Written By God’s Spirit

Written By God’s Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Pretty neat imagery there! True believers don't need credentials or letters of commendation by others to be used of the Lord. We are His letters, written on by the Spirit of the living God.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Our sufficiency is from God. "Sufficiency" means:

Sufficient, ability or competency to do a thing.

The word "able" in verse 6 means:

To make sufficient, render fit; to equip one with adequate power to perform duties of one.

As we walk daily with our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, He equips us with all we need to serve Him through the power of His Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

May 19, 2021
Jerry Bouey

The Lord Sees Our Potential

The Lord Sees Our Potential

As a much younger believer I remember reading a book or commentary where the author points this passage out:

Judges 6:12, 14  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour... And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

Then he mentioned that the Lord God saw Gideon's potential as a warrior BEFORE Gideon ever fought his first battle. The Lord opened the doors needed for Gideon to step into that role and equipped him fully for it - long before he ever fought that first battle. God already stated that Gideon had the might, the strength or power, that was needed to fight the upcoming battles God had planned for Gideon to set free the oppressed Israelites of his day.

Our Heavenly Father is sovereign. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows everything about us, has a plan for us, and He has all that is needed to bring out that result in our lives that we may fulfill His will, as we walk with Him daily by faith.

We see this same principle in two other passages:

Exodus 6:26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 

Exodus 12:17, 41, 51  And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever...  And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt...  And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Notice the language the Lord used to describe His oppressed people. He referred to them several times as a host, an army, BEFORE they ever fought a battle with the Canaanites and other nations they would encounter on their way to the Promised Land. AND notice, the Lord of Hosts had already equipped them BEFORE they ever left Egypt.

Exodus 13:17-18 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

Harnessed means armed, equipped for war.

I find the contrast presented in the passage above interesting. God knew His plan for His people, He was putting into motion the events that would free them from their oppressors, and knew what would hinder them; therefore He chose not to bring them a certain way until they had gotten the battle experience He knew they would need to conquer the Canaanites in the land He was leading them to.

One other example I want to bring to your attention:

Exodus 3:7-10 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Moses, I've chosen you to deliver My people from Egypt. Then came Moses' excuses, which God dealt with one by one. Maybe the biggest fear for this leader-to-be was basically the fear of public speaking - in this case, speaking to Pharaoh, the leader of the Egyptians, and speaking to the nation of Israel as their new leader.

Exodus 4:10-12 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

God promised to provide someone to speak on Moses' behalf - he just needed to be obedient and go do what the Lord had called him to do. The Lord, in His wisdom, provided Moses' brother to help him (whom the Lord had already sent on his way to meet Moses). The part I find so intriguing is that after Moses' and Aaron's initial meeting with the elders of the nation of Israel (in which Aaron did speak), and their first encounter with the Pharaoh (in which they spoke together), we find that Moses was the primary speaker from then on.

Exodus 4:29-30 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 

Exodus 5:1-3 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 

Exodus 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 

Exodus 7:1-2 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.

Exodus 8:9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?

One final observation from all these passages is that the Lord God promised to be with them in all He had called them to do. Notice the following:

Judges 6:12 ...The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

Exodus 4:12 ...Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Exodus 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 

The Lord is with His people, guiding them, preparing them for whatever He has planned out for each of their lives, equipping them for service and opening the needed doors for ministry in their lives.

What has your heavenly Father called you to do in Jesus' name? Are you fulfilling His will? He has left us with so many promises - not just that He will be with us as we go into all the world with the Gospel of salvation, but that He will provide, prepare, and equip each of us as we walk with Him in obedience and serve Him day by day. Consider these final two promises:

Revelation 3:7-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

This next one is a sevenfold promise that the Lord will provide EVERYTHING you need through His Word and the power of His Holy Spirit to faithfully serve Him.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Go forth, thou mighty child of God and serve Him today!

November 2, 2023
Jerry Bouey

Thy Gentleness Hath Made Me Great

Thy Gentleness Hath Made Me Great

Was just reading some poetry by king David, and came across one of my favourite verses again. Focus on the last part of this verse:

Psalms 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

In the world’s eyes, we may not be much or accomplish much, but in God’s eyes, we are great - because of Him. Who we are in Christ never changes from day to day, so we can always be confident as we walk with our Saviour and serve Him.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Did you know the word for “workmanship” is the Greek word poiema, where we get our word “poem” from. True believers are God’s poem - and He will continue His work in us until He takes us home to glory. Like the Potter with the clay, even though our vessels were marred and scarred by sin, He keeps molding and transforming our lives until He gets the finished product He desires.

Psalms 68:13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

The picture is of a broken or cracked piece of pottery that was remade into something glorious.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

There are various passages that remind us that the Lord Jesus Christ will complete or perfect (ie. finish) the work that He is doing in our lives and even within us.

Psalms 68:28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

Often we think of some future day, perhaps when He finally takes us home - but here is a promise and a prayer that He would strengthen that work in our lives now. What a wonderful Saviour!

May 30, 2021
Jerry Bouey

Does Jesus Care?

Does Jesus Care?

Please read Exodus 14 for the context.

Exodus 14:23-25 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

I was reading this chapter a couple of days ago and was curious what the definition of “looked” in verse 24 was.

Strong’s defines it as: to lean out (of a window), i.e. (by implication) peep or gaze (passively, be a spectacle).

The idea is the Lord leaned over and looked down to earth to see how the nation of Israel and the Egyptians were doing. The verse gives the picture of the Lord leaning through the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud to watch over His people and to deal with their enemies. Now we know the Lord is not physically leaning over in heaven and peering down at us (He is omnipresent, after all), but the word the Holy Spirit used here shows His care in a comforting, picturesque way. The word is used 22 times in the Old Testament, and multiple times it is used of God in relation to His chosen people.

Consider these passages:

Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Psalms 102:18-22 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Lamentations 3:48-50 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ cares about whatever trials and troubles you are going through. He is not sitting afar off, disinterested in what is happening to you, but is leaning over in Heaven, watching over you, and reaching down with His almighty arm and helping His people and troubling or hindering their enemies.

The next time you peer out a window to look at the people passing by, consider that the Lord is doing the same to you - He always has you in His sight.

Does Jesus care? Yes, He cares!

September 6th, 2021

Jerry Bouey

Draw Near To God

Draw Near To God

Song of Songs 1:4 Draw me, we will run after thee:
the king hath brought me into his chambers:
we will be glad and rejoice in thee,
we will remember thy love more than wine:
the upright love thee.

The above verse is a prayer or desire of the believer desiring to fellowship with her Lord.

I love how the Word of God uses the idea of God drawing us to Himself.

Firstly, through His death on the cross and the preaching of the Gospel:

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 3:14; 12:32 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:… And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

And then seen through the Lord working in our lives:

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:

therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

It is God’s love and lovingkindness by which He draws us to Himself:
Jeremiah 31:3

I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love:

and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws,

and I laid meat unto them.
Hosea 11:4

It is interesting that the drawing starts (and continues) on God’s side, yet man has the responsibility or obligation to draw near to the Lord as well. If you are a professing Christian, are you making choices in your life to draw near to God for fellowship and worship? That is the only place to abide.

James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Hebrews 10:21-23 And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Are you trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ - are you hidden in the cleft of the Rock? (See Exodus 32:12-23) Are you drawing near to your Saviour today? If so, this is what the Lord is saying to you:

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock,

in the secret places of the stairs,

let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice;

for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Song of Songs 2:14 

Draw near to God - as He has drawn near to you.

May 31, 2023
Jerry Bouey