“Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”
(Jeremiah 23:5 KJV).

https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.132.17.kjvhttps://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.8.12.KJVWe are accustomed to hearing Jesus called: “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), or “The Lamb of God” (John 1:29) or “The Light of the world.” (John 8:12). But the Name “The Branch” is not as familiar to us. The Hebrew word for “Branch” is “tsemach” which means to “sprout, to bud, or to grow upon.” This same word is used in Psalm 132:17 which says: “There I will make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.” The word “bud” here is the same root word for “tsemach”.

It is a prophetic reference to God’s Promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:16 & Jeremiah 33:17 where God promised David that his “throne would be established forever.” We know that most of David’s descendants sinned grievously which resulted in Israel being taken into captivity because of God’s judgment upon them (Jeremiah 52: 4-11). But God would preserve a remnant and raise up through the line of David “The Branch” who would become the Redeemer, the Messiah, and the King whose Throne would be established forever in righteousness! Although He existed in eternity, Jesus in His humanity would come to this earth through the line of David (Matthew 1:6, Matthew 22:42) in fulfillment of God’s Promise!

The Branch is a picture of the Promise of God! It is a picture of the faithfulness of God. It is a picture of “New Life” coming forth from that which appeared to be dead! It is a picture of the miracle-working power of God in the face of the impossible! The Branch connects us to life! The Branch produces the fruit of righteousness! The Branch gives hope in the face of hopelessness! Jesus is The Branch who will reign forever as King! And He will bring redemption and justice to all who have been wounded and abused by the author of sin!

Today, The Branch, is enthroned upon our hearts (if we are redeemed). But He will ultimately be enthroned over all the earth! And He will reign from the Throne of David in Jerusalem! (Rev. 19: 1-16). And we will be privileged to reign with Him (Rev. 5:10)!

Rev. James W. Black

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2 KJV).

When we awaken from sleep in the middle of the night in our darkened bedroom the first thing most of us do is reach for a light to help us see. Some of us may keep a night light on so that we are not groping in the dark to find a flashlight. For we know that to try and navigate the room without the light can be painful! We might stub a toe on the edge of a chair. Or we might stumble over another piece of furniture in the room.

Likewise, to try and navigate life in this world without the Light of Christ can be equally painful and devastating. In John 8:12 Jesus declared that He was the light of the world. That declaration was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:2. Most people are completely in the dark when it comes to knowing Who God is and what He is like! Most are completely in the dark when it comes to knowing how to have a living, personal relationship with Him!

But the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus, who is the Light of the World, has come to reveal God to us; to show us exactly who He is and what He is like (John 14:9). And not only did He come to reveal God to us, He also came to show us how we can know Him and be with Him forever (John 14:6, Rom. 10: 9-10).

Because Christ has come we no longer have to stumble around in the darkness of life! We no longer have to walk in the darkness of sin or be plagued by the fear of death! Because the Light has come we can see clearly how to live and we can know the real meaning and purpose of life. We can truly know who we are, why we are here and where we are going! There is no other light anywhere that can give us such illumination!

Let us embrace that Light and walk in it (1 John 1: 6-7). It makes a huge difference in our world.

Rev. James W. Black

“So, I sent messengers to them saying, ‘I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you.” (Nehemiah 6:3 NKJ).

Nehemiah had been sent by the Lord to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem which had been destroyed 70 years earlier. It was part of God’s plan for returning His people to their homeland in Israel. It was a huge task. And many of Israel’s neighbors opposed the idea of Jerusalem’s walls being rebuilt.

At first they mocked and ridiculed them (Neh. 4:1). When that failed they threatened them (Neh. 4:7-11). Their last attempt was to try and distract them by getting them to focus on something totally unrelated to what they were called to do (Neh. 6: 1-3). Because Nehemiah and his people refused to be intimidated or distracted the work was finally completed.

That is a small picture of our walk with the Lord! In our walk with Him, some people will mock and ridicule us. Some will threaten us with disapproval and say unkind, untrue, and hateful things about us to discourage us and disrupt our walk with the Lord. When neither of those is successful the adversary will then seek to distract us by enticing us to become involved in things (even good things) that take away from our continued growth in the Lord. We must be wise and careful to not allow our adversary to distract us from our walk and purpose in the Lord!

Rev. James W. Black

“From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” Then Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”
(John 6: 66-68 KJV).

One of the most painful things we all experience in life is rejection. Everyone experiences it at one time or another and at different levels. It is always painful. It can be, in some cases, totally devastating! Some have experienced the pain of being rejected by a parent. Some have been rejected by a spouse. Some have been rejected by a child. Some have experienced rejection by a friend. Some have been rejected for a job or a promotion. Regardless of what area it comes from, it is always painful.

No one understands the pain of rejection more than Jesus! No one has been rejected more than Him! While He walked the earth, He was rejected by many of the religious leaders of His day (Math. 12:14). He was rejected by His own family members. His half-brothers did not believe in Him until after the Resurrection (John 7:2-5). He was rejected by many who initially followed Him because He was not the Messiah they were expecting (John 6:47-66). The Prophet Isaiah declared over 700 years before Jesus came that He would be despised and rejected of men (Isaiah 53:3). His rejection ultimately led to His crucifixion (John 19:15). He is still being rejected by millions today!

Jesus illustrates for us how we are to face and overcome the pain of rejection. He could face it because He knew Who He was! He was the Son of His Heavenly Father! His Heavenly Father affirmed Him from the beginning of His ministry until the end (Math. 3:17, Math. 17:5, & John 12:28). Because He knew He was totally loved by His Father, he could face the rejection of men! Likewise, because we are totally loved and accepted by the Heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus, and have become His very own Son & Daughter, we can live with absolute assurance and confidence that there is no one who can justifiably bring any condemnation upon us (Romans 8:1 & Romans 8:33). Though others may reject us, we have been totally accepted by the most Important Individual in the entire Universe! It does not get any better than that!

James W. Black

“Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on the earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” (Mark 4: 30-32 NKJV).

The mustard seed was one of the smallest seeds in the vegetable kingdom that grew in the Middle East during the time of Jesus. The mustard plant is still grown there today. Though a very small seed, the plant can grow from 10 to 15 feet in height when mature.* And the branches of the plant are large enough that a small bird can build its nest on them. Jesus used the mustard seed to illustrate how God takes small things and uses them to produce great things. He used this parable to illustrate what the Kingdom of God is like.

Sometimes we feel small and inadequate as followers of Christ. Because we may not be as talented or as gifted as others, we sometimes wonder how God could possibly use us! We often forget that God delights in using small things! In Exodus 4:2 & Exodus 14, God used a shepherd’s rod in the hand of Moses to bring devastating plagues upon Egypt that resulted in Israel’s deliverance from slavery after 400 years. Later God used a young teenage boy named David and a shepherd’s sling to destroy the giant, Goliath, and route Israel’s enemies (1 Samual 17: 45-50). In Matthew 14:17-21, Jesus took five small loaves of bread (about the size of a man’s hand – what we would call a biscuit today) and two small fish (from a boy’s lunch) and used them to feed over 5,000 people! And Jesus took 12 ordinary men (1 of whom was a traitor – Judas) and with them, He established His Kingdom in the earth that continues to grow around the world today and will be ultimately consummated at His return! (Luke 6: 12-16 & 1 Corinthians 15: 19-26).

The Lord wants us to know that anyone or anything that is yielded unto Him has virtually unlimited potential in His hands! It is not our ability that makes the difference in usefulness. It is His (Luke3 18:27)! God has always used small things. He still does! So, rejoice if you feel small and inadequate. You are the perfect instrument that He can use to bring great glory to His Name!

James W. Black

*Source: Unger’s Bible Dictionary page 1335).

“The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”

Psalm 12:8 NIV -1985 Edition

We have reached a point  in our culture  when almost  nothing is considered to be immoral or indecent. Every form of filth and degrading deviancy is not only embraced but is now promoted and openly flaunted without guilt or  shame!    Things that once were considered as “sin” are now promoted as “normal” and should be (we are told) accepted by everyone.  And if you have the audacity to disagree, then you are considered as being unsophisticated, bigoted, hateful, unloving  and unkind.

How did we get to this point?  How did we come to the place where now some in the higher echelons of education and government  are openly stating that even pedophilia should NOT  be considered a crime?*   We came to this point when many pastors,  churches and whole denominations,  beginning in the early 20th century,  completely abandoned the Word of God!  Now as a result of “sowing to the wind” we are reaping the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7).   And professing ourselves to be wise, we have became fools!   (Romans 1:22). 

What we see is another confirmation of the reality and the truth of God’s Word!  Galatians 6:7 declares: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  That is true for individuals, families, churches, communities and nations.  No one is exempt.  When that which is vile is embraced, the wicked strut about in pride and arrogance!  There is no longer any restraint!  

The remedy is a return to God!  The Remedy is a return to His Word! The remedy is a transforming revival!   The remedy is for the redeemed of God to stand in the face of the darkness and declare and live out the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Rev. James Black

*California’s New Law  October 12, 2020 article by Rosa Elias.  

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15 KJV).

Often Christians are accused of putting their faith in something that may be hopeful but is not logical or rational. Nothing could be further from the truth! Our faith is based upon fact not fiction! Our faith in Christ is rooted in logic and reason. It is based upon reliable, verifiable, and historical facts. In other words, it is indeed a logical and rational faith.

The fact that Jesus lived is supported not only by the Bible but also by other historical, non-Christian writers during the same period (Cornelius Tactitus – A Roman Historian; Flavia’s Josephus – A Jewish Historian, And a Letter in the British Museum written about 73 AD by a Syrian named Mara Bar-Serapion who mentions the death of Christ are only a few among many).*

The Resurrection of Jesus is also a reliable, verifiable, and historical fact that is recorded not only in the Bible but outside of it as well! The fact that the enemies of Jesus sought to bribe and suppress the message of His Resurrection (Matthew 28: 11-15) in reality actually supports the Resurrection! If the Resurrection was not true, all they had to do was to present the body! They did not need to bribe anyone. And the transformation of Saul of Tarsus, an enemy of Christ (Acts 9), who became one of the greatest defenders of Christ is further evidence of the Power of Christ and His Resurrection. Thus our faith is rooted and grounded in truth, not fiction.

As we grow in our walk with the Lord we can, with confidence, be ready at any time to give a logical explanation to anyone as to why we believe in and follow Jesus. The greatest evidence we can give is to share how Jesus has transformed our life. For no one can argue with a changed life. The evidence should be irrefutable.

Rev. James Black