Despite his mighty ministry and many miracles... from parting the Jordan River to making the iron axe head swim to raising the dead son of the Shunammite... Elisha was still human, Elisha still got sick, and Elisha still died. A sobering reminder of something believers today, especially young believers today, think about too little until it is too late - MORTALITY!

Folks, we get one time around and it is gone before we know it (James 4:14). We will either make it count for God or spend eternity wishing we did! This short fleeting life is merely study and prep time for that final exam at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Amos 4:12). 'Tis wise to keep our mortality always in mind, motivating us to do right (Psalm 90:12), that when that day comes upon us it is a day of rejoicing, and not regret!

John 10:10 - ...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

When we are born we are given temporal life. It is FREE to us, given us by God who made us (Psalm 139:14), but it has an end (Psalm 90:10).

When we trust Christ we are given everlasting life (John 3:16), also FREE to us, given us by God as a gift we do not deserve (Ephesians 2:8). It is our victory in Christ over death and hell, and it has no end.

But God also offers us the abundant life mentioned above. An abundant life within our everlasting life as we live out our temporal life. However, this abundant life is NOT free to us. This one COSTS us faithfulness and obedience to the will and command of God.

Indeed, God's blessing of a life of peace, victory, blessed relationships, blessed finances, etc. comes at the price of faithful prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, soulwinning, tithing, separating, serving, etc. And once we attain that abundant life, we realize just how small a price it is to pay!

"Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don't you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now..."

Secret Power: The Secret of Success in Christian Life and Work, Dwight L. Moody

At the end of the day, this verse is really what it all boils down to. If you believe this verse is referring to the eternal existence of the Person of Christ, then you can loosen your position on the written word of God...

But if you understand this verse is referring to an actual physical book comprised of specific words, letters, jots, and tittles, and you understand that specific book has been transmitted from heaven to earth by God through men, then you are forced to identify which specific book on earth it is... to the jot and tittle!

This verse compels KJOnlyists to contemplate what they actually believe it is they are holding when they hold the KJB in their hands, and this verse exposes the various distinct positions that exist within KJOnlyism itself. It is the verse that every professing Bible believer must come to terms with! It is the verse that separates the men from the boys! 😁

It is not as difficult as some make it to define what the "word of God" is. And what is the ultimate authority on what the word of God is? The word of God itself, of course... and therein it is clearly revealed that the word of God is a BOOK. One specific volume, one specific book. The reason some reject this simple truth is because it forces them, if they are going to claim they believe the word of God, to identify WHICH specific book it is.

Psalm 40:7 is quoted in Hebrews 10:7, clearly reiterating that this prophecy is referring to Christ establishing the New Covenant. However, notice the use of the definite article - "the" volume, "the" book - identifying one specific volume, one specific book. Yet, neither when David penned Psalm 40, nor when Paul penned Hebrews 10, did that specific volume, that specific book exist anywhere on earth. But it most definitely did exist... in heaven. And that is why Psalm 119:89 is the key to understanding what, and identifying where, that precious word of God is.

I John 2:18 - Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come...

II Thessalonians 2:8 - And then shall that Wicked be revealed...

Revelation 6:2 - And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow...

Revelation 13:1 - AND I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

The blasphemous, bloodthirsty Antichrist... the malevolent, murderous Vicar of Satan... the puppetmaster Pontiff of the putrid Prelates... the beastly Bishop of Rome, upon whom the vengeance of God on behalf of His people shall burn forever in the lake of fire!

Revelation 19:20 - And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

A brother takes a fall off a ladder and ends up in the hospital with a broken arm, a couple of cracked ribs, and a small puncture wound in one of his lungs.

If you are the self-righteous, pharisaical-type "Job's friend", when you go to make a visit at his bedside he would probably hear you say something like, "Well, you had to see it comin'.  You can't live as wicked as you do and get away with it forever!"

Or if you are one of the all too common self-centered, self-absorbed believers in America today, when you walk into his room the first thing he would probably hear from you is, "Oh, you're not gonna believe what just happened to me.  On my way out of the elevator I stubbed my pinky toe so hard!  You can't imagine the pain!  It's throbbin' so bad right now!"

In either case... you're an idiot.  Please, for the sake of the dear folks in your life, stop trying to "be there for them" when they're havin' a tough time!

Yet, as ludicrous as both of the examples above are, they are not the only way we can be what Job called "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2) when a loved one is going through trials and afflictions.  If we show up in the room and think we're helping him by saying something like, "Wow, this really stinks, bro, but praise God, at least you didn't break both arms."... we're just as much an idiot as the others!  As the verse above states, we might as well just rip his coat off of him on a freezing winter night!

The "warm garment" he needs to comfort his heavy heart of affliction as he lays in that bed is, "Brother, I'm so sorry this has happened to you.  I just want you to know I love you and I'm prayin' for you.  I know things are gonna be rough for you for a spell here, so ANYTHING you need, don't hesitate to call me!"  He simply needs a friend who understands the concept of weeping with them that weep (Romans 12:15).

If we are able to sing OURSELVES out from underneath a heavy heart of affliction, great!  Welcome to the world of Paul & Silas!  But when OTHERS are carrying the burden of that heavy heart, they don't need us to bring that pulpit we carry around with us and preach at 'em about how great things actually are in their life.  They just need a loving, compassionate, empathetic friend to let 'em know we're there for them... and then actually be there for them when they call upon us!

This is not an AI image, nor is it a computer graphic, nor is it a doctored photo. On my way home the other day, a few minutes away from the house, this sky captured my attention so I pulled over and snapped this picture with my phone. Here in the Northeast I usually get two or three of my favorite days per year - 70s, no humidity, and a bright blue sky decorated with cottony cumulus clouds. That day was definitely one of them. And this photo is just another illustration of why I despise the city as much as I do.

If your desire is to live in the country but you are stuck in the city for financial reasons, or any other reasons beyond your control right now, my heart breaks for you. Keep your eyes on those blue skies and get out there as quick as the Lord will let you. But if you choose, if you prefer, that filthy, smelly, callous, crime-ridden, violence-laden concrete jungle... you can keep it!

Psalm 19:1 - THE heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Though it was not as long ago as the picture above might indicate, it has been a bit of a spell. My precious wife and I celebrated our Anniversary this week. 'Twas 36 years ago we met in high school and started dating, and six years later to the day that we were married.

I did the math and said to my beloved bride this week, "That puts the time of our lives we have spent together at around 70%. That means every ten days you have lived on this earth, you have spent seven of them with me! Whatta ya think?" And my dearest love in the world, for whom I live and would die, after a couple of seconds of pause looked into my eyes and responded, "I'm really not feeling well." ❤️

I highly recommend this one by Bro. Ruckman. Bible Numerics (as opposed to Satanic Numerology) is an interesting and edifying topic that can build and strengthen our faith in the King James Bible. The layers of truth in the word of God are such that they are "unsearchable" and "past finding out" (Romans 11:33). That means we will be studying and learning those layers for the rest of eternity, and some of those layers involve the meaning and significance of God's use of numbers. I mean, He did write an entire book entitled Numbers, no? Indeed, numbers matter to God.