The Scripture Imprisoned Everything Under Sin

Gal.3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
A quote from Matthew Henry's concise commentary:
The law was not intended to discover a way of justification, different from that made known by the promise, but to lead men to see their need of the promise, by showing the sinfulness of sin, and to point to Christ, through whom alone they could be pardoned and justified.
The great design of the law was, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to those that believe; that, being convinced of their guilt, and the insufficiency of the law to effect a righteousness for them, they might be persuaded to believe on Christ, and so obtain the benefit of the promise.
Romans 11:32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
From the beginning of creation, God knew man would sin.
Gen.2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Ps.14:1-3 1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Jer.17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Through Adam, we all have sinned and with that sin, innocence was lost and God's perfect creation was corrupted. Sin brings death and judgement. Man is lost and condemned but God, in His glory and mercy, sent grace, in the form of Jesus, to redeem hopelessly lost man.
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Rom.3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Rom.6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Lord, Your Word is good! It is living water to those who are perishing! There are hearts ready to know You. Lord, help us teach Your truth to the lost. Amen 

God's Blessings / God's Knowledge

Ears that I may hear, eyes that I may see, legs that I may walk, lips that I may speak, a brain that I may think and reason, these things are blessings from God that we most take from granted!! Today we are praising God for someones ability to make a device to restore lost hearing in some people, the cochlear implant. God is mighty in wisdom and gives many blessings. He imparts knowledge to us and I would think that most of the time, we take the credit.
Lord, I am humbled by Your vast knowledge. Thank You for restoring Cam's hearing. Amen
Job 38:1-7 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 28:20-28  "From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. Abaddon and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.' "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
Ps.139:13-14 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Gen.1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Gen.2:7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

The Days of Darkness Will Be Many

Have you ever tried to find rhyme or reason as to why some people live longer than others? The truth is in the bible! God determines the number of your days before any of them come to be.
Ps.139:15-16 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Ecc.11:8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.
We are made of dust but our spirit lives forever!
Ecc.12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
In reading God's word, I have found many warnings of the uncertainty of life, the struggles that are sure to come, and the hope and faith in a Savior who will be there for you. Satan is ready to cut you down at every turn, so be ready and get your defense book, the bible.
Defintion of defense: capability of resisting attack, resistance against danger, attack, or harm; protection
Eph.6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Lord, you are Master and King, lord over all things. Any courage we have comes from You and You alone! We are here by Your design! Amen

To Fear God is to Love Him

Ecc.12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ecc.12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc.11:5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
What manner of being is this living God? One who is all knowing, all seeing and Judge and Creator of all living creatures! He speaks to the wind and it blows, the rain clouds and they drop their rain, the storms and they wreak havoc and to tiny cells and they form a baby. He causes every manner of plant to grow, every tree and every flower. The clouds that look like big puffy, soft cotton balls, the sun to warm the days and the moon to glow in the sky, with all the stars that twinkle and all the planets that seemingly hang in the sky with nothing visible holding them in place. This being who created everything, is way beyond our grasp of knowledge!
Lord, I ask for forgiveness for my disobedience. I am in awe of the wonder of You. My heart catches when I think of Your power and Your mercy. The mystery of Your Words and the truth You have revealed to us through Jesus are forever in my heart. Teach us Your ways. Amen

A Generation Goes and A Generation Comes

Ecc.1:4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
God made the earth for man to dwell in. It will stand until he refines it and makes all things new!
Psalm 104:5 He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.
Ecc.1:9 9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
Man's condition of heart, his corruption, his desires, his pursuits, and his complaints are the same now as in generations past and if the Lord wills, future generations. When will man learn that he can not be happy from his collection of things? God gives peace and happiness through His mercy. Build your treasure in the kingdom to come so it will be everlasting.
Ecc.6:1-2 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.
God gives blessings but also, by His power, gives you the ability to enjoy them!
Gracious God, For all the blessings you give, thank You. For the ability to be content in plenty and want, thank You. For Your forgiveness, thank You. For the knowledge You give us, thank You. Amen

To Bring Out the Prisoners

Isaiah 42:6-7 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
There are many types of prisons but the one thing they have in common is overwhelming feeling of darkness and hopelessness. The most common thought of prison is the one the state puts you in when you are a lawbreaker. There are the prisons we make for ourselves as we become slaves to alcohol, drug abuse, sexual abuse, adultery, and all other manner of sin. Because, whether you will admit it or not, we do become imprisoned and enslaved by things. Sin is the prison into which we are born. Christ is our deliverer! You must repent and follow Him for salvation, there is no other way. There will be no way out of the prison of Hell once you are there. The devil is cunning and keeps people blinded to the saving knowledge of the Lord and His ability to deliver them from the bondage of sin.
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
2 Cor.4:4 NLV Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
We were not saved for some unknown reason! We were saved by the mercy of our Creator! We are here to be a light for those who are still in darkness. We are to be ready to tell of the hope we have found in Christ.
Lord, most high God, my heart aches for the ones who reside in the dark, the ones who feel so alone, the ones who want someone to love them even while they are deep in sin. Your Word will melt the darkest of hearts if they will but receive it! Amen
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Peter 3:15 NIV But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

The Fruit of the Vine

Prov.23:30-35 Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. "They struck me," you will say,"but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink." While drinking in and of itself is not forbidden, there certainly are some cautious words of wisdom in the bible. The only ones forbidden to drink alcohol were the Levitical priesthood. That being said, drunkenness was strictly forbidden.Eph.5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the SpiritTitus 1:7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain1 Tim. 3:2-3 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.Let us remember what happened to Noah and Lot, just to name a few, who got drunk and lost control. Gen.9:21-22 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside.Gen.19:32-36 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father." So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father." So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father.Lord, I pray for the ones who have become a slave to drinking. Deliver them from the certain path of destruction. Let us be Your servant and trust you for deliverance. In Jesus name, Amen