God's Not Winking; Ignorance Isn't Bliss, It's Damnation!

God's Not Winking; 

Ignorance Isn't Bliss, It's Damnation!

Acts 17:30King James Version (KJV)

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

I normally save the scripture until the end but for today I thought it necessary to go ahead and put it out there. Have you ever met someone who liked to use scripture against you or to justify their life, speaking in complete ignorance? I see it all the time, especially in our days of social media, people throwing scripture around without knowing the context, the linguistics or culture of the day, and thus having zero knowledge of what the particular scripture means. Understand one thing, I don't claim to know it all, be a master theologian, or have it all figured out but I desire to know the riches of God's Word. I don't use it to justify my life but to transform my life. This living Word is to be a mirror in which we see our faults and thus seek the Holy Spirit and ask Him to transform us into the person we're supposed to be! Imagine with me if you will, how many days would you go without looking in the mirror? If you went as much as four days, never once looking in the mirror, what do you think you'd look like? Pretty rough are the words that came to my mind. I want you to understand that this is what we look like spiritually when we fail to look into the mirror of the Word for several days, disheveled, unkept, ignorant (all spiritually). I've come to realize that the whole world seemingly knows Matthew 7:1 "Judge not" but have failed to read the entire text and missed out on Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven" or 1 Peter 4:17 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that

obey not the gospel of God. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." Everyone knows 1 John 4:8 "God is love." but have never allowed themselves to see Colossians 3:6 "the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience." In many things in life, ignorance is bliss but when it comes to God and His Word He has given us everything necessary to overcome to the point that we are without excuse! When Hilkiah found the Book in 2 Kings, King Josiah was so taken back by what was written therein that he rent his clothes in humility, knowing that he had failed God! We

can twist the Word into any fashion to fit, justify, and go along with our lives but in our heart of hearts, we know! Everyday that you don't learn from the Word is a day wasted! Get the Book, open it, read it, and ask God to reveal it unto you. He said He'd give unto ALL men liberally! When you stand before Him, He won't be winking, He'll be judging!

Acts 17:30-31King James Version (KJV)

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Romans 1:20King James Version (KJV)

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Matthew 7:15-23King James Version (KJV)

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

2 Kings 22 King James Version (KJV)

22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,

4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of theLord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:

5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house,

6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,

13 Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

Transparency; The Healing In Confessing!

Transparency; The Healing In Confessing!

As a child, did you ever do something wrong and you knew if someone found out, that there would

be trouble? For days you avoided certain subjects and people, living in complete turmoil, no sleep, just worried to death. Then it happens, they found out! And instead of the world coming to an end all was forgiven and time went on. Looking back we realize that there is power, peace, and freedom in confession! As a child who grew up in a protestant family, I was taught the importance of confessing my sins, but only to Jesus. I'm sure, if you're not Catholic, confessing your sins to anyone other than Jesus seems foreign, embarrassing, and down right scary. Most of us are taught to hold it all in but sin is like dynamite, it's volatile and destructive when under pressure! Confessing to Jesus is an absolute, without doing so we would all be lost, but if no one else knows about it then there's no accountability, there's no humility, no recognition of the pain sin really causes! We need not confess to a priest for spiritual forgiveness, that's completely irrational and non scriptural but in this doctrinal difference we've lost the empowerment, peace, and freedom that comes in confessing our sins one to another. When we
become transparent, we begin to realize we can
never keep the standard we like to think we keep, we realize the humanity in others when they sin and we become less judgmental and more compassionate! I'm not saying to broadcast your sins to the world or on social media, what I'm saying is to find yourself a brother or sister in Christ whom you can confide in, in confidence, and allow them to be your accountability, your sounding board, your reality check and confess your sins one to another! You won't believe the liberation, the freedom, when everything is out on the table and the love of Christ remains, your humility will grow, your compassion will flourish, your power will increase to more Godliness and you will become more and more Christlike, and when others see this, they'll listen! If you want spiritual power, if you want spiritual influence, if you want to have a lasting testimony, then break the barrier of you facade, be transparent, resolve to truly repent, acknowledge your faults one to another, the prayer of a righteous man availeth much!

James 5:16King James Version (KJV)

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Psalm 32:5King James Version (KJV)

5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Proverbs 28:13King James Version (KJV)

13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

1 John 1:9King James Version (KJV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Nehemiah 9:1-3King James Version (KJV)

9 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.

I'm A Fundamentalist, Not A Traditionalist!

I'm A Fundamentalist, Not A Traditionalist!

This blog post has content that has been weighing heavy on my mind for quite some time. Whether you like what I have to say or completely disagree with me, the Word reigns true! Just so you know, that's what I'm basing this entire post on, as well as my teachings, preachings, and the life that I lead. Am I a Fundamentalist? Absolutely, you better believe it. Yet because of some who have misinterpreted and illegitimately labeled themselves such, I never know how someone will perceive me when I say I'm a fundamentalist, yet I am one. As I look at the world, social media, the news media, I see propaganda thrown around condemning the fundamentalists and I see false assumptions as to what a true fundamentalist is! So I asked myself why? Why does the world view us this way? All I had to do was look around! Traditionalists call themselves fundamentalists! The two are polar opposites, especially in my world! I'm a Free Will Baptist, a fundamentalist movement, but I am NOT a traditionalist! A true fundamentalist believes the following, the inerrancy of the scriptures(The original Greek and Hebrew, not the KJV!), the virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, the literal resurrection of Christ, the second coming, and the literal interpretation of scripture! The traditionalist believe that their traditions are right and everyone else is wrong! I get so fed up when a traditionalist screams "look to the old paths"(Jeremiah 6:16) without context in view. They scream this proclaiming, not what the scripture means which is to turn from idols and back to the one true God, but that we should live and worship exactly like mamma and daddy when worship has changed throughout the centuries, not the essence, which is in God alone, but in the form it is manifested! You can agree or disagree but I can guarantee that you don't worship with an ephod on, burn incense, sing gregorian chants, have ever heard a psaltry played, much less had one in your church. Your style of worship hasn't been around forever, at one time it was contemporary! Your style of music hasn't always been, gospel style came out of the streets, southern gospel and bluegrass came out of the honky tonks. By the way, today's contemporary christian music has more biblical weight in their lyrics than the traditional! I better move on or I'll be on this subject all day, lol. A traditionalist wants you to wear what they grew up wearing to church, non biblical, they want you to worship with the same style of worship they grew up with, non biblical, they are always more worried about the superficial instead of the spiritual! I'm pretty sure Jesus Christ called someone like this a Pharisee and a Sadducee! Whited sepulchers, beautiful on the outside yet full of dead men's bones! How can we spot the traditionalist and the fundamentalist? I'm glad you asked.....

The Traditionalist will condemn you for what you wear to church, the fundamentalist will clothe the naked!

The traditionalist will condemn you for eating in the church, which David did by the way, the fundamentalist will feed the hungry!
The traditionalist will condemn the rapist, the fundamentalist will visit them in prison!

The traditionalist will condemn your style of worship, the fundamentalist will worship along with you!

The traditionalist will bash the homosexual, the fundamentalist will love them and lead them to Christ through love to which they will respond and turn from that sin(seen it happen)!

The traditionalist will condemn the depressed for not having faith, the fundamentalist will comfort them and lead them to the peace of Christ!

The traditionalist will condemn people for not coming to church yet have never stepped foot in their neighborhoods to love and invite them, the fundamentalist is ALWAYS looking for ways to love people and lead them to the knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Please let me clarify, unfortunately some have taken my statements to the extreme. I'm not saying or implying you should wear anything, go anywhere,  do anything and anyone who knows me understands that. Just look at the graphic, those are lies. I'm just saying don't condemn others cause they don't worship and look like you, your mamma, or your daddy!

Am I a fundamentalist? YES! A traditionalist? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I'm not saying integrity should be compromised but integrity comes not by what we wear, or how we worship but simply in how we abide in these two commandments, love God with all you heart, soul, mind, and might, and love your neighbor as yourself!

I may listen to contemporary music, wear shorts from time to time, enjoy going to the beach, have a praise and worship team at my church, have a youth group, have a children's church, associate with other denominations than my own but I'm still a fundamentalist Christian with conservative views, I still believe and am anointed by the Holy Ghost, I'm still a holy roller, I'm still a bible thumper, I'm still a born again Christian, I still shout, I still run the aisle, but most importantly, I'm doing what God said do, LOVE GOD AND LOVE OTHERS!

Matthew 23:27King James Version (KJV)

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Matthew 22:35-40King James Version (KJV)

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Matthew 15:1-9King James Version (KJV)

15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Careful and Troubled, But ONE Thing Is Needful!

Careful and Troubled, But ONE Thing Is Needful!

I absolutely love ministry! Serving our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, feeding the hungry, clothing the destitute and naked, visiting those in prison, comforting the sick, praying with the deprived, visiting the widows. Understand, these thing are a DIRECT result of salvation(born-again). If these, along with the fruit of the spirit(love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance) aren't present in your life then you are blinded and Christ is far from you, much less your savior. With that said, I find myself taking on more than I can handle in the ministry very often. God revealed to us a clear picture that we must have rest through the creation account, a rest that is found in communion with God. Faith without works is dead but rest assured that works without faith is dead too. So many nights I lay in bed and my mind races with thoughts of what else I could have done for Christ throughout the day, what else I could have done to help someone, what else could I have done to "change" the world. After that I feel absolutely horrible, I feel like a failure, I feel as though God is looking down, shaking his head is disdain because I just didn't do enough. It took me along time to realize this was a ploy of Satan, and I have to reign that in every single day of my life. Many times I even feel guilty taking time for myself or my family. Those of you in ministry understand. For a long time I lived my Christian life as a Martha, careful and troubled of many things! One day it hit me, Luke

   

10:41 & 42, all this time I was missing out on the greatest moments of my Christian life, time alone with Christ, simply worshipping! Martha was distraught, and troubled at all there was to do FOR the Lord and forgot the ONE THING THAT WAS NEEDFUL to the Lord, worshipping Christ alone! Communion with Christ must be at the top of the list of things to do daily. If we commune with Him first He'll lead us in everything else He wants us to do, and when we lay down at night, we can lay down satisfied not terrified! There's freedom in worship, peace in praise, and anointing in communion! Who have you been? Martha or Mary?

Luke 10:38-42King James Version (KJV)

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Matthew 25:31-46King James Version (KJV)

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Galatians 5:22-23King James Version (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Insensitive!

Arrington Heights FWB

Insensitive!

I remember looking once at my hands after several days of tough manual labor. They were hard, calloused, and tough. For a city/mama's boy that was something new to me. I do remember as a child looking at my daddy's hands, rough and tough just like him! I recall one instance where he had cut his hand and blood was flowing and he didn't even notice. Why? His hands were past feeling! They had been seared with the hot iron of daily hard work. That's a good calloused! That's something this generation really knows nothing about. Honestly, I didn't until I got into my 20's. One thing that scares me tremendously is the callousness that this generation knows all to well. The callousness of the heart! Past feeling, no conscience, no moral decency! Doing things that would make a Godly man blush, weep, and fall trembling to his knees, yet without even as much as an ounce of remorse! A society so calloused and blind to the holiness and righteousness of God! Fear and trembling have mutated into arrogance and entitlement! Wake up America, we're on our way out as a superpower! How can we stand without God? How can He bless those who curse Israel? All through scripture we are taught of the destructiveness of rejecting the counsel of God and the Holy Spirit, how each rejection hardens our hearts and creates a barrier between our conscience and the heart! Eventually we are even blind to what's right and wrong. Just look at the "church" of today, infiltrated by homosexuality, rampant divorce, fornication, lying, greed, back biting, malice, gossip, and all manner of immoral, unholy works of iniquity! Not just present there but ACCEPTED! Woe, scribes and pharisees! When was the last time you allowed yourself to be sensitive to the convicting power of the Holy Ghost? Blushed, trembled, wept, repented, and grieved in His presence because of the remorse you had of your short comings. We have no power because we have no 

conscience and with no conscience we have no sight of our sins, separated from God with no anointing! 

Preacher, everything's fine between me and God! Let me tell you a bit of truth, there have been many a soul utter those same words to themselves, moments before they busted Hell wide open! 

Blind people can't see! Pray for your eyes to be opened, for God to show you where you need to improve.  Trust me, there's room to improve! I'll leave you with this, you better get real with God or God's gonna get real with you! Point blank! Pharaoh hardened his own heart six times, God had enough, God then hardened Pharaoh's heart and there was no turning back! One day grace will run out! You'll bow here or there, the choice is yours!

Jeremiah 6:15-16King James Version (KJV)

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

1 Timothy 4:1-2King James Version (KJV)

4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Ephesians 4:17-32King James Version (KJV)

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

2 Chronicles 36:12-14King James Version (KJV)

12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.

13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.

14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

Philippians 2:12King James Version (KJV)

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Isaiah 59 King James Version (KJV)

59 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.

6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.

21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.