I'm Following Jesus – Page 1395 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2020
Chapters: Isaiah 35-36, II Kings 18
Message: Christ Paid Your Ransom

Hello My Friend,

Ransom; The money or price paid for the redemption of a prisoner or slave. Did you know that sin, even if it is past sin that we no longer are a part of, imprisons us? Many times it is the guilt of the past that keeps us locked up. There is a ransom to pay for sin, and that is redemption, without it we will all be in hell because that is the punishment for sin. However, Jesus Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all, He paid the price for the hell bound soul to be redeemed. Just one drop of Christ’s precious blood is enough to redeem a soul forever. Praise God! [I Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:]

The world makes this assumption that God is mean and cruel to those who reject Him, let me tell you, He loves everyone, even those who reject Him, and while He wants all to turn to Him, He will never force Himself upon anyone. If they reject Him then that is something they will have to deal with when they see Jesus. What bothers God more is those who say they follow Him and do not, then mislead people with their lies. Yes, God was angry with Israel when He sent judgment upon them, but He still loved them. And although He was allowing Israel to be judged that did not mean that He would not be there for them should they repent. And it did not mean that He was done with them. Through Isaiah, God continues to foretell the day when Jesus will judge Israel, but gives hope to His believers, and something else, a glimpse of the day all believers join Him in His Kingdom.

[Isaiah 35:4-10 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. 7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.]

[And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,] What a sight! There will be a day when all those whom have received Christ as their Saviour are resurrected, get new glorified bodies, and join Him in Zion. Jesus is the only way to Zion, the only one who shall make us clean and redeem us from our sins, and He is only coming for those who put their faith and trust in Him while they were still in their flesh. The enemies of God’s people are forever trying to frighten them from their confidence in God, during the time that Isaiah prophesied in Jerusalem, Hezekiah reigned as king, and he was the most Godliest king since David.

[II Kings 18:1-3,6-7,9-12 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. 6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. 9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. 10 And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: 12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.]

[For he clave to the LORD] Cleave; To stick; to adhere; to hold to. Our only defense, our only hope, our only option to live in this world and not get consumed by it is to stick to Jesus like glue. He will guide and protect us, He will fight for us, He will give us the courage to stand our ground and not give into their demands. Now, Eight years later, and full of pride, the king of Assyria returned to Judah to try and overtake it again, he even sent his servant Rabshakeh with an entire army to scare the people into just handing the kingdom over to him.

[Isaiah 36:4-7,10 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? 5 I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? 6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him. 7 But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar? 10 And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.]

[the LORD said unto me,] He is toying with them, he can understand if they are trusting Egypt to save them, but to trust in God they would be insane. He continues to taunt Judah, making them doubt Hezekiah for turning to God to deliver them out of their hands.

[Isaiah 36:13-19 Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. 14 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you. 15 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 16 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern; 17 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?]

[Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land] Rabshakeh used the same tactics all the wicked make when trying to get us to turn away from God, but he made one major mistake, he compared the living God to all the false man made gods. Those in the world will be the first to tell you that you are foolish for trusting in Christ as your Saviour, what they fail to understand is that we have the all powerful, Almighty, only living God on our side because of our faith in Him. Christ has paid the ransom for us, all we need to do to be delivered from death and hell is trust Christ as our Saviour, [Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.]

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for paying the ransom that redeemed my soul forever, Your precious blood is all I need to keep my soul out of hell. When life overwhelms me, it is so easy to forget just what You have brought me through over the years and how much You have changed my life. Thank You for loving me and never leaving me, and for having patience with me to see me through all life’s challenges, even when I forget that You are right here with me. Lord, You are my strength, my hope, my redemption in this wicked world. Lead me and guide me, give me Your power and strength to serve You, remind me of my purpose, let me be a witness to all You put on my heart, and help me to keep my eyes on You and never the challenges. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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