, repeatedly. However, it can apply to us also. It can prevent us, as God was implying to His people, that they would not enter into the land He had intended for them. They were intent on living as the world around them. 

So look at the verses again. God will be merciful to us if we choose to follow Him. Before the Fall in the Eden everything was perfect. Man had a relationship with God. He lived, walked and communicated with them. Life was perfect with no work, no hatred, no wars, no need. Everything necessary was provided by God. 

But we now live with the effects of that fall. We are separated from God...until we come into relationship again with Jesus Christ. It is through Him alone that our separation from God has ended. When we do, that land He has promised will be attainable. It will not be without trials until He returns, but we have the hope  of that future.

But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land...but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread...” This world cannot offer the hope of peace on its own. We cannot put our trust in man, government or self. If we do we are ultimately in disobedience to God. Our only hope is in one Man, Jesus Christ, as I repeatedly say and which message Jesus tries to convey. I am reminded of another scripture:

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.‭‭ (1Thessalonians‬ ‭5:2-4‬) I know peace and safety will not come in this world. I know about this day. I am not in darkness. So, then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt...and you shall die.

People, this is a part of what a relationship with God is about. Eternal life. This world cannot give eternal life. One day, hopefully soon, Jesus will return. He will bring real peace but it will only apply to those in this relationship in Him. Don’t be fooled into thinking you are safe and secure because you’re a good person or do good works. ...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus... (2Timothy‬ ‭1:8-9‬)

It’s also not about a denomination but that relationship. He offers it to anyone who is willing to choose it. There is only one Way and His name is Jesus. There are not many ways to receive eternal life. 

I don’t write this to anger or scare anyone but to warn. Jesus warned, God warned...for a reason. My words, which are not really mine but the Bible’s, I’m sure I will sound like those old time evangelists who shouted, “Repent, for the day of the Lord is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) Not one of us without this relationship with Jesus and have experienced a change of heart, will enter into that promised land. But God is patient. He is holding off His return so that more will seek Him. All it takes is humbling yourself and realizing that you may not know the truth and desire to. An open heart will do this. 

I once was blind, big time, and now I see. Those words to  mean so much more these days. I pray they will for anyone of you who reads this and seeks to know the God of all truth...and hope and peace. 

Mark‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭- Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

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The Simplicity of it All

Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In prayer this morning I ventured into thoughts of if God can love me so much, He also loves those who do not acknowledge Him.

I think of the people that can irritate, anger, frustrate and disappoint. Thoughts of how God loves them come to mind. He created each one of them just like He created me. Psalm 139 speaks of this...and it is meant for all people..believers or not.

He can love but in the end He is also able to exact judgment upon those who simply will not call on the name of the Lord or acknowledge Him in their lives. His righteous anger is not like ours. He knows what He must do and He does it. "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬)

We can all be in that place of righteousness if we humbly and sincerely go to Jesus repenting of our sin, asking for His forgiveness and acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior. And then living each day with His thoughts in mind. The pure and just things that He shows us in His Word. And heeding the warnings of the people who failed to follow Him. It's all that simple.

The world wants peace but so often they want something other than Christ as their peace. The Jews who cried out "Crucify Him!" wanted something other than Jesus to be their Messiah. They wanted, as the world wants, their own way. They believe that if government were thus and so things would be better. They fight for causes. Is any of this ultimately going to work?

Jesus is the only hope for everlasting peace. No one says it better than He Himself: Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭32-33‬)

We have brought on our own trials and tribulation...because we have left Jesus. We have come to a place in life, in this world, where we desire peace in ways other than through God. Politicians say they will bring this or that if they become president...maybe even promise hope and change! The only hope and change we can trust in is through Jesus Christ. For some their hope is in man, not a Man. Looking to a political candidate (and they are rare) who holds to godly values somehow seems archaic. No more of this God stuff, people proclaim in their hearts.

There will be a judgment some day for everyone. However, I know where true peace comes from. The simplicity of the day when I gave my heart to Christ is as fresh in my mind as what I had for supper last night, probably better! There you will find true peace.

God loves the sinner. He came to save the sinner. There's no doubt about it. In our human minds we can't comprehend how He can...and that love I am truly trying to understand. I may judge unrighteously at times. I should not. All judgment is for God alone. It will happen. However, I may judge righteously, with love for the sinner. Not always so easy, I admit. I still need some work!

Do not be deceived by what the world has to offer. It will not last. Jesus, the same today as yesterday and tomorrow, has all the answers. They are true and just. He's well worth seeking.

2Corinthians 11:3-4 - But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Not of the World

John 17:11-16

Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You, Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.


I still maintain there is a difference between knowing Jesus and believing in Him in our heads and knowing and believing in our hearts.

There is a definite transition and transformation that takes place when one truly knows Jesus. Something happens in our hearts and spirits. What we thought we knew becomes what we truly know.

Jesus was not of the world. That we can agree on. His disciples followed Him and were also considered not of the world. There were a lot of people who knew who Jesus was but rejected His words. They preferred the lifestyle they had always known over the one that Jesus offered. He has a way of changing a person's priorities by changing our hearts. Some don't want that change. Being in Christ means no longer being in the world and all it thinks is important. It's about priorities.

Only one of His disciples, Judas, failed. His love for money (he was treasurer for the group) did him in in the end. It is my understanding that he was the most intelligent of all the disciples. He had a wise business sense (although not always honest). It makes me think of the scripture that tells us God chooses the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise...and the weak things to put to shame the mighty. (1Corinthians 1:27)  It wasn't the intelligence or position in life Jesus wanted. It was the heart willing to change.

One might say, Oh, Jesus wanted the lesser people because He could twist them around His little finger and coerce them. Not so. If anything He coerced them into an exceedingly apparent knowledge of God, that could only have come from the Spirit, that these men used to preach the Gospel...and eternal life.

Judas remained of the world while his counterparts were no longer of the world, as Jesus has been saying. We are all a part of this corrupt world until we come to Christ. When we receive Him we are given a better knowledge through the power of the Holy Spirit. That Holy Spirit is the dividing factor between the earthly and spiritual. And that Holy Spirit only comes as a result of our coming to Christ, being born of the Spirit.

God chose me. I did not choose God. It was a struggle between He and me for awhile till "I got it." He sought me (He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood!). I chose to hear and receive what He offered me. I chose to be different being in relationship with Him. I chose to come out of the world. I chose to learn about Him. I have not regretted it. It's been an amazing journey. I may have lost ties with some friends or they keep me at arm's length, but I have won a whole new
family in my brothers and sisters in Christ, even those whom I've not even met.

We are called to not be of the world. Jesus prays that we will be protected from the evil one. The world hates the things of God. That is a very strong statement, I'm sure, to those who say they have nothing against Him but His way is not exactly the way they want to go; their lives are already filled. They just aren't filled with Jesus.

Ephesians 3:14-19 - For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Yours and Mine

John 17:6-10

I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and they have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.


Jesus understood the men that He chose to become His disciples were really chosen by the Father...because Jesus listened to the Father and did as He asked. He may not have, although it's possible I suppose, audibly heard God say, "Choose Peter, choose, Andrew, choose..." but being in tune with His Father's Spirit, He would have known.

He chose these disciples out of the world. And they came out of the world to become His followers. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. And immediately He called [two more fishermen], and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. (‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭17-18,20‬) They came out of the world, they dropped their things and followed.

Prior to this Jesus had told His disciples that they did not choose Him, but He chose them. If He chooses to make Himself known to us it is a privilege and we should also be willing to come out of the world to follow Him. We may not be asked to drop everything, but some will. Some will know to drop their things and become missionaries. You just never know what God will do.

The disciples saw what Jesus did, heard what He said...and they believed. They knew what He said was true and that it came from His relationship with His Father. When we come to Christ, when we allow ourselves to be in relationship with Him, it should be like the relationship Jesus had with His Father...one of listening and obeying, doing His will, not our own. If we choose to follow Christ we become the Father's. But not before then.

Jesus made a statement above that made me think and search. He prays not for the world, but for those who are chosen. He prays that the world might be saved, that they might receive Him...but He prays specifically for those who do receive Him. The world, as He has said before, hated Him. If we do not choose to follow Christ, think it's not necessary, or scorn those who do, we ultimately hate Him. It's a hard truth.

He chooses us, we receive Him, a He prays for us. Jesus is there for everyone, but it will always be about the choice to receive Him. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (‭Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭37‬) We might have family or friends who think we've gone off the deep end with this Jesus stuff. If we choose them over Him, we are not worthy of Him. If we do not seriously consider Christ, submit to Him, we are considered of the world and we do not belong to Him. He makes this very clear.

I am His, He is mine...we who have been called.

Isaiah 43:1 - But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine."