“The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness. ”
(Psalm 147:11 AMPC).

Just as loving parents find pleasure in their children, the Heavenly Father finds pleasure in His! Good parents love their children from the very moment they are born. Just watch the way a mother looks at her newborn baby the first time she sees it! That newborn baby is totally and completely dependent upon the parent. The newborn has done absolutely nothing to earn or merit the parent’s love. But the parent loves the child with an overwhelming, unexplainable love! The loving parent would at that very moment lay down their life for that child. And the only basis for such love is the relationship; nothing else!

As the child begins to grow, the pleasure the parent finds in the child also grows! The parent enjoys watching the child discover and become aware of life and the world in which he lives. And the parent experiences even greater joy when the child willingly listens, learns, and obeys those things he is asked to do! For the parent always knows and wants what is best for the child and for the child to walk in obedience brings great pleasure!

That is a picture of how our Heavenly Father loves us! His love for us is far greater than any words can describe or explain (Eph. 3: 17-19). The Heavenly Father takes pleasure in us simply because of the relationship; nothing else! In fact, He longed for that relationship before we were ever born (Psalm 139: 16-17). The Father’s pleasure is amplified and enhanced when we choose to recognize Him, honor Him, reverence Him, worship Him, and follow Him! It brings Him great pleasure! So much so that the Father will even brag on His children to others whenever He gets a chance (Job 1:8).

So let us resolve to learn of Him more and more and seek to walk in obedience to those things which He teaches us so that the richness of His love for us might be realized each day. Whenever we do, it always brings the Heavenly Father, great pleasure!

Rev. James W. Black

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into he world.”
(John 17: 15-18 ESV).

In His final prayer for the disciples as He was on His way to the cross, Jesus prayed that they(and we) would live with the consciousness that they no longer really belonged to this world. In other words, it wouldn’t feel like home to them anymore. And though they still lived in this world, they would be different from this world! They would no longer find pleasure in the dark things they once enjoyed!

The indwelling work of the Holy Spirit would make them (and us) a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). And the Power of the Holy Spirit would transfer them out of the kingdom of darkness into the the Kingdom of God (Col. 1:13). Because of this transformation they (and we) would be “hated” by the world just as Jesus is hated by the world. (Luke 21:17, John 17:14). The fact that they would be hated was evidence that they (and we) truly belonged to Him!

They (and we) were to live with the understanding that it is not the plan of the Savior to take them out of this world but for them to remain in this world in order to be His light in this world (Math. 5:14-16). As they sought to live in His light and to reflect His light, the Word of God would become precious unto them. Living according to His Word would definitely set them (and us) apart from the rest of the world (John 17: 17). Such living would be considered strange and radical by the world.

The prayer of the Savior is that they (and we) would be delivered from the assaults of the evil one as they continued to live in this world. The adversary would seek to distract them, divert them into different directions, discourage them, and destroy every effort they made in trying to following Him (John 17:15)!

The prayer of the Savior is that they (and we) would realize that they were on an assigned mission to go wherever He would lead them in this world so that others might know that He loves them just as much as He loves us! (John 17:18). And the day would come when He would bring them (and us) home to be with Him in eternity (John 14:3, John 17:24). Such living transcends everything that this world has to offer!

My, what a wonderful way to live!

Rev. James W. Black

“And he that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new…”
(Rev. 21:5 KJV).

Advertising and marketing professionals know that one of the most powerful words in advertising is the word “new”. That word immediately sparks interest and curiosity. It creates a desire to investigate and see what is “new”. God specializes in making things “new”!

In John 13:34 Jesus gave a “new commandment” that we should love one another. It would become the identifying mark of those who are His disciples. In Hebrews 8:8 Jesus made a “new covenant” that was better than the old. It accomplished what the old could never do (Heb. 10:4). Through the work of His Cross, Jesus opened a “new and living way” into the presence of God! That way now makes it possible for anyone who will to come unto to Him (Rom. 10:13). No one is excluded!

So as we stand on the threshold of this new year, with hope and anticipation, let us embrace the continual newness that Christ brings to us each day!

Those who truly come to Christ become a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). Our whole lives become “new”. And this powerful work brings together both Jew and Gentile into “one new man” (Eph. 2:15-16). It completely resolves all racial and sectarian divisions. When He fully establishes His Kingdom there will be a “new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:5) which will be even better than the one we currently enjoy. There will also be a “new Jerusalem” coming down out of heaven in which the redeemed shall dwell with God (Rev. 21:2-3). In fact, absolutely everything in this realm of indescribable glory will be completely new (Rev. 21:5).

Rev. James W. Black

“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