The Lord Is - - November 2023

 

KEPHALE GONIA

(pronounced kef-al-ay' go-nee'-ah)

CHIEF CORNERSTONE

Acts 4:11

This Jesus is The Stone rejected by you builders, which has become the Cornerstone. 

Psalm 118:22

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Isaiah 28:16

So this is what The Lord GOD says: "See, I lay a Stone in Zion, a Tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a Sure Foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken."

Jesus Christ is The Rock upon which all other Living Stones are built. Without Him there is no foundation and all who do not believe that Jesus Christ is LORD have built their beliefs on sand, which is no foundation at all and washes away with every wave. 

Jesus Christ is The Rock that won't move. It's why the believer can not only anchor in Him, but have Him as our Anchor. He is Strong. He is Steadfast. He is Immovable. He is Unshakable. 

THE ROCK WON'T MOVE - Vertical Worship

HUPSOO

(pronounced hoop-so'-o)

EXALTED

To raise up, to lift up

Acts 2:33

“He is The One Who is Exalted at the right hand of God and He has received from The Father The Promise which is concerning The Spirit of Holiness, and He has poured out this gift, which, behold, you are seeing and hearing.”

Acts 5:30,31

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 

Psalm 118:16

The right hand of The LORD is Exalted! The right hand of The LORD performs with valor!” 

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw The Lord seated on a throne, high and Exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.

Isaiah 52:13

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be Exalted and extolled, and be very high.

John 3:13-15

No one has ascended into heaven except The One Who descended from heaven—The Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so The Son of Man must be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 

HE IS EXALTED

HE IS HIGH AND EXALTED

    Even now, we who believe that Jesus Christ is LORD, lift high His Name which is above all other names, that all who hear and see may believe and receive. Believe that He is indeed LORD of ALL and receive Him into their hearts. 

    The call to come and worship The KING of KINGS still goes out into the world, for The LORD GOD even yet extends His hand of Mercy and Lovingkindness to all who will reach out to Him and call on His Name. 

    From the depths of our hearts we cry out to God to forgive us. Forgive us for being self-infatuated, forgive us for not seeing Your hand at work in our lives, forgive us of all the unrighteous words we have spoken, forgive us of turning away from You and turning our hearts to handmade gods. Lord, we glorify Your Name, and Your Name alone. For in You is our Salvation. In You is our Peace. In You is our Hope alone. You, Lord, and none other. 

    Father, receive us into Your heart and make our hearts Your own. Fill us even now at this moment with Your precious Holy Spirit that Your Word would be revealed to us as we read it and Your Spirit applies it to our hearts and lives. Lead us and guide us and guard us. You have proven Yourself faithful right down to even the smallest request. Find us faithful, too, that we may rise when You send Your beloved Son to bring us home. 

    In Jesus' Most Beautiful Name,

Amen.

MY LIFE IS IN YOU, LORD

 

Lithos -- Stumblingstone

 

LITHOS

(pronounced lee'-thos)

STUMBLINGSTONE

Romans 9:33

As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Sion a Stumblingstone and Rock of Offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

 Isaiah 8:14

And He will be a sanctuary--but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.

Isaiah 28:16

So this is what the Lord GOD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken."

Matthew 21:42

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Psalm 118:22

The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

1 Peter 2:6

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

     As born again believers we have nothing to be ashamed of, nor confounded (confused) over. We are able to believe because the Holy Spirit of God has stirred within us a desire to believe. And we choose to listen to Him, believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and give our hearts, our lives and everything about us to Him; following Him in our everyday life, choosing to submit to His will in every decision, big or small. 

     We are not to hide our faith in Jesus Christ, nor are we to flaunt it with a 'holier than thou' stance. We are overjoyed to be included in God's family and serve Him in His kingdom. And we strive to share this joy we have in Him with others which usually, if we are following the Spirit's leading, leads us into both joy (that another person has accepted Christ) and suffering (because we are coming under attack (mocking, persecution) for sharing our faith). 

     It is Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected that throws some folks off, making it harder for them to believe. We must remember that at one time we, too, were not believers. And remember what it took to get us to turn our hearts to God. Never stop praying for someone else, no matter how long it takes for them to turn their hearts to God. Never speak against another person, nor gossip about them. For this not only taints your testimony, but negates your relationship with God and people. Why would anyone want to be a Christian like that when the world system behaves in much the same way?

     Remember that the Cornerstone of our faith is Jesus Christ. The Word says to lay no other foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11 "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."). And that everything built on that Foundation will be judged by God. Therefore, we must build with wisdom and use only the building materials which the Spirit has given us to build with. 

Philippians 4:4-9

4) Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

5) Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near.

6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

9) And what you have learned and have received and have heard and have seen in me, practice these things. And the God of peace will be with you.

Cornerstone

 

1 Corinthians 3:11

 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:15-17

For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”  So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place. Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it.

2 Corinthians 11:4

For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily.

Psalm 118:22

The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-20

Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 

1 Peter 2:4-8

As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed. 

As stated yesterday, regarding 1 Corinthians 3:10, there is only one foundation on which the gospel is founded and that Foundation is Jesus Christ. Christ is not only our Foundation, but the Chief Cornerstone on which we, God's house, God's dwellingplace, God's temple, are built. 
     Being born again is more than believing it's knowing. Faith in God through salvation in Jesus Christ is stronger than mere faith in God. Mere faith in God believes God is real but refuses to live according to His Word.  Faith in God through salvation in Jesus Christ compels a born-again believer to live according to the Word. We are not forced into doing so, we do so because we love Him who first loved us and proved it by dying on the cross in our place. 

     The Lord Jesus Christ is my Foundation, my Rock, the Cornerstone of my faith, of what I believe. Can you say this? And if you can't, wouldn't you like to? All you have to do is believe that Jesus Christ is LORD. And live that belief according to how God's Word says to live in Christ and Christ live in you. Simple faith.

The Power of The Cross

Know Your Priorities-Most Important Relationship

 

Foundational Living

Psalm 118:22

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Isaiah 28:16

So this is what the Lord GOD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.

Acts 4:10-12

"...then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Ephesians 2:19-21

Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Matthew 4:19

And He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.”

1 Corinthians 14:1

Love should be your guide. Be eager to have the gifts that come from the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of prophecy.

     Without this Foundation, this relationship which is made possible by believing that Jesus is the Christ, Who is our only means of salvation, a person is doomed to fail in this life. Success is not measured by how much we own, nor is it measured by our level of happiness.

     What we own in this life (material possessions, wealth or lack thereof) is not what we take with us when we die. When our bodies cease to have life, there is an immediate separation. The body remains earthbound while the spirit/soul travels to its destination, which has been determined by that soul while it lived on this earth. 

     Each and every one of us will give an account for our actions, our thoughts and our words. We are responsible in our lifetimes for making wise choices/decisions. Particularly the decision to believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. That must be done on an individual basis by each person who ever lived. 

Acknowledge our sins and repent of them

Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

Confess that He Is Lord

Determine to follow Him

     This can be accomplished through simple prayers. God wants to hear us speak what is in our own hearts. We can recite a prayer, but unless we really mean it, that prayer is just words and has no power to change our lives. 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I admit I have sinned against You and against Your Word. Forgive me of my sins and make me new in You. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for my guiltiness and rose from the dead walking out of the grave. 

I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Please be Lord of my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may be able to live a life that pleases You. 

In Jesus' Precious Name,

Amen